Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 11.60 miles https://www.flickr.com/photos/186779238@N07/49485879301/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186779238@N07/49486093297/in/dateposted-public/ I reached Elk Lake Resort around noon today. I had sent a package there and was considering taking a nero by staying overnight, but the crowds of tourists and absence of other hikers changed my mind. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186779238@N07/49485880001/in/dateposted-public/ Elk Lake I ate an expensive hamburger and root …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 52: Plastic Totes

Wednesday, July 18, 2018 - 16.20 miles https://www.flickr.com/photos/186779238@N07/49485385308/in/dateposted-public/ Mist in the morning Mosquitoes quickly materialized as I ventured further into the Three Sisters Wilderness, which in this area contains a myriad of tiny lakes/ponds. The pair of men in Maiden Peak Shelter had warned me that the mosquitoes were terrible here, but also confirmed that …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 51: Forest and Lakes, Forest and Lakes

Tuesday, July 17, 2018 - 16 miles I got a late-ish start in the morning despite not having to pack up my tent. The curse of having people to socialize with! I hadn't used much water by the time I reached the Bobby Lake junction, so I decided to continue to Charlton Lake before filling …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 50: The Mosquitoes Weren’t Driving Me Towards Suicide Today

Monday, July 16, 2018 - 7.70 miles I ate my soggy baggie pizza this morning (on the trail, it sometimes helps to not think about what you're eating while you're eating it) and left Shelter Cove. Views of the lake as the trail climbed alongside. https://flic.kr/p/2ioTZpX Neck-craningly high cross-country skiing signage hinted at how much …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 49: Slinkster

Sunday, July 15, 2018 - 6.20 miles I woke up in the silent dark, needing to pee. I had found previously that the mosquitoes vanished at night, or at least were inactive until I turned on my headlamp, but the besieging army that had infiltrated the vestibule yesterday evening was still present and began buzzing …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 48: The Wisdom of Dodgy Pieces of Paper

Saturday, July 14, 2018 - 16 miles After facing ghastly numbers of mosquitoes throughout the early morning, I encountered two SOBO hikers who told me that the mosquitoes were even worse in the vicinity of Summit Lake. Wah... it so happened however that I arrived at the lake within the mosquito-free midday hours, so I …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 47: Wah

Friday, July 13, 2018 - 14 miles I had trepidation about today's planned water source, Six Horse Spring, since my (outdated) copy of Yogi's book describes it as disgusting and recommends avoiding it entirely. The gentler water report gave me hope. A handful of hikers passed me on my way to the junction and were …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 46: Cache #2

Thursday, July 12, 2018 - 15.40 miles I was running too low on water to have my muesli and milk this morning, so before breakfast I walked the remaining mile (or whatever) to Thielsen Creek, where I filtered water and cooked potatoes. Nice views of Mt. Thielsen. https://flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49486052432/in/dateposted-public/ https://flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485350818/in/dateposted-public/ I passed the high point of …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 45: Highs and Lows

Wednesday, July 11, 2018 - 15.90 miles The mosquitoes returned with a vengeance today. Aside from a short mosquito-free period between ~11:00 AM to ~4:00 PM, they're always present and hungry for blood. https://flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485835441/in/dateposted-public/ Anthill formed partially from pumice I saw my first food/drink trail magic, a cache of bottled drinks beside a road, but …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 44: First Trail Magic

Tuesday, July 10, 2018 - 8.60 miles I rushed around doing last-minute chores before catching the shuttle at 9:00 AM. The official (stock-friendly) PCT is closed, but the Rim Walk alternate that follows the rim of the caldera is more scenic anyway. The negative is a 27-mile water carry, but that's not going to faze …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 43: Rim Walk

Monday, July 09, 2018 Tourist day today! I took the free shuttle up to Crater Lake along with a handful of hikers who were skipping the climb up due to injury or not caring. I wanted to take a boat ride to Wizard Island, the cinder cone in Crater Lake, but unfortunately the boats leave …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 42: Do I Look Like the Teacher

Sunday, July 08, 2018 - 7 miles A few hours of walking in the morning brought me to Mazama Village, the campground/store/hotel/restaurant near Crater Lake. https://flic.kr/p/2ioRid5 I ran into Half-And-Half as he was leaving, then gradually began meeting other hikers outside the store as I did my laundry. The campground Wi-Fi ($) only works near …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 41: Hiker Hangout

Saturday, July 07, 2018 - 14.60 miles More confusing trail today through deadfall and soft grey dust. I lost the trail in a burn area where footprints made a path going in the wrong direction (worsened by my footprints, sorry about perpetuating the problem). Later I met other hikers who had lost the trail in …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 40: Lonesome Complex

Friday, July 06, 2018 - 14.10 miles Mosquito levels varied today as the trail dipped up and down. Past a vista, I encountered a clearing covered with deadfall and lost the trail. I retraced my steps and gave it another go across the logs, but lost the trail again and couldn't see where the path …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 39: General Bumbleheads

Thursday, July 05, 2018 - 11.50 miles https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485331393/in/datetaken/ Fish Lake I felt ambivalent about eating breakfast at the restaurant because I wanted an early-ish start, but an employee told us yesterday that the restaurant opens at 8:00 AM, which isn't too bad. Well, the employee was wrong, and the restaurant didn't open until 9:00 AM, …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 38: Clouds of Evil

Wednesday, July 04, 2018 - 6.10 miles I woke up in the middle of the night to something climbing on my tent. A small shape slid down the fabric. A few minutes later I heard something on the tent near my head, and shook the fabric. Something else slid down. Mouse? Damn you, established tentsite! …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 37: Grider Canyon Is the Whipping Boy

Tuesday, July 03, 2018 - 10.50 miles Hey, Oregon! You know it's July, don't you? I think not, judging by the frigid temperature when I woke up. I pulled an AZT and lingered in my warm sleeping bag. https://flic.kr/p/2ioUPpA The question today was water. Brown Mountain Shelter used to have well water, but the pump …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 36: Squirrel Fiver

Monday, July 02, 2018 - 13.50 miles Considering that I had town food yesterday evening, I woke up surprisingly hungry. I had more water than I needed to reach my next source, so I cooked potatoes and ate them with muesli for breakfast.  https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49486023622/in/datetaken/ Today's walking was humdrum. Cut down trees, roads. A stretch of …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 35: Squishable

Sunday, July 01, 2018 - 12.60 miles Early this morning I reached the Mardon skipper preservation area. At the entrance were three women with backpacks, one of whom offered me a Clif bar. I declined, thinking that she was just a PCT hiker trying to get rid of unwanted food. I do still eat Clif …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 34: 0/3

Saturday, June 30, 2018 - 1.90 miles I only had to wait a minute or two before catching a ride out of Ashland this morning. The driver told me that he was heading out to the PCT for a run SOBO, and informed me that he's a long-distance runner who does 100-mile marathons. Wow! I …

Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 33: Gone for Good