Today I am headed back onto the pct. I took 3 consecutive rest days because I had not taken a break in 3 weeks of hiking. I have covered approximately 300 miles and have another 700 or so left. This next section is my longest leg, at over 100 miles before my next food stop at Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood.
Taking time off was really relaxing. I got my quota of good food and cheap beer. I got to resupply, see family, and sleep in.
I weighed my backpack- I have 4 liters of water and about 30,000 calories of food (5 days at 6,000 calories a day) and it weighs a little more than 60 pounds! I had been thinking it was about 40, but it's actually quite a bit more than that!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Day 15
Got to Shelter Cove today! Last few days I took an alternative way because of the snow. The Oregon Skyline Trail is an older trail than the pct, and parallels it through Oregon. The OST stays at lower elevations so there are more lakes and streams to see while the pct stays close to the crest of the cascades through Oregon. I road-walked almost 20 miles to reach windigo pass, then the next day climbed Mt. Cowhorn via the pct. The views were amazing! Lots of snow so I decided to detour to the OST when it was possible.
I am getting used to life on the trail I think. I am getting quicker at setting up and taking down my tent, bandaging my feet, and doing laundry, showering and resupplying!
I am getting used to life on the trail I think. I am getting quicker at setting up and taking down my tent, bandaging my feet, and doing laundry, showering and resupplying!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Day 12
Today I descended into diamond lake. The trail off the rim of crater lake was pretty treacherous- lots of snow, even in mid July! My new traction devices worked great but I still had a close call. This convinced me to avoid Mt. Thielson because the north face will be even more difficult to navigate than he rim because there are fewer navigational aids. I lost the trail for about a mile but knew where it would be because it ran parallel to a major road. By Mt. Thielson, I would not have that luxury.
I had a lot of energy today so I ran the last 5 miles to the lake! I can confidently say I am much stronger than when I started this hike.
I had a lot of energy today so I ran the last 5 miles to the lake! I can confidently say I am much stronger than when I started this hike.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Day 11
Just got up to the Crater lake rim. It is gorgeous! The last few days since Callahans have been really good. I met some section and thru hikers: the Greenbelt Granny team: an 80 year-young Corvallis woman and her friends hiking all of Oregon for the Greenbelt cause, One-Step: a retired securities analyst from the bay area, Recycle: a retired recycling coordinator from LA, Picks-up-stones: a retired geologist from near New Orleans, Carrot: a 23 year old from Ohio thru hiking the whole trail. I talked at length with each of these people, I will probably be leapfrogging with a few of these people because we have the same projected ETA for Canada.
I climbed Mt. McLoughlin and thoroughly enjoyed it! Great views and nice and cool and no Mosquitos! After summiting I was even able to keep up with Carrot for a few miles. I also climbed almost to the top of pilot rock and was happy to see the way I'd come and the way to go.
Snow was a big concern but the north face of Devil's Peak was not too bad. I glissaded down (sat on my butt and slid down the snowbank) with no trouble. There is supposed to be substantial snow north of here but I am not too worried. I called rei from callahans and sent myself some traction devices for my boots and an altimeter so I think I will be able to navigate the snow okay. I picked them up from the store at mazama village yesterday and read the manual while I did laundry.
I am getting in the groove of long distance hiking. My lungs are almost used to being at 6 and 7 thousand feet. My feet hurt less and less. Yesterday I covered about 17 miles before 2pm!
I have hiked about 135 miles now, with 865 to go!
I climbed Mt. McLoughlin and thoroughly enjoyed it! Great views and nice and cool and no Mosquitos! After summiting I was even able to keep up with Carrot for a few miles. I also climbed almost to the top of pilot rock and was happy to see the way I'd come and the way to go.
Snow was a big concern but the north face of Devil's Peak was not too bad. I glissaded down (sat on my butt and slid down the snowbank) with no trouble. There is supposed to be substantial snow north of here but I am not too worried. I called rei from callahans and sent myself some traction devices for my boots and an altimeter so I think I will be able to navigate the snow okay. I picked them up from the store at mazama village yesterday and read the manual while I did laundry.
I am getting in the groove of long distance hiking. My lungs are almost used to being at 6 and 7 thousand feet. My feet hurt less and less. Yesterday I covered about 17 miles before 2pm!
I have hiked about 135 miles now, with 865 to go!
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Day 3
I arrived at Callahan's - a lodge just outside Ashland Oregon. I will now regale you in the past few days happenings-
My dad dropped me off at the border about 4 or so. We walked to the border and stepped on California soil then said our goodbyes. Just then a thru hiker came up the trail- he had started in Mexico and was already 1600 miles into his hike! I talked to him for a bit while we walked along the trail. He was very experienced- he had already completed a couple other PCT thru hikes! Eventually I stopped to look at a nascent blister and got it all patched up. He kept going and was just out of sight. The trail ran through a thick snowbank so I decided to go above the snow on the right side. I saw Charlie's footprints head straight through the snow then they went right and off the lower end of the snowbank. I decided to keep hiking up because I thought the trail went to the summit. I took out my map and wasn't satisfied with an exact fix of my location. I walked around a ridge through thick brush to find a better vantage. I still wasn't able to justify myself on the map so I headed back to the original summit. There I found a summit registry- basically a 'I was here on X day with so and so and we saw something cool" notebook for everyone who climbs the mountain. I noticed that the notebook stated the location, so I used this to figure out my path. It was getting late so I set up camp near the summit and went to bed.
I wanted to look at my map again because I was pretty hazy the day before. I had climbed up to several thousand feet above the elevation I was used to- only about 200 feet above sea level. I was also dehydrated and exhausted from keeping pace with a very fit hiker! With some good rest and water and food in me, I surveyed the area. I quickly realized my error and got on the trail shortly after. I made really good time, reaching almost 10 miles before I took a long break. As I was sitting by a creek resting and eating, a trail work crew came up and I offered my assistance. They were helping to improve the trail prior to an ultra marathon event with a 50 mile race and a 50km race. I helped build a crossing so runners and hikers would not damage the area near the stream crossing. I made camp just before nightfall. I had walked about 15 miles or so.
Today, I got an early start too. I met a section hiker headed south. He was from Eugene and had hitched the whole way down! We wished each other well then went our separate ways. On my way towards Ashland, the pct goes next to a highway. As I was looking for the way back onto the pct at one of these junctions, a car pulled up and stopped next to me. A guy asked me if I was hiking and I talked to him for a bit- he was a reporter for the local newspaper so I gave him some information then got my picture taken. After that, I hiked to Callahan's. I arrived at 1230 having completed about 10 miles.
My dad dropped me off at the border about 4 or so. We walked to the border and stepped on California soil then said our goodbyes. Just then a thru hiker came up the trail- he had started in Mexico and was already 1600 miles into his hike! I talked to him for a bit while we walked along the trail. He was very experienced- he had already completed a couple other PCT thru hikes! Eventually I stopped to look at a nascent blister and got it all patched up. He kept going and was just out of sight. The trail ran through a thick snowbank so I decided to go above the snow on the right side. I saw Charlie's footprints head straight through the snow then they went right and off the lower end of the snowbank. I decided to keep hiking up because I thought the trail went to the summit. I took out my map and wasn't satisfied with an exact fix of my location. I walked around a ridge through thick brush to find a better vantage. I still wasn't able to justify myself on the map so I headed back to the original summit. There I found a summit registry- basically a 'I was here on X day with so and so and we saw something cool" notebook for everyone who climbs the mountain. I noticed that the notebook stated the location, so I used this to figure out my path. It was getting late so I set up camp near the summit and went to bed.
I wanted to look at my map again because I was pretty hazy the day before. I had climbed up to several thousand feet above the elevation I was used to- only about 200 feet above sea level. I was also dehydrated and exhausted from keeping pace with a very fit hiker! With some good rest and water and food in me, I surveyed the area. I quickly realized my error and got on the trail shortly after. I made really good time, reaching almost 10 miles before I took a long break. As I was sitting by a creek resting and eating, a trail work crew came up and I offered my assistance. They were helping to improve the trail prior to an ultra marathon event with a 50 mile race and a 50km race. I helped build a crossing so runners and hikers would not damage the area near the stream crossing. I made camp just before nightfall. I had walked about 15 miles or so.
Today, I got an early start too. I met a section hiker headed south. He was from Eugene and had hitched the whole way down! We wished each other well then went our separate ways. On my way towards Ashland, the pct goes next to a highway. As I was looking for the way back onto the pct at one of these junctions, a car pulled up and stopped next to me. A guy asked me if I was hiking and I talked to him for a bit- he was a reporter for the local newspaper so I gave him some information then got my picture taken. After that, I hiked to Callahan's. I arrived at 1230 having completed about 10 miles.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Day 1
I am on my way to the start! The plan is to walk the entirety of Oregon and Washington in the next two months. This will be roughly 1000 miles. It is by far the biggest solo adventure I have ever attempted.
I finally finished all my resupply packages- they contain between 2 and 6 days of food. Highlights are the 250 pop tarts from Costco and over 200 candy bars! My goal is to eat up to 6000 calories a day- in my 8 week hike, I will eat over a third of a million calories!
The weather in Oregon is supposed to be extremely warm and dry for the first 10 days. I hope it melts some mountain snow before I get there.
My dad is going to drop me off within a few yards of where the trail crosses the Oregon-California border, which saves me about 3 days of hiking.
I will try and update with pictures when I am in towns with Internet access.
I finally finished all my resupply packages- they contain between 2 and 6 days of food. Highlights are the 250 pop tarts from Costco and over 200 candy bars! My goal is to eat up to 6000 calories a day- in my 8 week hike, I will eat over a third of a million calories!
The weather in Oregon is supposed to be extremely warm and dry for the first 10 days. I hope it melts some mountain snow before I get there.
My dad is going to drop me off within a few yards of where the trail crosses the Oregon-California border, which saves me about 3 days of hiking.
I will try and update with pictures when I am in towns with Internet access.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)