At mile 750.8. Advanced 5.5 miles on PCT by completing alternate route began on Day 126. Total alternate route distance was 5.9 miles. Returned to PCT via the Cottonwood Pass Trail.  August 26th Today was a Near Zero day called by hikers a “NERO”. I spent most of the day in Lone Pine doing laundry, eating pizza buffet (8 slices plus large salad and 3 refills of root beer).  I also worked on reducing pack weight by getting rid of rope and underwear. I reduced fuel carried by leaving full can...

At mile 745.3. Hiked 14.4 PCT miles today plus 2.2 miles from Trail Pass to parking lot at Cottonwood Pass trailhead. Here is an opening to the broad desert thousands of feet below. It is also where I had cell service. The day started cold, but by mid-day I was sweating my way on a long climb in the blazing sun. Walking faster and not stopping was the only way to make  it end. Starting yesterday afternoon, I have been hiking around and above 10,000 feet elevation. It should...

At mile 730.9. Hiked 24.2 miles today.  Here is where I woke up this morning. That’s right, I camped on a footbridge over one of the Kern rivers. I had left KM at 6:30 pm the day before and hiked into the dark. Last mile was dark  and I used headlamp and played music out of my IPhone speakers to scare away those spooky animals that stalk around in the dark. Really, it just keeps my wild imagination of those beasts of the dark in check. Near the end of...

At mile 681.5. Hiked 22.1 miles today. Last night I laid under a sky full of stars and. gazed at Orion, Cygnus, the Milky Way, and even the small cluster Pleiades. In the early morning, I awoke for a few minutes and quickly counted 7 falling stars. The trail was good. Now I remember how much I like the desert. I just hate carrying so much water. Jack rabbits were huge and loved to hop high. A lot of climbing around a valley that went for miles when it looked like I...

At mile 706.7. Hiked 25.2 PCT miles plus 0.8 miles to store and back. The sky was so blue. Gone are the smoky days in Washington.  It was a great day to hike in the high desert. The trail gradually climbed up through ever higher hills above a drainage; progressing in a sensible direction. It felt good when I topped out at 8008 feet, an elevation I hadn’t seen for a very long time. Above is a dead tree at 8008 feet. The landscape was open and appeared to have...