I was out of camp as fast as I’ve ever been this morning and hiked the last bit to the peak of Mt Baden-Powell. The view is fantastic but the light doesn’t lend itself to photos. I think this is the first time that I’ve seen a mountain cast a shadow on a cloud.
I only have a half liter if water that I collected from snow and melted overnight. Next water is in six or seven miles so after a brief and beautiful respite, I have to go.
The rest of the day was hot and hilly. The PCT overlaps with the Silver Moccasin Trail created, according to one sign by Lord Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts) himself. Since it’s not required to support horses like the PCT, it can have normal hills, not the long shallow climbs I can eat for breakfast. I was pretty well beaten by days end but here’s a picture from the top of one particular ridge
Today’s other main event was bypassing a trail closure put in place to allow an endangered species to recover.
The bypass was a several miles if road walk to the Buckhorn campground. Shrewd hikers who correctly read their notes would have gone in the campground’s exit, saving them almost a mile walk to the entrance. I managed to walk past the entrance even a little farther to a day use area also called Buckhorn.
After getting back to the PCT and finding water at the Cooper Canyon Trail Camp, I flopped down to rest under a tree where Eddie and Christine (now Nine Toes), and a few others were also recovering from the day’s hike. Eventually, most decided to see if they could drag themselves a few more miles up trail and so did I.
I caught up with Eddie and Nine Toes again just before mile 400.
Also, I have a trail name now. The green backpack, blue bandana, and two hiking poles are sufficiently reminiscent of Leonardo the Ninja Turtle that a kid I passed yesterday said I looked like him (and that was before the headband). Eddie decided it was a good one. From what I remember of the TMNT movie which constitutes my entire knowledge of the Ninja Turtles, I share a number of character defects with Leo and so somehow find it enjoyable to identify with him. Now I just have to get used to introducing myself as Leo.
Isaac Takes A Hike 