THE DEVIL ' S DOING " A kind PCT hiker took our picture in front of the Devil ' s Post Pile , where we accidentally backtracked . PCT hikers were easier to spot because they tended to carry less , hike faster and wear more dirt ."
DAY 3 : 8 MILES SHADOW LAKE ( 8,737 FT .) TO RUBY LAKE ( 9,700 FT .)
“ No coffee this morning , just water .” I chugged as much filtered lake water as I could , quenching a thirst that caught up with me from not drinking enough for the first two days .
The third day was the prettiest on the trail so far . We passed several lakes but few were as striking as Garnet Lake , which was surrounded by vibrant wildflowers , green tree tops and grass contrasting the pale granite rocks and snow , all set against a sky bluer than any I had ever seen . The lake looked so inviting I had to jump in its cold , clear waters — hugely revitalizing .
Soon after our break a hiker who appeared to be in his late 60s zoomed past us . This happened more than once on the trail . Muir , who often ventured out into the wilderness with nothing more than bread , tea and a blanket — even while in his 60s — must have been in incredible shape , I thought .
We made our way to Ruby Lake , which was equally breathtaking . The glacially sculpted rock walls surrounding the lake have a red hue , which is how the lake earned its name . The water was clear and blue and its lack of mosquitos made the location all the more perfect . We set up camp above the lake around 4 p . m ., giving us the break we needed as we soaked in the remarkable view before bed .
MOBILE HOME " Ruby Lake was our favorite spot on the trip , not only for the scenery , but for a welcome relief from relentless mosquitos ."
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