Day Five – May 29

CAMPSITE 71.1 TO WATER CACHE AT SCISSORS CROSSING AT 77.0
SCISSORS CROSSING AT 77.0 TO MILE 91.1 NEAR THIRD GATE WATER CACHE
20 Miles (Trip Total: 91.1 Miles)

Waking up at 6 a.m. was tough after hiking into the evening last night, but we knew we had to do it because it gets very hot very fast after the sun rises. 

We usually get water at streams along the trail, run it through our filter, and then drink it. In the desert section of the PCT there are stretches that don't have any streams. Thankfully, amazingly generous volunteers stock water caches where hikers can refill their bottles.

Today we sat next to a water cache under the highway overpass, like hobos, for the hot part of the day.

The hot part of the day lasts a long time in the desert.

Six hours.

We napped and read, chatted with passing hikers, and ate a big meal.

It still felt like a huge waste of time, but hiking at 6 p.m. is far more enjoyable than hiking at 1 p.m.

I still don't know what the best way to hike this section is, but night hiking is one we're trying out.

Today we hiked six miles in the morning and then 14 more at night, arriving at another water cache about 10:15 p.m.

The heat has been frustrating. Stay tuned as we try to conquer the desert.