PCT Day 14 – Saints Go Marching

F two track road with flowers on side

As usual, I am a bundle of nervous energy the night before leaving town. But at 6:15 in the morning everything is ready and Bob is waiting in front of his cabin. Let’s go.

The change

I do not move easily between the real world and the hiking world. There is a membrane I must push through each time. There is a forsaking and an embracing.

On the trail, I talk to my wife on the phone and I don’t know what to say. I understand perfectly what she is telling me, but I am 8000 feet up on some windy ridge rubbing the sweat and snot off my face with water I pulled out of a creek to make my food.

I can’t do anything for her and she will not understand what I am feeling – this exhilaration, this loneliness. It is not like this for most people I think. And this is why I don’t bring it up much. But it is how I feel and it is why transitions between town and trail are so hard.

Locals

Bob suggests we take the Wild Plum route back to the PCT. The road is less dangerous to walk than Highway 49. Maybe it’s not less dangerous for everybody. This poor little rattlesnake is dead in the road. I had Bob put his foot by it so you could see how big it is.

There are people camping at Wild Plum. I had to get a picture of this red tent. It has four wings! It’s bigger than my first apartment. The sultan of this palace is sitting on the lower right.

We approach a locked gate. It looks like it has been vandalized by a locksmith. Bob, who knows about back road access, says that every lock belongs to a separate agency that has access privileges. Federal, state, county, city, business entities all have their own lock linked in with the others. What a system!

The PCT is still there

Sierra City sits at an altitude of 4100 feet. Today we are going to gradually ascend to over 8000 feet for the first time this hike. It will be cool and windy up there. I am ready for it.

We spend the morning getting out of the forest. It’s not terrible. It’s peaceful and cool. The trail is soft. But I am still making the transition to hiker and nothing really touches me. I force myself to be observant, but nothing excites me. Just keep hiking Doolittle.

As we get near 6000 feet, the trail opens up a bit. I can see rocks above me and the first ridge top we are seeking.

It’s warm in the sun on the way up, but I feel like I have to get up there if I am going to break free of this funk.

Above the fray

The trail changes as I go up. Scree slopes are not my favorite, but on this day I welcome any differentiator. I like the rocky buttes at the top.

At a trailside campsite I eat my lunch. Bob is somewhere behind moving at his own pace, taking breaks and eating when he wants. This young hiker comes by. She is so fresh and full of energy I just have to talk with her for a while. Her name is “Ryann with two n’s”. She started hiking in Beldon only a few days ago but she moves like a pro. She started with a friend, but her friend’s feet hurt so bad after two days that she got off trail. Ryann is going on by herself. She is hiking extra miles today do she can hang out at a place called Paradise Lake for an afternoon. Good luck and god speed Ryann.

Better stronger faster

I like how the afternoon is unfolding. The trail seems brighter. The sky bluer.

Bob and I are making good time. We had planned to go as far as a place called Mules Ears Spring. There are some tent spots there. But we decide to continue to the top of the ridge to camp. It’s over 8000 feet up there.

Power

As Bob is down at the spring, we get some unexpected visitors. These two ladies are out for a ride. The bay’s name is Dusty. The roan is Trinity. My first trail horses this year! I am so excited. Dusty let’s me pet him, but he would rather have a carrot.

And now for the best part of the day. It’s a ridge walk – exposed, windy, sunny and wild.

I turn around and see my old friend Sierra Buttes in the distance. I am looking at the side of the mountain that I enjoyed so much two days ago.

Higher we go to the top of the ridge. Through fields of mules ears. The last view of the day is one of my favorites. High trail above mountain meadow.

The campsites at the top are fine. We settle in for the night; already it’s nippy. I think I am going to sleep well. I am feeling more relaxed, like I belong here. It was a weird day, but it ended well. What will tomorrow hold?

• August 10
• Starting marker: 1195.4
• Ending marker: 1176.7
• Total miles hiked today: 19
• Total PCT miles hiked: 177
• Major inspirations: Ryann, Dusty, Trinity, Sierra Buttes, Bob. Thank you all!