PCT Day 29 – Splinters Cabin
12.6 miles, near 298.5
• We woke up with the best intentions of cleaning the house, running to the post office, and getting back on the trail early, but we didn’t get out and hiking until sometime after noon. We walked a good hour before stopping and eating lunch.
• The trail followed the creek for most the day, in and out of the pines and along ridges carved into the hills. We passed a few campgrounds and crossed a big bridge over Deep Creek before heading off trail a few hundred feet towards our camp at a picnic area called Splinters Cabin. There’s a covered wooden structure containing a concrete pad and picnic table that hikers are cowboy camping underneath.
• As soon as the sun went down, the temperature plummeted. It may be close to freezing, so we’ll sleep with our water filters. It may also rain overnight, so the covered shelter could help us if we get in a bind.
• It’s nice to use a picnic table for once, instead of sitting in the dirt. And although we just did a shake down, I acquired a small piece of foam pad from a friend that I can use for sitting when I cook at camp.