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| Proposed PCT route from California to Washington border. |
Stint 1: CA/OR Border to Fish Lake Resort (60 miles, 4 days)
It all starts on Sunday morning with a short drive down Interstate 5 from Callahan's Lodge in Ashland to the California border. Here, Kylie drops me off and continues on to spend some of their hard-earned summer with family. I begin walking north on a frontage road, taking the first of some million footsteps that will take me to Washington. 7 miles later the PCT intersects my road and I turn right to join it.
Aside: The official PCT crosses from California into Oregon about 15 miles west of this spot. However, from Ashland it's a bumpy 1.5 hour drive and adds 27 trail miles to the hike. In the interest of squeezing my timeline and simplifying things for Kylie, I chose to simply start where I-5 crosses the border.
At 16 miles per day, this first stint is comprised of the shortest daily mileages, allowing me to "ease" into the daily grind of hiking of 8 hours day after day. Taking 4 days, these first 60 miles guide me through the Siskiyou Mountains, Rogue River National Forest, and the lava fields of Brown Mountain. I arrive at a small resort named for the small lake on which it sits. Fish Lake holds my first first resupply box.
Stint 2: Fish Lake Resort to Crater Lake (48 miles, 3 days)
With California's Mt. Shasta still looming to south I pass Mt. McLoughlin on Wednesday morning, the first of Oregon's 10 major Cascade Range volcanoes. Sky Lakes Wilderness continues 40 miles north, butting up against the south end of Crater Lake National Park.
Once in the Park on Saturday, it's only 10 short miles to the entrance booth, which PCT hikers skirt around to avoid the $20 entry fee (hikers are charged the same fee that cars pay). Here, still 5 miles below the rim of the crater, I pick up my 2nd resupply box. Since back-country camping is prohibited for the next 15 miles while near Crater Lake's rim, this night will likely be spent in Mazama Campground, just across the parking lot.
Stint 3: Crater Lake to Odell Lake (86 miles, 5 days)
Sunday morning starts with brief hike up to the rim of Crater Lake, providing a stunning view and a magnificent start to this stint.
Mt. Scott, the second Cascade volcano, is visible across the lake to the east. At 8,900 ft, it is the pinnacle of what remains after its predecessor's destruction. However, Mt. Scott was previously just a minor spur on the estimated 12,000 ft Mt. Mazama (tallest in Oregon), whose eruption 7,000 years ago cleaved nearly a mile off its top. Thus, the bowl that is the picturesque Crater Lake was formed.
Ironically, the country's deepest lake filled some of the world's purest water provides the PCT hiker no sustenance, but instead marks the beginning of the longest water-less stretch of the trail.
26 miles and 5 liters (11 lbs!) of water later, I reach Thielsen Creek. During these miles, my pack will be at its heaviest. 12 lbs base pack weight, 11 lbs of food and fuel (5 days), and 11 lbs of water combine forces to become a 34-pound burden. For comparison, my total pack weight will be under 20 lbs for 18 of the 25 hiking days, so this section will be both mentally and physically challenging.
At mile 140, I pass Mt. Thielsen and reach the high point of the PCT in Oregon/Washington. It is volcano number 3 of 11. 18 miles per day brings me to Odell Lake by Thursday, where a 2-day layover with Kylie, Sheriff Johnson, and friends will provide a welcome and much needed rejuvenation.
Stint 4: Odell Lake to Big Lake Youth Camp (89 miles, 5 days)
Leaving the comfort of car-camping behind, I start walking north again on Sunday morning. After 60 miles through the countless Cascade Lakes region west of Bend, I reach the Three Sisters Wilderness, home to South, Middle, and North Sisters. Volcanoes number 4, 5, and 6.
I continue towards Mt. Washington and my next resupply at Big Lake Youth Camp, an Adventist summer camp nestled in the forest. A true friend of PCT hikers, the camp offers showers, laundry, and (buffet-style) meals and asks for only a small donation.
Stint 5: Big Lake Youth Camp to Timberline Lodge (102 miles, 5 days)
I arrive at Big Lake Youth Camp on Thursday and am back on trail by Friday morning. In order to keep this stint to 5 days, an average of just over 20 miles per day is required. At this point, I'm expecting my body to be adjusted to thru-hiking and look forward to the challenge.
Out of Mt. Washington Wilderness and into Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, Three-Fingered Jack is the next volcano, followed shortly by Mt. Jefferson. Mt. Hood lies just ahead on the skyline, its northern slopes dropping away towards the Columbia River/Washington Border. Another buffet (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) is waiting at Timberline lodge when I arrive on Tuesday.
Stint 6: Timberline Lodge to OR/WA Border (50 miles, 3 days)
My last push for the border begins on Wednesday morning. The goal of a Friday afternoon arrival requires only 17 miles per day. After 40 miles of up-and-down hiking along ridges, the last 10 miles drop 4,000 vertical feet into Cascade Locks and the lowest point on the PCT. The last miles are an alternate to the official PCT, which misses a gaggle of scenic waterfalls along Eagle Creek. Among the most scenic points along the PCT, Tunnel Falls makes a strong case.
The small town of Cascade Locks on the Columbia serves as the northern terminus of my hike, while PCT thru-hikers will continue on. After hiking 2,145 miles from Mexico, the remaining 500 miles to Canada are a worthy end to their epic adventures.
