travel
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Northern Washington: battling blowdowns and wildfire smoke
Stevens Pass (Leavenworth) to ~Steheikin. Miles 2,467 – 2,570. Days 121 – 125. After Stevens Pass, the Pacific Crest Trail begins a particularly remote ~100-mile stretch with no road crossings. In this section, the PCT goes through the Glacier Peak… Continue reading
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Just walking around volcanoes and day 100 on trail!
Mackenzie Pass (Sisters) to ~Timberline Lodge. Miles 1,985 – 2,099. Days 96 – 100. Between MacKenzie Pass and Timberline Lodge, the Pacific Crest Trail skirts around the edges of several large volcanoes. First, Three Finger Jack, then Mount Jefferson, and… Continue reading
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Rainy days heading into Crater Lake National Park!
Ashland to ~Crater lake. Miles 1,720 – 1,841. Days 86 – 89. Beyond Ashland, the Pacific Crest Trail makes its way through forests and along ridges all the way to Crater Lake National Park. Here, many thru-hikers opt to take… Continue reading
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Crossing Lassen Volcanic National Park and a heat wave on Hat Creek Rim
Chester to Burney. Mile 1,333 to 1,413. Days 67 to 71. The massive Dixie Fire burn area continues well past Chester and into Lassen Volcanic National Park. Over twenty miles of the Pacific Crest Trail are within the park boundary.… Continue reading
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Wildflower ridge walks and a 4th of July side quest
South Lake Tahoe to Sierra City. Miles 1,091 – 1,196. Days 57 – 61. To thru-hikers, South Lake Tahoe marks the end of the Sierras and the beginning of a whole new section of the PCT: Northern California or “NorCal”.… Continue reading
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1,000 miles completed and leaving Yosemite
~Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass. Miles 955 – 1,018. Days 48 – 50. The PCT continues through Yosemite National Park after it diverges from the Tuolumne River. Thru-hikers tackle rugged trails full of roots, rocks, mud, and steep climbs. They… Continue reading
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Sierras part 2: high passes, heavy packs, and hiker hunger
Independence to Mammoth. Miles 790 – 904. Days 38 – 44. After Kearsarge Pass hikers find themselves in the thick of the Sierras. Each day brings climbs over high passes and river crossings. This is some of the most beautiful… Continue reading
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Into the Sierras: snow travel on Mt. Whitney and Forester Pass
Kennedy Meadows to Independence. Miles 705 – 790. Days 33 – 37. After Kennedy Meadows, the PCT begins gradually climbing into the High Sierra. Hikers are rewarded for their endurance with mountain views and pine forests. The PCT passes near… Continue reading
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Hitchhiking 50 miles for a sandwich and the end of the desert!
Tehatchapi to ~Kennedy Meadows. Mile 566 – 705. Days 27 – 32. Past Tehachapi, the trail feels like the desert, with rolling hills covered in Joshua trees and long dry sections where hikers must carry lots of heavy water. As… Continue reading
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A 40-miler on the aqua duct and zeroing through a heat wave
Agua Dulce – Tehatchapi. Mile 465 – 566. Day 23 – 26. From Agua Dulce the trail returns to moderate elevations in rolling hills with shrubs and small groves of trees. This is a part of the trail where hikers… Continue reading
Adventures with Val 