All hail breaks loose

Day 136-

26 miles

Scott River to tent site on ridge

Day seven of rain

A couple miles into our morning it began to rain. Then the rain turned to hail. Then the hail began to collect on the ground in drifts and piles. It hailed for a few hours and I had to repeatedly shake off my umbrella. I felt bad for Kevin because he didn’t have an umbrella and his shoulders and backpack were covered in hail, looking like piled up snow. Finally the hail slowed to a drizzle and eventually stopped. Late afternoon we crossed highway 3 which goes into Etna again and another town to the opposite direction. Another hiker was there contemplating hitching into town and being done with the cold and wetness. It was definitely tempting.

But in two days we will be in Dunsmuir and done with what we can finish of the trail this year. At some points we could see the rain engulfing the ridge we were on and the next ridge over was in the sunshine. I dreamed of being in that sunshine. But then I remembered the desert heat and then I was okay in the rain. The way the clouds moved over the mountains made for such epic views and it was so neat. The area also absolutely needs rain and moisture.

Day 135

20 miles

Etna to South Fork Scott River

Day six of rain

Our ride out of town was at eight am. We had scheduled a ride with Molly. She is the local trail angel who enjoys making multiple trips up and down the mountain each day to pick up or drop off hikers. Because she is so familiar with the mountain road and because of her high speed performance driving classes (she told stories), she drives the curvy mountain road like a race track. It is a mostly deserted road which probably makes it more safe but it is still quite the experience.

From this point, we have 98 miles until we get to the 5 in Dunsmuir. I’m not really sure what I will feel or think when we see the interstate in the valley as we descend to town and the end of our journey.

While in town, Kevin and I bought our train and plane tickets home! For my resupply, I bought all my favorite foods. Oreos, candy, pretzels, chips, crackers, carrots, cucumber, green pepper.

The mountains and clouds were very spectacular today. The weather was confusing, the sun was hot but the wind was cold and I often felt one without the other so there was no balance! We could see giant sheets of rain on neighboring ridges or valleys. It didn’t start to rain until we just got to camp. We managed to set up camp and get in the tent without getting too wet and while still maintaining our marital bliss (as in not arguing too much). Anyone ever seen those people who roll into campgrounds and the whole campground can hear them set up camp “together”?!

I am hoping it won’t rain all day tomorrow like it is predicted.

Resupply in Etna

Day 134

13 miles

Resupplied in Etna, sleeping in the city park

It rained all night. I groaned inside when I heard it start. It felt pretty chilly as we crept out of our tent and began hiking. Good thing we had the motivation of getting into town! The thirteen miles of hiking went by pretty quickly as there weren’t any giant climbs. The clouds were rolling over the ridge above us but disappearing into blue sky and warmth above our heads. By the time we made it to the road we could lay out our tent to dry while we waited for a hitch.

Etna is a tiny little town. No stop lights and just one stop sign on the block long Main Street. But there are a few restaurants, a grocery store, laundromat, and a shower in the city park where hikers are allowed to camp for a few to the city. We are staying under a gazebo in the park because it might rain again tonight. The next two days on trail it is supposed to rain and then we are supposed to have two days of sun to end with. It has been hard to be motivated to keep pushing through the cold rain to the end but we are also so close that it seems tangible. Etna is our last resupply and we have 98 miles to go! I’m excited to go through the Trinity Alps which are a section of mountains ahead of us. I think we had a view of those mountains today, they were probably the ones with snow on them.

Marble Mountain

Day 133

24 miles

Fifth Day of rain on trail

It rained off and on all night. We had gone to bed knowing it would probably rain on us. I had hoped it would be done by the time our alarm went off at 6am. Instead the pitter patter on the tent became more consistent. With the little bit of service I had, I looked up the weather which said it was around 40 degrees and would rain most of the morning. Both these things proved true. It was quite chilly and rained most of the morning and never really got sunny so we could never stop to dry things out. The longest break we took was maybe 45 minutes. It was too cold to stop! We also saw about eight hunters today.

Today was an existential crisis kind of day. We both questioned why we are down here hiking in the rain and cold when most hikers just ended at Steven’s pass or snoqualomine when the fires popped up. Most didn’t feel the need to finish out the newly opened section of trail. Everyone has their own journey and we sure questioned ours today. We wondered how on earth we handled the AT where we would have rain for days and days on end. I think the cold makes it a bit different. But it is supposed to be nice and sunny tomorrow. We adhere to the adage “never quit on a bad day”. And at this point we only have about five days left. So here’s to the last week!

Today we hiked through Marble Mountain wilderness. It was a beautiful remote area.

Our first glimpse of it was as we created our first hill today. The clouds hung low over the valley in front of us. Then we hiked directly under Marble Mountain which was pure white and stood out against the dark red and brown mountains next to it. Throughout the day we could see marble mountain grow farther away from us and before we descended our final ridge, I was so impressed with how far we had come. It was really neat to have a visual point of reference to remind us of the progress we are making and also to have such beautiful views.

Seiad Valley

Day 132

19 miles

Through Seiad Valley and up the hill

We took a lazy morning today. I slept in until 7am and then showered again! Last night I showered too but I can’t sleep outside with wet hair so I waited until this morning for that.

The campground host made us hot coffee this morning and then we headed into town for our resupply. Originally we had planned to send a box here but when we skipped this section we sent that box elsewhere. I was glad to have a few good items left over from the good resupply in Seattle. My dinners now consist of corn tortillas, peanut butter, and marshmallows. I am hardly excited about it. At this point I just want vegetables. So I also packed out a green pepper and cucumber.

The cafe connected to the store opened right as we arrived so we could get a hot breakfast too! I think it has been closed for awhile so it was a surprised that it opened.

I am so grateful it is fall weather when we are hiking through this valley. When we were going to get here in the summer, it was about 110 degrees. Now we can do the six ish miles of road walk through town and not pass out from heat exhaustion.

The climb out of town was gradual at first and then steep. We went a mile farther then planned today. Each day we feel the pull of the end of the trail a bit stronger and want to chip away the final number! The next few days the weather is supposed to be a bit more cloudy and possibly rainy so we will see how that goes. Today is also the first day of rifle hunting season out here. This seems like a very early beginning of it but we met two hunters coming down trail with their guns and they told us it is opening day. I immediately took out my orange bandana and tied it on my pack. Taking no chances out here!

Elk in the campsite

Day 131

27 miles

Camped at Wildwood Rv park in Seiad Valley

Last night we awoke to a startling sound especially when half asleep. At first I was sure that two raccoons were fighting or maybe some coyotes. Then later, an elk came up the hill near our campsite and let off a few bugles. It was such an eery sound.

The original plan for today was to hike about 25 ish miles. At the first water source, we met some other hikers heading north who were also finishing up this section before heading home. They said they stayed at this newly opened place in Seiad Valley. It is opened by some people who lost their home in the recent McKinney fire which had shut down the trail. Supporting the people who live in these towns, especially after a natural disaster is an important part of trail culture. They also have hot coffee for us in the morning, so multiple motivators! So we hiked a few extra miles and made it down to this campsite.

The trail at some parts today were severely overgrown and wildly annoying. As we descended about 7500 feet into the valley, we started encountering poison oak, heat, and gnats. All things I thought we had left behind. Hopefully as we hike out tomorrow we will quickly hike away from these things.

It is super nice to stay at this campground. I got an unexpected shower and some laundry done as well!

Oregon California border

Day 130

24.9 miles

Camped at spring, crossed Oregon/California border

It was so fun to stay in the shelter last night. It was reminiscent of some of the AT shelters and definitely warm with a fire going in a giant stone hearth when we walked up and a break from the wind. It has been getting colder as fall progresses on. I slept in my sleeping bag liner in my sleeping bag bag but also with my fleece pants and my puffy. For some reason I had never slept in my puffy before but wearing the hood kept me so much warmer than putting my sleeping bag liner over my head at night. I guess I can learn new tricks anytime! Also my next sleeping bag is going to have the mummy hood again, I definitely miss it.

Seventeen miles into our day today we crossed the OR/CA border! It only took over 2000 miles and four months! It feels great to have completed at least one entire state of the PCT. The fires prohibit us from completing WA but it is good to finish OR.

My body seems to have been listening in when we had made our plans to finish in 11 days. It seems to think it is tired, hungry, and ready to be done walking over twenty miles every day. Today my legs felt heavy and tired. My pack felt heavy. My brain couldn’t focus on listening to a story and I got distracted thinking about what kind of job I might want to apply for at home. Kevin and I talked through more of our ideas for jobs and where to go once we get home. We still have miles to go and hills to climb but at the same time we are thinking of how to get an apartment and a job. Usually one requires another so it can be tricky but last time all the details fell into place so we know this time will work out too just how it is supposed to.

The terrain of Oregon and now Northern California is so much more gradual than the jagged peaks of the northern Cascades. The tops of our climbs today were open bald mountains with some meadows in the hill slopes but also dotted with forest. The trees were nice to walk through and the rounded climbs made it a bit easier. There were some views that looked like the Smokey mountains with layers of blue hills and Shasta was showing just the summit above a giant cloud.

Castle Crags

Day 90

11 miles

Ended at mile 1501.1, I-5 outside of Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta

Stayed in an air bnb in Ashland, OR

At 4:15am our alarm went off. Our plan was to hike the Giard ridge to watch the sunrise over Mount Shasta and Castle Crags. It was our last morning hiking in California for now! We quickly packed up and then hiked to the ridge and got there for breakfast! It was a lovely view of the clouds in front of Mount Shasta and the sun soon reflected on the rocks of Castle Crags. The clouds were dark and the air smelled like rain but it never rained on us. After breakfast, we walked down to get to town and our ride to Ashland. When we arrived at the highway, another group of hikers were there, some of whom we hadn’t seen in awhile. We all discussed our various plans to get around the fire closures and desire to respect the closed areas of the trail.

At the road, a trail angel was refilling a box of trail magic! We met him and heard his story. He offered to shuttle hikers to Shasta (the town) and take several trips so we could all get there. This was very kind of him as there were probably 15 of us. This road is notorious for being difficult to hitch and the bus doesn’t run on the weekends so he makes sure to come out on the weekends to shuttle hikers. As he gave us a ride, he told his story. How when he was younger he went backpacking through South America and that experience changed his life. It changed his perspective on human connection and showed him how everyone needs each other. We don’t really exist separately but are helped and supported by those around us and vice versa. As hikers we really see this when we come into town. We rely on trail angels to get farther distances and hitches for groceries. We rely on trail organizations for information and trail updates. We rely on families to send us boxes and encouragement. We rely on each other between towns for check ins, emotional support, and cheerful laughs. No one is ever really out here alone or self sufficient. And it is a reminder to me that there is still good in humanity and I can be a part of that too. This is something I want to remember and hold on to for my whole life, like our shuttle driver, into late life and be part of the good in this world.

After a big breakfast in Mount Shasta, our group met up with a trail angel who brought us up to Ashland, OR. Driving (rather than walking) across the border wasn’t exactly what we had planned but here we are. I had been reading reviews of Ashland and it seemed reminiscent of when we lived in northern Cali so I was very excited to get here! Can’t wait to hit up the coffee shops and market tomorrow on our zero day!

Last full day in California

Day 89

22.4 miles

The first six miles of the trail this morning were a high stakes plant identification game. The high stakes were whether or not you ran into poison oak. Once we get down into the valleys, around 3500 feet, the poison oak has been rampant along the trail. I washed off at multiple streams along the way just to try and hopefully prevent any rashes.

We had two major climbs of about 2,000 feet today. The first one was over at mile twelve where our group sat for about three hours and tried to schedule a ride up to Ashland since we have to go around the fires. We had given up trying to find a ride and started packing up when a trail angel responded to Tadpoles’ call and said she could come pick us up! Hurray! Then we quickly booked an air bnb since the hostel was full and got back to hiking. The second climb of the day was a bit steeper but still passed by fairly well. I was happy to be at the top and finally eat dinner.

Tonight is our last night on trail in Northern California. This section has been full of varied terrain and different types of towns. It was a long section after the hype of the Sierras and sometimes felt like work to find something to look forward to each day. But I have come to really love the ridges, sidelining, tree covered hills that we have been in after the burn sections. Even those burnt parts were interesting to see how the trees and plants were resilient. It was also very sad to see the devastation of the burn and the impact that had on the communities. Every section of the trail has its challenges, surprises, and treats. I have loved all those parts of Northern California too. It is sad to be leaving it too early and prematurely because of the fires but most of all my heart hurts for the communities that have had to deal with the growing numbers of fire threats in this area. We made our choice with the information we had and a desire to not enter an area where we might take away from any relief effort for those who live there. Every hiker has to make their own decision of what their journey and priority will be .

Fire plans

Day 88

26.6 miles

Camping by Butcher Knife Creek

The moon is back to its half position which tells me it has been almost three months since we started the trail. In two days we will pass the 1500 mile mark. Also in two days we will have to take a shuttle north about two hundred trail miles because of trail closures near a wildfire. I am very grateful for the three months of continuous trail which we have been able to hike. It is sad to see how thruhiking is changing and having to miss miles but it is even more sad to see entire communities evacuated and lose homes, livelihoods, and lives. I remember the feeling of being in an evacuation warning area from a wildfire and trying to figure out what to pack, where to go, and what to do. So while we are left trying to figure out rides and where to go, it definitely doesn’t feel as disorienting and terrifying as if we lived in this area and had all my earthly possessions threatened by fire. My heart goes out to the residents here and others affected by wildfires.

Today by lunch time, I felt the full weight of all of these thoughts. My legs felt heavy and as if they did not want to continue. It was hot and humid today which always challenges my good mood. I felt as though skipping miles around a fire closure took away something from the journey even though we came into this hike knowing we would probably have to skip around a fire. We took a nice break for lunch and talked through some plans, our thoughts, feelings, and goals for our hike. We reminded ourselves it is more about the journey and being out here together than anything else. It seems easier to tackle the extra plans and mental load of hiking when Kevin and I know we are in it together.