Got out of camp just before 7:00. For some reason we were awake before 5:00, so the early start was fine for us. We had about 5 miles to Pinchot Pass and it was fairly gradual uphill until we got close. We realized again that we could have hammocked closer to the pass – just south of Taboose Junction.
We passed some nice alpine lakes along the way. The pass was nice and as usual, there were a bunch of people on it. At the pass, we talked more with the 6 guys that are hiking together (we have named them the Dalton Gang), all with beards that they have had since before their hike….guys from Pasadena that grew up together…a nice group of guys.
The hike down from the pass was nice and switchbacked and seemed to go quickly. We hiked for quite awhile on a gradual downhill slope. We even passed by a rattlesnake that had gone into a bush after being spooked by other hikers.
In the afternoon we went over a pretty cool suspension bridge. Only one person could go over at a time, so it was fun to watch everyone go over. We found a decent campsite around 4:15 and had a relaxing afternoon washing up and chatting.
We decided to get an early start tomorrow and try to get on the trail by 6:00. Since we don’t have a ride lined up at the parking lot, we figured it would be best to get there as early as possible to expand our chances for a hitch. We have just over 15 miles to do which includes two passes. We are looking forward to getting into town tomorrow and having a day of rest.
Daily Miles: 15
Total Miles: 175.4
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