Journal Entry: Sunday, 7/17/2016

Day 1 of 15

Stats

14.9 miles (plus 1.4 other miles due to limited road access)
3,670' elevation gain
5.5 hours hiking
2.96 hiking mph

Photos

Link to all photos from Day 1.

Journal Entry

italics = original journal text
regular = added during transcription

First paragraph of journal has been redacted because I had to hike on roads marked "NO TRESPASSING." It's an interesting story I'm willing to share in person.

After 7.1 miles of this road-walk, I got to the PCT itself.

Finally @ trail. Met Lance. Also started today headed to Cascade Locks.

I ended up seeing him at Crater Lake and Shelter Cove resupplies. He was always about a day ahead of me from this point on.

Camped @ (trail mile) 1728 near spring. Iron Lady + Delaware hiked past (saw at Callahan's).

I chatted with these 2 for about 15 minutes. They were the first thru-hikers (exclusive term for those attempting to hike the whole trail) I met. 

Feel ok, right hip sore throughout day. Super bored now.

I stopped at around 3:00 pm that day because I had already done my scheduled 15 miles and didn't want to overdo it on the first day. In general, there tended to be a lot of sitting around, waiting for it to get dark enough to sleep.

About an hour goes by when another hiker and his dog show up and set up camp near mine. I hang out by his tarp and we chat for the next couple of hours.

Met Ridiculous (trail name) while lying down in tent listening to The Hobbit. Very friendly and outgoing. Cute dog Pearl. It was awesome and well-timed.

 Happy to finally be on trail.

First few miles on the PCT proper. Nearing Pilot Rock.

Mt. McLoughlin (9,400') 30 miles to the North.

Looking back at Pilot Rock.

Climber on top.

Mt. Shasta (14,179') 50 miles to the South.

Camp, night 1.

 Sunset v1.

 Sunset v2.

8/5/2016: Post-Hike Notes

Overview

I started my hike on the morning of July 17, 2016. On the afternoon of the fourth day, I reached Fish Lake Resort (58-mile stint), the location of my first resupply box. After showering, doing laundry, and sorting through my resupply box, I continued on for a few more miles.

After doing two 24-mile days, I reached Mazama Village below Crater Lake (52-mile stint) a day early. I stayed the night here with a group of hikers at the campground, then left the following morning. After 5 days, I reached Shelter Cove (86-mile stint) where Kylie picked me up. This began a 3-night layover including a visit to Bend and camping on Odell Lake.

On Sunday afternoon, Kylie dropped me off where the PCT crosses Hwy 20 west of Bend, skipping my planned 4th stint between Shelter Cove and Big Lake Youth Camp (5 days, 89 miles). On the fourth day of this 102-mile stint with less than 100 miles to Cascade Locks, I hiked 5 miles off trail to be picked up by my good friend Geoffrey. I coordinated this rescue because my right achilles tendon had become increasingly sore over the last 3 days and I didn't feel I could continue safely. 

Journal Entries

Each night before sleeping, I spent about 30 minutes jotting down my thoughts from the day. I've transcribed these notes word-for-word in individual posts. They sometimes appear in a jumbled order and with typos, which are designated by placing [sic] after mistakes that are acknowledged and quoted exactly. I've also added additional text which I think adds to the ephemeral, sometimes random thoughts I happened to write down at the end of my days.

First journal post.

Photos

A link to an album containing every photo I took during the trip can be found on Google Drive (link). There will also be a few of the more relevant photos included with the journal post from each day.

Photos were taken on a Sony DSC-W800 point-and-shoot camera. It had great battery life, easily lasting a 5-day stint.

Post-Hike Gear Reviews

Link

Resupply Boxes

I sent ahead 5 boxes containing food, fuel, maps, toiletries, first aid, and other miscellaneous supplies for each upcoming stint. I also included cash and quarters for paying for laundry and showers, when available.

Below is a list of items I sent in each resupply box along with any comments.

Food, per day:

Link

I packaged each day's worth of food in a gallon-size freezer bag mainly so that I could track if I was eating enough/too much. I left as much food as I could in its original packaging (Mountain House, Knorr, mac and cheese) to preserve freshness, but had to send some bulk items already repackaged in quart-sized freezer bags (nuts, powdered milk, cereal/granola). While sorting through resupply boxes, I repackaged the bulkier food items into quart-sized freezer bags.

Before packing the food into each resupply box, I put all the food into a heavy duty trash compactor bag, spun it closed, then secured it with a zip tie. This was to try to isolate the food from other scented items in the box (soap, toothpaste).

Toiletries:

Link

First Aid:

Link

Miscellaneous Gear:

Link

7/14/2016: Final Preparations

The last couple weeks have been busy. With my impending departure only a few days away, both Kylie and I have been hustling and bustling.

3 months ago, my countdown spreadsheet commenced with Buy custom gear. This included my pack, shelter, and quilt. Today, the only items left are Submit time sheets, Set up vacation response, and Print water reports.

Last week, we raided our local Fred Meyer grocer in search of junk food.

We succeeded

Kylie and I then proceeded to sort through the 40 lbs of food, placing precise quantities into each resupply box. About halfway through, we developed a system whereby I could easily and efficiently communicate an item's quantity for each box. Since the boxes were all lined up in order I would simply say, "Cherry PopTarts: one-zero-one...one-one-zero. Honey Buns: one-one-zero...one-one-zero." And she would then place that many Cherry PopTarts and Honey Buns in each box.

Mutually exclusive robots

Gathering all of the small items for the resupply boxes was tedious indeed. I'm thankful for the amount of time I was able to put into planning what to put into each box. I've likely included much more than the average hiker, but I will sleep well knowing that I can restock my first aid kit (for example) at any of my 5 resupplies.

Any of my leftover supplies will be donated to the community hiker box (take a penny, leave a penny). I'm sure someone will be glad to come upon extra bandages or triple antibiotic.

I understand that the background is horrible

After putting the food into odor resistant bags, the small items were sorted into freezer bags. Everything was double-checked (especially the maps) before heading to the local UPS distribution center for the final goodbye.

The ratty one in the back is not mine

I have neither the time nor desire to share how unnecessarily complicated it was to ship fuel canisters via UPS. I will only say that it is possible.

I found that 12" cube boxes were the perfect size. The ones I bought at UPS have the ability to fold down into 8" high boxes. Note that the colorful tape is to make them easier to ID for whoever is helping me at the resupply locations. Popular resorts could easily be holding on to 100 boxes waiting for their hikers. I also wrote my last name in the bottom left corner of each side.

It certainly feels strange being so close to the start of something which was once so far in the future. I feel anxious, excited, and ready.

But most of all I feel curious.

How will I react to being without my people for so long? What if there's a trail closure? What if half of the food in my resupply box is stale?

All of the things I cannot program into my spreadsheets are all of things that occupy my mind the most. I know that I am as prepared as I wanted to be, all that's left to do is hike 439.3 miles.

7/13/2016: Gear List

After months of careful consideration and mind-changing, My initial gear list is finally settled.

Click here for full size

Click here for full size

Below is a description of how everything is packed.

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Click here for full size

Below is a description of the clothing worn while hiking.

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Stay tuned come mid August for post-hike reviews!

5/30/2016: Hiking

Topographic map (follow trail from North to South)

Route: Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) south from Hwy 20 near Sisters, OR
Stats: 13.7 miles (520' gain)
Notes: Early-season hiking is both fantastic and frustrating. Upsides include cooler weather and smaller crowds, with the main downside being the lack of trail maintenance.

After leaving the trailhead around 8:00am, I shortly came across my first of (literally) hundreds of downed trees. Some only required me to step over them, while others required brief trail detours. All blockages were annoying, as they slowed my pace significantly and jabbed/poked my legs. I suspect it will be another few weeks until trail maintenance crews make their way to this area.

Mt. Washington soon presented itself, providing a visual goal for the day (reach its southern slopes). After 5 miles, the downed trees subisded but never ceased. Miles began passing quickly until I hit snowdrifts hiding the trail. The main challenge of snow on the trail is route finding. Since the well-worn trail is no longer visible, it's very easy to lose it (especially when unfamiliar with the area). Because I was only out for the day, I made the decision to turn around when there was more snow than dirt (pic, vid).

Now on the way back and in less of a time crunch, I took the opportunity to find better viewpoints of Mt. Washington, Three-Fingered Jack, and an unnamed lake adjacent to the trail. This area must be a popular snowmobile destination through the winter, as evidenced by the too-tall maps and signage. Click here for the entire photo album.

5/10/2016: Route

Proposed PCT route from California to Washington border.

After many revisions, my route thru Oregon is now finalized (I hope). Leaving the California border on July 17, I plan to arrive at the Washington border 26 days later. The hike will be 434 miles and divided into 6 stints. Between each of these stints, I will pick up a resupply box (to be shipped in early July) from a local business, repack my food bag, and continue on my way.

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.

3/13/2016: Training

Of the many thoughts I encounter in my search of trail wisdom, the ability of the human body to adapt is often recurring. Numerous accounts of out-of-shape, off-the-couch thru hikers confirm that, given about 2 continuous months on the trail, nearly anyone is capable of hiking back-to-back-to-back 20 mile days. Of course, those first 2 months are typically riddled with growing pains  (blisters, muscles, etc) and may not be all that pleasant. But the 3-4 months that remain for these thru hikers tend to be (relatively) comfortable.

In my case, the fact that I'll only be on the trail for 1 month requires that I already be in "thru hiker shape" (or at least close to it) when I begin. According to Ray Jardine's PCT Handbook, training should start 5 months prior to the start date, beginning with 3-5 mile walks and ending with back-to-back days of your target mileage and pack weight (20 miles and 30 lbs).

Starting my hike in July gives me the advantage of getting to train through spring and summer (due to their April-ish start dates, Mexico to Canada thru hikers are required to train mostly in winter). However, I am also afforded the benefit of being at the beginning of my training while the weather is still cold and rainy. At this point, most of my outings are short (5-10 miles) and close to home, meaning they are low-risk opportunities to test my gear and how I use it. 

For example, one clothing item I've been oscillating about is a mid layer fleece-type jacket (similar to this). Mine in particular weighs 7.0 oz (almost half a pound!), adds a fair amount of warmth for the weight, and dries very quickly. My only other torso articles are a rain shell (blue in photo), puffy jacket (gray in photo), and hiking shirt (green in photo), excluding sleepwear.

We like to shop at the Columbia employee store...

Uses for the fleece would include: wearing under my rain jacket during cold rain, cold mornings while hiking, and wearing in camp. Up for debate is whether I can simply use my puffy jacket for these uses instead. Typically, I am finding that once I start hiking (even in cold rain), I am fine with just my hiking shirt and rain shell. I am also finding that my puffy jacket is (so far) a fine alternative to the fleece during cold morning hiking. It can also be worn at night to add some warmth while sleeping.

Since January, I've walked about 30 miles through our neighborhood, often just 3-5 miles at at time. In addition to being convenient, hiking from home is surprisingly scenic! The weather for the majority of these hikes have been 40-50°F and rainy, providing me with a perfect opportunity to test these different clothing layers.

Weekend hikes are gradually getting longer, and will eventually turn into back-to-back 20-mile days. These will either be overnight trips or back-to-back dayhikes and will give me a chance to test and adapt my entire gear set. 

Given the size (5,100 acres), location (20 minutes from home), and trails (70 miles), Forest Park is a tremendous asset for my training. The Wildwood trail, for example, is a 30-mile trail that spans the entire park from north to south. A lofty goal I have in the back of my mind is to do the entire Wildwood trail back-to-back, southbound one day and northbound the next.

Forest Park's 70+ miles of trails

The ZigZag mountains (in the foothills southwest of Mt. Hood) provide a network of 50+ miles of trails with plenty of backcountry camping available. 30-mile shuttles and 40-mile loops are possible in this area.

ZigZag Mountains

Another thought I had was the 70+ mile "40-Mile" Loop, which spans from Forest park to Troutdale and back along the Columbia River. Originally conceived in the early 20-century as way to connect to city's parks, it is now a project of a small few who wish see it completed. Completing this loop section by section might also be a fun training project.

The "40-mile" loop shown in red.