18.6 miles hiked, ‘camping’ in a hotel in Lincoln ☺

Last one to camp, first one on trail. I’d much prefer it to be the other way around but I have short legs compared to my hiking partners. I should get bonus points for all the extra steps I have to take.

Oof it’s a steep climb out onto the ridge from the lake. I have my podcast on speaker -hiking by myself I want to make the most noise possible. I pass Waitup who is hiking through to Helena and not stopping in Lincoln so we say a half goodbye. It’s always a strange thing with hikers- you never know when the last time you see someone will be.

Today we have 6 big climbs – nothing is flat. We are either going up or straight back down for the 18 miles left to the road from which we’ll hitch to Lincoln.

My pockets are stuffed with my remaining bars so I can eat as I go. I stop for lots of little breath catching breaks, eat bits of bars, take sips of water. I’m up high and have rolling hill views all day, however the trail seems to take the most convoluted route to the hwy possible.

I get phone reception at the top of a hill – the first since leaving East Glacier  – and my phone has its mini-rave buzzing and blipping with all kinds of urgency. Enter the phone vortex.

Thankfully there is a nice stream with beautiful cold water on the descent of one of the hills. It’s a hot one today and I greedily gulp down a litre of water with my favourite raspberry scratch electrolytes – I’d been saving my last packet for today!

2 more climbs and I sing my way down the final switchbacks to catch up to the guys below to grab a hitch. They saw a moose just before the switchbacks started!!! Boo I’m so sad!!!  I desperately want to see a moose. A baby moose would be like Christmas.

We manage a hitch in about 5 minutes and head into Lincoln for showers and beds and all the promised comforts of a town stop.

Laundry is an interesting event in the local trailer park, and it’s quite the task to find something other than fries to eat. 9 days since town and I’ve been dreaming (as always) about epic food, but have to settle for a cheeseless pizza. I’ll get my curry one day dammit! ☺

I’m asleep way too late. I really need an early night but town does that weird thing where I’m so busy doing lots of things but don’t achieve anything. Sigh. Tomorrow is a zero and all the things will be done then ☺