Day 94 - Lava Rocks

Saturday July 18

I slept well last night. The soft pine needles made the perfect bed for cowboy camping. 

I was on the trail at 5:30. I bought a filled donut with chocolate frosting to eat while hiking. After bumping around in my food bag, it was rather messy. I enjoyed it anyway!

The trail wound through a forested area for most of the morning. Even though it was sunny, I couldn't wear my sunglasses because it made the trail too dark. I must admit it was rather boring without views. The only animal I saw was a little fawn. 

I stopped for water at the Brown Mountain shelter. It has a well with great cold water. Windscreen was there along with three other through hikers. The shelter marks the two-thirds compete point for northbound hikers!

From the shelter, the trail crossed miles of lava rock. I got a picture of one of the lava fields with Mount McLaughlin in the distance.

I wanted to go 30 miles today, but my back started hurting. I fixed dinner at a rest stop by a creek near highway 140. Just beyond the trail enters the Sky Lakes Wilderness. From here to Crater Like, there are bad mosquito problems. I ended up hiking with my mosquito head net!

I am camped tonight at PCT mile 1783.4. I hiked 26.4 miles today. The elevation here is 5,900 feet.