So many lava fields. So much in the way of blowdowns. So little water. First stretch in a long time where we had morning sun.
Usually the trail and the path works out so that we have shade in the morning and the sun hits us in the afternoon. Today we had full sun from early on (we had a 5:22 am start).
Big Lake was fun but the vegetarian and vegan food made me grateful for my own diet. The people were very friendly and helpful. Kind.
Win scrubbed and washed the floor in the hiker hut. She washed a lot of dirty towels. We got showers and prewashed our clothes and then washed them.
We had considered taking a zero because of her bruises from her tumble and fall. She was doing better so we just took a Nero. We had hiked in, had meals, got our boxes and reduced things to three days of food (we had a little and the boxes had 4+ days).
Left a lot of pepperoni in the hiker box. Four unopened packages. One opened. All gone shortly.
I left a package of tortillas too. A full day’s food—breakfast, snacks, etc.
Elk Lake was three days. After today it is 23.6 ahead. Tomorrow and a breakfast.
Other news.
The updates from the Sierra section are not positive. On the other hand it looks like Win’s job wants her early.
So we are seriously considering making Elk Lake our stop for the year.