Jackrabbit Lake campsite, morning. Time to get out the iodine tablets.

The original plan was to stay here one more night, but due to my water problem, I'm heading on to Pacheco Camp today since it's on the way back to Park Headquarters.

I'm rarely awake so early, but I don't want to leave too late in case I take forever getting up the hill on County Line Road. It's nice to be up before the sun starts cooking everything. A few clouds keep the early sun cool and, incredibly, it rains ever so lightly for about one minute, not even enough for anything to get wet.

For breakfast, I start by drinking the small pot of water that I boiled late last night and which cooled down overnight. There's a bit of grey clay sediment at the bottom of the pot; positively delicious!

Then I boil water (for coffee and miso soup, two cups of each), and eat granola, dried apricots and tamari almonds. Reality sets in after breakfast when I have no untreated water left of any kind.

I fill my water bag and Camelbak with lake water and add iodine tablets. I wait half an hour as per the instructions. I take a mouthful, then gag and feel like I might vomit or have a panic attack, but luckily I don't. This stuff tastes like poison. Is it really better than drinking untreated water?

By the time I'm all packed up and ready to leave camp, I'm used to the terrible taste. Sort of.