Day 58.5: mile 1195.4 - 1209.2
- If it's not one thing, it's another
- "You can see for miles"
I saved a mile and a half with a successful hitch to the trailhead. A seventy year old couple (the second car to pass me) from Flagstaff picked me up, and were anxious to hear all about the trail, pelting me with questions which continued until well after we got to the trailhead. They were also hikers, although after a few knee replacements they limited themselves to day hikes. We wished each other well, and it was time to start walking.
Up close and personal with the Sierra Buttes
It was about 3600' elevation gain over seven miles. Not terrible, but along an exposed south-facing slope, things got toasty. Especially with my thousand pounds of food. I would have loved for a snow field to break up the monotony. Instead I got a rattlesnake. Welp, guess I better start paying attention to those again. If it isn't one thing that is out to get you, it's another.
I was planning to take a one-mile detour to the top of Sierra Buttes, as there is a lookout tower from which you can see Mt. Lassen. On a clear day. With at least one fire brewing off to the west, things get pretty hazy by the afternoon, and views disappear. So I settled for what I could see of the smoke-swept landscape, and stayed on the PCT.
Following the blazes
It was a several more miles to Summit Lake, my campsite for the night, where I am currently lying in bed listening to crickets and bullfrogs. Damn those frogs are noisy...
Hazy views to the east
Smoky skies make for great sunsets
Day 59: mile 1209.2 - 1237.0
- Where did the water go?
- Family time
Turns out bullfrogs are noisier in the evening than in the morning. It was the sun, not the bullfrogs, that eventually coerced me to pull the plug on my air mattress. After the usual routine of breakfast, push-ups, and disassembling camp, it was on the trail by a later-than-usual 6:30.
The topo maps had prepared me for a day of ups and downs, but nothing too crazy. And that's exactly what happened. Pretty easy walking led to some good miles before my lunch break (which turned into an hour-and-a-half nap break).
Where are the mountains going?!?
The further north we go, the flatter the terrain seems to get. Most of the day consisted of walking up and down heavily wooded hillsides, with the occasional patch of sagebrush and wild flowers, and the occasional ridge walk (which gives views of, you guessed it, heavily wooded hillsides). I think this is what to expect for the next several hundred miles.
Ridge walkin'
Water is also becoming something to again pay attention to. Gone appear the days of packing no more than one liter, as there were a few 7-10 mile dry stretches today. Well, it was nice while it lasted!
Next stop, Belden!
Being the weekend, my mom and sister had coordinated a day hike that would let them meet up with me on the trail, and hike five or so miles together. They also looped three of my cousins in, so by mid afternoon I was again running into, and hiking with, family on the trail! I'm going to miss this whole being-less-than-two-hours-from-home thing.
But first, family time!
Which also includes being dorks 🙃
Almost as good as seeing them on the trail was the trail magic that was waiting in the cars back at the trailhead: a cooler chock full of melons, strawberries, raspberries, tangerines, apples, and chicken. Mighty and Cashmere had hiked off the mountain near us, so were also able to enjoy some of the magic. After an hour that went by way to fast, it was again time to get back on the trail. This might be the last family-hosted trail magic for a while, but man was it good. Just what I need to finish off the first half of this trail.
Day 60: mile 1237.0 - 1267.8
- Feather River Laundry
- Looks can be deceiving
I camped with Mighty and Cashmere (and the bugs) and got on the trail a little after they did. It take me a little longer to get ready (with my excuse being I spend 5-10 minutes doing push-ups and core exercises. I'm not putting on makeup and doing my hair, I swear).
Smoky...
The first ten miles of the day were downhill. We hadn't seen that long of a downhill stretch since the high Sierra, and it was nice to just put the body on cruise control. But we all know what has to come after a long downhill stretch...
Fortunately we got to put off the corresponding climb for an hour, because the trail descended all the way to the middle fork of the Feather River. Since I wasn't able to do laundry in Sierra City (and I could smell that I needed a bath) I took the chance to strip down to my underwear and bathe myself in the river, while also doing laundry (i.e. soaking my clothes in the river). It didn't quite get the dirt and smell out, but I felt cleaner for at least a few minutes.
Today's laundry facilities
Then it was time to climb out of the canyon that we had just dropped into. A ten mile climb later, whatever cleanliness I had picked up from the river was drowned in sweat. But at least we were on top of a mountain instead of down in a canyon. Even though we are out of the high Sierra, and the trail is easier, it still isn't a walk in the park. Still plenty of up and down, and now we have the heat to consider again.
The girls on Lookout Rock
Another ten miles and it was to the evening's campsite, giving us just over thirty miles on the day. The feet are definitely on the sore side, and looking forward to getting to Belden tomorrow for the next resupply. And maybe a lunch. My stomach could dig that 😋
Lilies!!
Day 61: mile 1267.8 - 1284.3
- Gossamers
- Belden Town
I got on the trail shortly after Mighty, just as the sun was starting to hit the tops of the trees. It was "only" seventeen miles to Belden (our next resupply), which we were hoping to finish in time for lunch in town.
Green morning
One of the downsides to hiking early in the morning is that the spiders have had all night to lay traps (i.e. webs) across the trail. And when the first hiker comes traipsing through at the crack of dawn, they walk through all of those webs. So I spent most of this morning pulling cobwebs out of my eyelashes and spitting webs out of my mouth. My pack was made by Gossamer Gear, and prior to learning about this company I had never heard the term "gossamer". Turns out, those finely spun cobwebs that I spend most mornings walking through? Gossamers.
Manzanita openings
While gossamers are slightly annoying, they don't seem to do a very good job of catching bugs, because those bugs are still everywhere! Between the buggy air and the easy walking, it was a quick first ten miles. Then it was down a steeeep five miles to Feather River and Belden Town.
Apparently some music festival was just ending, as there were cars, tents, and scantily clad people running around who wouldn't have been out of place at Burning Man. Belden seems like an interesting place... I grabbed a lunch with Mighty and Cashmere, and then Mighty and I proceeded to The Braaten's, trail angels just outside of town who host a maximum of five hikers per night.
Relaxin' by the river
We were able to go for a dip in the river, do laundry (again in the river), call loved ones, and eat dinner from something other than our lightweight titanium pots. I learned to play rummy, and also spent a good bit of time massaging my feet, which have been noticeably sore over the past several days. I think it it because we are ahead of The Herd, but this has been one of the more enjoyable trail angel stops. We'll see how many freight trains rumble by tonight - I may not have the same positive review in the morning...