10:30am to 7pm.
Big Sandy Lodge to Lake 10566 beneath Raid Peak.
14 miles.(9 miles were from Big Sandy Lodge back to the route.)

In 2012 when I hiked thru the Winds I was hiking with Shroomer and we found and ate lots of porcini mushrooms. I was hoping to do the same this trip. Because of the dry weather it’s been a terrible year for them. I found one at lunch but it was too dried out and wormy to eat. Bummer.

By the end of the day the scenery bumbed itself up a bunch of notches. I found myself saying “now this is why I am out here!” Everything was super clear as if I was embedded in an Apple Retina screen.

Easy cross country walking.

We walked at the base of Mt Geikie, Raid Peak, Mt Bonneville and huge, spectacular granite cliffs.

Boiling water

Dinner with a view

Tonight’s campsite is the best yet. We are surrounded by beauty.

So was it worth the extra 18 miles to resupply? For me it definitely was. This evening, for the first time this summer I didn’t want to go inside my tent and crash. I wanted to stay out and watch the ever changing lighting. It might have been due to the reset of extra food, shower and bed. But probably it was due to easy walking today. No passes. No boulder fields. No scree. Another option could have been a super short day and a paid horsepack food drop.