Mission Creek was not dry, as had been rumored, but it was long, hot and a relentless, punishing climb – 4200 ft over 12 miles. I’m sure a lot of hikers would drop out here, but it’s just not possible as there are no roads or other trails. It’s either finish the climb or convince some one to copter you out.
That said, it was not that bad – as with so many things, expectations are as important as reality. I was expecting a long climb, and so did not torture myself with false hope of an early summit. And there were flowers, some views, a couple of cool shady groves in deeper parts of the canyon. But mostly just a steady grind. Not every day can be transcendentally wonderful, even on the PCT.