Hiked 420 - taking a break for the night

Hi All,

Not much time to write. I am at mile 877 and have hopped on the ferry to the Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR) for the night and for some food. It seems I have lost 10lbs (and not from my pack). In a couple of days i will make it to Mammoth (for Sunday morning).

I have now managed to hike over 420 miles. Everything is great. Catra and I went our seperate ways after the desert. I've hiked with a few people since. My current buddies are Amtrak and Basil and they are a lot of fun. Yesterday was my best day on the trail. We made a big breakfast from the hiker box at Muir Trail Ranch and then waded 40ft across a river to find hot springs. I had my first wash in more than 8 days and that felt great. We also managed a swim across a nearby lake. Neat to sit and relax, clean, in the mountains.

Mosquitoes are starting to be a complete pain. I shall buy some long trousers in Mammoth. They are really not much fun at times. Though, travelling with others the difficulties seem lessened through sharing and the good times are multiplied.

I had to stretch out my food for the last 150 miles but now have a resupply box and have eaten most of it already! I resupply in another couple of days in Mammoth so I can keep eating for a while.

We sleep outside tonight. We get a decent breakfast tomorrow and then get back to the trail by 10am and need to get just 15 miles in (and one pass). We were dismayed to learn of the heatwave due to hit over the next few days. Apparently it will be 106 at the weekend near here. We hoped to have left the heat in the desert.

It is very sad to hear of the fire near Lake Tahoe (thanks for the info Scott). We have hiked through a lot of burned forest and they burned many many years ago and havent regenerated at all. I hope Tahoe is actively managed back to health.

I think I will be near Tahoe before my Birthday, around 20th July perhaps.

More from Mammoth in a couple of days.

PS One more Black Butte Porter to get through (and share).

PPS Still not had any phone service. It has been a few weeks now.