Date: 2017-08-10
From: Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Chairback Gap
Miles today: 13.9

8/10Extremely stealthy site near stream prior to Chairback Gap13.9 milesWoof, that was a long day. 7 AM to 8 PM. I awoke as the sky started to lighten. I ate breakfast and packed as quietly as I could. I visited the privy just before leaving. When I returned to the shelter, the guys were awake and I said goodbye. The morning passed quickly. I relished walking on dirt. After hundreds of miles walking primarily on different types of rock, the return of dirt has been most welcome - even if it brings occasional mud with it. The dirt feels soft against my weary feet. The climb up to Barren Ledges went a little faster than I thought it might. When I got to the sign for Cloud Pond Lean-to, it was 2:30. I decided to move on. I had carried about three liters of water up from valley, and I still had almost two liters. This was important because I knew water was scarce during today's hike. The six pounds of water were heavy to carry up that mountain in an already heavy pack, but they gave me some freedom. Otherwise I would have been forced to go down to Cloud Pond for water, a half mile downhill from the trail. I knew that by passing up on Cloud Pond, I was committing to hiking all the way to the stream before Chairback Gap. I thought I might get here around seven if my pace held, but it did not. I developed a pain in one shin coming up Barren Mountain. And the footing was tedious on Fourth, Three and a Half, and Third mountains. So I moved along at slightly over a mile an hour. When I finally arrived at the stream it was nearly dark. I gathered water and started looking for a place to camp. I found one well into the woods. It probably isn't the site described to me. I think I guessed the wrong direction to walk on the path near the stream. At any rate, I found a flat spot, erected the tent on it, and climbed in as the world went dark. Before I entered the tent, I inspected the woods, looking for branches to hang my food bag. I'm in an area of tall straight trees with no branches in my throwing range. Dandy. I guess I'm not hanging my food tonight. I sincerely hope not to attract a bear's attention. I'm debating sleeping with earplugs. I mean, how much good will it really do me to hear a bear coming? It will or it won't, and I have zero tools to defend myself if it does. Well, I have a sharp, tiny trowel. I don't see that doing much to a bear. I'm tired enough that sleep probably won't be an issue anyway. I have given myself instructions to sleep in, too. However I'm terrible at following orders so I will probably get up at dawn as usual. I was too tired to fool with dinner when I got here. I ate the rest of a protein bar left over from yesterday's snacks and called it good. Today's snacks were finished before I got here. Eating all the snacks is good in that I will have less to carry. Except for tonight's planned dinner, dangit. I was looking forward to it, too. Polenta with Italian sausage. It's one of my favorites. And I was going to add sriracha or red pepper flakes. I hope I have time and energy to cook tomorrow. If I have to carry multiple unused dinners out of this wilderness, I'm going to be pretty mad.