For the past week we have been hit by the heatwave that has taken over a good part of the southwestern US. This has meant temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s during large parts of the day – especially the hours when we typically walk the most miles (~10am to 5pm). We have been very lucky to not hear of any hikers who have experienced heat exhaustion or heatstroke, but it’s on everyone’s mind and we’re all adjusting our approaches to stay safe, some hikers even ending or postponing their trips.

We have cautiously continued but are paying close attention and doing a few things to mitigate the risks of heat- related issues.

First, as much as I hate setting an alarm because I adore a full night sleep, we spent the worst days on a “desert hiking schedule” meaning we were up and walking by 5 am, spending the afternoon in any shade we could find, then walking again in the cooler evening.

We are also paying close attention to water – increasing how much we are drinking, spending more time cooling down in lakes and creeks, and increasing how much we carry from one water fill-up to the next. This can be tricky as the more water we carry the heavier our packs are! Typically we drink about one liter for every four miles we walk, but that can double in the heat, so when you have 10 miles between water access points it gets tricky.

Another important nutritional aspect is electrolytes. Our sweat-drenched clothes make it clear that we need to be replacing these important substances that are critical for many body functions (like sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium). We have been paying attention to our food labels to ensure we are getting these (like potassium in dried mangoes) and adding electrolyte mixes to our water. The surrounding communities are also looking out for us as we twice have found Gatorade “trail magic” left for PCT hikers in the past few days.

Finally, we are doing our best to listen to our bodies, paying close attention for any sign of heat exhaustion (which can include excessive sweating, dizziness, increased heart rate, clammy skin, among other things) and taking lots of breaks. We might not have been able to continue the past few days if we hadn’t moved out of burn scar and into a beautiful forest with mostly shaded trail. I try to thank almost every giant Doug fir we pass for shading our path and keeping us protected from the harshest of the sun’s rays. 

Now we are waiting out the last forecasted day above 90 degrees in the AC of Dunsmuir, getting rehydrated and filling up on vegetables. We plan to be back on trail tomorrow (July 24) and should be to the Oregon border in the first few days of August. Let’s hope this heatwave is officially over soon and hopefully, I can’t believe I’m typing this, we could even see some rain again!