(Daily Mi: 18.3) Seriously brutal day. Actually didn't make target the distance in the end. Started with a steep climb up Barren (2660 ft) (Part I of the Barren-Chairback range). Meet a college aged NoBo named Trish The Dish on the way up enganged in some kind of complex shuttle scheme. Very pretty bald summit, but packed to the gills with weekenders.

This was generally true on the Barren-Chairback range, lots of brutal, specactular exposed ridge, and lots of people hiking in from forest road parking on either end of the range.

Longest part of the day was the hike off Chairback (2180 ft). Steep, fun, boulder filled scramble off the north end of the ridge, but then it is just up and down over endless bumps and a long steady climb down to the valley -- and another forest road. Just took forever.

At 5 o'clock we were still about 4-5 miles from our target shelter, and we decided to start looking for likely stealth spots. The Trail paralleled a river on a bench about 100' up and we quickly located a spot down the gully with river access and enough room for two tents (or a tent and tarp). Pleasant and secluded.

A Gear Note: Crusader's water filter completely failed this afternoon getting water on the saddleback between Barren and Chairback. Must say it has been nice having him filter in some less fortunate spots, and his Sweetwater has cranked to this point. But he has burned through two disposable filters since Gorham, and unlike the MSR, when they are are done. Anyway, we will now share my Aqua Mira, which is only a little unhappy because there are some ponds ahead where a filter would be nice.