Episode 24: Day 38

Today was a doozy…

Started hiking at 7am, and was immediately challenged by the steep 1 mile approach trail to reconnect with the PCT.

I couldn’t find the water source at Sawmill campground, but fortunately, Paramount and Whistler were willing to donate a liter! 🙂

Then came the gnats…

Dozens of gnats swarmed my face, doing any and every thing in their power to test me… I have never been so close to “losing it.”

After inhaling my 2nd gnat, it dawned on me that I have a mosquito head-net in my pack! Haha gnats! Who has the power now?!??!?!????!!!!

Then it became way too hot to hike. Plus I was short on water, so I found a shade hole to nap in, right after I PASSED THE 500 MILE MARKER!!! (High point of the day… You’ll see why…)

Then my phone ran out of charge… (My external battery was also out).

Then I actually ran out of water. And without a phone, I had little idea where I was and even less idea where the next water was.

PEOPLE! I met a couple who informed me that we were at mile 502 and that the next good water source was at 505, however, a very questionable water source was at 503, but people only used it if desperate. 

503 sounded like a perfect match, particularly since I could not conceive of hiking another 3 miles in my condition, as I was already exhibiting signs of dehydration. So yeah… I was desperate.

I’m still trying to figure out what made it a “questionable” water source. Was it because the water was brown? Or because it had trash in it? Or was it the rabbit carcass floating around in there?

Anyways… after both a filter and iodine treatment, I drank the dead-rabbit-trash-water, AND IT WAS GLORIOUS. Never have I had so much appreciation a drink of water.

Plus, in a weird way, I’m glad that I was able to show that dead-rabbit-trash-water some love. Most people probably don’t even look twice at it.

After rehydration, and bee sting treatment (oh ya… I got stung while collecting said water), I was able to make it to mile 505, and set up camp with Chipotle, Snooze, and Yoga Pants.

Head-net for the win!:

500 MILES:

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No video due to low/no phone battery.