The local Lassen Rural Bus arrives at the stop across the street from my hotel at 6:45. It will deliver hikers to the PCT. I am there waiting with my one dollar in hand when he arrives. The driver is Ruben. He has been driving bus for only a year, but he seems like a natural. He is fascinated by hikers. He takes a picture with every one he delivers to the trail. I take his picture, too, so we are even.
On the trail
Temperature when I start is in the low 50s? Wouldn’t it be great if it stayed cool all day. In the past I have had issues with dehydration on the first day of hikes. That, coupled with altitude sickness knocked me off the trail for a couple days in 2022. I am going to be super careful today taking hourly breaks and pounding down the water.
Burn
If you have been even remotely watching the news, you know that the western states have been plagued by fire. In 2021 the massive Dixie fire burned much of the forest I will be walking through for the next few days.
Because Western forests are so dry, they recover very slowly. The fallen trees take many years to decay. This heart-shaped log is virtually unchanged from when I walked through here last time.
In light of that, I was shocked to see tiny pines covering the ground on both sides of one section of trail. The variable spacing of these seedlings looks like someone had planted them by hand, but no human did this.
Was it Gnomes? Fairies? Nymphs? This rock looks like it might know.
Butt mountain
Yes there really is a Butt Mountain. The joke possibilities are endless. As I was approaching the side trail to Butt Mountain, I got a text from my daughter Sammy with a trail map showing Butt mountain. The text read “Don’t get caught in the crack!” If you have a Butt Mountain joke you would like to share, please put it in the comments.
To the top
Occasionally there are unburned forests. These are a pleasure to walk through.
I have seen at least two dozen trees like this on the trail over the years and I have no idea what causes them to grow like this
Altitude
By early afternoon, I have ascended to 7700 feet. I started at around 5000. My heart is pounding and it is hard to breathe. Every step higher is a big effort. I stop to eat something but it makes me sick. My stomach is cramping. Just then I remember my electrolytes. I empty a pack of Liquid IV into my water bottle and take a sip. The war is on. I lay down on the trail and cover my face with my hat. Within 15 minutes I am able to nibble on some corn chips and sour gummi worms. I think they will stay down. I manage eventually to drink half a liter of the electrolyte mix. I think I have turned the corner. My hike did not go off the rails!
Later I am able to eat a snack bar and I have a semi-normal dinner of ramen and Oreos with milk. I figure I will be like this for one more day before I start to get used to my environment. Today was a victory.
Settling In
I reach my target campsite. There is water there although I have to hike 1/3 mile to it. It is Little Cub Spring. It is the most accessible water in this 26-mile stretch. It looks like nothing, but to a wilderness hiker these small springs are very important.
There is water emerging from those rock in the middle of the photo. You need a scoop to collect it but is delicious and cold. I manage to drink about half a liter and then I collect and carry five liters back up the hill to camp.
Chicken Soup…
I take a lame poop. Feels like an exorcism. It is yellow. Not good. Luckily no photo of it exists o fortunate reader. But maybe things will get back to normal now. I sure feel better.
But the best elixir of the day is my conversation with two hikers eating their dinner near my campsite before moving on. These two young people are thru-hiking northbound. They started near the Mexican border and today they will soon pass the halfway marker.
We share stories about our trail names. Whistle was tagged for her early attempts at perfect hygiene. Helios was name after a modified Prius. And of course, I can talk to animals. See the 2021 blog for the full story about my trail name.
Anyway, you know how I love to chat with strangers and this conversation makes me feel less lonely.
Here is my campsite. Time to write this blog and then sleep. I am going to go for 18 miles tomorrow. With my stomach like it is, I need to start at dawn.
- Starting point: Chester
- Ending point: Little Cub Spring
- Total miles 15.3
- Favorite color: anything but yellow
