Exploration

Stats

Start: Bucks Lake – Mile 1,263.5
End: Williams Cabin Site – Mile 1,292.7
Elevation Max: 7,449
Elevation Min: 2,911
Elevation Change: 4,147 up & 5,927 down
Walking Time: 7 hrs 57 minutes
Date: 7/5/2022

The Walk

I woke up in the backyard thinking about a cup of hot coffee. I knew Donny would already have it brewing. I hopped out of my tent and walked over to the house. Sure enough, Donny was moving around and had mugs set out for us. I sat down in the recliner to enjoy one more relaxed morning. Back to trail today!

Quest and Gushers made breakfast. We felt like part of Donny’s family and were so appreciative that he opened his heart and home to us. Around 11 am we were back on trail and walking again.

My legs were happy. They fell right back into the daily hiking routine and felt strong. My mind was a different story. It was cloudy. 7 days off trail surrounded by people at the festival was overstimulating. It felt weird to be in the backcountry.

I popped in my AirPods and the miles flew by. We did a 1,300 foot climb out of town then the trail leveled out. Then we entered a huge burn area. Burnt trees were everywhere as far as I could see.

I didn’t mind it too much. I was happy to be back on trail. In the afternoon we had a multiple hour descent into Belden. Lots of switchbacks down about 4-5k feet (the knees hate it).

Belden wasn’t much of a town. A bed and breakfast with a lot of hikers and a few construction workers. I stopped in for a burger but didn’t want to stay in town. I needed to be out in the woods again. Leaving Belden was the start of one of the biggest climbs of the trail. A 5,000 foot climb. I had already done 20 miles, but wanted to knock out part of that climb.

I ate the burger and kept walking. The evening miles felt great. I knocked out 1,200 feet and 6 miles to a campsite. There weren’t many flat spots, but we made it work.

I’m feeling good. Let’s see what the trail holds tomorrow.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Stats

Start: Bucks Lake – Mile 1,263.5
End: Bucks Lake – Mile 1,263.5
Elevation Max: – n/a
Elevation Min: – n/a
Elevation Change: – n/a
Walking Time: nope
Date: 6/29/2022 – 7/4/2022

The Walk

6/29 – Zero at Donnys (trail angel)
6/30 – Festival
7/1 – Festival
7/2 – Festival
7/3 – Festival
7/4 – Zero at Donnys (trail angel)

Gushers, Chef, Quest and I walked into Quincy with tickets to the festival and no plan. No big deal. We could figure that out once we got some got food!

Around 9 am we crossed a deserted country road. The closest restaurant to trail was 3 miles . Luckily a truck drove by and picked us all up! It was a welcome relief because road walking hurts my feet.

Sadly the restaurant wasn’t open. I was sad for a minute then grabbed the basics from a gas station. Some drinks, chips, skittles, and ice cream.

We found a spot in the grass next to a restaurant that would open at 2pm. The week off was here. I was content. Then something amazing happened. Quest got the contact for a local trail angel from a hiker leaving town. We had a day until the festival started and no place to stay for the night.

Donny agreed to take us in for a night. We didn’t know, but it turned into an amazing friendship. We met his family and spent 2 days playing catch, horseshoes, and tag in the backyard. Getting to know him and his family is a highlight of the whole trail!

The festival was a complete different experience. Tents were all crammed together. Everyone except us brought big tents, shade, grills and lots of food. We had our lightweight tents and nothing else. But I was used to being content with a small patch of grass and shade from a tree.

We had a blast. A guy camped next to us who hiked the PCT a few years ago and let us use his shade / skillet. We met a lot of cool people and listened to some fun music. I’m glad we took the break, but I was ready to get back on trail by the end of it!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Stats

Start: Meadow Lake Road – Mile 1,172.3
End: Bucks Lake – Mile 1,263.5
Elevation Max: 8.092
Elevation Min: 3,112
Elevation Change: 31,127
Walking Time: 27 hours 12 minutes
Date: 6/24/2022 – 6/28/2022

The Walk

6/24 – Meadow Lake Road to Sierra city (1,172.3 – 1,195.4)
6/25 – Sierra city to silver lake junction (1,195.4 – 1,215.1)
6/26 – Silver lake junction to Adler spring (1,215.1 – 1,236.9)
6/27 – Adler spring to Lookout rock (1.236.9 – 1,260)
6/28 – Lookout rock to bucks lake (1,260 – 1,263.5)

The sickness was behind me. Good health renewed my appreciation for this experience. Being sick on trail sucked. It was hard to enjoy the surroundings while walking through the backcountry and with a fever or a stuffy nose. But the time off to heal was exactly what I needed.

My body and mind were rested and I had a better appreciation of the community and beauty around me. I ramped up my miles and caught up to Gushers, Quest, and Chef way earlier than expected. They had been going pretty slow and Chef took 3 days off to rest his hip.

We spent a day hanging out in Sierra City. It’s not much of a city. Basically a small shop littered with hikers and a hotel across the street. The highlight of town is a public shower. It spits out freezing cold water but it is free!

Gushers told me about a music festival in Quincy. Which is the next town up trail. I didn’t know a single band, but he was super excited and had gone before. I hadn’t hung out with the crew for a few weeks so this seemed like a perfect way to take a break halfway through the trail and make memories. We only needed to go 20 miles per day for the next week to walk into Quincy on festival day.

We walked 20 mile days. It felt relaxing to be done with the Sierras and into Northern California. The days were filled with ridge walking and views of mountains (not as big as the Sierras, but amazing in their own way).

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Stats

Start: Eagle Creek – Mile 1,053.2
End: Meadow Lake Road – Mile 1,172.3
Elevation Max: 9,236
Elevation Min: 6,932
Elevation Change: 42,766
Walking Time: 36 hours 57 minutes
Date: 6/18/2022 – 6/23/2022

The Walk

6/18 – Eagle creek to Showers lake (1,053.2 – 1,082)
6/19 – Showers lake to South Lake Tahoe (1,082 – 1,090.8)
6/20 – South Lake Tahoe zero
6/21 – South Lake Tahoe to small waterfall (1,090.8 – 1,113.3)
6/22 – Small Waterfall to Truckee (1,113.3 – 1,153.4)
6/23 – Truckee to meadow lake road (1,153.4 – 1172.3)

I didn’t feel great during this section of trail and I had fallen behind everyone I knew. A series of events slowed me down.

I took my time in the Sierras with Quest, spent 4 nights off trail hiking in Yosemite, stayed in a motel 3 nights recovering from being sick, and stayed in Tahoe for 2 nights waiting for the post office to open.

As soon as I was free from Tahoe I hiked a 40 mile day and felt amazing. I was happy to be back in good health with plenty of energy. And I was closing in on a few hikers I knew.

The Days in Pictures

Stats

Start: Tentsite and Carson river – Mile 1026.1
End: Eagle Creek – Mile 1053.2
Elevation Max: 9,372
Elevation Min: 8,152
Elevation Change: 6,260 up & 6,163 down
Average Heart Rate: 127
Walking Time: 8 hrs 39 minutes
Date: 6/17/2022

The Walk

I felt okay this morning. It was nice to be back on trail and in a routine. The wind was real last night! I was worried for my broken trekking pole and held it a few times to make sure it wasn’t broken. But it survived. I only need it to last 2 more nights!

The morning was chilly and I wanted to get an early start. I was exhausted last night and fell asleep around 9. At 5:30 I woke up ready to go. I relaxed another 30 minutes then packed up.

It was a chilly, overcast morning. After I packed up I decided to check the weather just in case. It doesn’t matter what it says, I’m walking today. Way too antsy to sit around another day.

It said 100% chance of rain between 7-9 AM then 0% the rest of the day. Okay, fine. I unpacked my bag and put my sleeping bag / electronics in a garbage sack and stuffed it in the bottom of my pack. Now I’m ready to walk through whatever comes.

I started walking. I felt loose after all the time off. I cruised up the first few climbs and after about 5 miles realized the trail didn’t have much snow or water running in it.

God. Such a welcome change. Most of the past two weeks was a slow pace. Each step was calculated for miles at a time, bouncing between rocks and snow. Today I could cruise. I checked my watched and I was over 3mph. Back to desert speed!

I felt 70%. I had an occasional deep cough and my nose ran all morning. I think I set a record for farmers blows. And my clean sleeves didn’t last long.

But I was making miles and that felt good. My goal was to get to 27 today. Around mile 11 I felt weak but not hungry. That’s one of the most annoying things. I don’t have an appetite yet. But I need to eat! I didn’t even have dinner last night. Only a burger before hiking at 2:00. Oh well.

I sucked it up and kept walking. I wanted to get up the biggest climb before taking a break. The climb was 1k feet over a few miles. Nothing crazy, but I felt exhausted.

I eventually made it up and was at 16 miles for the day. I found a log somewhat out of the wind and laid down. It was cold up here. I put on all my layers and ate a tuna wrap. It was nice to have a simple lunch back on the menu. I didn’t eat anything else, but this was good enough.

I laid down for an hour and felt great leaving. Also the scenery really opened up into beautiful mountains.l and lakes. The next 5 miles went by quickly and I felt okay. Low energy still, but I was getting better. This is the first day I didn’t take cold meds.

I crossed a road and saw a bunch of tables set up. Trail magic!! No way! The absolute best timing ever for me. I got a burger, Dr Pepper, cheetos, and a cookie. My appetite came back for this 🙂

We chatted for an hour and I enjoyed sitting in the chair. It was cold and windy. After giving the puppy a few more pets I started walking. 5 more miles to go. They live 3 hours away and have beeen coming to do trail magic the last 8 years. Crazy!

The last section was beautiful and I felt refreshed. The food helped and I could feel my sinuses clearing. I appreciated the hike and surroundings in a way I hadn’t in a week. A renewed outlook at the trail.

I got to a campsite at 7:30. 4 tents were already pitched and I heard snoring. They must be early risers. I set up and relaxed for the night. I’m tired and excited to be able to sleep again. Thankful for the boost from the trail magic and looking forward to another day tomorrow.

Stats

Start: Bridgeport – Mile 1016.9
End: Tentsite and Carson river – Mile 1026.1
Elevation Max: 10,503
Elevation Min: 8,213
Elevation Change: 1,759 up & 3,220 down
Average Heart Rate: 121
Walking Time: 2 hrs 55 minutes
Date: 6/16/2022

The Walk

I woke up feeling a bit better. I only had a cough left. And I’m cough drops fixed it for the most part. I relaxed during the morning. The post office didn’t open until 8, and the neighbors offered me breakfast last night.

Around 7:30 I saw them moving around and stopped by. They had bacon, eggs, and potatoes. Plus orange juice and coffee to drink. It was just the boost I needed. They live in Oregon and we’re down to visit Twin Lakes and do some fishing.

They even gave me a ride into town to the post office. It saved me two miles of road walking. I felt thankful and think my luck is turning around!

I shipped my bear can, microspikes, and gloves back home. With 3+ pounds gone, my pack felt small again. My back appreciated it. No more awkwardly big bear can to stuff in. And now it’s much easier to access gear or food during the day.

I threw out my thumb and caught a hitch from Bridgeport pretty quickly. A couple in a van was headed to Tahoe and took me a third of the way to Sonora Pass. After that I struggled with the hitches. In 2.5 hours I got 5 more miles from two different marines. There was a military base nearby.

After another hour wait I got my fourth and final hitch! A girl driving a friends car from Denver to San Francisco took me the last 20 miles. I was so thankful. At least 100 cars drove by.

At Kennedy meadows north I resupplied for Tahoe and ate a burger. I finished just in time to catch the 2:30 shuttle back to trail. I was curious what the trail would be like! We’re at the tail end of the Sierras at lower elevation.

The walk started with a climb, then the snow and water on trail was back. I skidded down the two miles and was happy when the snow was gone. I walked another 5 miles and called it a day. I found a flat spot by a river and I was wiped out.

Happy to be back on trail and hopefully I’ll wake up with good energy for a big day tomorrow.

Stats

Start: Bridgeport – Mile 1016.9
End: Bridgeport – Mile 1016.9
Elevation Max: 6,475
Elevation Min: 6,475
Elevation Change: 0 up & 0 down
Average Heart Rate: n/a
Walking Time: 0 hrs 0 minutes
Date: 6/14/2022 and 6/15/2022

The Walk

Two Zero days. I still didn’t feel great. Thankful for a hotel room and an RV park the next night.

Stats

Start: Dorothy Lake – Mile 996.4
End: Bridgeport – Mile 1016.9
Elevation Max: 10,781
Elevation Min: 9,531
Elevation Change: 4.249 up & 4,103 down
Average Heart Rate: 122
Walking Time: 6 hrs 44 minutes
Date: 6/13/2022

The Walk

I might have slept two hours. I woke up at 4:30 with snot all over. What to do with a runny nose in a tent? Normally I don’t think twice about using my sleeve, but it wears on you in the middle of the night.

I tried to sleep for a few more minutes and gave up at 5:30. I felt worse this morning with 20 tough miles to go. A lot of elevation and I needed to climb over Sonora Pass. But it was possible. I did 27 miles yesterday and knew I could do 20 miles today.

I packed up my gear. My clothes were wet from the day before. Wet clothes combined with weather just above freezing set a shitty mood for the morning. Especially my wet shoes. For a minute I considered wearing my clean sleep socks, but realized it would be useless with my soaking wet and a little bit frozen shoes.

Welp. Might as well get going. On the bright side no mosquitos were around. I put on crusty socks, pulled my shoes on, and headed out. The trail was still wet, but I could see the sun. It was peaking over the mountain tops as I started the day and I was thankful for the rays of direct sunlight I got. Another rainy day may have broken my spirit.

I took one last look back at Dorothy Lake. It was gleaming with the morning rays and I felt odd. For the first time on my hike I didn’t enjoy it. I was out here feeling like crap and just trying to get done with the day.

I acknowledged it and pushed on. Within an hour I was knee deep in a river crossing. And the only thing on my mind was putting in miles. I quickly got over Dorothy Pass and the mile of snow / slick rocks from the night before. Then started a descent down to walker meadows.

I wasn’t hungry but ate a few more bars. Mile 1,000 came and went without any celebration. I’m happy to have passed it, but still have a long ways to go. I’ll celebrate at the halfway point! I focused on cruising through the rest of the downhill and making good time. This was the easy part of the day.

Soon I was in walker meadows. 14 miles left and 2,500 feet to climb. The last 8 miles were high in elevation, between 10,000 and 11,000 feet. Thankfully my body is accustomed to the altitude, but it still takes extra energy. Energy I didn’t have.

My only thought was to keep going as fast as possible while I could. I needed to catch a 30 mile hitch from the road and had no idea which hotel I would stay at. I hadn’t had cell service in days.

I made good time climbing up the pass. Including a steep climb up to Levitt Trail Junction at 10,500 feet. This stretch had steep snow fields with a long ways to slide down. I didn’t put in microspikes because the snow was fairly slushy. With the footprints I could get a decent grip and felt pretty safe as I crossed.

I made it up and took a minute to appreciate the views. 8 miles left! As I crossed over the ridge wind blasted me. It got quite cold and I ended up stopping to put on my puffy. It must have been 30 mph. Not exactly what I wanted for the next 8 miles. But I had to keep moving.

I ate another bar. My throat was sore and I had no appetite. My body was weaker than normal, but my legs felt okay. The 1,000+ miles of walking has turned them into machines, even without fuel.

I walked through wind and snow the next 5 miles to get over Sonora Pass. It was a unique pass. Most passses you climbed up then down right away. But this one you stayed on the ridge for miles. On a different day I would have really enjoyed it. But today I just wanted it to be finished.

Finally I got to the descent. 2.5 miles left. There werr some sketchy steep snow walks and I saw someone’s trekking pole had fallen. I focused and made it across. When I got through the sketchy part I went zombie mode and finished the rest. I could see the road and saw a few cars drive by. A hitch would be possible!

The rest of the descent went quickly and I was at the road around 2:30. Two days in a row without taking a break. Not a receipe for success, but it’s what I needed to do.

I waited for an hour. Eventually a guy pulled over and gave me a ride. He was headed to mammoth. On the way down the mountain my ears wouldn’t pop. It had never happened before. I got to the Bridgeport inn and got my room. But my left ear still wouldn’t pop. I’m fact it didn’t pop all night.

I went to the store, got food and went straight back to the motel. I was exhausted, filled up with cold meds and thankful to be there. I went to bed with an ear that still hadn’t popped. Hopefully it will be back to normal in the morning.

Stats

Start: Mosquitoville Tentsite – Mile 970.6
End: Dorothy Lake – Mile 996.4
Elevation Max: 9,428
Elevation Min: 7,564
Elevation Change: 5,843 up & 5,068 down
Average Heart Rate: 114
Walking Time: 9 hrs 37 minutes
Date: 6/12/2022

The Walk

I relaxed this morning. Expecting Detour and Mounty to pass me. I’d catch them later in the day. I needed to catch someone because my power bank freaked out last night. It showed 0% charge and won’t charge any devices, eventhough I haven’t used it since leaving Yosimite!

I left with at least 65% charge. The power bank did this a month ago in Idyllwild. As soon as I plugged it into an outlet it started working again. I’m hoping that plugging it into someone’s power bank will fix it. Maybe? Hopefully, because my phone is at 9% battery.

This would be a bigger deal before I had maps. My phone isn’t essential since I don’t use it for navigation. But it’s nice for taking pictures, writing down notes, and listening to music or books. Also it’s nice to know I can find my way if I ever do get lost!

I headed out around 8. The mosquitos picked up right where they left off last night. Swarming while I packed up my gear. There must have been 10 on me. A bug spray shower helped a bit. I was thankful for my long pants. I haven’t had any bite through them yet.

I packed up and hit the trail. It was an overcast day. My stretch goal is Dorothy Lake. But I have no idea how it will play out. I also have a sore throat. Detour was coughing the last few days we camped together, so I probably picked up what she had. Or it could have been from the crowded buses at Yosemite.

I sorted all my snacks and put them where I could reach. I don’t plan to stop today. At least I won’t get my bear can out for food. I’ll snack as I go and see how I feel. It would be a granola bar kind of day.

The morning was cool and overcast. And the mosquitoes were buzzing. I found a pair of sunglasses on trail and set them on my hat. Hopefully I’ll find someone ahead who can use them. My phone only had 4% battery left. But I snagged a few pictures.

The morning hike was pretty relaxing. I went passed Benson lake and crossed a few fords. I was able to keep my feet dry after searching for a way across. I even used a bever dam for one crossing.

I saw fields of flowers almost ready to bloom! I bet I’m a few days they will be popping. It made me sad to walk through a bit early, but I bet I will see blooms further up trail.

I made good time in the morning and noticed I wasn’t very hungry. Not a good sign. My sore throat wasn’t going away and nothing sounded good. I ate a bar whenever I started to feel weak, but other than that I focused on walking. Dorothy lake was a long ways away. It would take 26 miles, and I wasn’t close yet.

I walked up to Nugget taking a lunch break after a water crossing. She let me plug my power bank in for a second and it worked! I went from 0% to 75%, which is good enough for 3+ full phone charges. I was relieved.

As I was leaving she asked if I found the sunglasses on my hat. Her husband lost them this morning and I was happy to return them! I would have put them in a hiker box for someone to take, but it’s always nice to get things to the proper owner.

I saw a deer looking straight at me 20 feet off trail. That was the last cool thing to happen today. And then it went downhill.

By the early afternoon I knew I was getting sick. My energy was way lower than normal. Then at 2 it started to rain. I walked in it for 30 minutes expecting it to be a passing mist like usual. But this wasn’t going away. The sky stayed dark and new clouds rolled in.

So I stopped under a tree and set up my garbage sack pack liner. If I was feeling normal I might find a good spot to set up my tent and take a break. Or even stop for the day. But I needed to get to town ASAP. I didn’t want to be stuck out in the mountains while sick.

I wrapped my sleeping bag and extra clothes in a garbage sack, stuffed them in the bottom of my pack and put on my rain jacket. Then I headed out into the rain. Determined to get as far as possible. My pack is water resistant and the garbage sack liner should keep things reasonably dry. But this is the first real test.

I came to a shallow river crossing with a thin log to walk across. I slipped my first step and my shoes splashed in. Welp, I was 60% wet anyways. I might as well accept for the last 11 miles.

A mile later I got to Wilma lake. I expected the crew I was hiking with to stop here. I went to take a break under a tree, but was instantly swarmed by mosquitos! I was fully covered up, but at least 10 landed in my legs. I did not want to be here. How are they still out in the rain?

At this point I had 10 miles and 1,500 feet to climb to Dorothy Lake. I was already exhausted and wet. But the idea of a bed and rest tomorrow won. I pressed on, accepting the sucky day.

The last 10 miles was messy. The trail was covered in water. I was exhausted. I stopped caring about dry feet and walked through every water crossing. Areas I’d usually hop around on rocks I plowed right through the muddy trail.

At 6:00 I saw a group of hikers who had a fire going right alongside the trail. I didn’t recognize any of them, but they said hi as I walked by. I was 4 miles away from the lake. If I stopped there no way I’d get to Bridgeport tomorrow.

I have no idea how they got a fire going in this weather. Props to them! But I also didn’t want to get them sick, and I had no energy to talk to people. I wanted to lay down and try to sleep. So I kept going.

At 7:30 I looked down at my watch. I’d been walking since 8:00 am without a break. I was a zombie. The elevation change for the day blew my mind. Over 10,000! That’s might be the most elevation I’ve ever done in a day.

A few minutes later I passed a sign that said 0.6 miles to Dorothy lake! Thank god. I could actually get there before dark! I had 40 minutes left until sunset.

The last stretch of trail around the lake was a marsh. I walked right through the standing water. I didn’t care anymore. A few minutes later I found a flat spot to pitch my tent. I was so thankful and relieved to be here. The wind was picking up and I quickly set up.

I dug the garbage sack from the bottom of my bag and found a dry sleeping bag and dry clothes. I might have lost it if I had to sleep wet tonight. It was going to be 30 degrees.

I made dinner from inside my tent and called it a night. Or tried to. I laid in my tent stuffed up and not able to sleep most of the night. At least I have a chance to make it to town tomorrow. A 20 mile day over Sonora Pass will get me close enough to hitch into Bridgeport. It’s a tiny town with a hotel and a general store… all I really need.

Stats

Start: Glen Aulin Campground – Mile 948.3
End: Mosquitoville Tentsite – Mile 970.6
Elevation Max: 9,956
Elevation Min: 7,801
Elevation Change: 5,268 up & 3,747 down
Average Heart Rate: 131
Walking Time: 7 hrs 54 minutes
Date: 6/11/2022

The Walk

Today is the first full day back in trail after 4 days in Yosemite. I slept in and woke up ready to go! Highlife was already walking and Quest was packing up. What happened?? I always used to be the first one out! Ha.

I plan to have a pretty big day. The morning walk went by quickly.

We stopped by a lake in the afternoon for lunch. Detour and Mounty were already there laying down. They had jumped in. It was a chilly so I just soaked my feet and laid back down s I didn’t want to get in.

After a nice break we headed back to climb the pass. At the top I saw Detour and Mounty again. They had just finished and we all took a break up there. But the mosquitos were biting. There must have been 10 around me at all times.

After 15 minutes I got sick of it and started walking. I planned to stop by the next lake and camp but the air was thick with mosquitos. I jogged through while swatting my hand. I might need the bug net soon. Holy cow.

I wanted to stop, but didn’t want to deal with the mosquitos yet. So I kept going. The next 3 miles was pretty steep up and down. And there were no camp spots.

At almost dark I rounded a corner and saw tents set up! There were 5-6 tents. I got excited and found a flat spot close by. Perfect. I was exhausted and ready to stop. But the mosquitos were still buzzin.

As I set up my tent I was swatting at the 20 flying around trying to bite me. Some were successful. As soon as I got my tent up I threw in my stuff and jumped inside. I even cooked dinner from inside my tent. Sticking my arm out to boil water.

At least I found a spot. I killed the three mosquitos that snuck in and called it a night. It was a good day of hiking and I’ll keep moving toward Kennedy Meadows tomorrow.