Bushcamp to Bushcamp
40.8 miles
Sobo mile 2462.1
Total mileage 5114.7
By 3:30am I was on trail making my way down Mission Creek Canyon towards the Whitewater Preserve.
The sun rose just as I crested a ridge to join the Whitewater River below.
Do you see that cloud capped mountain off in the distance? By the end of the day I’ll be on top of it!
From the river I made my way up and over a few mountains before plummeting down through the Mesa Windfarm and under the I10.
I passed by the tiny community of Snow Creek before following a windy asphalt road up towards Fuller Ridge.
I stopped at the trailhead to chug some water at the spigot. Ahead of me lay the largest climb on the PCT. Over the next 19 miles I’d climb approximately 7800 ft…should be fun.
The climb was brutal. It was over 90 degrees out as I made my way up the endless sets of exposed switchbacks.
There wouldn’t be any water sources until I reached the top. I’d only brought one liter of water to sustain me during the climb, I made it work, but it wasn’t fun.
By 6pm I reached the established campground atop the mountain. I was hoping there’d be some water cached there, but alas there was not. I considered humping it to the next water source five miles up trail, but after 40 miles I wasn’t trying to hike any further. I ate a quick dinner and I passed out thirsty.
Cheers!
Well, I guess 90 degrees is better than cold and possibly snowing. Be careful going so lean on the water. I know you’re a super experienced hiker now, but you’ve got some serious stones to leave that water fountain headed up with only one liter!
It worked out alright, but the five miles I had to hike to get to water this morning weren’t fun!
Cant believe you are at Fuller Ridge already. Were the bees still there?
No bees!
What a beautiful sight atop that arduous climb!
I shouldn’t be, but I am, surprised that it was THAT not during the climb.
Busting it hard!!
Ha thanks Alden!
Awesome trail and pics! Hope you found water soon.. I got thirsty reading your blog today😘 Thanks for sharing your adventures ❤️ Love Grammy
Thanks!
Glad you made it to the water this morning, you had a high mileage day, 40.8, with heat and low water too! Good job! You are nearing the end of this journey fast! Did you know today, Heather Anderson (anishhikes) became the First Woman to complete the Triple Crown in One Calendar Year! All 3 trails-PCT, CDT, & AT. She’s also the fifth person to complete this, and it’s her personal third Triple Crown Completion. Snacks, you will be the next to go down in the record books…you’re almost there…
Thanks!
Got a correction to make, Anish completed the PCT & AT, but has some flip flop segments of the CDT to finish before it’s official…myself and several others thought she was done, but she will be soon, I suspect.
Austin is awesome
Incredible adventure tale
Much love from your Gram
First haiku I’ll bet
😘
Haha
Your a beast!!!! And a rather sexy one if I say so myself. I just wanna say how proud I am of you. Not just for your hiking accomplishments, but in persuing something you Love. Your a testament to the saying “when you do something you love that you never have to work a day in your life”. You’ve done this hike with such style and grace that it seems almost effortless to outsiders. In reality I know thats not the case. That you’ve actually given up everything you ever knew and put your entire heart and soul into this hike. Im just blown away at your ability to stay positive and enthusiastic over the duration of the hike. Most people at the end of a “normal” through hike are so withdrawn from the present moment, but you’ve managed to be fully present with a big smile on your face. Your a inspiration not just to me, but everyone you come in contact with. I should have never doubted you that night you considered doing the calendar year… this year lol. Logistics aside, I wholeheartedly believe you could’ve done it. You are one of the strongest people I’ve ever meet, both physically and mentally. I feel blessed to have been a part of your journey and look forward to our next encounter. I love man!
Sooo the big question is: What sucked more? going up or going down fuller ridge?
Night Hawk to greet the night hiker. What a chug up that hill! You must feel like the horse nearing the barn now…so close!
So happy to have been able to share your journey with you, thanks for all the effort to detail this amazing trail
Thanks Seth! Hard to believe I’m almost there!
Shepherd and Sawmill are the two most difficult passes in the E Sierra. Each start from the desert at 5-6k, and top out at 12k. Shepherd has a 6k gain, while Sawmill is near 6.8k, each over a distance of around 10 miles. Doing either in one go, or even hiking a few additional miles afterward, allows one to claim minor BSD status.
And then there’s your hike, with an 8k gain + 40 mile hike; this is elite territory under any circumstance. I wasn’t kidding when I suggested having yourself evaluated at a sports medicine clinic in SD. While there are still lots of wayward souls searching for something along the trail, there’s also a contingent of athletes who might be interested in the performance aspects. Having some hard data to consider could help immensely in this regard.
I’m looking forward to getting into ultra marathons post trail. I’m not sure how my hiking muscles will translate to running, but I’m super interested in the sport!