Day 100 (PNT 5)

Day 100 (PNT 5): 29 miles

I was a bad boy again and slept for almost 12 hours. I got moving around 8 after packing up a soaking wet tent. I camped right next to a snow bank in an area with a lot of snow which I guess might’ve contributed.

It was a morning of short ups and downs while staying pretty high, before finally summiting Mount Locke and then descending down into a valley and reaching my first water in 15 miles. It wasn’t hot yesterday so I was perfectly fine with 3 liters even camping in the middle of the dry stretch.

As I started the climb out of the valley, I realized I was moving a little slow for the day. I turned on a hardcore headbanging playlist and rocked out over 3 miles in an hour on a decent grade, which I never do cause I hate climbing. It was after this light run that I realized any time I stopped moving, I was swarmed by bees. It wasn’t a real aggressive swarm, but there would be at least 10 on me at any given time. I’m not allergic but I still didn’t want to be stung so it made me a little uneasy. If I was allergic, that would’ve been hell.

In the evening, I went over Mount Wam and then soon began the Ten Lakes Scenic Alternate. But according to my guidebook it’s the official route so idk. In the morning, I’ll start the climb up to the actual scenic part of the alternate which is one of the longest stretches above 7,000 feet on the whole trail. There’s no other reports from any hikers on it this year, so I hope the snow is fine. We shall see.

On the alternate in the evening, I saw a small brown animal on the trail up ahead. At first I thought it might be a bear cub, so I got my bear spray out. Then I saw it had a big tail so I thought it was a big ass badger. But when I got closer to it, I saw needles sticking out of its body. It was my first time ever seeing a porcupine! What a weird animal. God might’ve had a few too many natty lights when putting that one together.

To end the day I had a short road walk where I was assaulted by a dog for a good 3 minutes before the owner came over and got it. I love when people say, “it’s friendly I promise.” Yeah, I’m sure to you it is