6/09

17 miles (713 to 730 death canyon creek)

Whew today was tough. Welcome to the mountains. The terrain is beautiful. It's is also steep and unforgiving. We climbed up over 10,000 feet today and are camped around 9,000. We have finally got a handle on how to pack our bags which are now accommodating large bear cans although we are eager to get rid of them (in 300 miles).  

It started to rain on us while we ate our lunch- dehydrated hummus and homemade dehydrated salsa with tortillas. We scrambled to gather all of our gear and sat under a tree to finish eating. It drizzled, sprinkled, and rained the rest of the day and is still doing so as I lay in the tent ready for sleep. We have no idea what the weather forecast is like and are really hoping I wake up to clear skies tomorrow.