Day 76- July 4th

Happy 4th of July everyone! I have some sudden news on this special day: Claire and I are leaving the PCT at Mammoth Lakes, mile 906.63

My girl is not the happiest on this trail. Leaving has been a topic for a while now but I've been telling her to wait until the Sierra and see how she feels. I respect how she feels and feel no resentment. I know backpacking for six months isn't for everyone. Ladies, imagine showering only once every 12 days on average! 

I don't want to cause any stress upon Claire. This trail is very tough. I know that she can make it if she really wanted to, but doing something you don't want to do sucks. The passion for the trail has left her, even with the beauty of the Sierra, and I don't want to be wasting the rest of her summer doing something she doesn't want to do for such a long period of time. She likes to backpack, just not for 6 months.

It is true that we are a little behind schedule. The original plan was 5 or 5 1/2 months, the math now would be mayyyybe 6 months. But that's walking around 18 miles a day with no zero/rest days. With just under 1/3 of the trail complete, it's just unrealistic to achieve. 

As it is we find ourselves in the most beautiful place in California, walking alllll day. It's actually a relief to know that we aren't as pressed for time now. We can finally stop for more than 5 minutes and look around, actually taking some of the beauty in, instead of trying to rush to make our miles.

We've thought about me going on and finishing by myself. However, it'd be reaaaally tight on time by this point. I would be uncomfortably poor when I returned. Also, it would mean swapping out some of the most expensive gear like the tent, which is not in my budget. We started this thing together, and I had already decided we either finish together or get off together.

We'll walk 58.13 more miles to Reds Meadow where we'll take a bus into Mammoth Lakes and celebrate over 900 miles on the PCT. That's over 1/3 of the whole thing! While we're there we'll finally take a load off, not stress, and take advantage of the local hot springs! Then we'll fly back to Portland, move into our own space together and start working again. We need to start saving up! Which brings me to my good news:

I plan on coming back to the PCT possibly next summer but most likely the summer after that, 2018. I will be doing the whole thru hike, starting from the Mexican border at Campo again but ending in Canada. Claire is 100% supportive of this idea. She really wants me to do this thing, and she is very sad that she does not feel the same about it. We will both be saving as to coordinate it so that the same summer she can do her final yoga teacher training!

Today I've already been thinking of this hike as a practice run. Gear that I would change. Ways to make my pack lighter. Things I don't really need. What shoes I would start with . Towns I would skip. Alternate places that I would resupply. Going solo I could break camp earlier, be lighter and faster, have longer days, and still enjoy the outdoors.

The hardest part about this whole thing for me is letting all of you down. All of you who are reading this right now. All my family, all my friends, all the strangers who I've never met that have stumbled upon my blog one way or another. I am very sorry and deeply saddened to have let you down. 

That being said I would be greatly honored if you follow me along once again on my journey in the future. For those of you who know me on a personal level; I'm super stubborn and I can't quit something I want to do until I've finished it properly! Mark my words, I'll continually walk the entire Pacific Crest Trail within three years!

We still have 58 miles to go until we finish, and I plan on maintaining a daily blog. It is entirely up to you if you want to keep following along or not. Either way, I deeply appreciate all the support. If I don't know you personally and you want me to let you know when I plan on re-trying the PCT, you can e-mail me at: (me@davidteehee.com), and I will be sure to let you know!

One final note: This trip has been a real learning experience. I don't view these months as a "waste". We've learned so much about focus, integrity, surviving hardships, staying positive, etc. This trail has a way of bringing out and showing exactly what you're made of. I know it's sad we're leaving, but we're leaving stronger than we came. And one day, I'll be back and prove to myself that I can walk from Mexico to Canada!

------ Daily Blog ------

We woke up nice and early. It was an extremely cold morning and yet again, we had terrible condensation. But this time, we had slept with the rain fly off. There's no way to escape the condensation!! 

While packing up, we made the real tough decision that has been explained and detailed above.. 

We soon came across Evolution Creek, supposedly one of the hardest fords on the whole PCT. There are two ways to cross it and we decided to check out the wider, slower flowing crossing. It wasn't bad at all! A nice peaceful flow with a sand bottom through a beautiful meadow. We went in our slippers, something we'd never do on a rapid, rocky river crossing, dried off our feet, and went on our way.

The descent continued from yesterday. Waaaaay down we went. Eventually we crossed a few cool bridges.

On the other side of the last one, we left Sequoia Kings national forest and entered the John Muir wilderness. It was an instant change of scene as we continued down along the beautiful trail. The miles were flying by! We didn't talk much, as we were both thinking about the des icon to go home, and what that meant for our near future.

Eventually we started up some steep switchbacks. You'll never guess who we saw!

Orion!!

Orion had gotten off in Wrightwood after a tough time in the desert. He spent a few weeks with family and decided to start walking again from Walker Pass, about 50 miles before Kennedy Meadows. We had no idea we'd ever see him again but today we came upon him sitting under some shade taking a break.

We caught up with him for about 1/2 an hour, took some pictures and said farewell. It's crazy to think that we started on the same day as him, 75 days ago. He has become a dear friend, and if we're ever in Portland, Maine we'll be hitting him up!

We climbed for the rest of the afternoon up towards selden pass. On the way we saw a few nice lakes but unfortunately were swarmed by mosquitos to the extent that I didn't take very many pictures...

We got up and over the pass by 6:15pm and had a pretty awesome view of the lakes below:

That big lake with all the islands in the middle is called Marie Lake, and we skirted the lake to get to a little campsite on the way down.

The campsite was at 10,253 feet yet there were still tons of mosquitos swarming us. It was hell. We were in full rain gear and headnet, the only things exposed were or hands. Mosquitos swarmed our heads, with at least 20 of them in my field of vision at all times, no matter where I went, what I did, or how frantically I tried to shake them. They were constantly landing on our hands, biting us occasionally. I got some bites through the headnet in my cheek and forehead and neck. They swarmed Claire when she bent over and bother lower back between her pant line and where her jacket stopped. You can imagine that cooking was miserable as well... I'm from Hawaii yet these were still the worst mosquitos I've ever seen!

We did a super long day today, 18.41 miles. The longest yet in the Sierra. With about 3000 feet up and down everyday, and multiple river fords, it's really physically straining on the body. We are tired. Yet feel accomplished!

-Thanks for reading!