Friday, October 6, 2023
Start: Stateline Campground
Miles: 8.41
Elevation gain/loss: 1847’/512′
After surprisingly smooth travel from Hartford to Phoenix (plane) to Page (plane) to Stateline Campground (car shuttle), I started out on the AZT from the northern terminus at 4:30pm. I had a few hours of daylight left and I wanted to get as far ahead of schedule as I could. After a few hours, I stopped at the first water source, a wildlife rain-catching tank; I filtered enough water to get me to the next tank and continued hiking. I pushed until 8pm, when I stopped for the night in a warm, flat spot. I decided to cowboy camp, and I struggled to find my thru-hiking rhythm. My anxiety and hypervigilance were sharp, and sleep did not come easily to me.
Transcending Mountains 