Category: PCT Oregon

At mile 2036.7. Hiked 21.9 miles today. 

Today was different because I was hailing with others nearly the entire day. Soon after I started, I came across Sid again and we joined up. Soon Amaneta showed up and Amaneta and I moved on ahead. Shortly after lunch. Eric caught the both of us and I hiked with both until  the night’s camp. All of us had camped at one spot or another the previous night around Rock Pile lake.

We had great morning views of ithe south facing side of Mt Jefferson.

Working our way around the west slopes of Mt Jefferson we saw a green valley with cool looking lakes. It was already getting hot and we were climbing much of the day so the lakes looked good.

Making it even hotter, we walked through long miles of burned forest that provided  no shade. I was sweating a lot and drinking a great deal of water. Even the PCT sign was burned in the fire.

Fortunately there was plenty of water so we didn’t need to carry a lot. Here is a stream that was fed from a glacier on Mt Jefferson. It wasn’t dangerous, but it wasn’t the easiest crossing. We had to find the right place to cross.

We passed meadows with bright red Indian Paintbrush and purple Lupine. The north facing glacial slope of Mt Jefferson was often in the background and we were out of the burned area.

Since it was green, it was time to pose for photos.

And it was time for a photo of the trail with Mt Jefferson as a backdrop.

Here is a closer look at the top of the north facing side of Mt Jefferson.

With the long climb in the heat, it was time for a lake break. We all went swimming. The lake was bordered by bright red Indian Paintbrush and had a nice beach that made it easy to enter the water without the ouches of walking across a rock strewn bottom. My Jefferson decorated this perfect swim spot.

I couldn’t stop taking photos of Mt Jefferson.

 

Here is one with Mt Jefferson and Amaneta (front) and Eric  coming down the trail.

Now a real close-up of the top of the mountain.

Reaching the ridge top, I could capturée entire mountain in a single shot.

Amaneta and I had a Duct Tape for Cliff Bar trade. I had more bars than I needed and he was a little short on snacks. I needed Duct tape to patch a hole in my right shoe and to wrap around the lower section of one trekking  pole to parent it from collapsing.

And at the ridge top new mountains to the north were revealed. Here is my first real view of Mt Hood. Only 60 miles hike away from tonight’s campsite.

Next we had some walks across snow. Look closely for Eric and Amaneta who are well down slope hiking in the snow on these shots..

The mosquitoes mostly left us alone today, but gathered up for a fearsome attack at our campsite. They were gathered at the net door of my tent and covering the side of a nearby dead tree, something I have never seen before. After dark the wind became gusty and temps dropped. Nice sleeping weather. I had already fallen asleep in my tent in broad sunlight. A hiker names Jacob set up next to me. He started May 15th and this is his 65th day on the trail. Quite a hiker. Eric is camped to the other side of me. Amaneta continued hiking with the aim of making 30 something miles. Now is the time for me to sleep again.

At mile 2014.8. Hiked 19.7 miles today.

Having eaten 2 meals at Big Lake Youth Camp I was still carrying most of the food from my resupply and my pack was heavy. I  had a very late start so I was hiking during the hottest part of the day on a hot day. Not only that, I had also started late the day and hiked through exposed burns and lava fields, so this was the 2nd day in a row of intense heat.

Shortly after crossing Hwy 20 at Santiago Pass (very heavy fast traffic and near impossible and easily the most dangerous road crossing on PCT) I saw a large group of backpackers obviously about to finish up at the parking lot. I asked if this was the case and if so, whether I could have some of their water. In minutes I had as much water as I wanted to carry. This was fortunate because with the heat of the next 8 miles, I drank all the water I had initially carried plus the water the hikers gave me.

Here is the view back toward Mt Washington and Sisters as I climbed toward the south facing side of Three Finger Jack.

I as seeing many hikers of all sorts and the mosquitoes weren’t bad, but when I reached the top I ran into a lady who had rock climbed Three Finger Jack and wasn’t covered with large welts of mosquito bites. She looked like she had been carpet bombed. Her arms and legs and when she turned her head I could see continue welts across her neck and face. She warned me about mosquitoes if I was going to the top. I wasn’t. I told her that mosquitoes weren’t bad from here to the road and gave her some Deet.

 

Here ia a view of Three Fingered Jack. I’m finally out of the burn area.

Here is a view of the north facing side of Three Finger Jack.

Here is Wasco Lake or should I say, “Here was Wasco.” The PCT didn’t go to this lake, but my swimming pond flows to Wasco.

After finally reaching a series of small ponds, I resupplied water and cooled off with a swim in the largest pond.

The day wasn’t over. I had a long climb straight up a rock washed out trail in a burn area. Again it was hot, but I was tired now and stumbled and tripped my way across the rocks. One time my water bottle went flying with water spraying on and around me. The bottle  top broke, but at least I didn’t hit the rocks myself.

Here is my campsite next to Rockpile lake. There were a lot of people camped there including Sid, Amaneta, a Boy Scout Troop, and new friend, Eric. Philmont Scout Ranch is closed due to fire so this was the troop’s backup plan. Late in the day, I saw Farley come limping by. He didn’t stop.

 

At mile 1995.1. Hiked 11.4 miles today.

Breweries are a big deal in Bend, OR.. I stayed at the Bunk and Brew Hostel with first beer included. At Safeway I was offered a beer sample while shopping. I checked out barber shops and the first two I pulled up included beer with a haircut. Here I am in the barber chair with my 7 AM IPA. 

Had to cross lava flows. Looking back were great views of Sisters.

Here is the trail going through lava that made hiking difficult.

A view of Mt Washington and trail through Lava. I rounded the mountain on the left(south) side and between lava and forest burns I was exposed to sun and heat during much of the afternoon. Having come from Bend. I did t start hung until half past noon.

Tonight I was treated to dinner at Big Lake Youth Camp and hung out in a new building with laundry, showers, kitchen, etc dedicated for PCT hikers. Amaneta, a hiker that I first met in SOCAL showed up at Big Lake. It was great catching up with him and we know or have met many of the same hikers. He started his hike the day before me and he went straight through the Sierras in May. One of the INTENSE hikers. 

Later another of the INTENSE  hikers, Farley of New Hampshire  showed up at the camp. He looked a little drained and was wearing a plastic blanket fashioned as a skirt to keep mosquitoes off his legs. He really didn’t like the mosquitoes so had started walking all day and through the night and didn’t stop until reaching the Youth Caml 38 hours and 118 miles later. I don’t know whether 118 miles without sleep is a record. But it may be. 

Here is Farley after a 118 mile day. Farley finished the long 118 mile day with 4 miles of brutal walking on lava rock.

 

At mile 1972. Hiked 21.8 miles today.

I hiked through woods wearing raincoat and headnet against mosquitoes until I couldn’t stand the heat. After a climb I came out in this mosquito-free paradise. Time for photos and a rest break. This is South Sister, the 2nd highest mountain in Oregon.

Here are a sampling of the flowers I saw.

I had not seen this flower before. The petals have hairlike growth.

More flowers.

And this Indian Paintbrush just feet from my tent.

Here is South Sister.

This is a nice meadow enclosed by a lava flow on one side.

Here is the pond I swam in today. I had covered so much distance by 12:30 that I needed to take a long break so I wouldn’t be in camp too early. I set up my tent as a refuge from mosquitoes, took a short swim, ate lunch, and rested inside my tent safe from mosquitoes.

I entered the Obsidian Limited Entry Area and began seeing even more people than I had been seeing all day. A limited number of permits are issued for this popular area. 

Huge obsidian chunks and slabs all over and small pieces like this One littering the ground.

I camped here just above Obsidian Falls.

 

At mile 1950.2. Hiked 25.1 miles today. 

I found this sign with an old trail emblem that I hadn’t never seen before. Unlike the Appalachian Trail, the PCT does not have a white blaze painted on trees. The PCT has a variety of signs including signs for trail 2000 which is the officially designated trail number for this National Scenic Trail. Maybe this is an original sign from when the PCT was built in the 60’s.

This morning the tent was wet and I was sleepy and lazy. I slept late and stayed in camp long enough for the tent to dry out.

Although I passed many lakes, it wasn’t until late that I found South Lake which was suitable for swimming. In other words, where you wouldn’t get eaten alive by mosquitoes. There was a couple camped there who had just finished a swim themselves. The water felt so good. The top 12 inches was a comfortable temperature and the water beneath was much colder. I swam around some and floated on my back for a while. What a way to get a break from the afternoon heat!

Here is one of the many lakes and ponds I passed.

My campsite tonight has a stream next to it which is a rarity in this area.  Unfortunately, this campsite had the most mosquitoes I’ve seen anywhere on the PCT. Luckily I had cooked and eaten dinner at mosquito free Dumbell Lake 3 miles back.  As soon as I arrived at Camp Mosquito, I threw down my backpack and pulled on my windbreaker. Then I sprayed legs and hands with more Deet. I spread out my Tyvek and emptied pack contents onto the sheet until I could reached the tent. I had the tent pitched in minutes, unzipped the door, threw in pack and other gear and jumped in myself. Zipping the door shut, I looked around to find at least 100 mosquitoes trapped in the tent with me. The door had only been open for less than 10 seconds. Next, I began mosquito eradication by slapping my  hands together with mosquito in-between.