Miles: 20.9 +1 side trails for water

Total Trail Miles: 1238 

Ascent/Descent: 3192/4268 ft 

Start Time: 06:28

End Time: 16:35 

Temperature: 30°C (86°F)

I didn't sleep super well, I woke lots in the night. I definitely slept better when Marcus was in the tent with me, I was missing him lots too. I woke a little before 6 and packed up. DB and Trip Hazard both left before me, I wanted to hike solo so packed up slowly. There were a few climbs in the morning but nothing too bad or long. It warmed up very quickly though, it was going to be a hot day. Lots of the climbing was luckily mostly in the shade with lots of trees surrounding the trail, I tried to enjoy the live trees whilst I could as tomorrow we would enter the huge 2012 burn scar that would last to Burney. At the top of a morning climb there was a nice view and some phone service so I stopped for breakfast and messaged Marcus to see how he was getting on. I went between thoughts today, my mind being a bit scattered and busy and often missing Marcus. So I eventually stuck on some podcasts to distract myself from my thoughts and walked on. I stopped for lunch when I caught up with DB and Trip Hazard and hung out there for 40 or so mins. But there were still miles to make and I was down to less than a litre of water so i cracked onto the next water source. Lots of the water sources were off trail and required little side trips to collect. I wanted to get to Alder Spring to camp, it was a free miles after where Beer Slide has told us not to camp due to bears and it was before the burn scar. DB and Trip Hazard arrived shortly after and we set up camp and ate dinner.