PCT – KM to TM Section Hike – Day 15

Daily Miles: 14

Total Miles: 238

After a cool night of sleep, we got our normal start right before 6 AM, just as the darkness was giving way to daylight and we could walk without our headlamps. I don’t think it was the proximity to water that kept us cool last night, as much as the steady breezes coming through the valley.

We only had 3 miles into Red’s Meadow, so we didn’t bother stopping for any breaks to eat. We knew we would be getting a hot meal shortly, so we just kept moving.

When we arrived at Red’s, there was already a line to get into the restaurant for breakfast. It looked to be almost entirely backpackers looking for a solid breakfast before heading back out on the trail. Most hikers send a resupply package to Red’s since it is basically right on the trail, only a quarter mile off.

We ordered and got a booth, and Derek came by. He had already eaten, but he sat down with us for a while to catch up and chat. We all enjoy his company, so we were happy when he grabbed a chair and joined us for a bit.

All of our food was pretty good at Red’s. The prices are high, but I guess when you’re the only place to get a hot meal without having to hop on a bus to Mammoth, you can charge what you want.

After breakfast, we picked up the food we had mailed to the store and sorted everything out. We didn’t add anything to the already-meager hiker box, and we didn’t grab anything either, except for a couple of hot sauce packets that Beardoh will have with his freeze-dried beans. Most everyone who had been there when we were eating had left by the time we did. We weren’t in much of a hurry.

The hiking for the rest of the day went pretty smoothly. There was a lot of uphill hiking out of Red’s, and it was sunny for most of the day. The trail alternated between exposed sections and stretches under the cover of the trees. Our last break of the afternoon was at Shadow Lake, which was a really beautiful spot with great views of the lake and the mountains, both near and far.

Tonight’s campsite is down from a ledge outcropping along the PCT. There are some good trees to hang from and a nice, flat spot for Mace. The breeze has been constant, so we set up the hammock tarps to give us a little protection.