Start: 1887
Stop: 1903.8
Today’s miles: 16.8 (+3.8 side trail)
Total PCT miles: 1756
The way my day started was drastically different from the way my day ended. When I woke up freezing at 5:30, I snoozed til 6, then 6:20. Y’all. I like my sleep, especially when I’m bundled up warm and it’s cold as hell outside!
I started packing and was leaving camp by 6:50. The temperature according to my garmin Inreach was 28 degrees. No amount of movement was warming me up. And then, within 2 miles of hiking, I had to cross a stream that didn’t have stable rocks or logs to go over on. The water came up to my knees and it was FREEZING! Literally, little pieces of ice were floating by. Jesus.
After the crossing, I had tiny rocks in my shoes, but my hands were so cold I couldn’t untie my laces, so I just kept walking, praying my numb feet weren’t getting mutilated in my shoes. The trail started to climb, switchbacks through sand and rock and few sporadic trees. The sun was off somewhere far far away from me. I was I cold and miserable and questioning absolutely everything.
At the top of the climb I had to sit and take my shoes off. It was such a struggle.. the laces were now frozen. Once my shoes were rock free, I continued hiking, the sun finally touching me off and on after 9:20 or so. Sometimes I’d just stop and bask in the sunlight, hoping my fingers and toes would regain more feeling soon.
As the day went on, it warmed up some (into the 40s) and my mood shifted. I became focused solely on getting to Cottonwood Pass trailhead, getting a hitch into town and getting a Big Mac. Why a Big Mac? Who knows? But I’ve been dreaming of one! So, I took no breaks, I ate my few bars and my one Poptart all while walking. I filtered water once. I spoke to people I saw on trail but I kept it short and hardly slowed to catch my own breath.
I made it to the junction for the side trail. I had service so I talked to mom for a minute or two before I lost service, and I posted about summiting Mount Whitney.. then all but ran down the switchbacks to the parking lot. It was close to 4 miles on that side trail and I was there by 4:15! I used the pit toilet and then walked to the stop sign for the parking lot so that way any car leaving would have to make eye contact with me.
I was having zero luck. Not one single car was coming or going although the parking lot was slap full. Where were all these people?? Then, some trail maintenance guys came down and one came to tell me they had a camp they were staying at for the week, so no one was going into town tonight. He apologized and wished me luck.
At 4:45 a man drove by and said he was going to drop off his hiker and he’d be back to take me down. Cool! Come to find out, he’s a shuttle driver.. he charges EIGHTY-FIVE dollars to bring a hiker to this trailhead from town! I immediately asked how much he was wanting to charge me because I might have to just wait-and he said nothing since the other guy paid him already. Ha. Wow. Glad I’m not that guy.
The ride down was long and winding and absolutely stunning. Paul, my driver, gave me all kinds of cool information, about the road and Owens Lake, the paragliding in the area, all the movies made in the Alabama Hills-these crazy rock formations that literally look like they’re from another planet. He was cute and chatty and I enjoyed our ride to town. He dropped me off at McDonald’s and I made a mad dash to the kiosk to order my food! I sat and ate my Big Mac meal-faster than I should ever admit, drank my coke, and then walked across the street to the motel I wanted to stay at.
I got myself a room, although it’s a shared bathroom kind of place, and the girl gave me my package Andrea shipped here for me: my new shoes!! Hell yeah. I talked to mom while getting somewhat organized and then I showered while the bathroom was available. Across the street was a laundromat, so once I was clean I washed my clothes and posted some blog posts while they were washing and drying.
I walked down the street to the grocery store, intending to get some drinks for tonight, Gatorade and whatnot, and saw that the Mexican restaurant across the street was open!! No way! I thought it closed at 7pm and here it was 8pm and they were open! I was their only customer.. and I got all the things. Chips, salsa, queso with jalapeños, enchiladas with rice and beans, plus a glass of wine. I worked on the blog and danced while I ate. The waitress got quite a kick out of me.
When I finished up and paid, I went to the grocery store and got my Gatorade, then made my way back to my motel room. This bed is cushy and comfortable and the room is cute. Normally I’d watch TV or something, but I’m too tired to go grab the remote, so I think I’ll just head to bed now. This little town of Lone Pine has totally renewed me. I feel so much more positive now than I was this morning or even the last few days. Yay for that! Goodnight y’all.