Day 95 to 97 - Burney Falls to Shasta

July 29 - August 1
Day 95 to 97
Miles:  21+24+25+27
Total Miles:   1505

Burney Falls

Jubel and I hiked to Burney Falls Stat Park today, July 29th.  We caught up with others at the park store - Mellow Yellow, Action Pack, Smiles and others.  After a long six-hour siesta eating over-priced but still appreciated hot dogs, ice-cream cones and burritos, we hiked on to a bridge spanning a waterfall, where we camped.  Sleeping on a bridge is a treat because I get a flat spot and security from ants and other dirt dwelling insects, and the sound of the waterfall below is a pleasant white noise that puts me to sleep.  Besides we had no choice, the only other flat spot nearby was occupied by a couple thru-hiking with their seven-year old son, and we did not want to hike farther down the trail.

Day 81 - Donner Ski Ranch and the P. Grubb Hut

July 15
Day 81
Miles:  22
Total Miles:  1162

View of Donner Lake and Old HWY 40

Today I pushed hard to get to Old Highway 40 - Donner Pass - for lunch.  Just a half mile down the road at the pass is the Donner Ski Ranch serving sandwiches, beer and ice-cream.  As I arrived I see others sun-bathing on the deck - Peels, Beef Nugget, Mellow Yellow and others.  Once inside I met a group of hikers I had hiked with back in the Sierra for several days

Day 68 to 70 - Sonora Pass to Carson Pass

July 2 - July 4

Days 68-70

Miles:  23+21+22

Total Miles:  1084

Camping at Shower Lake on 4th of July

Yankee Son, Hallmark, Just Retired and I got a ride to the trailhead this morning from John.  John was section hiking the PCT and was giving rides to/from Sonora Pass.

This next section is relatively flat and my plan is to do it in three and a half days, and then hitch to Lake Tahoe from Echo Lake on July 5th, and then take a zero.  On July 2nd I made it to a campground by Wolf Creek at mile 1041 camping with YS, HM, JR and two others - Scarecrow and Garrik.  Scarecrow is still sick.  I passed him on the trail today and he looked quite sick and said he may have giardia.

Day 62 - Tuolumne Meadows

June 26, 2012

Day 62

Miles: 20

Total Miles: 942

Winds last night near Thousand Island Lake were fierce!  My tent came "loose" twice - I had to reach outside the tent in the middle of the night and tighten the zip lines that were loosened by the constant wind batting against my tent.  While doing this I tore a hole in the fabric of the air vent because I misplaced the support pole (my trekking pole) before tightening the line.  In the morning, after a restless night, I woke up to clear and calm skies.

I made it Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park today after crossing over Donahue Pass, the last 11,000+ foot pass in the Sierras.  The last 10-12 miles were relatively flat after I descended down the pass.  I crossed a stock caravan twice on the descent before realizing that I packed up and hiked in the wrong direction after lunch!  I think my mind was distracted by the possibility of reaching Tuolumne and the restaurant and general store.  After realizing my mistake, I hiked double-time to make it to Tuolumne before they closed at 4 - catching up the same caravan of horses/mules that I had walked by on the pass (now heading back to Tuolumne).  I knew their pride was bruised that a hiker could pass, much less keep up with, the riders on their "high horse"!  They didn't know I was hiking for food and  under-estimated a hungry hiker's stamina!  As I was approaching from behind they looked back every so often to see if I was still there.  Each time I grew closer and closer to the stock train and wondered what I was going to do to get around a dozen easily-spooked animals.  The hose team finally stopped and let me pass, and with a couple of nods I was hiking off faster than before with nothing to keep me from a stocked store or burger at the restaurant.

Stock Train on the PCT near Tuolumne Meadows

I made it 15 mins before the restaurant was supposed to close - but it was the wrong restaurant, an outdoor cloth napkin affair at the lodge that was only open for reservations!  After some confusion and asking around I realized that the restaurant that closed at 4 was down the main road - a short bus ride away.  I jumped on the free shuttle bus and arrived at the restaurant too late.  The store, however, was thankfully open and I pulled as much pre-packaged food off the shelf as I thought I needed and walked outside to join other hikers lingering at the benches across from the parking lot.  Soon I was on my way to the campground behind the store.  After a reunion with Desert Fox and Masa at the campground I was running back to the store for beer and ice-cream.

It's been lonely on the trail the past few days and I hope I can hike out with some others after a rest day.

Day 61 - Devil's Postpile

June 25, 2012

Day 61

Miles: 15

Total Miles:  922

Devil's Postpile rock pile

Breakfast at the Red's Meadow Cafe - french toast and eggs!  If I blog a lot about food on the trail, please understand that i am ALWAYS hungry.  It's not uncommon for me to eat 3,000 calories at a sitting when i am in town.  This does little to offset the massive calories I burn hiking 20-30 miles a day.  Anytime I can get a real meal is a treat.

I hiked the JMT alternate route after stopping to see the Devil's Postpile - octagonal basalt columns left exposed from glacier activity.  This is one of the best examples in the world of these columns, the other being somewhere in Great Britain. 

I hiked the JMT alternate section from mile 909 to 922 and then rejoined the PCT at Thousand Island Lake.  The Halfmile maps showed a campsite at this lake and I searched desperately for something flat and out of the wind but was ultimately unsuccessful - disappointing after a long day of slogging through some dense forest on the trail.  When I have my heart set on a stopping point and it there turns out to be no suitable camping, it is really a let down.  I hiked a mile past the lake and found a spot over-looking the lake where the winds were not as severe.  Even so, this turned out to be one of the windiest nights I have experienced.

Today was quite lonely walking by myself.  I feel I'm in a vacuum of sorts.  I hope to meet up with other hikers at Tuolome Meadows.

Day 59 - Silver Pass

June 23, 2012

Day 59

Miles: 7

Total Miles:  886

I hiked from VVR to just pas Silver Pass today.  I took the 4 PM Ferry across Edison Lake where I crossed paths with Rapunzel who told me that her friend Kristina quit the hike and flew back to Germany - too bad.  She had her reasons and top of the list was missing her boyfriend.  She also had bad blisters and other problems that became too much for her.  If I'm not enjoying my hike at some point it would make sense to quit - but I don't see that happening.

I ran into Histo (Bryce) on the way up to Silver Pass and we hiked over together.  I hiked with Histo the first day out of Kick-Off at lake Moreno so it would great to see an old face.  We cowboy camped atop a plateau overlooking the trail and it was a cold night but the views were spectacular!

Day 56 - Muir Pass

June 20, 2012

Day 56

Miles: 17

Total Miles: 842

Self-Portrait on Muir Pass

Muir Pass was impressive - the best yet!  The climb was a long one:  ten miles of ascending from 8000 ft to 12,000 ft.  Around every bend was a new alpine lake, a snaking river or another amazing view!  There were several snow crossings on the way up as well - unusual this year.  Several times I came up to a peak up ahead and anticipated the summit only to be shown a much taller peak - false summits!  But I was never dissapointed with the accompanying views.



Sunset over Sapphire Lake after Muir Pass

Finally at the top - I found Creeper and Twisted exploring the Muir Hut, which was built by the Sierra Club to honor the contributions of the founder - John Muir.  I was tempted to sleep in the hut but instead decided to hike down four miles to Sapphire Lake and set up camp as the sun set over the lake.  I found a nice spot and snapped some pictures of the sun reflecting off the lake.  

Jamaican Jerk Rice & Chicken and some green tea for dinner.  A fantastic day!

Day 30 - Trail Angels - Part 2 (The Andersons)

May 26, 2012

Day 31
Miles: 25
Total Miles: 479

Terrie and Joe Anderson - What you can't see is that Terrie Anderson is feeling me up

The Andersons "Casa De Luna" is the polar opposite of the Saufley's "Hiker Haven".  The Saufley's is a well-oiled operation.  The Andersons is not an operation at all...but an all-out anything goes gathering of hikers on their front lawn with coolers of beer and bowls of weed being passed around a portable metal fireplace, with burgers and dogs being grilled to feed the masses.  I don't want to portray my hike as a party, or that hikers are just out to party and get high and drunk.  Most of my hike has been the opposite of that - one of physical challenge, reflection and enjoying the beauty of the wild outdoors - but at places like the Anderson's, it's nice to have a few beers with your friends and celebrate hiking 480 miles through some of the harshest desert in the country.  Some choose to avoid the Anderson's because of the party atmosphere while others come and relax and just watch the craziness.  If you come, you're bound to have an interesting experience - one that you won't have again anywhere on the trail.

After a ride from Little Steps two miles from the trail to the Anderson's I was shown the way to the Manzanita forest that is their back yard.  I then made my way back through the maze to their front yard and the 30 or so other hikers.  It was an unusually cold day so everybody was bundled in down jackets and blankets while others were cooking burgers and dogs on the grill.

At some point, Terrie Anderson brings out a plate of weed and starts passing it around.  I decided early on that my hike was not going to be about smoking, so I passed on this each time it was handed to me.  However, I have no problem with others enjoying a smoke.

The atmosphere was beginning to get "stupid" after about 11 so I headed back to find my tent to sleep - but not before I went several wrong directions and ripped a big hole in my down jacket on a jagged manzanita branch.

Hiker Party at the Andersons

The Anderson's Manzanita Forest

Day 28 - Pizza at the KOA

May 23, 2012
Day 28
Miles: 13
Total Miles: 444

click to see full size

After Mission Flats, at mile 431, I hiked the trail-proper again all the way to the Acton KOA Campground.  I am here with a group of twelve others who are holing up at the campground because the Saufly's (Hiker Haven), Trail Angels extrordinaire, are ahead in ten miles but have exceeded their 50 hiker limit and are asking hikers to arrive tomorrow morning.  Tortuga hitch-hiked into the nearest town about ten miles away to pick up beer and was able to get a ride back from the pizza delivery man!  We all definitely owe him a few beers.  I plan on getting up early and hiking to the Hiker Haven by 10 AM.

My hunger is getting more and more ravenous every week.  Today at KOA I enjoyed half of a large pepperoni pizza and three beers in addition to ice cream and other snacks from the small KOA store, and was hungry an hour later!  I handed Q-Ball and Beardo a couple of my beers as they just hiked in and looked voracious!

Day 11 - Climbing Hell

Day 11
May 6, 2012
Miles:  18
Total Miles:  175

click to see full size

Hikers enjoying dinner at camp 4 miles from Saddle Junction in the San Jacintos

Today was the most physically challenging day yet.  I climbed up into the San Jacinto Mountains (San Bernardino Forest) from 5500 feet elevation to about 8200 feet elevation.  The entire day was one steep section after another.  The original plan was to get to mile 179 at Saddle Junction, but a few miles early and after an exceptionally steep section, I crawled into a nice camp site that looked too good to pass up.  Each mile up here is like 2-3 miles on more level terrain.  Each step is like climbing stairs - and often you find yourself using hiking poles to literally pull yourself up the trail.  Each short level section holds brief moments of release when your legs can relax and, for a few seconds, you can stand upright instead of in the forward hunched-over climbing posture. 

The site had amazing views from over 8000 feet above the desert floor.  Water was short - I barely had enough to make dinner - but tomorrow would bring water only a few miles down the trail at a spring.

Day 6 & 7 - Wind!

Day 7
May 2, 2012
Miles:  23
Total Miles:  101

A couple of crazy days of wind!  Yesterday, at the Sunrise Trail-head campsite, I only got a few hours of sleep due to high winds throughout the night.  My tent blew down on top of me several times due to the sandy ground not holding tent stakes.  The early evening was peaceful and I did not expect the wind to pick up in the night.  Let me tell you, it is extremely frustrating and uncomfortable to have to get out of a warm sleeping bag after hiking poles fall on you, put on warm clothes and run around your tent in the middle of the night, in the dark, in the wind, trying to secure it while the wind throws it this way and that.  I finally determined I needed to turn my tent 90 degrees so that it wasn't acting as a sail in the wind.  I also tied the leading side to my half empty pack for additional security as an anchor! 

I woke up miserable with a few hours of sleep and packed up in the still gusty wind and trumped off down the trail cursing.  No sleep, no breakfast...what kind of experience is this?  Well, a little misery is all part of the experience and I can look back on this a week later with a smile.  Hiking took me many windy miles this day across the mountain to a water spigot where I cooked up some instant potatoes and tuna and ate them in tortillas.  Then came the ten mile descent down into the San Felipe desert to Scissors Crossing at Highway 78.  I ended up camping near the overpass in some trees and bushes to protect from the still ferocious wind.  Magellan, Laura, IPod and the Kiwi - Trip were also at the underpass.  Trip hitched to Julian and brought back a whole apple pie, which he shared with hikers!

In the morning on May 2nd I started off at seven AM and hiked five hours up out of the desert to a water cache.  The afternoon was spent hiking the remaining ten miles to Barrel Springs near the town of Warner Springs, just nine miles away.  An amazing thing keeps happening in these first few hundred miles - trail angels!  Fantastic trail angels were waiting for us at Barrel Springs in a couple RV's in a parking lot off the side of the road with beer, gatorade, CHILI DOGS and a seat by a fire!  What an amazing treat after completing my longest hiking day yet, 23 miles.  They had coffee and bagels for breakfast - who could ask for more?  Sometimes I feel like I'm being treated like a rock star while hiking the trail.  So much generosity.

The Barrel Springs Trail Angels

Another first - I crossed 100 miles today!

Days 4 and 5 - Mt. Laguna

Day 5
April 30, 2012
Miles:  17
Total Miles:  59

Tonight I setup camp near Sunrise Trailhead at approx. mile 59.5.  The camping is in a field next to a water spigot powered by solar cells.  Apparently, the solar power draws up water from a well beneath.  There are numerous other campers here tonight including Mike(Just Retired) who I shared a campsite with at KO.

I hiked mostly on my own today and enjoyed the solitude.  Scenery north across the desert was amazing! (trying to post video to this blog but having technical difficulties...)  The scenery changes everyday and even several times a day so it's exciting to see what's next.  There are approximately 3 more days hiking to Warner Springs where I will resupply at the Community Center in town.  My feet and legs are strong - feet are sore but no blisters after the initial two small blisters on Day 1.  The left knee that was concerning me is giving me no trouble now.  I am trying to do some stretches each night to keep the joints flexible but i am more likely to just lay down and crash after a long day of hiking.  Since Warner Springs is closed besides the post office and community center, it looks like Julien is the place to take a zero day.  I may or may not do that.  My clothes need to be washed and a shower would be really nice, but not essential.  After four days without a shower, I am learning to embrace being dirty and smelly.  After a few days you just don't pay attention anymore - an interesting transition from a daily shower habit.  I'm sure I will test my limits of cleanliness this summer more than once.

Yesterday, Day 4, I camped at Mt. Laguna at the Burnt Rancheria Campground.  There was a group of us including Magellan and Breeze, Pekka (Oreido?) and the orignal group that I started off with out of Lake Moreno.  The campsites were $20/night but can include up to 8 people per site.  The father of another hiker booked two sites in advance and refused reimbursement when I offered.  Another example of trail magic. 

View of the desert from Mt. Laguna

Dinner last night was a beef burrito from the Mt. Laguna store, and dinner tonight was dehydrated chicken burritos and rice (burritos seem to be a theme so far...)  I am saving the Bananna Pudding desert from Mountain House for another day.  Weather is sunny but not too warm - the Marmot Sawtooth sleeping bag is keeping me cozy at night - almost too warm!

Hikers taking a break at the Mt. Laguna store

Desert Wildflowers

Day 3 - Boulder Oaks Campground

Day 3
April 28, 2012
Miles:  6
Total Miles: 26

Yesterday (Friday) was spent at Lake Moreno enjoying Burritos for dinner and other trail-angel magic for breakfast (coffee) and luch (tacos from Thomas Figueroa).  Today, Saturday, after a few burgers cooked up at the lake, I took my first trepedacious steps north past Lake Moreno and am now camping with a group of about 6 in the Boulder Oaks Campground 6 miles north at mile 26.1.  Everything is going great so far and I am learning my way around my gear and how much water to carry.  I have the capacity to carry 6 liters of water (a 3 liter bladder, 2 liter platypus and 1 liter platypus).  I am finding that I  need approximately 1 liter for every 3 miles or so - give or take based on weather and elevation changes, etc..  It's a challenge to carry the right volume of water...too much and you end up carrying an extra several un-needed pounds and arrive at your next water stop with several liters.  Too little and you risk being dehydrated.  I think I'll take it cautiously for now and carry more than I think I need until I get the hang of what my body needs on these hot desert hikes.

View from the trail several miles north of Lake Moreno

Day 1 - ADZKO (Annual Day Zero Kick Off)!

Day 1
April 26, 2012
Miles:  20
Total Miles:  20

Today was a good day!  After starting at Campo under windy and rainy skies at 7:30 AM, I hiked the full 20 miles to Lake Moreno by 4:30 PM.  I think my feet and knees were just about at their limits as I could have stopped after 15 miles in.  It was a brutal descent and climb out of Hauser Creek to complete the day.  I have two or three days to heal and let my feet strengthen at the Kick Off Event at Lake Moreno.  My feet suffered only the start of two minor blisters between the big toe and the second toe, on both feet.  I have a big, big toe and this area always rubs on long walks.  I used moleskin at the half-way point to protect it from further blistering - worked like a charm.

I hiked near a woman named Gypsy Girl for much of the hike, but skipped around with the group as people rested and took breaks through-out the day.  I met Jeff Kish who blew past me midway through the hike...I had chatted with him online before the hike and had hoped to meet up with him at some point.  He had a light pack and was making quick progress.  Later I learned he had already been to Lake Moreno and was free of his tent and a few other items on this days hike.  At Lake Moreno I met others I knew only by their name and Facebook profile picture:  Kolby "Condor" Kirk and Andrew Schleff.  After arriving in Lake Moreno I shared a campsite with a great group of younger hikers - Laura, Bryce, Christy and others. 

View of Lake Moreno coming in from Campo

On a walk with Andrew back from the local store, a great couple pulled us over to their RV and fed us pork burritos and beer!  The Trail Magic on this trail continues to amaze me.  Another mis-step:  I forgot to pick up the two cannisters stoves I had reserved from Scout/Frodo that was going to get me through the first week on the trail.  Instead, I found a few at KO without any trouble.  The organization at KO was fantastic.  Everybody there - 2012 thru-hikers, past thru-hikers, trail angels and all others put on an incredible event and made sure we were all taken care of.  This amazing community has come together send us off in style on our five month walk to Canada!

Saturday Dinner of Burgers, Potato Salad and Brownies!