More crummy mileage today and I even got an early start. It was noon when I summitted Bonfisk Mountain. That mountain was a really cool surprise. Very rugged and volcanic looking. What should have been easy trail though took a long time and I was sucking down a lot of water. The heat was killing my motivation and sucking out my energy. Plus the trail needed some maintenance because of all the downed trees before the peak and overgrown areas after. The trail became so overgrown that I never noticed the junction with the Rainbow Lake Trail. When I started descending I knew that wasn't right and I must have started the Rainbow Lake Trail but then I saw that it joins back up and I'd get to water sooner this way. So screw it. Down I go.

Unfortunately it became way overgrown and I had to push through huge expanses of plants across the trail. In fact I couldn't even see the footpath. It was like wading in the ocean except that I was covered in seeds and aphids. I needed a lawnmower. It got better but it was still slow going after that. I started to get my pace back but it was too little too late. This was a long hiking day with not much to show for it. The hike is supposed to be easier as I go along not harder!

I've been seeing a lot of recent mountain lion scat.