Wednesday, 6/25

Today Nicole revealed she's not realated to Waite Phillips. She made us stay in camp an extra 45 minutes to look around at stuff. I was nervous climbing the canyon wall by myself to get a view of the sunrise and scooted back down when I saw what I believe to be mountain lion scat on the ledge I was climbing.

A MUCH better day. All our energy went to hiking. We turned a 3 mile day into a 10+ mile day. we camped at 7400 feet. Indian writings is at 7000. We are now at 7990 feet so the "stairmaster" would have been 3 miles +990 vertical.
We did 7400 to 7900 (+500)
7900 to 7600 (-300)
7600 to 7900 (+300)
7900 to 7200 (-700)
Then 7200 to 8000 (+800)

1600 vertical in 12.5 miles versus 990 vert in 3 miles. We chose wisely because we got to see so much more. Our trek is Jeff, Chris, Danny, Jeff H, Eric, August, Richard, Oliver and Jonus. Our crew leader is August. He tends to sit around and doesn't set the example by starting to get camp set up and we have to keep nagging him to get things going. Richard, meanwhile spends all his time making little quips to tear other people down including his own two sons.

This evening, after a very tiring hike that will bring our total mileage to over 92 from a planned 85, we arrived at a 5 diamond/5 turd campsite. Our camp site is over 300 feet up a hill. I was so tired I set up my tent and laid down. I plan to only go down once again tomorrow morning when we leave. The red roof is 150 feet down and the bear rope is down the hill as well. This camp site seems like an afterthought and putting us here feels like Ponil is over its intended capacity. Later, I found out that when 1029 arrived, they were offered this campsite but refused the climb. They are about a mile down the road but at least level with the rest of camp. Tomorrow, we have to send 2 advisers down to help make chuck wagon breakfast. Jeff and I are going. There isn't even any discussion of Richard going, even though I am very tired. I plan to go down with my full pack so I never have to climb up here again. This camp site is a mixed blessing, though. While it is ridiculously far up the hill, it affords a spectacular view of Ponil camp and the surrounding hills and ridges. For this reason I call it a 5 diamond camp site. It is so hard to get to, I must also call it a 5 turd camp site.