Day 111 : More meandering

8th August 2013
Mile 1552 to mile 1582 : Chilcoot creek to Scott Mountains campsite
Mileage : 30
Average mileage since day 101 : 22.5

Today largely followed uneventfully in the same fashion as the the day before, with progression along the trail in an eastward and southward direction. We had intended to do another long morning followed by a short afternoon, but upon arrival at a pass I was distracted by a trail maintenance crew who gave me a welcome cold drink and a bowl of delicious fruit salad. The PCTA calls on veritable armies of volunteers who come out to the trail for a week at a time to give it a spring clean. These volunteers provide an invaluable service to us hikers which is often taken for granted. There have been many time when I have mentally chastised the PCTA for not keeping the trail in good condition, without really appreciating just how much effort it takes to do so. Power tools and lifting equipment are not allowed on trail, so all cutting, sawing and removal of all plant life encroaching onto the trail, whether it be weeds and bushes growing outward into the trail, or 3 meter diameter logs which have fallen across the trail, must all be dealt with by hand. A crew of about 10 can dress about 3 miles of tail per week, I hike that distance in an hour so it's no wonder the more isolated sectioned get overgrown sometimes. After thanking the crew for all their hard work I carried on up the trail still on track for another 30 mile day. Unfortunately at the 30 mile mark there was no camping whatsoever so we continued up the trail until we the first tentative spot came into view in the fading light. Night is falling ever quicker now that the days are shortening, but in the forests the dark closes in much earlier and plunges everything into an eerie inky blackness coupled with silence as the dense tree cover block out the wind, and muffle all other sounds except for the occasional cracking of branches as deer start foraging for food in the cover of the darkness. Sleep comes quickly at the end of each day and after two 30 milers I had no trouble passing out, at least the next day looked to be a bit easier.