I had a great nights sleep and feel good.   There was one set up issue on the hammock.  The foot side was a bit low as I did not pay much attention.  End result was I keep sliding and my feet would get crammed into the very end of the hammock.  Even so, slept great.

Get started hiking about 5:30 or so.  Hammock is easy to take down and pack up.  I know I have a short 1/2 mile climb and then a descent to Charlton Lake where I plan on eating.  I get to the lake and it is beautiful and has a nice area for camping.  The place seems empty.  I have something to eat and refresh my water.  While eating, Steve and Dawn walk on by from the other direction.  Turns out they made it to Charlton Lake yesterday and spent the night here and were just getting going.  So they went 5 miles further than I did yesterday.  I caught them because I start early but know I probably won’t catch them again.  I wish them good hiking.  I indicate that I think the trail is going to be pretty flat and Steve just laughs at me and says that is a mean thing to say.  I wasn’t being mean, I was being delusional.

So the trail was not as flat as my brain told me it was going to be.  But it was definitely not difficult by PCT standards.  It is just that I am not in trail shape yet and so any hill of any duration is taxing.  I’ve noticed that Oregon seems to be a 3 to 4 up followed by 3 to 4 mile down sort of state.  I am fine going up if the weather is cool and I tend to hike a LOT faster in the morning that I do in the afternoon.  Hot and uphill is killer for me.

I’ve said it before but the PCT always seems to find a way to get into your head.  Even if the terrain were flat, I run into a big fire destroyed section shown in pictures below.  Brutal destruction and what would have been a nice stroll in the woods becomes a hot march through a barren desert (dramatic enough for you :))  Took about 2 hours to navigate the destroyed area and I felt a little weakened at the end and my pace definitely slowed.  I was hoping at the beginning to get at least 18 miles in today.  No way that is going to happen.

Much later in the day I come to a sign.  Signs and wild flowers I almost always have to take a picture of.  No bikers allowed.  Can they do that?  Can you actually tell people that can’t do what they really want to do?  That seems like infringement of my rights!  I object.

Entering a new wilderness area in a new national forest.  Time for some research.

The Three Sisters Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Cascade Range, within the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests in Oregon, United States. It comprises 286,708 acres, making it the second largest wilderness area in Oregon, after the Eagle Cap Wilderness. It was established by the United States Congress in 1964 ( President: Lyndon B. Johnson) and is named for the Three Sisters volcanoes. The wilderness boundary encloses the Three Sisters as well as Broken Top, which is southeast of South Sister. For more info see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_Wilderness

The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade Range. In 1908 (President:Theodore Roosevelt),
the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts of the Blue Mountains, Cascade, and Fremont National Forests. The forest contains five wilderness areas, six National Wild and Scenic Rivers, the Oregon Cascade Recreation Area, and the Metolius Conservation Area. For more info see:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deschutes_National_Forest

I get to Stormy Lake and it is beautiful and so I decide to stop for the day.  One guy described the lake as beautiful and legendary but that the mosquitoes are biblical.  Pretty accurate.  Most of the lakes are inviting for swimming but this one actually had a nice beach.  I did not go swimming but I could see the appeal.

I’ve realized I’m not going to make the desired destination for the week.  I am just not making enough miles in a day.  The Elk Lake Lodge is ahead about 18 miles and it has paved roads that lead to it.  It is 1.2 miles off the trail but there is a side trail that leads down to it.  Once again I will come off trail earlier that I wanted BUT I feel good and have been eating.  My legs are feeling stronger and I think I am working back into trail shape.  Whatever, we are going to keep the schedule for Monday morning starts.  I will just be skipping parts of the trail until I am strong enough to actually make the miles I have planned.  Generally I have to do about 17 miles a day at a minimum.   So I figure it will take 2 days to get to Elk Lodge.  The second day will be short but probably necessary.

I set up the hammock nice and level this time and have a good sleep.

Iphone says: 12.9 miles.  34332 steps.  18 floors’

Lenora’s Story:

Not so much exploring for me so far this year.  I am happy to stay in and stitch.  Moving and traveling and selling a house have kept me from doing much stitching or beading lately and I am reveling in the free time.  Today is a pretty normal day for me.  Stitch a little, check on Don and Stitch again.  Watching anything on tv that might be a rerun so I can concentrate on the stitching.  By the end of today Don knows he will not make it to the pick up point and is looking for an alternate shorter.  We agree on Elk Lake Lodge and since it is about 19 miles away we expect me to meet him sometime Thursday.

Stitching progress continues.  Finished Stone Fence and started on the Christmas Tree piece.