Start: 0700 - near Diaz Creek 741.5
End:  2000 - Crabtree Meadow 766.5
Miles (today): 25
Miles (cumulative): 790 (682.5 PCT, 89.5 alternate, 18 off) 

The Sierras are excellent hill training at elevation - training for what, exactly, I don't know... It's just good training. :)

The scenery gets better and better.  I met two older ladies day-hiking southbound and they told me the John Muir Trail (which shares part of the PCT) is superb.  Everyone keeps telling me this and yet I'm blown away by what I'm seeing now!

At lunch I was entertained by a cute little ground squirrel that liked to leap over a little stream of water on the trail.  It was so funny to watch!  Every time he did it I giggled (he made the leap about 4 times).  

We continue to hear and sometimes see F-18s flying by.  :)

Towards the end of the day we had to ford our first stream - it wasn't horrible (this time).  Some other hikers told us there was an easier place to cross a little downstream and, sure enough, we found a few logs to make it easier.  Sadly for Nick, the log he was on broke and he ended up getting wet; seeing that, I took off my socks and took out my shoe inserts before crossing.  I stayed mostly dry, although there was no way around getting your shoes wet since crossing barefoot didn't seem like a good idea.

Maverick caught up with us just after we crossed the stream and just in time for one hell of a climb - we went up over 1,000 feet in less than a mile.  Once I got to the top I thought that was all the climbing I'd have to do for the rest of the day and therefore I rejoiced.  Alas, after about a mile of decent we had another climb, although this one wasn't nearly as bad.  Once again, I rejoiced.  Once again, doing so was premature.  About a mile before reaching the meadow (our goal for the day) we had to go up yet again and, worse, we had to go back down over a pretty rocky and pretty steep terrain.  Thankfully,  Maverick was there - he  is such an interesting person and he's so fun to talk to! He made that last bit tolerable. 

Walking into Crabtree Meadow was magical - there were deer grazing in the distance and the whole place feels quiet and serene.  :)

Tomorrow we will attempt to summit Mt. Whitney - I'm excited!

Along the trail: