Day 84 - Washington Rain?

Wednesday July 8

Tap, tap, ta-tap tap. I knew what that sound meant. It was rain hitting my tent and it was time to get up. I was tempted to stay in my warm sleeping bag for another hour to see if the rain would stop. But, rain is also a part of this adventure, so I needed to deal with it. 

I packed up as much as I could while still in the tent. Then I packed my sleeping bag, electronics and clothes in a plastic bag and put them in my pack. That way, if my pack gets wet, they should still stay dry. 

I was on the trail by 5:40, and the rain changed from light rain to a steady rain. At times the wind would blow it sideways! I had my raincoat on, but sweat still got me wet. I didn't wear my rain pants, since my hiking pants have the pockets I need and they dry really quickly once the rain stops. Besides, my rain pants are not breathable, so I would get wet anyway. 

My hiking hat soon was saturated, and I could tell the intensity of the rain by the rate of the dripping from the front of the hat! Rain started to trickle down my neck, but my buff soaked most of it up. It felt like I was hiking in Washington State because there were puddles in the trail!

There really must be better rain gear. Perhaps a poncho?

Fortunately, by 10 the rain stopped and the sun came out. I crossed highway 3 and headed into the Trinity Alps Wilderness. 

The trail climbed back above 7,000 feet with good views.

At one stream, I noticed these odd plants. They are California Pitcher plants. Insects crawl in a small slit near the top of the hood. Unable to escape, they are slowly digested by the plant.

By 4 PM, my feet were tired and thunderstorms were building again. I am camped tonight at PCT mile 1583.1. The elevation here is 6,828 feet. I hiked 29.4 miles.