Pumphouse Ridge Trail 5( FT 5661Q)- Lincoln National Forest

We thought we would get out of the heat,but we were unsuccessful. An arrival time at noon, temperatures in the 80's even at the nearly 9000 foot altitude up on the ridge, and the fact that this trail, an old logging road, is almost entirely open to the sun made this little hike of less than 2 miles something to be endured, not enjoyed. We were hot, our black dogs were very hot. The clouds would not cooperate in covering the sun. Breezes blew, but they were hot.  We did enjoy our lunch in the shade of some pines at the trail's end,but the original plan to do this trail and the Pumphouse Ridge 4( FT 5661H) was scrapped without a word spoken. We drove to the end of the road to kill some time  instead and then headed home. What we needed was a hike with shade, or a running stream, but really both. Altitude alone did not help in the end.