Serious Altitude Adjustment - Mile 734.5 - 6/24

Last out of camp this morning, but more importantly awoke to the sound of banshees. That's right banshees...well it sounded like something freaking out. After the banshees wore out I hiked up a hell of a hill mainly because the trail was destroyed by cows. A herd ran through with multiple calfs crying thus the banshee cry. I ran into a large group of kids and their parents with their two dogs headed up to the top of the Olancha Peak at around 10,500 feet. I got up there first but damn was I dizzy and disoriented from the climb to this altitude. I was able to breathe and calm down a bit and climbed a small rock pile to check out the map and what lied ahead and saw a brown bear moseying around. Now my pack was back on trail so I was stuck with a bear between me and my pack. He didn't see me up on the rocks so I whistled and hollered a bit and he took off running down the mountain right before the kids an their parents came up (the parents were happy not to have a bear in their presence).

After lunch, going down the mountain was much easier breathing-wise and at the bottom I got that nights and the next mornings water and hoofed it back up another mountain to around 10,500 feet again. The miles are becoming harder with the combination of the altitude and the mountainous terrain. Acclimation when it happens will be soo much nicer on these uphills and there are plenty ahead once I reach the high sierras.