Friday, March 08, 2019 I've been doing some last-minute grappling with my tent. During PCT 2018, I patched most of the holes, but the zipper is worse than I had thought, with the two sides separating even after I applied a zipper lubricant (arguably the lubricant made it worse). Zpacks has this to say: If …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2019) Pre-Hike 3: Gear Sadventures
Thursday, March 07, 2019 https://flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485370171/in/dateposted-public/ In keeping with my new hiking motto, 'Hike strategically', I've processed some lessons learned from PCT 2018. During that hike I spent a million hours (estimate) at every major resupply point trying to find certain items, mainly dehydrated vegetables and Knorr flavours I like, and that's madness in the age …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2019) Pre-Hike 2: Lessons Learned
Again this year I ended up battling for a long distance permit in the second batch. The PCTA changed the permit process this year, so that applicants are directed on release days to a third-party website that places everyone into an queue: https://www.flickr.com/photos/187104378@N07/49581987556/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/187104378@N07/49581987471/in/dateposted-public/ Once the event starts, you're shown your place in line thus: …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2019) Pre-Hike 1: Permit Day #2
Friday, March 01, 2019 In two weeks, I'll be starting a hike of the first 1130 km/702 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail (also known as the 'desert section'). In 2018, I spent four months hiking the second half-or-so of the PCT from Burney to Canada. The moon moves slowly, but it gets across the …
Friday, June 22, 2018 - 16.90 miles I reached Oregon today! During elementary school I liked playing the game 'Oregon Trail' on the classroom computer, but my character always died... It was a day of meadows, some more interesting than others. Many to most were expanses of dry earth with one or two varieties of …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 27: Hello Oregon
Thursday, June 21, 2018 - 12.20 miles Today's walk featured multiple burn areas and not much to see, or maybe I just wasn't appreciating what was there. For the first time on the PCT, I popped in my headphones and listened to an audiobook while walking. Unfortunately I wasn't able to renew East of Eden …
Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - 11.70 miles The climb out of Seiad Valley is notorious for being hot, exposed and prolonged. I walked to Bee Camp Spring and the total elevation gain was 5685 feet (1733 metres) while elevation loss was only 736 feet (224 metres). It helped that I had gotten an early start …
Rest day in Seiad Valley! Earwigs were crawling everywhere in the cool morning air. Gross. I may have made a small commotion about those I found on my tent. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49484943458/in/datetaken/ Earwig Chew and Swallow decided to leave for scheduling reasons, but Sid and Alex and I were joined in the morning by Straw Man, 007 …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 24: Solo Hiker Socializing
Monday, June 18, 2018 - 14.10 miles I was buying nothing the trail was selling today. Lars had warned me about the overgrowth and ticks, so I was over the walking before even leaving camp, and the experience was exactly as expected throughout most of the canyon. The most annoying part was that poison oak …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 23: Welcome to the State of Jefferson
Sunday, June 17, 2018 - 12.80 miles I mentioned several entries ago that I was switching up my food selections to hopefully reduce the force-feeding nature of my meals. Here's the consensus: Hard chocolate = improvement Different nuts = improvement Almond butter = pretty much the same Dehydrated potatoes = I like them, though I …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 22: Camp Coordinator
Saturday, June 16, 2018 - 13.60 miles I got a late-ish start because of the death trail. While retrieving my Ursack, I met a hiker who was surprised that I was hanging my food and told me he sleeps with his. When I asked whether he's had any trouble with bears, he said that he's …
Friday, June 15, 2018 - 7.40 miles https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485617402/in/datetaken/ Visitor in the morning Today was Man Eaten Lake day! I was excited to see Man Eaten Lake due to its beauty and cool name (the latter being most important, of course). eTrails has it listed as 'Man-Eaten Lake' and I had initially read that as 'lake …
Thursday, June 14, 2018 - 8.80 miles Mailing resupply packages and mucking around delayed me this morning. On the road out of town, I was joined by a lovely couple hiking the Bigfoot Trail, which shares some trail with the PCT. They wheedled a ride for us in the back of a truck whose driver …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 19: In Some Form
Wednesday, June 13, 2018 I hung out in Etna today. It's a nice little town with old architecture and plenty of character. I mentioned that to a young local and she said something like 'They won't let McDonalds or chains in. They don't like them. They don't like anything.' Anything... https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485436051/in/datetaken/ At the Ray's Food …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 18: Not Anything
Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 5.70 miles More beautiful views this morning. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485609127/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49484909643/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485396976/in/datetaken/ Since nothing had been left of the Wall of Snow so far, I was surprised to encounter substantial snow patches around 7200 feet just beyond Smith Lake. The trail was bare at 7600 feet in the Castle Crags Wilderness, but …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 17: The Wall of Snow
Monday, June 11, 2018 - 12.20 miles https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485652932/in/datetaken/ Low-hanging clouds in the morning Today I hiked into the Russian Wilderness, a truly special place. One square mile of the Russian Wilderness is known as the 'Miracle Mile' for containing seventeen different conifer species, making it one of the most diverse conifer habitats worldwide. Identifying flora …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 16: Demonstration for the Children
Sunday, June 10, 2018 - 10.60 miles The morning was cold. I found a dead moth on my tent, which was dusted with snow. Oh cruel mountains! Throughout the day the snow melted, lingering lengthily in the shade. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485654302/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485654847/in/datetaken/ The PCT passed a junction with the 'Bloody Run' trail, which probably got its name …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 15: NO ITUNES STORE
Saturday, June 09, 2018 - 13.20 miles I dreamed last night that my water filter had frozen and been ruined, and woke in the dark environs of 3:00 AM to frigid air. I didn't think that the temperature was below freezing, but brought my filter into my sleeping bag just to be safe. The day …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2018) 14: Wind and Hail and Snow, Oh My
Friday, June 08, 2018 - 14.60 Bland walking to start the day, then nice views beyond Bull Lake. Beautiful green serpentinite was common and I saw beargrass for the first time. The flowers look like a cluster of tiny blooms with a protruding pine cone. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485373646/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485589067/in/datetaken/ Serpentinite https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485375111/in/datetaken/ Beargrass I met more hikers heading …
Continue reading Pacific Crest Trail (2013) 13: Imma Take a Break
Thursday, June 07, 2018 - 13 miles Glorious walking this morning! The views were excellent until the Deadfall Lakes area. https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485578732/in/datetaken/ Porcupine Lake https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485370171/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49484877663/in/datetaken/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49484885048/in/datetaken/ Upper Deadfall Lake https://www.flickr.com/photos/186593395@N08/49485372696/in/datetaken/ At Parks Creek Road I met a sobo hiker who mentioned that she was ready for the day to be over. Whatever her rationale, I …
BANE OF THE TRAIL 