Map Miles: Today: 17/Total: 139.3

GPS Miles: Today: 17.7/ Total: 154.7

Today’s Miles Sponsored By: Jon, Bill & Betty

It was cold last night and I woke up with condensation on my sleeping bag. Not a huge deal, but it was sad to note. Today was a connector day- like in a tv show sometimes you have two BIG episodes, with maybe a few in between to get the story from one place to the other. Today was the same. Salt Creek was fantastic and Dark Canyon, which I’ll be in tomorrow is supposed to be one of the trails highlights. But you’ve got to get from the one to the other, and to do that you end up with a day like today. 

Nothing extraordinarily out of the ordinary (everything is still scenic though!) just a lot of up and down connecting this old jeep road to that two miles of cross country into this other old jeep road. Places where trails were supposed to be were not and marked roads were now overgrown with tamarisk and willow and lots of other pokey things that stacked my face and grabbed my shirt. I’m glad I hike in long sleeves, because my shirt took a beeting.

The most tedious section was the climb up the Sweet Alice Hills. Ledge after never ending ledge. I was thankful for no snow.
Since today was another day completely alone (my second now!) it gives me lots of time to think about things and today I was still thinking about the history of the land. The jeep roads we followed seemed to start and stop at random. When were they built? When abandoned? When was the area last grazed? How old are these cow patties? I also came across another ruin- either a dwelling or a look out tower of sorts right at the edge of a ridge. I want all the answers! 

The day ended on a fun note- entering the Dark Canyon Wilderness via Trail Canyon. 

The scenery was suddenly so different! Old growth ponderosa forests running down the hillsides. I felt like I was back in Washington. 

My goal had been to make it to the junction with Dark Canyon but it was getting late and I found a beautiful flat spot to set up my tent ( weather report called for Rain overnight) tomorrow Dark Canyon!