Day 122 - 8/25/12 - The Sisters Deliver

Contents:  Horseshoe Lake - Obsidian Falls

Today was fantastic.  After weeks of treed monotony, we were finally rewarded with gorgeous views of Mt. Bachelor and the Sisters.  It was the perfect day.  We knocked out close to 16 miles before stopping for lunch at a lake.  I walked with Amigo all morning and he gave me a very concise synopsis of all the different religious groups in Israel along with an explanation of Israel's political system.  The views started after lunch as we traversed below the Sisters.  It was one of my happiest afternoons on the trail.  Lots of meadows and some of the most delicious smelling flowers I've ever encountered.  It kind of reminded me of Spray Park near Mt. Rainier.  We walked well into the evening and the light was phenomenal.  We were on the west side of the peaks, so we had lots of soft light followed by a lovely sunset.  I took tons of pictures.  

We're currently camped by Obsidian Falls which shoot straight out of a lava tube.  I'm excited to check out the falls in the morning.  We're actually stopped in one of the few areas along the trail where we should have a special permit for camping.  None of us have one, but we haven't seen any rangers and feel like they would probably cut us some slack.

We're about 12 miles out of McKenzie Pass.  I can't wait to see Stephanie and Dave tomorrow.  My SPOT was acting up tonight so I'm not sure my transmission went through, but we should hit the highway by early afternoon.  I'm counting the minutes!

Day 121 - 8/24/12 - Land O' Lakes

Contents:  Bobby Lake - Horseshoe Lake (25.9 miles)

Today was another day of walking, but it was good.  I think most of us felt like the miles came easily.  We had another cold night, less dewy but the low was probably close to freezing.  I'm starting to think about whether I want my parents to send me warmer clothing.  I've been considering my RAB Vent jacket, long underwear, and warmer gloves.  These items would certainly make the camping more pleasant but they're heavy so I'll probably hold off as long as possible.  We definitely do way more hiking than camping out here.

Anyways, the hiking was pretty chill.  We were in the woods the whole day which tends to get old.  However, we passed a ton of lakes, and they spiced things up a bit.  We took a nice long lunch break and Mud Flap and I went swimming.

Mellow and Smiles caught us in camp, so I feel like we're a complete group again.  It feels warmer this evening, and we have another fire going.  My SPOT batteries died for the first time.  I didn't have any spares but borrowed batteries from my headlamp to send out my location.  More Beatles this evening, too and an extra cuddle puddle.  Life is good!

Have a great one!

Day 120 - 8/23/12 - Resort Hopping

Contents:  Trapper Creek - Bobby Lake (approx. 12.1 miles + 2 miles to get back to trail from Shelter Cove Resort)

We woke up early to a chilly morning and quickly cruised the mile and a half to Shelter Cove Resort.  It felt like fall had arrived and our sleeping bags were really wet from dew.  The resort was great and any thoughts of continuing on to Highway 58 where we could hitch to the town of Crescent were quickly eliminated.

We probably stayed at Shelter Cove until after 3.  The store was quite small but I was able to buy enough grub to get to Bend and also mooched a lot of food off friends who had mailed packages.  I also did laundry, washed dishes, and took a pricey 6 minute shower.  Gotta take what you can get out here! I spent the rest of my time relaxing in the sun, drinking hot cocoa from the coffee bar at the store, and snacking.

I hiked out with Amigo, Mud Flap, Shameless, and Lava Goat.  We had a two mile road walk to get back to the trail.  We were actually expecting another fire detour but discovered that the trail had reopened when we arrived at the trail head.  Shortly after leaving the trail head, we saw a black bear.  It was a ways off the trail, but I think it was quite close when Shameless walked up.  I think there were even two bears, but I only saw one.  We're currently camped at a lovely lake located about a quarter mile off the trail.  Amigo built us a fire for the first time in quite awhile and it was great for cooking my dinner of cheesy broccoli soup (another Bear Creek mix).

Mellow and Smiles are a little behind but will hopefully catch up tomorrow.  They left the resort a little after us and were maybe going to meet up with some of Smiles' family friends along the fire detour route that we didn't have to take.

My next stop is Bend, and I'm really looking forward to it.  We should arrive at McKenzie Pass (Highway 242) on Sunday and my good friends Stephanie and Dave who just move from Seattle to Bend in June are going to pick us up.  I can't wait to see those guys (not to mention Lander, the most loveable goldie in the world) and REALLY appreciate their eagerness to take us in.  I don't think I'm going to have any problems with motivation along this stretch!

Off to bed.  Hoping for a warmer night!

Day 119 - 8/22/12 - Busted

Contents:  Six Horse Spring - Trapper Creek (approx. 24.5 miles)

Today was a good day but I am really tired.  The burned section of trail was an experience, and our group is in unanimous agreement that we should not have disregarded the closure.  We ran into a group of firefighters at the beginning of the burn zone and had to be escorted through the area.  While we definitely weren't in any immediate danger, there were still lots of small fires very close to the trail, and once we were out of the area, (but still on a closed section of the trail), we ran into several crews probably totaling close to 100 firefighters, headed up to work.

We all felt badly for getting in the way and causing problems.  The firefighters could not have been nicer to us.  They were interested in our trips, and not a single one gave us a hard time about disregarding the closure.  When we got down to the staging area, we spent some time chatting with a couple of the lead firefighters who wanted to know (in a very non-accusing manner) what had led us to make the decisions we had.  When we explained that we had talked to SOBO hikers who had been through the closed area without problems (probably at night, we now realize), he acknowledged that 99 out of 100 of his crew members probably would have made the same choice.  That said, he wanted to get our perspective on what the Forest Service could do to encourage the compliance of thru-hikers. 

In the end, the firefighters gave us tons of snacks and Gatorades.  There was definitely some magic involved.  I was one of the group members who advocated ducking the ropes, but I wouldn't do it again.  I had taken every single "suggested" detour or alternate routes along the PCT.  For the first time, I was with a group that was a little more willing to bend the rules, and I jumped on it.  At the end of the day though, we all agreed that there is a difference between a suggested detour and a trail closure and that we would heed closures going forward.  We appreciated the respect the Forest Service gave us, and they undoubtedly earned our respect in return.

The rest of the day was smooth sailing.  After we left the fire staging area, we jumped on the Oregon Skyline Trail. The travel was sandy but fast.  We did lunch at Crescent Lake where there was a car campground and lots of people with boats.  It was awesome.  We're currently camped along a creek about two miles out of Shelter Cove Resort.  We'll hit Shelter Cove first thing in the morning, hang out for a few hours, and then join back up with the PCT to start heading toward Bend.

Hasta manana!

Day 118 - 8/21/12 - Breakin' the Law

Contents:  Highway 138 - Six Horse Spring (24.5 miles)

Great day today.  I'm currently in camp listening to Abbey Road on Mud Flap's iPhone.  It's so nice.  When we listen to music on a phone out here, we usually put it inside a pot which makes it much louder.  Just a little trick!

The hiking was nice today.  We had some great views of Mt. Thielsen which is a really rugged, beautiful peak.  We ate an early lunch at our first water for the day at the base of Thielsen, about 8 miles from camp.  It really felt like we were in the Cascades.

A 17 miles stretch of the PCT is closed due to an active fire, but we heard reports that hikers were making it through without issues.  The detour was super long and dry, so we made a group decision to duck the rope and charge forth.  We're stopped for the night in the middle of the closed section but haven't seen any evidence of the fire (or rangers!) yet.  Hoping to stay under the radar tomorrow and make it out without any problems.  

Camp is cozy.  We could see the sunset through the trees.  We had a long, steep hike down to water, but there weren't any other options in the area.  More hiking tomorrow.....I think we're going to push all the way to Shelter Cove Resort, our next resupply.

P.S.  We hit a whopping 7,650 feet today, the highest point along the Oregon/Washington PCT.

Day 117 - 8/20/12 - Epic Crater Lake Sunrise

Contents:  Crater Lake Lodge - Highway 138 (17.6 miles)

Today was great.  I woke up early and walked back toward the Crater Lake Lodge where I watched an insane sunrise over the Lake with Amigo and Sleeping Bag who had camped a few miles back.  It was magical.  On a sadder note, Sleeping Bag announced that his trip was over and he is heading back to Israel.  It is the right decision for him, but he will be missed greatly on the trail.  Amigo is continuing on without him, but it's hard to picture one without the other.  They are undoubtedly the best partnership (Team Whitney, aka The Wondering Clowns) I have encountered along the trail.

Action Pack, Smiles, Amigo, Sleeping Bag, Shameless, Mud Flap, and I made a spontaneous decision to get breakfast at the lodge.  It was delicious (banana walnut pancakes for me!), and while we were there, Sidhartha showed up and joined us.  After breakfast, we hit the trail.  We were actually following the Crater Rim Trail rather than the PCT for much of the day, as it's a much more scenic route.  Definitely longer though, so I'm not actually sure how many miles we hiked today.  We rejoined the PCT at a water cache near a highway about 9 miles into our day.  We started a 25+ mile dry stretch this morning.

When we got to the highway near the water cache, we found a group of 4 road bikers who were cycling around the country.  Believe it or not, they had actually pulled off the road in order to look for a stream to get water.  We informed them that there was no natural water in the area but that we could lead them to a stash in the woods.  I think they were a bit skeptical, but they followed us a few hundred feet back where there was a huge collection of water jugs under a tree.  They were so grateful, and shared some special treats in return.  It was fun to hang out, and we swapped some stories.  It was definitely a case of thru-hikers meet thru-bikers!

The terrain this afternoon was much easier than the terrain we encountered this morning (though not as scenic) and we made good time.  I'm currently camped at a highway crossing where there is another cache.  I'm with the whole breakfast crew with the exception of Sidhartha who pushed on a bit farther.  We attempted to hitch to another resort or town (we were working both directions of the highway) but bowed out when we realized how far we'd actually have to go.  We wound up cooking and setting up camp next to the highway.  We're all tired, and Smiles hasn't felt good all day.

More hiking tomorrow!  I think we're about 8 miles from water and hoping to catch Mellow who accidentally passed us up while we were eating breakfast at the lodge.  Have a great night!

P.S....We got our first views of Mt. Bachelor and the Sisters today.....so exciting!  We're already over a third of the way across Oregon.

Day 116 - Crater Lake - 8/19/12

Contents:  Mazama Campground - Crater Lake Lodge (14.5 miles)

Great day today.  Sleeping Bare made a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.  After breakfast, most of us wandered over to the store/restaurant area to knock out chores.  Everything we needed was really close together which was nice.  I took care of laundry and grocery shopping and had a shower.  The store was out of HEET and I didn't have much left, but Nugio had some extra which he was kind enough to share.  Glad I can keep cooking on this stretch.

We had an awesome girls lunch at Annie's Creek Restaurant (the same place we'd eaten last night).  It was pretty great to have six girls at one table.  Action Pack, Smiles, Bacon Bits, Gumbi, Lava Goat, and me.  And I'm pretty positive we made it through lunch without a single sexual reference!  Loved it!

After lunch, I hung out in front of the store before taking a break to head into the woods to nap with Smiles, Shameless, Amigo, Sleeping Bag, and Mud Flap.  Super relaxing.  We eventually made our way back to the store where the hiker crowd had continued to grow.  The boys had been cut off from buying alcohol and were sending us girls in to replenish the supply.  I'm sure the park vendors depend on thru-hikers, but I 'm pretty confident we aren't their favorite clientele.  We definitely have a tendency to take over!

I wound up hiking out late in the morning with a big group and am currently stealth camped on the crater rim with Action Pack, Shameless, and Mud Flap.  I think the sunrise over the lake is going to be fantastic.  The PCT is a great way to see the national parks....I feel like we get a really unique experience that we wouldn't get as regular tourists or even backpackers.

Day 115 - 8/18/12 - Crystal L - The Downward Spiral Begins!

Contents:  Snow Lakes - Mazama Campground, Crater Lake National Park (26.1 miles)

Well, we finally got woken up to a huge thunderstorm last night and I had to frantically pitch my tent in the middle of the night.  Love it! Everybody but Mud Flap was cowboy camped, so we were all in the same boat.  I did a half assed job getting my tent up and was quite worried that it was going to collapse during the night, but fortunately it stayed put.  I knew this night was coming and am almost glad to have it behind me.  Hard to believe I made it over 1800 PCT miles without using my tent except at the Kickoff.  Gotta love California weather!

I had an excellent day of hiking today.  I walked a few miles with Mellow this morning and most of the day with Action Pack who we caught at the first water after camp.  I had thought-provoking conversations with both.

We'd originally been planning to camp just shy of Crater Lake but changed plans and decided to go all the way after realizing there was no water for the last 17 miles into town.  After committing to get to town this evening, we started pounding out the miles, motivated by a pizza buffet mentioned in our guidebook.  Despite not leaving camp until close to 10, we knocked out the 26+ miles plus a road walk by shortly after 6.

A couple new strategies.....I ditched my watch today.  I still have it, but it's no longer on my wrist so I can't check it very 5 minutes.  Also, I caved and am now on the notorious Crystal L, the crack of the PCT.  Mellow's been trying to get me hooked for a while now (he tries to get all his women hooked on drugs!) and I couldn't take the pressure any longer.  Smiles is already on board and he is still working on Action Pack.  The drug is actually Crystal Light plus caffeine and it works wonders out here.  I think I'll be using it for the duration (and probably increasing my dosage) and will deal with the withdrawal when I get off the trail.

Dinner was a little disappointing food-wise, but we had a blast and undoubtably created a scene in the restaurant.  The AYCE pizza buffet didn't exist, but there was an AYCE salad bar which I enjoyed.  I was glad I went with the salad, as the pizzas that other people ordered tasted exactly like the dorm pizza at MSU.  You know it's bad when thru-hikers are complaining!

I'm currently camped at Mazama Campground with the people I hiked in with and many others.  Nugio's Dad, Sleeping Bare, paid for the site, Oregon and Sunset are here, and I don't think I'd seen them since Kennedy Meadows.....really great to catch up.

Town Chores tomorrow....I'm not sure what the plan for hiking out is, but I know there's a trail closure due to a fire.  I think there's a road and trail detour in place.  Argh!

Happy Anniversary to my parents!  Off to bed.

Day 114 - 8/17/12 -Nobody Actually Wants to Hike!

Contents:  Highway 140 - Snow Lakes (23.5 miles)

Today was a good day.  Mud Flap's friends, Stacy and Ben, gave us a lift back to the trail around 9:15.  As soon as we arrived at the trail, we ran into Weather Carrot and Bobcat who I hadn't met before.  It was great to meet some new folks, and they informed us that Bacon Bits and Gumbi who I'd met in Tuolumene were just ahead with Action Pack.

We had more super flat terrain today and made really good time.  Shortly after leaving the trail head, we ran into two trail angels on horses who were handing out goodies.  They were much appreciated.  We did lunch at Christi Spring which was in a brushy, manzanita-like forest.  Very cool.  We finally got a few good vistsa from a ridge late in the day. 

I'm currently camped at a small lake located about .2 miles off the trail with Smiles, Mellow, Shameless, Mud Flap, and a SOBO Section hiker.  It's overcast and there's a chance of thunderstorms, but only Mud Flap and the Section hiker bothered to set up tents.  The rest of us are crossing our fingers.  It sure is muggy though!

I'm still having fun, but I'm starting to get a little burnt out on walking.  After 1800 miles, I'm running out of things to think about.  I've tried to come up with solutions for many of the world's problems, analyzed every major life decision I've ever made, contemplated the merits and downfalls of every guy I've ever dated and given substantial thought to my future.  Kids, partners, jobs, school......you name it and I've thought about it.  I also get tired of listening to music and sometimes wish for an audio book.  The good news is that we never seem to run out of things to talk about and I learn new things about my friends every day.  Also, I think we get crazier and crazier and laugh more and more with the passage of time.  We find humor in everything out here.  Nevertheless, the miles are sometimes monotonous.

Off to bed!  We're pushing toward Crater Lake now and should arrive tomorrow or early Sunday.

Day 113 - 8/16/12 -Lake of the Woods Shenannigans

Contents:  Big Springs - Highway 140 (17.6 miles)

Remember that thing called the PCT?  I think I was hiking on it earlier today and then something went terribly awry!  One thing led to another and suddenly Mellow, Smiles, Shameless, and I were standing on the side of Highway 140 with our thumbs out.  We were about 18 miles into our day and trying to get to a very spontaneous hitch to a small community called Butte Falls.  We didn't know much about this place, but Mellow thought we could reach it via 140 and he was confident we could find a lounge there.  He'd been to Butte Falls last summer while leading a trail crew in the area.

We'd just about given up on the hitch and had said we'd wait for one more car when a guy flipped a u-ee and pulled up across from us.  This very nice gentleman informed us that we were no where near Butte Falls but that there was a resort called Lake of the Woods nearby and he was happy to give us a lift.  We couldn't believe our luck!  Our friend, Mud Flap, had been planning to head into Lake of the Woods via an alternate trail earlier today.  We had declined his invitation to join but could now meet up with him.

Needless to say, the hitch was fantastic.  Our chauffeur was a doctor named Joel who had removed three uteruses today and was on his way to volunteer at a triathlon in the area.  On top of all this, he refused to let us out of his car without making us take $40 to spend on dinner.  What a guy!  It was truly magical.  We even have his phone number in case we need to ride back to the trail in the morning. 

We ran into Mud Flap as soon as we arrived at the resort.  Dinner was great, and we all got ice cream at the general store for dessert.  In addition, we somehow got invited to spend the night on a employee housing area across the lake.  This was too interesting of an opportunity to pass up and any plans of returning to the trail this evening quickly vanished.  Anyways, we killed some time on the beach in front of the restaurant before deciding it was time to make our way to the party.  And now for the best part--Shameless (being Shameless) walked right up to a couple climbing into their boat and asked if they would give us a ride across the lake.  Their response?  Hell yeah!  So before I knew it, I was zipping across the water as the sun was setting in a speed boat.  SO awesome!

The day didn't go quite as planned, but it has been a blast.  I definitely didn't expect to find myself camped in employee housing at Lake of the Woods Resort this evening, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow out here. Without a doubt, the best adventures are the ones you don't see coming!  Cheesy, but so true.  Off to bed now and back to the trail tomorrow.  Crater Lake on Saturday.