To Leadore Day 4: cruiser in the morning, straight up in the afternoon

I started the day at mile 668.7 and ended at mile 694.7. 26 miles. 

I woke up really early and decided to just get up and go. I was 45 minutes earlier than usual. 

The trail started out uphill on decent switchbacks. Then it leveled off and stayed that way for a long time. I got a lot of miles in early. 

There was lots of water on the trail so I didn’t have to worry about water. I walked in forest most of the time and there were some sage brush meadows with lots of yellow flowers. There was a pond with lily pads. 

In the afternoon the trail began a climb to an overlook. At least that’s what the FarOut app called it. It was just the usual pass. I saw a pika on the way up. There wasn’t much of a view so I didn’t know why it was called an overlook. 

The trail dropped a little and then climbed up more of a mountain. It was very steep and exposed. I was afraid to look down to my right so I didn’t and I didn’t take a picture. 

Then around 5pm I reached the last water source for 19 miles. It was off trail. I filled up all my water. I still have a bit of water anxiety from two nights ago when I was not quite up the big climb and camped with just slightly less water than I needed for how thirsty I felt. So I set off for another straight up climb with ten pounds of water. 

I passed up a really nice campsite early in the climb. I should have taken it but it was too early to stop. The climb was tough and the app really should have labeled the top of this one “overlook” because there were 360 degree views. It felt a little like the Goat Rocks up there. There was a saddle and another climb. I hoped to find camping in the saddle but it was cold and windy. 

I did the second climb and it was still windy but slightly less so. Having learned from the windy night at the lake, I pitched my tarp between some small trees that I was able to tie some of the lines to. I pitched the corners all the way to the ground. I piled a lot of rocks on the stakes. I put my pack as a wind shield at one end. It held. 

Today was Sunday, July 24. I saw not a single other person today.