Tuesday, October 2nd.

Tuesday, October 2nd: Todays miles = 21. Total PCT miles = 2,430.7. Miles remaining = 232.8.

Washington played a game on me today. I woke up in a cloud but it did not stay that way all day. The sun has been rising later and later and by the time I got moving today it was already 9am. The morning was cold so I packed up after breakfast as quickly as I could and was off to find the lake from the night before. As predicted, the lake was about 30 feet from where I was posted up for the night. It was that foggy the night before that I really could not see it!

The first few miles of the day were extreamly hard for me. I'm not a strong morning hiker and the climbs that started off my hike this morning were not merciful. The first climb of the day was perhaps the most beautiful. It was alpine so naturally it was rather scenic. The wind today was what really got to me. It was absolutely freezing! When the sun wasn't shining directly on me today I became instantly cold. It was one of the coldest afternoons I have ever spent on trail....any trail!

I ate lunch in a hurry because I was too cold to enjoy sitting still and took off for my last 10 miles of the day which were all uphill. I actually didn't mind the uphill because it was easier to stay warm that way.

I hiked until about 9pm well into the dark to a somewhat flat spot by a pond. I wasn't excited about setting my tent up tonight because it was still wet from the night before. Last night it rained pretty much the entire night and when I pulled my tent out of the bag it was still dripping wet. I didn't even want to touch the tent because wet fingers in this temperature are sure to be uncomfortable. I set my tent up as quickly as possible and went to unzip the fly. It was then that I realized that my wet tent had frozen! I knew it was cold and I was wearing every piece of clothing I have but I didn't realize that it was THAT cold! My tent literally froze within moments of being exposed to the air. As a matter of fact, everything that I have that can freeze has indeed frozen. If I were to guess at the temperature right now I would say its about 20 degrees, if not colder. I'm bracing for a cold night. I have literally every piece of clothing I carry on me right now, bundled up in my zero degree sleeping bag. I have a feeling actually may get that cold tonight.

There is another cat like animal stalking my tent tonight. I'm too cold to care.