SKIT Day 27: Up into the Pinalenos

Daily Miles: 12.5, Total Miles: 355.8

Gusty winds all night long so put my earplugs in early and had the best sleep on the trail so far.

The wind was still blowing as I left camp this morning. I quickly made it to Pipeline Tank, the start of a steep bushwhack up and over to Tripp Canyon. I got way off track here on my 2018 GET hike and it wasn’t fun at all. This time it was tiring but very straightforward. I checked my location more frequently and was even on a game trail for a bit.

From Tripp Canyon, I took the Sawmill-Blue Jay alternative, a steady climb to get me to the Clark Peak Trail. This route allowed me to get much needed water at Sawmill Spring. It did not disappoint – cold and clear right out of the pipe. The Clark Peak Trail took me down to Taylor Pass, in a saddle between Clark Peak and Blue Jay Peak. I decided to call it a day. All in all, well over 4,000 ft elevation gain with more tomorrow.

I saw several whitetail and wild turkeys today but no hikers. Nice to be in the pines again!