Day 11 PCT Mile Marker 1229.09 – 1243.10 Miles Hiked 14.01 I felt good. I’d made it through the worst, and I’d grown as a person. I felt so…alive. Sick of carrying extra weight, I put a good splash of whiskey in my coffee. I went into the woods to do my business and when I came back, Double Cross was gone. I cleared ridges and climbed around the small snow patches on the trail. Read more…
Day 10 PCT Mile Marker 1217.19 – 1229.09 Miles Hiked 11.9 When I woke up, one of the hikers “Double Cross” was already packed up and gone. Mitch hung around so we could hike the next part together, and we left the third hiker to her coffee and breakfast. I was so scared of more snow, I didn’t even make coffee. We just got going. We climbed up a steep and dry incline for several Read more…
Day 9 PCT Mile 1208.85 – 1217.19 Miles Hiked 8.5 I slept really well, and the forest was very still when I awoke. I eased myself down the trail through the snow and delighted in a chorus of frogs singing in a large pond while I gathered clear, cold water. There was more snow that I thought. More snow and more snow and more snow. I came to a hill which required me to kick Read more…
Day 8 Trail Marker 1204.2 – 1208.85 Miles Hiked 4.65 The Pacific Crest Trail Association’s website said the first seven miles out of Sierra City were an extreme trail hazard. It said the trail has suffered landslide type activity and is effectively blown out in places. It also says the brush has overgrown the trail so that in places, you cannot see whether you are stepping on the ground, or on air. Miscalculation can lead Read more…
Day 7 Trail Miles 0 We drank too much last night and I had a bit of a hangover. Then it was time for laundry, looking at maps, and re-configuring gear. We went to my Mom’s and recovered all our fur babies, loaded up the truck with goat manure for our garden, brought a pineapple milkshake to Grandma, and headed back home. Chores, chores, chores, chores, blah blah blah blah. And then I drank too Read more…
Day 6 Trail Miles 8.41 I dreamed my cat was sitting on my chest doing this weird screaming purring thing right in my face. It was really early. I opened my eyes, and the sunlight was just caressing the tree tops above us. It was warm enough last night that we slept without the rain fly. I stared at the sky. Then the screaming purring thing happened again. I took out my earplugs and sat Read more…
Day 5 Trail Miles 9.8 The night was terrible. It was cold. Aidan’s entire right leg hurt so much. He woke me up because he didn’t know where I’d put the Advil. He couldn’t sleep. My left hip hurt so much, I wasn’t sleeping either. We downed a few a piece, and tried to sleep again. I dreamed I was in the movie Heidi. Hanging out with Shirley Temple. Hanging out with her surly Grandfather. Read more…
Day 4 Trail Miles 7.5 Actual Miles Hiked 13.5 Protein drinks are good for you! Right! But they’re not so awesome tasting. But they’re good for you. So I’ve been having them in the morning. But they’re not awesome. But anyway. Snowshoes. First thing. But we knew this, so we were mentally prepared. Snowshoes are amazing! I discovered that my Suntastics 5 solar charger does not work if placed in snow. Even in direct sunlight. Read more…
Day 3 Trail Miles 7.25 Actual Miles Hiked 12.58 It was a long, cold night. I woke up cold over and over, but it somehow felt too difficult to put on my down jacket or my fleece pants. Somehow, willing myself back to sleep seemed a better plan. I walked without snowshoes for about 500 feet right out of camp. We snaked through the trees and came out of the tree line into a wide Read more…
Day 2 Trail Miles 4.2 Actual Miles Hiked 6.5 I woke early and watched Aidan sleep for about an hour. So relaxed and wonderful. Then coffee, then toaster pastry and cheeses and dried fruit and nuts. Then more snow and snowshoeing and exhausting route finding. Maybe one or two people went this way a few days ago. Maybe the snow just melts in a way that looks like footprints. Who can tell, really? Lots of Read more…