Started at 5:44am. 48 degrees. Got dropped off at the PCT trailhead at Echo Lake by crew Captain Lauren. Rocky terrain through desolation, but still made decent time. Met Liz and Hueco dog at Fontanallis where she brought me food. Also filtered water there. Continued on through the grindy middle section, filtered water at Richardson Lake, and ran well to Barker Pass. Received aid from Lauren at Barker. Changed socks, ate food, and picked up poles. Hit a bit of a low from the descent into five lakes (filtered water at five Lakes Creek) through the climb up to Granite Chief, but I hung in there and met Liz at the top of Granite chief. She brought me pizza and sushi. The food perked me right up. Put on some layers, felt great, and ran a few miles in the dark to Tinker’s Knob and met up with Chris who ran with me to Donner Pass Rd/Sugarbowl. We saw the comet! My husband Henry met Chris and I at Donner Pass Rd/Sugarbowl and we ran to the tunnel at hwy 80, where section K of the CA PCT concludes.
This route is a juggernaut! A big factor here is surface type. Very rocky and incredibly demanding. Good water available except the last 15 miles, but, because I was moving slower at night during that point, what I had filled up at Granite Chief was plenty to get me through. Ran with only two 17oz filter flasks most of the time and only upped to three flasks at five lakes creek. Fall is a good time for this effort.
Perfect weather, almost full moon on the ridge line, comet, and the best crew. A run I will never ever forget.