10 Jun Day 49 – Into the Lava

At mile 1310.9. Hiked 24.1 miles today.

The day went well because breakfast was heavy. I microwaved Santa Fe Rice Beans and Steak from resupply for breakfast. I also cooked pancakes with grape syrup. I had half a pot of coffee. Next thing  I know, Brenda, owner of Hiker Haven is bringing me cantaloupe, strawberries, and muffins. For once I wasn’t hungry a couple of hours after hitting the trail. I started out at 6:15 am because Brenda runs the shuttle at 6 am. 

A good part of the day was spent crossing creeks and climbing out of Belden via the Chips Creek drainage. Near the end of the climb, a very large bear came charging down the hill right in front of me. I wouldn’t want to meet whatever scared that bear enough to make him run like that. Maybe it was a larger bear, or perhaps Sasquatch or it could have been Oscar with his rubber and gun.

At the end of the day reached a brand new landscape, lava formations. 

People: 

Hiked with 2nd Breakfast some and Oscar, Shawn, and ? were also going NOBO and saw them a few times. I was surprised to see Ninja Fabric bear Cold Sprimg. I had thought she had quit the trail. She was headed south to the Sierras.

Here is the PCT crossing the bridge at North Fork Feather River. Gold Rush country.

Here is a stamping mill on the PCT at Belden.

Here is Sweet Shrub. I crushed some and rubbed under my arms, but it didn’t help my body odor much.

A lot of creek crossings on the way up from Belden.

Here I am. Beard getting longer, man getting skinnier.

Here you can see the weather. A few raindrops, snow pellets, and sleet fell on me, but I lucked out, nothing bad.

Here are green meadows over the top.

1300 miles! Not yet for me though. I will go back and pick up the Sierras in August. I’ve hiked around 850 miles so far.

Scenery 

Lava country. 

My campsite.