Bye Bye California, Hello Oregon! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [38]

  1. The Pacific Crest Trail Blog of ‘Tatters’ 2017
  2. Scout and Frodo ‘A Homely Beginning’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [01]
  3. Am I Really in a Desert? – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [02]
  4. Scissors Crossing and Julian ‘A First Time for Many Things’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [03]
  5. Early Mornings and Desert Superblooms – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [04]
  6. Paradise Café & Idyllwild ‘The Motivation for Food and Alcohol Grows!’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [05]
  7. San Jacinto & Fuller Ridge ‘Alpha Mountaineering Crew’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [06]
  8. Trail-names, Burgers & Sleeping in Cyclones – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [07]
  9. ‘Hippy Hot Springs’ & Big Miles to McDonald’s – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [08]
  10. Motivation into Wrightwood & Mount Baden Powell – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [09]
  11. Trail Closures & Reuniting at Hiker Heaven – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [10]
  12. Trail Family United & Casa de Luna – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [11]
  13. A Truly Hot and Dry Desert Surrounding Hikertown – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [12]
  14. Tehachapi Zero and Nero Day Morale Boosting! — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [13]
  15. Nearing the End of the Desert? – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [14]
  16. Lake Isabella & Last Stops Before the Snow and Mountains! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [15]
  17. Kennedy Meadows ‘Into the Mountains We Go!’ — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [16]
  18. Off to Lone Pine – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [17]
  19. Badass Mountaineers on Mount Whitney – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [18]
  20. Forester Pass & the Township of Bishop – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [19]
  21. Glen Pass & the End of the Family: PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [20]
  22. Mountaineering on Pinchot Pass & Mather Pass – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [21]
  23. Muir Pass, Evolution Creek, & Flooded Creek Crossings – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [22]
  24. Walls of Snow at Mammoth & Donohue Pass — PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [23]
  25. Solo Hiking to Yosemite Valley – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [24]
  26. The Waterfalls of Yosemite & Sonora Pass – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [25]
  27. Truly Alone in the Wild (near Ebbetts Peak) – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [26]
  28. South Lake Tahoe, Dicks Pass & Frozen Lakes – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [27]
  29. Desolation Wilderness & Truckin’ to Truckee – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [28]
  30. A Week Off-trail for 4th July with Rex! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [29]
  31. Back on Trail, Sierra City & Out of the High Sierra – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [30]
  32. New Faces, Middle Feather Fork River and Belden – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [31]
  33. The PCT Halfway Point and Lassen Volcanic Wilderness – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [32]
  34. Chilling with Bears, Old Station & Burney Lodge – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [33]
  35. Burney Falls to Dunsmuir – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [34]
  36. Deadfall Lakes and Finding the Long Lost Dinosaur – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [35]
  37. Rockin’ Through the Trinity Alps Wilderness – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [36]
  38. Sky High Lakes & Grider Creek – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [37]
  39. Bye Bye California, Hello Oregon! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [38]
  40. Rollin’ Along the Meadows to Lake Hyatt – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [39]
  41. ‘A Hike of Ice and Fire’ – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [40]
  42. Frustrating Closures & Shelter Cove – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [41]
  43. ‘Bending’ Past PCT Fire Closures & Homely Trail Angels – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [42]
  44. Mt Hood, Timberline Lodge & the PCT Days Event- PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [43]
  45. Preparations for the Final Month in Washington – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [44]
  46. Mt Adams & Ascending into Eternity – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [45]
  47. Amazing Goat Rocks Wilderness & Resting in Packwood – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [46]
  48. White Pass & More Fire Closures! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [47]
  49. The Beautiful Deception Lake & Loving the New Trail Family! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [48]
  50. The German Town of Leavenworth & Hiking in Beauty – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [49]
  51. Mica Lake, Suiattle River & the Final Push into Stehekin – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [50]
  52. All Good Things Come to an End… The PCT Northern Terminus! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [51]

Bye Bye California, Hello Oregon! – PCT 2017: A Hiking Story [38]

Previous Post:

Part 37 ‘Sky High Lakes & Grider Creek’ 

Day 114 (02/08) – Seiad Valley

Rex, Bubbles and I had a 6-mile road stretch to reach the small town of Seiad Valley (pop. 350), and we knew it would suck! We found happiness and joy in picking blackberries along the way, feasting on all their tasty goodness.

Blackberries of pure awesomeness

The fact that we only needed to get across the Klamath River to the other side of Seiad Valley was a tease. It was to be 4 miles of road walking along Grider Road, before reaching Klamath River Highway, and the bridge over the river.

A long way to get to this damn bridge – we should have swum across!

Once reaching Seiad Valley, we entered the famous café and ordered breakfast. It was endless coffee, French toast, and pancakes for me! There were about 10 hikers there, most I hadn’t met before. We resupplied food in the store, where I spent $77US on a tiny basket of items – it was a small town after all. I talked to an old guy called Barry (not a hiker), and we discussed the burns in the area, Australia and several other things – nice guy ol’ Bazza!

I then joined Rex and Bubbles by the creek, where it was significantly cooler. Rex and I discussed the future of our hike to the Canada border. I had a deadline due to my visa, and she only wanted to do short miles and liked the idea of hiking solo, as she hasn’t had that opportunity yet. We agreed to part ways – even if only temporarily until she did bigger miles. I really wanted to cross the Canadian border with her though… who knows! It was evident though that things had changed between us a little since our trail relationship.

The temperature grew intense at 114℉ (around 40℃) being part of a heat wave. We had to chill out by the stream in the shade near the café. I decided to head off when my phone finished downloading some podcasts. A lot of people were doing an alternate road walk along Seiad Creek Road to bypass a hot, exposed waterless stretch of the PCT. It had a lot of shade, and one awesome waterhole to swim in. I took advantage of this – definitely worth it!

Oh how I loved this waterhole

I was about two-thirds the way up when a truck rolled past with another hiker asking if I wanted a lift. Taking him up on it, we were dropped off a few miles later. I decided to camp there along with Snickers, the other Hiker in the truck. He was a 63-year-old Australian, but living in the states. He had done the PCT before and was only section hiking this year.

Distance hiked: 14 miles

Total PCT hiked: 1668 miles

Day 115 (03/08) – Crossing the California – Oregon Border

At least I could get back into my 4:30am starts now that I was alone again. It turns out most hikers either prefer early morning starts, or late night finishes – but not both! I was certainly a morning person, that much I knew.

Just another beautiful sunrise in paradise
And more…

It was a fairly standard, uneventful day of hiking, which was a good thing in short doses. I listened to, interchangeably, my audiobook series ‘Expeditionary Force’, and a podcast that I was hooked on called ‘Sh!t Town’.

Serpentinite rock
Break with a view

The highlight of the day was definitely reaching the border to the state of Oregon. I had spent 4 months in California, and was happy about entering a new state. Although the trail here is still following the mountains, it’s far flatter overall compared to the previous section and the future in Washington.

Pretty and yellow trail scenery
A milestone – hello Oregon!

I camped a few miles past the border at a super refreshing cold spring at Sheep Camp Spring.

Distance hiked: 26 miles

Total PCT hiked: 1693 miles

Day 116 (04/08) – Ashland

I hiked out very early, intending to arrive in the town of Ashland at a reasonable hour. It was an easy hike, except the bugs were in full force. It was the first time I needed my bug net over my head to stop the blasted ‘eye fly fuckers‘ (gnats) from loitering and landing in front of, or on my face. The mosquitos were also a pain!

Good morning Oregon!
Oregon was pretty too!

There was a simple, but nice trail magic location, consisting of a cooler with cans of soda and some chairs on which I chilled out on. A cheeky little chipmunk got a reward of a piece of Frito (chip) for being cute.

Look at the cute little cheeky guy! Awww
Mosquito infested beauty

During the hike, I met a family of day hikers, who treated me as if I were a celebrity. We had selfies, etc, and talked about my trip. It was another of those weird moments I’ve had before, where people make it out like you’re on a crazy adventure. I think being Australian added to it all, haha. As they were endlessly talking to me, all I was thinking about was milkshakes and burgers, like Homer Simpsons, and just nodding, saying ‘yep‘ and answering questions without much thought – totally off in another mindset!

I arrived at a place called Callahan’s Lodge and received a free PCT hiker beer. I was about to order food when I saw the prices – I’ll just wait until I got to Ashland I think. Leaving there and getting to the road again to hitch – I was immediately picked up by a guy dropping off his wife on the PCT. How convenient!

I discovered it was the day of the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and accommodation was basically booked out. I tried to contact two trail angels in the area, one declining but the other accepting – saying there were already three hikers staying there on her deck, but there was room for another. Her name was Becky, and she was very forthcoming and generous!

Becky – you’re a legend!

I was fortunate to finally change out my shoes. I hadn’t had a new pair since mile 700 – lasting all the Sierra snow mountaineering and northern California for around 900 miles!

They served well in the war! *salute*
Just some cute black tail deer in the front yard. Just like kangaroos really, but with more legs

I met the other guys there – Granddaddy Longlegs, El Tigre and Quill. We all went to grab pizza shortly after. At the pizza place, I also met Wolf and Sweet Spot, and the three of us went to a brewery for some beers before they headed out back to the trail.

Distance hiked: 23 miles

Total PCT hiked: 1716 miles

Next Post:

Part 39 ‘Rollin’ Along the Meadows to Lake Hyatt’ 

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