Mileage: 30.5 miles (2048.7-2079.2)
I woke up around 5:30am and got going by six. It was still dark and two tiny owls flew up to me when I got out of my tent. They seemed attracted to my headlamp and they took turns swooping down towards my light.
I headed down from Mirror Lake all the way back to 7,000 ft and then started back up again on the High Lakes Trail switchback after switchback once again. The sun finally peaked out around nine and I felt it's pale warmth against my skin.
After coming over the pass I went cross-country up to Marcheta Lake. The way wasn't so bad on the way up, but it was steep and the rock was loose. I managed to get down and then crossed over boulder fields and then up a steep slope with Chiquita Lake below me. This was the scariest part of the day, where one slip could have been disastrous, but it wasn't really too bad. I just had to be careful not to slip.
I eventually made it to the Jourdain Ridge Trail where it wasn't so much a trail, but high alpine meadow with cairns leading the way. I kept smelling what I thought was campfire, but what I think I was actually smelling was the forest fires from Idaho. The smoke was making its way to Montana and it was hazy as hell because of it.
I worked my way down all the way to 5,800 ft and Ennis Lake down horse trails past Mule deer and Bald and Golden Eagles, leaving the mountains and entering Sagebrush territory once again. I got to the Highway by 4pm and got a hitch down to Ennis by 4:30, which allowed me to grab my stuff from the post office before everyone left for the day. I got a motel, resupplied at a gas station, and had burger and onion rings at local ice cream joint. Then watched TV and headed for bed.
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