Today I covered 12.7 miles, 20.4 km from the Chimney Creek campground to Manter Creek. I’m taking it super easy into Kennedy Meadows because I know this is the end of a major section of the PCT. The trail today was more gradual than yesterday, climbing steadily up a ridge and then descending down the other side. The trail reached a peak elevation of 8022 ft, 2445 m, and from here I got my first glimpse of the High Sierra.

Most of the morning was spent under tree cover, with shady patches covering the trail and plenty of opportunity to hide from the sun. The trail was mostly smooth and wide, and the climb was nice and gentle.

Towards the end of the climb, I entered a burn zone which left me fully exposed to the sun. The scrubby land and heat served as a reminder that I was still very much in the desert.

After a couple of hours in the burn zone, the trail reached its peak for the day. On the other side of the ridge, the vegetation was much more lush. Off in the distance, I saw some of the mountains in the High Sierra. In just a week or so, I’ll be amongst those mountains, and I’ll be there for several weeks after that.

The trail descended through a layer of greenery, back into the familiar desert environment. After several hours of descent, I was in the sweltering heat once again. I arrived at a sandy, ant infested campsite, right next to a stream which is known to dry up every afternoon. What a perfect spot to send off the desert for one last night.

I made camp, moving extremely slowly in the heat. There was some tiny flow just upstream, so I collected water and avoided drinking the hot water I’d carried all day. Eventually I had camp set, water filtered, and a spot where I could cook dinner away from ants.

After dinner, I watched the clouds change from white, to yellow, red, then grey. The last desert sunset. It’s so good to be finishing this tough section, but at the same time I felt a little nostalgia. The past 53 days have been incredibly formative and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I’m leaving the desert with a stronger body and a stronger mind, hopefully as ready as I can be for the mountains and challenges that lie ahead.