Stats

Start: Dispersed tent site – Mile 231
End: Arrastre Trail Camp – Mile 256.2
Elevation Max: 8,711
Elevation Min: 4,346
Elevation Change: 6,845 up & 3,697 down
Average Heart Rate: 115
Walking Time: 7 hrs 44 minutes

The Walk

The sun woke me up early. The crew was cowboy camping in a sandy spot surrounded by rocks. I ate a granola bar and took off at 6:30.

I was nervous how my body would respond. Last night I was totally wiped out. The double dinner gave me a boost, but I hadn’t been that tired all trail.

The first few miles of trail was tough. It bounced along the river bed and was hard to follow. The creek was fun to cross. Either you had to find a few stones peaking above the water or a log to walk across. I enjoyed the change in scenery, but the tricky trail made for a slow start.

I was still tired. After the creek section I stopped to grab water, ate a few snacks, and downed some electrolytes. 10 minutes of sitting worked wonders. I was ready to go again.

The trail got steeper. I stopped at 7.5 miles for a break. I rarely ever stop two breaks before 10 miles. But I had to listen to my body today. Everyone in the group was wiped. I ate a peanut butter tortilla and kept pushing on.

A few miles later we made it to the top of the major climb. I was relieved. We had climbed from 1k elevation to over 8k. At the top the cool mountain breeze was blowing and the change in trail felt amazing.

We still had 3 smaller climbs left in the day. But motivation was high. The mountain was done! The next miles were great. Pine forest. Birds chirping. And vast mountain views. We stopped at mile 15 to take a break and eat lunch.

The last 10 miles to camp flew by. A few climbs but mostly downhill. Take forest was thick with tall trees and pine needles covered the trail. I was floating along the trail. This has been my favorite type of forest. The wind was howling through the mountains. But I could only a feel a light breeze.

At camp I immediately made dinner. I need to work on my food planning. I was hungry enough that I didn’t even claim a spot to camp. Luckily Jack rabbit came by and claimed a big spot for our crew to cowboy camp. I chatted with a few different hikers and met a hiker who had lost over 200 pounds to start the trail. That is inspiring! The wished him happy trails and look forward to following his journey.

It was a chilly night, which makes for a good nights sleep! Only 10 miles to big bear tomorrow. I’m excited for a short day then a zero afterward. Also High Life’s 30th birthday is tomorrow so we’ll do something fun.

Here’s to waking up with the sun. Then pushing on to breakfast!