The Dog Catcher

Day 23

PCT Mile Marker 1286.47 – 1297.08

Miles Hiked 10.61

An enormous, exposed climb out of Belden.  Famously Tough.  And Hot. I pulled out my umbrella, opened it up, and attached it to my pack. Luckily, all the seasonal streams were flowing well, so I didn’t need to carry much water.

Second breakfast was necessary by 9:30, so third breakfast was clearly required by 10:40. So hungry All Day.

I stopped at an old cabin site for snack time and water. I left my pack in a clearing with its contents strewed about and went into the woods to do my business. When I came out, I saw a man and his German Shepard disappearing down the trail.

4,200 foot climb in eleven miles. That’s okay. I got this. Another hiker came by. “Happy Solstice,” he said. “All good things happen on the Solstice. By the way, I’ve seen two bears today. Make sure your bear bell is jangling.”

I came up to a creek crossing. My First Real Creek Crossing!! I stood at the top of the bank and saw the guy and his dog disappearing into the woods on the other side.  

Bears? Active? I need to be around a dog. Everyone is safe from bears if a dog is around! I need that dog! Wait for me!

Maybe I would just find a good line, a good way across, and wade through the water in my shoes and socks? Maybe they’d dry out pretty quickly?

Maybe then I could catch the dog?

Sounded reasonable, so I went for it. I talked myself through the process. Shuffle feet, don’t pick them up or the stream may sweep your foot from under you. Put poles wide and far away from you in the water to create a more stable stance. Shuffle other foot. Great job! You did it!

Safe on the other bank, I gave myself a little hoo-rah and an imaginary high-five.

I picked up my speed to catch the dog.

Schlop-schlop-schlop-schlop went my wet feet.

I got to the next creek crossing and met two hikers there who warned of snow ahead. “We’ve seen a lot of fresh signs of bears today.  At least two, we think.  Dogman said there’s a log crossing upstream if you’d rather do that instead of going through it. Dogman said the one you just went through wasn’t that bad. What did you think?”

Raging waterfalls, and butterflies on my hands led me straight into Lassen National Forest.

Hot. I took off my hat and held it in my hand with my trekking pole. At some point, I looked down and noticed it was missing. ACK! I set down my pack and walked back down the trail a little way. Then a bit more, and just a little after that. What about the bears? I just left my entire pack with all my food sitting in the stupid trail when I know there are bears here! But my hat! What do I do?  

I set off at a dead sprint down the trail, scanning terrain for my hat. Run-run-run-run-run and There It Was! 

I scooped it up and bolted a hundred million miles an hour back to my pack, my heart beating hard in my throat.

My pack sat there, unperturbed.  

What. It said. I’m just sitting here. Everything’s fine.

I put it back on all non-chalant. What. I said to it. I just wanted to go for a run.

After a while, I caught a really strong whiff of an outhouse. That’s What A Bear Smells Like.

I clapped my trekking poles together. “Heeeeyyyy Bear!!” I hollered. “HEEEYYYY BEAR!”

Clack-clack-clack.  I clacked my poles together.

The smell went away. After a while, there it was again.

“HEEEYYYY BEAR-HEY-BEAR-HEY-BEAR!!”  

Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack

And then after a while, I found Dogman and his dog taking a break in a meadow full of short bright green grass cut here and there by tendrils of sparkling water. Proud, tall pines guarding its edges. The three of us decided to camp at the next spring.

“I’m Sean,” he said, “and this is Kale.”

Kale held my gaze with her soft, hazelnut eyes, and I knew I was safe for the night.