PCT Day 96 – A day at the Park
Stats
Start: Butt Mountain Trail – Mile 1,321.6
End: Chester – Mile 1,331.3
Elevation Max: 7,605
Elevation Min: 4,902
Elevation Change: 636 up & 3,081 down
Walking Time: 3 hrs 3 minutes
Date: 7/7/2022
The Walk
I woke up with breakfast on my mind. We only had 10 miles until Chester. Short days into town always give a burst of energy.
I started walking at 6:30. The entire walk was through burnt forest. I listened to an audio book and it flew by. My least favorite part of the burn areas is the ominous silence. It’s a stark contrast to the forests full of life and animals.
We got to the trailhead by 9:30 and got a hitch within 15 minutes. In Chester we went straight to a cafe. The town was pretty small and we wandered to the local park. We relaxed in the park all day and stopped by a farmers market in the afternoon.
A lady gave us free ice cream and some baked goods. I’ll count that as trail magic! Continuing the theme of eating, we stopped by a pizza place to load up on calories. Then headed back to the park to camp for the night. I sure would have felt weird camping in a public park before this trip. I’ve learned to go with the flow and trust the trail.
Tomorrow will be a short day to the border of Lassen park. Lassen is a 19 mile stretch that requires a bear can. Since we can’t camp in there (no bear can) my options are 15 miles or 34 miles. And I don’t feel like hiking 34 miles!
