Day 24

The morning started off with me curled up in all my downess, feeling the cool morning air. As I started to get my gear ready, I felt my knee and foot issues immediately. I sat there massaging everything for an hour before changing and getting up to move around. I stretched a little, whiched seemed to help, but it was still slow going. Holcomb creek was flowing well below me along the trail. Awesome to hear water rushing down the valley knowing that I will be filling up in a short time.

I hiked on and off with Barb for sometime before we got to a creek crossing to fill up on some cool water. As the trail wound its way through the the high desert, it finally descended down to Deep Creek. This was probably my favorite stretch of trail for a long time. I would have been able to cruise through this section if it wasn’t for my leg issues. The views down the water cut gorge where different from anything else so far. The left side of the trail was guarded by steep slopes rising up. The right side followed up with drops of several hundred feet. You could fall off here and nobody would ever find you. I was trying to make the Deep Creek Hot Springs to soak my feet but that wasn’t happening today. I found a suitable place and quickly pitched my tarp with dark clouds forming with a chance of rain for the night.

Huge pine cones.

Deep Creek

First night solo camp.