The first day in Oregon was a beautiful one. We could still see Shasta poking up over the horizon and yet it felt different since we were viewing it from another state. Town and I were still hiking with Snowcat and company who were all shooting for getting to Ashland on the same day. I …
After a quick goodbye with Bunyon and her parents I began climbing out of Dunsmuir with Bolo, Happy Feet, Town and Snowcat who was another PCT hiker who had gotten a ride with us. Saying goodbye to Bunyon changed up many things on the trail. Bunyon had been the person to hold our trail family …
Continue reading PCT 10: Trail Solitude and the Push to Oregon
We were having our definition of through hiking challenged by being at the halfway point in Northern California and realizing how much more there was to go. The biggest change in attitude with reaching the halfway point was that we had no more major obstacles between us and the Northern terminus, just 1,330 more miles. …
We had just escaped the snow with the entire trail north of us to look forwards too. In Sierra City our group of Uky, Bolo, Happy Feet and I stumbled in resupplying and charging our electronics for the next leg of the PCT to Quincy. In Sierra City I had one of the tastiest burgers …
Get out of the snow! Find joy on the trail once more. That was the priority after a month of walking on snow, sleeping on snow and breaking trail through snow. Dealing with wet frozen feet all day long and forcing our way across overflowing rivers full of snow melt. This was becoming far more …
Uky and I were all that was left of our original trail family. Everyone else had dropped out due to the conditions and for the third time we prepared to re-enter the Sierras. We were tired, slowly being worn down and every day we tried to contrast the grueling nature of snow walking and living …
As we descended from the parking lot at Kiersarge Pass we looked back up to where we had come from. While dropping in elevation the mountains seemed to rise up higher and higher, truly letting us appreciate their size and dominance over the landscape. We called them home for the last week and a half …
Continue reading PCT 5: The Breaking of the Trail Family Fellowship
As we left Kennedy meadows, the morning of May 16th, the excitement was mixed with anxiety for what was to come. The last storm cycle had just finished the evening before and it left potentially a foot or two of snow, but the weather reports were so varied we couldn't get very accurate information on …
As we got back onto the Pacific Crest Trail from Tehachapi we all knew our next stop would be Kennedy Meadows, a "base camp" of sorts for the Sierras. Till this point the backpacking hadn't been too difficult since we were taking our time and hoping the snows might melt off a little. But as …
Sleeping in the cabin on top of San Jacinto was interesting to say the least. It was bitterly cold, and it looked like the bunks would collapse in on each other. Despite this no one was squished and we enjoyed slipping and sliding down from the summit the next morning. One of the few benefits …
Continue reading PCT 2: Of Aqueducts, Joshua Trees and Windmills
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