Daily Miles: 34.0, Total Miles: 1411.8 I left the motel a bit after 5am and hiked a few miles to the Hat Creek visitors center. Just a short detour from the trail, I filled up on water for the long, hot haul. I headed to the Hat Creek Rim and got my first good views of Mt Shasta, my next landmark for a few weeks. Also good views of the Hat Creek valley back towards Lassen Peak. Very little shade…
Daily Miles: 21.1, Total Miles: 1377.8 I didn’t want to start the day with wet feet so looked hard for logs or rocks to cross Kings Creek. I found widely spaced rocks in deep pools upstream. Made it across with quite a leap and balancing act. Shortly thereafter I thought something was falling from the trees above. I then realized it was sprinkling – didn’t last long but the clouds snuck up on me. I passed by several lakes and…
Daily Miles: 21.5, Total Miles: 1356.7 I had to wait for the PO to open to send on my bounce bucket. Didn’t have to wait long for my hitch and was back on the trail by 9:30am. But first an ice-cold root beer provided by trail angel Piper’s Mom. A gentle climb north and then dropped down to cross the North Feather River where I had lunch and got water. Just thinking that Lassen Peak was getting close and saw…
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 1335.2 I’m at the midpoint on the PCT for mileage but over halfway on time. I expect to finish in about another 70 days. My daily mileage should pick up for the rest of California and Oregon with generally flatter terrain. Taking stock physically: Taking stock mentally:
Daily Miles: 7.7, Total Miles: 1335.2 A short hike down to Highway 36 and eight-mile hitch into Chester. The second vehicle picked me up – thanks to Ninja who hiked the PCT last year. I got an early check-in at the Best Western and started chores. The big priority was washing my sleeping bag which was much needed. But first, I had to find tennis balls to throw into the dryer to break up the down matting. I later donated…
Daily Miles: 27.0, Total Miles: 1327.5 I heard a lot of hoof traffic by my tent last night. Maybe some paw traffic as well. I stayed up relatively high today between 6,000-7,000 ft elevation so could see Lassen Peak get closer and closer. Also hiked through several volcanic rock outcrops. I passed by the PCT midpoint monument late in the day. Didn’t see any thru-hikers today – pretty rare event but maybe more common ahead?
Daily Miles: 27.4, Total Miles: 1300.5 I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise and headed up the trail. Only a short climb to near the summit of Spanish Peak and then followed a ridge west. Next was the long, long descent to Belden and the Feather River at 2,251 ft elevation. On the way, I saw a pair of sandhill cranes strutting around in a meadow. I stopped at Belden Town which has a small store, saloon, restaurant. RV sites and cabins…
Daily Miles: 26.7, Total Miles: 1273.1 I did it again. Last night I went through the routine of quickly jumping into the tent, zipping up, and killing all the skeeters that came in with me. Got settled into my sleeping bag and then remembered I had left my SPOT device outside on a rock. Had to get out, retrieve it and go through the whole re-entry process again. I lost a lot of blood. First up was a steady descent…
Daily Miles: 30,1, Total Miles: 1246.4 I passed high above a few more lakes in the morning and dropped down to A Tree Spring to get water. I then entered a deep forest of predominantly Douglas fir and climbed to another ridge. Lassen Peak is definitely on the horizon. Today’s hike had the most logs fallen cross the trail of any day so far – some required detours. I got water at Fowler Creek and camped about a mile later…
Daily Miles: 18.8, Total Miles: 1216.3 I just found out the crash that cancelled Mrs. Haze’s flight to San Francisco was serious but could have been much worse. I did sleep in a bit this morning but had strange hiker dreams so not very restful. Maybe the food I am eating? Picked up my re-supply box at 10am and got back on the trail by 11am. A nearly 3,000 ft vertical climb around Sierra Buttes on a warm day –…
