Washington

The people in Washington are extremely nice. All the local hikers I meet on the trail ask me where I'm from, and when I say California, their response is: welcome to Washington! They also congratulate me, somewhat prematurely, on a successful thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The mountains in Washington don't seem so friendly. This is definitely some of the hardest hiking on the PCT. The trail goes up one side of a mountain ridge and down the other side only to attack another mountain ridge and repeat the process. It's the constant up and down on some very challenging tread that wears me out physically and emotionally. Couple that with lots of blow down (trees fallen across the trail), river crossings, rain, cold, and fewer daylight hours and the 25 mile a day pace that seemed easy in Oregon is now very difficult. My feet are tired and sore and I'm looking forward to finishing soon. I've got 10 more days and 205 miles of hiking and I'll be in Canada where Eva will meet me in a CAR and we'll FLY home. 

Tuesday, September 9 - Mile 2,520

I passed the 2,500 mile mark today in the  morning. I hiked another 20 miles and I am camped alone at a river crossing. I need to cover another 25 miles tomorrow, but there is over 8,100 feet of uphill and just as much downhill in those miles, and that will be very challenging for me. 

The weather looks a bit unsettling, and I've set up my tent with the rain fly expecting it to start raining any time.

Trail Detour

This huge shattered tree is laying across the trail. It's called blow down. While most of the trees laying across the trail are not this big, each presents a problem to be solved: over, under, or around. This section of the trail has lots of blow down. I counted 43 trees today that were laying across the trail. One area that was very difficult to even see the trail was caused by a snow avalanche during the winter. It was like being in a maze. Some trees fell across trail switchbacks which meant I hopped over the same tree 2-3 times. It slowed my progress a bit but so did the extreme amount of uphill hiking: 6,500 feet in one day. I'm 12 miles from Steven's Pass, where I will hitch 23 miles west on Hwy 2 to the town of Baring where I will resupply at a trail angel's house. When l leave Steven's Pass and begin hiking again, I'll only be 205 miles and one resupply away from Canada! 

Monday, September, 8 - Mile 2,494

I'm camped tonight at Pear Lake, 18 miles north from Steven's Pass. I had a late start at 11am because of the long hitch from Baring, 23 miles west of Steven's Pass. Baring is where Jerry and Andra Dinsmore (PCT MOM) live. They are trail angels who host hikers at their home and receive resupply boxes for hikers. They have a large room setup with bunk beds, a washer, dryer, shower and restroom dedicated for hikers. It was a wonderful place to hang out with other thru-hikers and resupply for the next section.

Tomorrow I'm planning on a 6:30am start so I have a full 12 hours to hike. There is a crazy amount of uphill and downhill hiking tomorrow so I know I'll need that much time to cover 24 miles. It's cloudy tonight so I set up my tent with the rain fly. Tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy with a chance of rain. Hopefully it's not raining all day.

With only 8-9 days left, I'm thinking about what it will be like to reach the monument at the Washington/Canadian border. I need some good pictures at the monument and I hope there is at least one other person there so we can help each other with photos. The trail continues for another 8 miles into Canada and ends in Manning Park. This is where I will meet Eva for the final time on the trail. I can't wait to see her and I imagine I will be very excited when I arrive. I have been daydreaming while I hike about finishing: seeing Eva, taking off my backpack and running to her, kissing her and giving her a bear hug, jumping, laughing, singing (climb every mountain, forge every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream), shouting and then getting in the car and riding quietly as I watch the trail head disappear from sight.

Oh, My Toes!

My feet hurt...I know you find that hard to believe but it's true. They are stiff in the morning and ache throughout the day. I don't have any bone or joint pain, so I'm not worried about the pain. What is interesting, I think, is the numbness that has developed in some of my toes and the balls of my feet. When I spent three days in Portland with Eva celebrating our anniversery, the numbness went away and it was briefly replaced with shooting pain. I remember waking up in the middle of the night my second day off the trail and my feet were killing me!

Today my legs are sore from 4,600 feet of uphill and 6,300 feet of downhill hiking yesterday. That was the same day as the scary ridge walk where I was very tense for about 3 hours. This is the first time in months my legs have been sore from hiking. I hope they are better tomorrow, I need to hike a full 25 mile day and there is a lot of uphill. 

Once in a while my shoulders get tired from carrying the backpack, but when that happens, I just tighten the waist belt and redistribute the weight.

The only other thing physically I am experiencing is weakness in my hands when they are extremely cold. And what is interesting about that is that it's not equal in both hands. My left hand has much more weakness than my right hand. At first I wasn't sure why, but now I think it has something to do with the broken wrist I had years ago on my left arm. I have my gloves now, which I wasn't carrying in Oregon, so this shouldn't be a serious problem. 

Besides the above I have no complaints about how my body is performing on the trail. I'm impressed with how strong I am and how quickly I recover. This is good because I hear the toughest part of the trail is still ahead of me.

Trail Brother

This is another thru hiker, Uzel, and other hikers have commented that we look like brothers! He is hiking with his wife, Thistle, and she took this picture at Snoqualmie Pass in the motel parking lot. We hike about the same pace and mileage so we may end about the same time. I have enjoyed camping with them a few times along the trail in Washington. It's fun to have someone to commiserate with about all the RAIN!

Keep calm and hike on. 

New Challenges

In Washington state, apparently they rate hiking trails like we do ski runs in California. This is the marker for the trail I'm currently on! I'll try to take some pictures and video of the difficult sections so you'll have an idea of what it's like. 

You probably can't see it, but on the trailhead information sign behind me, it says that it's bear hunting season! I'm not sure if I'm more scared of the bears or the hunters. I am glad that I have a bright yellow backpack. That should keep me safe from the hunters.

The trail in Oregon, except for the Crater Lake rim walk, was pretty plain. I had no idea how much more exciting the trail in Washington would be! 

I have two more resupplies before I reach Washington which makes me pretty excited at how close I am. Thanks again to everyone who has been praying, reading, commenting, posting and sharing in my adventure. You have made this trip more special than you'll ever know.

Keep calm and hike on!

So Much Rain

Have I mentioned it rains in Washington? Since leaving White Pass it has rained four of the last five days. The day began with heavy fog and mist. It sprinkled on and off most of the day. Basically it rained whenever I stopped to filter water or eat. Around 3pm it started raining hard and by the time I reached my destination, Mirror Lake, it was pouring. It rained hard all night and I reminded God a few times that He promised not to destroy the earth again with a flood.

I set up my tent in the rain and I still haven't figured out how to keep the inside dry because the tent is setup in two stages: first the tent body, which is NOT waterproof, and then the rain fly that goes over the body. It takes a minute or two to set up the body and stake it out before the rain fly goes on. In just that short time the body gets very wet when it's pouring. There has to be a better way.

So...me, my clothes, and my gear are wet. Some more than others, but nothing is dry and while I'll survive the night, I'm glad tomorrow I'll be at Snoqualmie Pass, where I can dry everything out. I also look forward to eating at the restaurant, taking a shower and getting my resupply box that Eva mailed to me. 

Washington Weather

Since leaving White Pass a day and a half  ago, it has been cold, rainy, windy, foggy, and generally miserable. In spite of that I have covered 40 miles and I am still on track to reach Snoqualmie Pass September 3rd in the early afternoon. I plan to spend the night there and do a full resupply.

With all the rain and moisture in general, my shoes, socks and feet have been soaking wet. This morning was very cold and it was especially painful to hike with cold wet feet. I thought about stopping but I wasn't sure if anything short of setting up my tent and getting inside would allow me to dry and warm my feet. By noon it was slightly warmer, I was feeling better and I completed 24 miles by 6:30pm. Trail running shoes might not be the greatest footwear for Washington, but I've come this far in them so I'll tough it out. When there is no sun, I dry my wet socks and gloves by putting them in my sleeping bag with me. They are cold as ice packs at first, but they warm up and my body heat dries them out for the next day. The weather is supposed to improve tomorrow.

I'm camped just past a small spring where I filled up my water bottles for dinner and tomorrow's breakfast. Right now, at 8pm, I am inside my sleeping bag, inside my tent, and the wind is blowing hard outside. I've eaten dinner, sorted my food for breakfast and lunch tomorrow, brushed my teeth and I'm ready for bed. 326 miles to Canada! 

The Last Box by Eva

Life is short and we have never to much time

for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling

the dark journey with us. 

Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind.

Henri Frederic Amiel

Today I packed the last resupply box I will be sending Loren. It is going to Stehekin, Washington and will contain what he needs for the last 5 days of his journey. Along with 5 days worth of breakfasts, lunches and dinners, it also includes maps of the section he will be hiking, batteries to use in his iphone recharger, a butane/propane canister to make hot water, vitamins, IBU, 1/2 a roll of toilet paper, a new toothbrush and travel sized toothpaste, some cash and 5 Q-tips. 

I've really enjoyed my role as Base Camp Manager. It's allowed me to experience the trail in a unique way. I asked Loren recently how hikers without support get everything they need. Some trail stops have small grocery or travel stop type of stores where they can resupply. But many have only small post offices with no options for purchasing food or other items. In these cases, non-supported backpackers must constantly plan ahead by purchasing the food they need immediately, as well as buying food to prepare a package to mail ahead to themselves at destinations with no other options. This really gets tricky, especially when one of your needs is 5 Q-tips. I hear you asking, "What does a backpacker do when you have to buy 25 Q-tips even though you only need 5?" I'm not sure if Loren has mentioned this in prior blogs, but most major resupply stops also have a "Hiker Box." This is another way that hikers help each other on the trail while wasting nothing. When you have next to nothing, wastefulness is not an option. 
Now, as I schedule out a day to run this last resupply box to the only post office that doesn't give me grief over the butane/propane canister inside the box, I also get to plan my last job as Base Camp Manager- bringing Loren home. My plan at this point is to meet him at Manning Park, British Colombia on September 17. You can bet there will be lots of hugs and kisses included at that stop. And yes, I'll add one from each of you.  XOXO for all of you who have joined us on this incredible journey. 

Bless Me

But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Genises 32:27

I've been praying for some specific things while on the trail and as the end of my hike draws closer I'm believing God for the answers. 

There is something in me personally that I want God to change. I am reminded of Romans 12:2 where Paul talks about a transformation that takes place when our minds are renewed. That's exactly what I want and am believing for as I return home from my hike.

I want God's clear direction for some important decisions as my adventure ends. It has always been the desire of my heart to serve God and my life is an offering to Him and I'm ready and excited to be used!

And I'm praying for the salvation of some specific people. I want to see God radically transform their lives with his grace and power. 

It is wonderful to have so much time to worship, listen, and pray each day. I worship with praise music and listen to the Bible on my MP3 player. I pray quietly and outloud and imagine in great detail, exactly what I desire from God. I listen to entire books of the Bible and find myself finding new treasures as if I was hearing passages for the first time.

It has been a blessing to have this extended time away from the routine of normal life to give me the chance to seek God. The struggle has been worth it and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

PCT Excitement!

After hiking over 2,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, I didn't think I would see anything new or exciting in Washington. I was very wrong. Today I hiked for about 3 miles along a knife edge mountain ridge with sections of rock, ice, and snow. Add some clouds and wind and you have a pretty exciting morning.

For about two hours, my heart was pounding and my mind was racing as I hiked along the ridge. I prayed and talked to myself to stay calm and tell myself I could do it. Over and over I told myself: "You've got this. Keep your eyes on the trail. Don't focus on the drop off. Don't rush. Keep moving. Trust your feet. Keep calm and hike on."

At one point I slipped on some ice and in the process of regaining my upright position, my water bottle fell out of the side pocket of my backpack. I watched it slide hundreds of feet down snow and rock. I was too freaked out to go after it so I just pushed on. I knew I could find water in a few miles and replace the bottle at White Pass.

I made it safely to White Pass by 4:30pm and with clouds building and rain in the forecast, I rented a room at the only motel, picked up my resupply box at the one gas station, and bought dinner at the mini mart, (there are no restaurants here). In the morning, rain or shine, I'll be back on the trail heading for Snoqualmie Pass.

Trout Lake

I'm in the tiny town of Trout Lake. It's a 13 mile hitch from the trail on a road with very little traffic. It took me an hour to finally get a ride. The person who gave me a ride was only going to take me half way (his destination), but after we got talking he changed his mind and graciously took me all the way to town. I had a resupply box at the general store and they had one bed still available in the two rooms above the store. $10 bucks for a bed, bath and laundry! Let's hope the two guys I'm bunking with don't snore!

I've arranged a ride back to the trail at 8am tomorrow with a local trail angel. Three other hikers are joining me on the ride back and are sharing the $15 donation. 

I've completed 2,238 miles with only 431 miles to go! I'm thinking September 17th might be the day I finish!

It's 9:15pm and I'm ready for bed. I've had a huge dinner and I'll grab breakfast at the cafe in the morning before I leave. I'm trying not to lose anymore weight!

The Sacred

“There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places.”   Wendell Berry

In Robert Capon's book An Offering of Uncles he recommends we take a walk and discover our priestly role in nature and history. I couldn't agree more. In fact, if you want to stop reading right now and take a walk, I won't be offended. There is something about walking, especially in nature, that reminds me who God is and affirms His presence in creation and my individual life. Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, I have felt the presence of God on a daily basis and seen His face in the faces of the people I have met along the way.

To the praise of His glorious grace! 

Reflections

I'm not shy on the trail about the fact that I am a Christian. Spending five months in the wilderness is not a license for lowering my standards for how I talk and act. In fact, being in nature makes me feel closer to God, and therefore even more conscious of my thoughts, words, and actions. When talking with other hikers I constantly refer to the things we are seeing and experiencing as God's creation. And yet...

I find very few like minded people on the trail. While hiking the PCT, I have only met one thru-hiker who is a Christian. A few hikers have questions and are open to talking about God, but the vast majority are shocked by and even antagonistic to the idea that the wonder and beauty of nature we experience on a daily basis actually has a creator.

Personally, I find this baffling. You expect to find Christians in church where we corporately worship God. Why would we not expect to also find them exploring, celebrating, and enjoying God's creation?    In Bible College I heard things like: Christians have abandoned cities, academic institutions and industries that are now by default the devil's playground because we simply didn't fight for them. I feel the same way about the wilderness. Why aren't the people who believe that God created this world and made us the stewards of His creation, the people who are most visible and vocal in exploring, celebrating and preserving it?

It is hard to fully form or express this idea while on the trail with my days consumed with hiking long miles and my primary method of communication being an iPhone keyboard. But I continue to think and pray daily about how I can be a better witness while on the trail, and also how I can be an advocate to encourage Christians in their role as stewards of creation and the opportunity we have to experience God in His creation.

I think we are missing an opportunity to be a relevant witness to our faith by not being engaged in the conversation about topics such as wilderness, energy, conservation, pollution, recycling, environment and climate change. If God created the world and we are His stewards, we should be actively involved in the discussion about these topics.

New Friends

On my second day of hiking from Cascade Locks, I hiked 24 miles to a paved road, very near Panther Creek Campground. It's a car camping area and I was interested in visiting it to use the restroom, empty my trash, fill up my water bottles, and eat dinner at a picnic table. There were very few campers so I picked a vacant campsite near the bathroom for dinner. A mother with her son walked by the table to use the restroom and we struck up a conversation. They invited me back to their campsite for dinner and I thoroughly enjoyed sharing about my hike while eating a hotdog, carrot sticks and fresh fruit. It was a nice way to end the day and I took the picture above with their two boys before leaving to camp on the trail.

One of the things I have enjoyed about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is all the wonderful people I've met along the way. Sharing food, giving rides, providing lodging, wonderful conversations, and encouragement. A special thank you to my new friends from Olympia, Washington. It was very nice to meet you. 

Washington Here I Come

Eva and I have enjoyed three days together celebrating our anniversary in Portland, Oregon, and the time has come for me to cross the border into Washington. I will walk across the bridge over the Columbia River at Cascade Locks, which is the lowest point on the Pacific Crest Trail, and begin a steep climb back into the mountains. In the first 12 miles, I will climb almost 5,000 feet. The next 500 miles will be some of the most remote portions of the PCT and my five resupply stops will be in very small towns, some just mountain passes with very limited services. One of the towns, Stehekin, has no road access, phone, or internet services. You can only get there by boat, floatplane or hiking. There is one satellite phone at the general store.

I am excited to be hiking again, but also excited to be so close to the completion of this amazing adventure. I'm beginning to imagine just what it will be like to stand at the border of Canada, sign the final trail register, take a picture at the monument and walk the final 8 miles into Canada where my journey ends at Manning Park. After that, it will be just a few days, and I'll be home!

Thanks for following along and sharring so mamy positive comments and encouraging notes. It is a blessing to have such amazing friends! 

Show Me The Video

I haven't recorded too many videos on the trail, but the ones I have captured I think are worth viewing. The latest one is of me walking through a tunnel behind a very tall water fall!

You can view my videos here!

I have reached the small town of Cascade Locks at the northern border of Oregon, and across the bridge pictured above is Washington! Eva is on her way to pick me up and we'll spend three days together in Portland celebrating our 30th anniversary! After our time together in Portland, Eva will drive me back to Cascade Locks and I'll walk across the bridge called The Bridge Of The Gods, and I'll back on the trail to finish the PCT!

The last few days of hiking into Cascade Locks was difficult for me and I think main reason was is that I didn't take a break from hiking in the whole state of Oregon. It took me 18 days to hike from Ashland to Cascade Locks which is an average of 25.6 miles per day. I had no rest days and no town stops. I didn't sleep in a bed after leaving Ashland until I reached Cascade Locks. I'm finding that pace without any rest is pushing too hard for me and takes the joy out of the journey. I plan to hike 22-24 miles a day in Washington but I also plan to rest at each resupply stop, sleep in a bed whenever possible, and enjoy the last 500 miles!

Dear Diary

August 17, 2014-I thought that the physical challenge of hiking, adapting to  extreme weather and different environments, and the constant exposure of living in the wild for five months would be the most difficult parts of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. It turns out it is also a serious mental challenge for me to deal with problems I create for myself.

Yesterday I hiked until sunset and in the dark, I sat on a tree stump to eat my dinner. It turns out the stump was oozing sap and my hiking shorts, my only shorts, are now covered in sap. My butt smells pine tree fresh, but I can't sit down without leaving a film of sap and I just look stupid walking around with blotches of sap, dirt, and pine needles on my rear end.

A second, more serious problem is today I lost my hiking poles, my expensive carbon fiber hiking poles. I was hiking 5 minutes after a bathroom break when I realized I didn't have anything in my hands. I spent the morning searching, talking to other hikers, giving out my phone number, praying, and crying, but finally I had to abandon the search and start hiking.

I know both my shorts and poles can be replaced, but I'm really bummed. I don't like making mistakes and am hard on myself when I do. Earlier in the hike I lost my headlamp. (I know where I left it, it was just too far to go back.) But after hiking 2,000 plus miles, I thought I was done with silly mistakes. I'm an expert now right?

Since I'm hiking alone, I spent the day brooding while I hiked the 20 miles to Mt. Hood. It would have been nice to listen to music or even the Bible on my MP3 player, but my earbuds are broken and need to be replaced. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm only two days from my next resupply where all these problem can be fixed.

At least I haven't run out of pop tarts yet. Now that would be serious! 

Friday, August 15-I Thought It Would Be Easier

Maybe it's the rain. Maybe it's that I haven't seen Eva in almost a month. Maybe it's that my gear and clothes are wearing out. Maybe I'm tired of eating the same foods day after day in massive quantities to keep from looking like a prisoner of war. Maybe I'm tired of being dirty and smelling worse than a high school gym locker. Maybe it's because I fell down today...

Somehow I thought it would get easier and not harder after hiking so many miles. The longer I hike the more I miss home, family, friends, work, and the comforts of a roof, bed and indoor plumbing. The last week has been hard and I hope three days rest in Portland, where I get to see Eva, energizes me for the three weeks I need to hike through Washington and finish the Pacific Crest Trail.

After hiking over 2,000 miles, I know I can make it, but right now I lack the excitement I once had. I'm going to get a good night's rest and pray for sun tomorrow. I'm also praying for someone to hike with in Washington. I've been hiking alone since Tahoe and it would be great to have a partner for the last 500 miles.

Thanks again for following along on my PCT hike. I really do appreciate the encouraging comments and prayer. I've tried to be positive most of the time and I've enjoyed most of the hike, but I guess even thru-hikers have bad days. :( 

Thursday August 14-Another Rainy Day

When we lived in Fresno, there were times during the winter when the fog would be so thick you wouldn't see the sun for days. Today, along with the rain was a thick mist that reminded me of the fog. I was also reminded that I would often get mildly depressed when the fog would last for days. I haven't seen the sun for four days and it is starting to get me down. It's 6:30pm, I'm sitting in my tent cooking dinner and trying to stay warm and dry after another 25 mile day. Here is a view from inside my tent. 

I'm at mile 2,030, it's been raining most of the day and it's raining now. I'm getting close to Mt. Hood and I've been told this is the prettiest part of the PCT in Oregon. I hope I get to see some of it tomorrow. Everything today was shrouded in a mist. The last weather report I saw said today was supposed to be the last day of rain until I reach Washington. That would be awesome! 

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I reached the 2,000 mile point on the PCT today.

It is quite an accomplishment, but I didn't have the energy to celebrate. The last three days it has rained and today it rained again while I was walking through miles of lava fields. It was hard on my feet as well as my morale. Yesterday it rained so hard and so long that I had water in my backpack that soaked into my sleeping bag and most of my clothes and gear. By the time I finished 26 miles for the day, my hands were numb from the cold and I had a hard time even setting up my tent. I was miserable sleeping in wet clothes in a wet tent in a wet sleeping bag. At my resupply today, I picked up a large trash bag to line the inside of my backpack. I hope that helps. I need to fix that problem before I reach Washington.


I was able to wash and dry my clothes, and dry my sleeping Bag and tent today, take a shower, and eat a warm meal. I arrived at Big Lake Youth Camp at 2:30pm and left at 6:30pm. What a difference 4 hours can make! After dinner I left BLYC and hiked 4 miles to a small lake and camped for the night. It looks like the weather is going to improve and I'm excited to hike again.


Three days ago something stung/bit my right leg just below my calf. It was crazy painful but I was hiking on an exposed ridge in a thunder storm and couldn't afford to stop for very long to investigate. It burned, itched, and swelled up, but the worst is over now. I used a steroid cream my doctor gave me and it really seems to have reduced the symptoms. I never figured out what bit/stung me.

I'm one week away from reaching the border of Washington! After that it's just three weeks to Canada. Already dreaming about coming home!

Added the next morning: I woke up at 4am to my 4th day of rain...

Elk Lake in Oregon

It's been raining the past two days with thunder storms in the afternoons. My rain gear is working great and I'm staying dry while I continue to hike. It's a nice change of pace and the rain keeps the dust down. I'm inside my tent right now listening to the rain, organizing my food for the next two days and getting ready for the big push to Cascade Locks at the border of Washington. I took a short 1.5 mile detour from the trail this afternoon to grab a burger at the Elk Lake Resort. I met quite a few campers staying at the resort who were very interested in the PCT. I had plenty of company for dinner sharing trail stories and when it started raining AGAIN, I decided to stay in the campground at the lake rather than returning to the trail. I'm 10 miles ahead of schedule so I hung out at the resort until there was a break in the rain and then ran to my campsite and quickly set up and stowed my gear in my tent. I found a 5 gallon bucket to wash my socks and feet and poured a bucket of water over my head. It wasn't exactly a warm shower, but it was refreshing for sure. 

1,912 Miles!

This is Shelter Cove Resort on Odell Lake. I was up at 5:15am and hiking by 6:00am. I hiked 26 miles to reach the resort by 5pm. By 8:30pm I had eaten 3,000 calories, showered, washed my clothes, sorted my resupply box, charged my phone, chatted with Eva by text, and setup my tent to get ready for bed. It was a very productive day! I'm only 245 miles from the border of Washington. I'll be there on August 20th. 

A train track runs right by Lake Odell and it seems strange to be in this setting and hearing trains at night.

Along with some yummy food supplied in my resupply box, Eva also included a newspaper. It might be slightly outdated, but I am still looking forward to sitting at a picnic table, eating breakfast and reading the paper. It doesn't get any better than this! 

It's All Downhill From Here

Ok, that's not exactly true... There is plenty of up and down still to come, especially in Washington, but it is true that I'll never be higher for the rest of the trail. The high point of the entire trail is Forester Pass in California in the High Sierra @ 13,153 feet. 

Just past the OR/WA high point I found some shade and enjoyed a lunch of crackers, cheese, beef stick, and plenty of candy! I'm hiking a 16 mile waterless section of the trail and will be at the next water source, a spring, for dinner. I may camp there or hike a few more miles before quitting for the day. 

There are a number of thru-hikers in this section that I have never met before. It may be because I'm hiking faster and more miles on a consistent basis or it might be because there are many hikers who hitch hiked around the fires in northern California and southern Oregon. I'm thankful I didn't have to do that and have been able to stay on trail except for the burn areas in Southern California from fires in 2013. 

Keep calm and hike on. 

What Is It Like?

When I resupplied at Mazama Village in Crater Lake National Park, I was walking through the campground after lunch at the restaurant and observed a young boy, maybe 9 or 10 years old riding a bicycle through the campground. The bike was too big for his small size, but he rode it with a sense of authority and I could see a look of wonder and joy on his face as he peddled through the dusty campground. I imagine that to this young boy, riding in the campground felt like a grand adventure, exploring each section  for the first time, venturing further and further from his campsite until he had explored the entire area. 

It was the look of joy and wonder on his face that made me think, that's how I feel hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. I feel like a young boy on a grand adventure, experiencing the wilderness for the first time, seeing new people, places and things. Being challenged physically and emotionally, and feeling the pride of accomplishment.

Crater Lake

I walked the rim of Crater Lake today. There were breath taking views all morning and I enjoyed the walk even though I was carrying 4 liters of water to hike 27 miles to the next water source. It was a warm cloudless day and the visibility was good. (For the first time in maybe a week I could see stars the previous night.) You could see smoke, but it was way off in the distance.



I hiked 24 miles today starting around 6am. I stopped a little earlier than normal and will hike the 8 miles to Thielsen Creek before 10am tomorrow. I'll load up on water there and then hike another 16 miles to the next water at Six Horse Spring. This is a very dry section, much like the desert...just not as hot.

It's 7:30pm and I'm already in my tent and ready for bed. I'll be up early and hiking by 6:30am! Even though I'm not a morning person, when you are trying to average 25 miles a day, it's good to start early.

Bones and Pigeon

I met Bones and Pigeon on the trail the day before I arrived at Crater Lake in Oregon. They started hiking the PCT June 16th at the Canadian border. They are hiking south and plan to finish sometime in November at the Mexican border, where I started April 24th (that sounds so long ago). They are the first south bound thru hikers I have met. Keep calm and hike on!

1,800 Miles

The miles are flying by! I'm getting excited about reaching Washington! I'm hiking in a burn section right now.

If I Was President...

If I was president, all showers would be free!

I took a half mile detour to visit a campground for lunch today. I needed water and the thought of sitting at a picnic table like a civilized person was also appealing. I like visiting campgrounds because mingling with campers often results in the sharing of food and soda...hopefully with me. There were very few campers because of the fires, smoke, and ash, but when I went to use the bathroom I noticed the showers were FREE! At first, I thought, I'll just wash my socks, but the water was calling my name and soon I was standing under the shower head in hiker heaven. I didn't have soap or a towel, but I watched plenty of dirt wash down the drain and I dried quickly in the warm afternoon.

I hiked another 12 miles in the afternoon and I'm camped with three other hikers at a water source next to a ski patrol hut. There is no water for 10 miles in either direction so I really expected more people here.