TRT Day 9

Miles: 104.4 - 121.1

Photo: Golden Hour at Gray Lake

I told myself that today was probably going to be the toughest out of my remaining 5-day stretch out of Tahoe City. The day was spent climbing from 7,000 ft to 9,400 ft. Doesn’t sound too bad, but after every few hundred feet of gain, there was always a small dip downhill. It was mentally demoralizing since I had just wished it would keep going downhill, but alas.

This stretch would have also included a 16.5-mile water carry if it wasn’t for a water cache located near a popular day hiker trailhead. Luckily there was still plenty of gallons for public use, and even more luckily I didn’t even need to take from it! Another TRT hiker, Annie, had stashed 2 gallons there days before and didn’t end up using it all so she gave me her leftover water. So weird how such a basic thing as water feels like such a gracious and generous gift when you’re hiking. 

The day ended at Gray Lake. It’s a side trail from the TRT but the comments on FarOut basically begged me to camp there. When I arrived there was nobody else there so I walked to where the waterfall was and was shocked by the view I saw. The forest parted way to a lake with rocks to cross over, all with the sun shining on a large granite mountain in the background. I had to take a photo which resulted in what you see now. I audibly said “wooooow”. Probably the most beautiful piece of scenery I’ve seen in the last few months. 

After I set my tent up within a listening distance of the waterfall, I dipped my feet into the stream, filled up my water, and enjoyed the sunset. It was an excellent ending to a difficult day.
 

 

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