The Coldest Night on the Trail
This was hands down the coldest night I’ve experienced on the PCT so far. Maybe it didn’t help that I slept slightly downhill because I couldn’t find a flatter spot for the tent. Regardless, I was shivering from 2:00 AM onwards. When I crawled out of the tent in the morning, another surprise awaited me – the water I needed to filter had completely frozen! So, the temperature definitely dipped below zero.
Nobody was eager to leave their sleeping bags, so we didn’t hit the trail until around 9:30 AM. Even packing up camp was bone-chillingly cold. Nicolas was also cold all night, which was a small comfort – clearly, we were all feeling the same frost.
Steep Climbs and Earned Views
Today kicked off with a sharp ascent. I sent Melody and Nicolas ahead, telling them I’d catch up soon because I needed to filter some water to lighten my pack. The climbs were much steeper than yesterday, as were the subsequent descents. I stopped frequently throughout the day – sometimes for cell signal to check in back home, other times to adjust layers or find a spot for a nature break.
I finally caught up to Melody and Nicolas around 2:00 PM at the water cache, our only water source for this stretch of the trail.
Water Cache – A Lifesaving Miracle on the Trail
A water cache is a spot where people who love the PCT leave large barrels of water to help hikers in dry areas. And today, there were about 20 big barrels! We were incredibly grateful because without this water, we would have been in serious trouble.
We had lunch at the water cache, rested a bit, and did the classic “camel” – drank as much as we could and refilled all our bottles. We’re carrying a total of 5 liters of water, which really adds to the pack weight. And when you factor in the food we’re carrying, it’s a tough haul. But the views throughout the day made it all worthwhile.
Camping at 1700 Meters
We finished the day at an elevation of 1700 meters. I’m curious to see if we’ll notice a difference compared to that freezing night from the previous day.
Today’s Stats:
- Miles Covered: 15.59 miles
- Miles Remaining: 2454 miles
