Stats

Start: Molina Basin Campground – Mile 159
End: Summerhaven Airbnb – Mile 181
Elevation Max: 8,106
Elevation Min: 3,708
Elevation Change: 6,859 up & 3,549 down
Average Heart Rate: 121
Walking Time: 7 hrs 38 minutes

The Walk

I’m writing this in a real bed. After a shower and a few hot meals. It feels nice not to worry about the basics and to have running water. I’m thankful for the break from tent camping. We’re going to sleep in until 7 or 7:30 tomorrow. So that will feel great.

Today was hard. I almost climbed 7k in elevation. And a few miles were scrambling up boulders and loose rock. Where the trail was tough to find. We searched for the next cairn and I went off trail a handful of times. Probably wasted a mile in total.

We left the Marino Basin campground at 4:40 this morning. The stores and market close early in Summerhaven, around 4-5. We wanted to have plenty of time to do chores and get a hot meal.

The morning was chilly enough to use my puffy, but the chilly early miles go quick. I threw on a Spotify plays list and breezed through morning miles. We had 7 miles done before sunrise. We passed 3 other hikers still in their tents while we started to climb Mount Lemmon.

We kept pushing and took lunch 2/3 up the mountain, I had the ramen I found out of a hiker box. Without this I would have eaten 3 or 4 tortillas. Ha. Thank god for the ramen find. Salsa gave me some hot sauce and spices to throw in. And it gave me a boost of energy.

We had the toughest 1.6 miles after lunch. A steep climb on tricky trail. We climbed up into the pines. It was nice to be back. Then we had 5 more miles to Summerhaven. Even the last 5 miles was tough, with another 1k of rolling climb.

After a long day of hiking we got in at 2:40. I was exhausted. And could tell my body needed food. We had been running on light rations ever since missing a resupply at Colossal Cave. But we were pushing big miles.

As soon as we got to town we crashed into a corner table at the cookie cabin. Ordered an extra large pepperoni pizza and a Dr Pepper. After that a plate sized chocolate chip cookie and 3 scoops of ice cream. I was stuffed and couldn’t finish the cookie, but I felt like a new person.

We hobbled to the market. Grabbed food for 2 nights and 3 days. Enough to get us to Kearny as long as we could get close to 30 mile days. Looking ahead water looks really challenging, not excited about that. Curious to see how the body feeels tomorrow, had foot pain and hip pain today while climbing,

I had an epsom salt foot soak and did sink laundry. I set the clothes on the porch to dry and they froze solid in 2 hours! Luckily there was a closet to hang the frozen clothes. I hoping everything is dry by morning.

For dinner I had Fritos and a can of chili, such an easy meal with lots of calories. Falling asleep with a full belly and a shower felt great. I’d honestly love to take a zero, but I need to grab my phone charger in Kearny before the post office closes. And Salsa needs new shoes. So here we go.

I’m so tired. Crashing at 8:30. It feels like 3am