July 23

Distance today: 18.0 miles

Mile marker: 383.9

We finally got to the Goat Rock Wilderness and experienced the Knife Edge hiking. Wonderful views and an awesome experience. We felt like mountain goats hopping over the rocks and ascending the steep slope.

We decided to take the alternate route to avoid tricky (and steep) snow field crossings. It added a little distance and elevation but also gave spectacular views.

We made our way down the backside and into some lovely meadows. Before we really descended into the treeline, we took a quick shower in a waterfall.

We then learned a bit more about our next stop at Trout Lake. It might be a bit trickier getting there than we hoped. With short post office hours, we’re going to try making a break for it to get there by Friday.