Day 99, 24.7 miles

This morning sucked. Yup, it did. I woke up in the mosquito infested forest. I got bit a lot and the smoke was really bad and I could feel it in my lungs. I thought that there would be less mosquitos as I moved further away between water sources. This was not true! Up until now I haven’t used any deet or any mosquito repellant aside from long sleeved clothing and a bug net. Until today. Today I caved. 

These mosquitos are of a different breed! They are larger and faster and have more stamina it seems. Before, just walking fast enough would prevent them from biting your legs, and using your trekking poles a little more aggressively would prevent them from biting your arms. These big guys can attach even while you’re moving fast and hold on and still bite.

This lasted for miles on miles to the point where I could not stop walking or I’d get swarmed! I caved and used a 30% deet wipes that I’ve been carrying for a situation like this. I felt a little better after using the wipe on my legs and arms, but the pests were still all around going for my neck and face even through my headnet. After FIFTEEN miles, I finally climbed out of the forbidden forest and up onto some nice ridge traverses. I took a much needed food break around noon mosquito free! 

Foreground: Mosquito Land 

Background: Smoke Land

Finally up above the thick trees! 

Peanut butter and coconut on a blueberry bagel :)

It was SO smoky today. I’m really feeling it in my breaths and can even taste it sometimes. Even though it might look clear in the foreground of some of my pictures, realize that I’m standing in just as much smoke. If you were to stand far away and look at me, I’d be shrouded in it.

Near the top of Shale Mountain (That’s really what it’s called)

The day held a couple longer waterless stretches over 10 miles, and there’s a big 20 miler into the Crater Lake area. Eventually at about mile 20, the trail started going back down into some forested mosquito-y areas. I hit a few seasonal streams and decided to stop at the last one to stock up and chug a bunch for the long upcoming stretch. When I got there, I saw hundreds, no THOUSANDS of tiny frogs!! There were so many in the trail and at the stream that you had to take great care to not step on them!

So many! 

With this picture, imagine that instead of roots and moss you were looking at trees and foliage, and that these frogs were actually ape sized! 

It was there that I met Sky, a southbound hiker. Sky started on the Canadian border on July 1st! He has passed numerous other sothbounders who started before him, and he’s actually the first thruhiking SOBO (southbound) hiker that I’ve seen this season! He was super cool and we talked for a long while. He said he’s been doing 35-42 miles a day and that it felt nice to actually stop and talk to someone.

Sky

After he left I looked at the time. Already 6:00pm. I was initially planning on hiking a few more miles and just taking a bunch of water from here for the 20 mile waterless stretch to Crater Lake. The more I thought about it, the more I decided to stay right here! I had already done almost 25. I don’t have to carry as much water if I don’t spend the night in the waterless stretch. I also have more water to make oatmeal with in the morning! Sounds good to me! (I stayed.)

As I was in my tent, Daniel-San made it to the creek. I asked him if he had seen the tiny frogs and he said no! I hope 20 of them weren’t just unknowingly smashed!! He decided to camp here too and we talked away the rest of the light of the afternoon. Tomorrow it’s an easy breezy 20 miles into Crater Lake, and maybe a few miles out after I pick up my package and charge my battery. (And probably eat a ton of food).

Thanks for reading!