[pct-l] Teeny trip report

[mardav at charter.net (Marion Davison)]

Yesterday morning we parked at the Hiway 18 crossing in C-6 and hiked 
southbound to Arrastre trail camp.  GSA trail angels left a water cache 
at the hiway that still has about a gallon, along with a note that Doble 
Camp has cold running water.  Met two women from Reno that were 
starting  a 6 day northbound to I-15.  The section-bit southbound from 
the hiway is mostly in chaparral and short pinyon-juniper forest, and 
man, was it hot! (about 90 today) No water on the trail until you get 
within a mile of Deer Spring/Arrastre camp, when you start finding 
trickles crossing the trail.  The llamas were very grateful for the 
trickles.  The last mile is in a ponderosa/fir forest with really big 
trees and lots of undergrowth, a dramatic change.  Arrastre camp has 
picnic table, fire pit with benches, cold running water at a faucet, a 
horse trough ( that faucet not working) and hitch rail, and some 
interesting log and rock constructions done by someone with a sense of 
whimsy and time to kill. 
We took tools to clear blowdowns but didn't find any.  We met one party 
of horses and one party of hikers, otherwise had the trail and camp to 
ourselves.
The llamas hiked 10 miles in under 4 hours today, a record for them, so 
we found ourselves back home just 27 hours after we started.  I guess 
they are in pretty good shape.  I wish I could say the same for my knees.
Marion