Day 109: Trinity Alps

July 28, 2017
Mile 1543.40 Chilcoot Creek to Mile 1566.27 Campsite 

Another wonderful, eventless day. The miles just flew by. It’s crazy to think that at one time a week on the trail felt like an eternity. The first 100 miles to Warner Springs felt like the same time period the last 300 have now. Days become less compressed. When my parents were with me in Chester my dad mentioned how stunning the views are out here yet acknowledged that to us it’s just no big deal. And he’s right. Honestly some of the views that I see on a daily basis would have left me breathless in the first week on trail, but now are much less impressive. That of course doesn’t mean that the world around me isn’t absolutely gorgeous, it’s just my normal.

There are times, however, even after being out here for three and half months that I am still left breathless and that was the case today. Late in the afternoon we crossed into the Trinity Alps Wilderness. I have to say, these are some of the most impressive and beautiful mountains we’ve been in. There’s all kinds of broken red rock with small meadows with flowers and lakes and craggy peaks. It’s amazing. Better yet, our campsite is perched right on top of a ridge with an incredible view of the valley and opposing mountains.

The only bad thing to happen was that I realized that I’m going to be a dinner short heading into Etna. Since we had that short day a couple days ago it set us back to where we would no longer be going into town on Saturday evening and instead Sunday morning. Fortunately I have an extra breakfast as well as a couple extra tortillas with a tuna packet so I should be good. This will be the first time in a while that I’ll actually go into town with an empty food bag. Nothing beats hiking without the weight of food and water heading into town like a champion. One more full day tomorrow and then Etna on Sunday! Woot!