Miles hiked: 8.21 + 2.5 (devils slide trail)
Camped at: 187.6
Hikers I camped with: 8
Total up/down: 2,342' / - 1,762 + 1,623 (devils slide trail)
Steps: 36,571
I woke up this morning and my feet feel so much better. I'm a little anxious to get out of idyllwild, so I pack up quickly and walk into town. I'm wearing my new shoes and am a little unsure about what to do with my old pair. I still want them, they are great shoes, just not right for right now. I arrive at the hotel to a couple of hikers standing outside. I check out the hiker box and see someone has left babybel cheese and some pepperoni! What? Into my pack it goes! Thank you awesome hiker.
Soon the owner of the hotel pulls up and asks us if we are ready and we load out packs into his truck and there is enough room for everyone but one. That's ok, he hops in back. As we drive down the road two hikers are walking and the guy asks them if they want a ride and of course they jump in as well.
We arrive at the base of the Devils slide trail. This trail is 2.5 miles long and climbs 1,623 feet and is considered strenuous. We all set off and I hike along with a hiker named luxury who has injured her knee and is taking it slow. I take it pretty slow, but get to the top in a decent time. I feel accomplished, like I just climbed a mountain! Settle down colleen. Another hiker tells me there is another 1000 feet up, then down, then 1000 feet up, then no down, then non some roller coastering, then one last up, then it's all down... yep that sums it up!
I spent the day concentrating on getting as far as I could. I knew I would sleep on the mountain, but with my average miles it would be over 20 miles ti descend and cross the valley to get to ziggy and the bears. The further I got today, the more realistic tomorrow will be. I was so wiped out and just zoni g out that at one point I checked my phone and was actually stunned that it was 3pm. How did it get that late? I missed lunch and sunset is coming that much sooner.
There came a point at which I had a couple miles to go to get to a campground. I was pushing hard but I was exhausted. There was maybe another hour and a half of light left and I just wanted to get to a lower elevation, I did not want to sleep above 8000 feet. It was cold, and it was windy and it was just going to get colder. I came around a corner and saw the group of 4 hikers I had started the day with. They were under a tree eating dinner and I stopped to say hi. It was so windy. There is something about seeing other hikers settled in for the night, it sucks your motivation. Well, it steals mine. I thought about the one last up i had to do, and i just didnt think i had it in me. I soon made the decision to stop and camp with them. Luckily I found a great little spot up against a rock that was protected from the wind, but it was going to be cold!
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