Category: 2020 Pacific Crest Trail

I think last night was my best nights sleep on the trail this year. My feet and legs were achey when we got in bed but I felt completely refreshed when I woke up to the slight whispers of Sassy talking to Bear. If Sassy is awake, that’s an “all systems go” signal. 

I had gotten everything ready for breakfast before we went to bed, so all I had to do was boil 1.5 liters of water. We packed up most of our stuff before the coffee was even cool enough to drink. Bunny and I had our tent down before Bear and Sassy emerged. The old methods are slowly coming back…we’re supposed to wait 30 minutes after we hear Sassy before we start going. We were done and ready while Bear was proving he was a Bear by doing what bears do in the woods. They still had to filter water so they told us to go on and wait for them at McKenzie Pass. 

We knew we’d be slow today. It was only 5.3 miles to McKenzie Pass, but it was mostly over lava fields. The reason Sassy told us to go ahead was because I had skipped my morning constitutional opting to hold out for the pit latrines at the pass. In addition to rough trail, a thousand foot climb, and a thousand foot descent, we could also be facing stiff walking by yours truly if pressure build up became too great. 

Who would have thought that walking on black lave fields in full sun without any breeze would be so hot. It was torture. It took us nearly 3 hours to cover the 5 miles. I managed to drop my pack at the trail junction and took the trash with me. There were 5 latrines and 2 trash cans at the pass, but no water or picnic table…not hiker nirvana, but close enough after an overfull morning hike. 

The next water wasn’t for another 4 miles. I made it back to my pack just as Bear and Sassy arrived. We had a little snack before heading on. Sassy was starting to become a bit overheated and was not liking the lava field experience. After how cold we were just 10 days ago, we couldn’t believe we would be complaining about heat so soon. 

Bunny and I started pulling away from Bear and Sassy. This is very unusual as they are both stronger hikers than we are. A few day hikers who passed them and caught up to us, told us they were taking a break. We decided to push on because we were getting overheated as well. We had already agreed we were going to stop to get water at the pond. 

We passed a couple of small ponds by the trail, but the mosquitoes were horrendous so we kept moving. We finally got a change from lava field…another burned forest. The last 4 days of hiking have been pretty hot because of lack of trees. We saw a heat wave was stretching across the US and I guess it’s having its effect on the trail in Oregon. 

The pond we aimed for was more of a lake. There were horse riders, day hikers with dogs romping in the water, and even a some people with an inflatable kayak paddling around. I spotted a campsite on the opposite shore with trees to provide shade over a few rocks in the water. We headed that way. 

I took off my shoes and waded into the water. I chose my rock and sat down to get water to filter after I washed my feet and legs. Bear and Sassy showed up just as I finished drinking my first liter of water. We ended up taking over an hour break here. We were all overheated and needed some relief. 

We had less than 5 miles to go to make it to camp. We stuck together all of the way after lunch and took frequent water breaks. Of the 5 miles, 4 1/2 of those miles were climbing up to 7000’. As we climbed, we got great views of Mt Washington, 3 Fingered Jack, Mt Jefferson, Mt Hood, and a small glimpse of Mt Adams in Washington. It was awesome to see 5 volcanoes in a line while standing on the side of another (North Sister). 

We filled up water one last time in the middle of some snow crossings. Above 6400’ we ran into a fair amount of snow, but nothing too difficult to cross. Near the top, we ran into a couple of groups of people out doing 40ish mile loops around the 3 Sisters. 

It was mutually agreed that we just wanted to get to camp. We were all wore out from the heat today, not the trail. I made the observation that we spent all day walking over lose rocks (like people describe Pennsylvania on the Appalachian Trail) and none of us had terrible aching feet. This just proves my point that PA is not a bad state, it’s just that there are a lot of whiners hiking the AT. Sassy challenged my thesis claiming that the soaking of feet in the pond is why our feet felt good. She’s a PA hater, so I discount her opinion and declare myself right. He who pays for the website has the final say. 

EFG 

This is the first chance we’ve had todo a shake down this trip. We had to switch out a bit of gear that wasn’t working for us and buy some new items. As a result, we needed to send a package home. The plan was to stop by the PO on the way to the trailhead. The post office opens at 8:30. That’s the plan. I stuck to it. Solely. All alone. The only one. Even Bear slept late today. 

Jenny got up and took Lexi for her 5 mile run before any of the rest of the party got up. Jenny and Lexi do more before breakfast than most Americans do all day. I was up for first shot at porcelain and coffee (in that order which is a reversal of the natural order of things). John made coffee for all of us. I forgot to mention barista in John’s repertoire, he has an espresso machine and does pour over drip coffee as requested. While we were sitting at the kitchen counter talking, everyone woke up and trickled in. John prepared breakfast while we all talked. 

John and Jenny have done and continue to do so much. Pretty soon, between the stories of adventures and ease of conversation, we’d lost track of time. John took Bear and me out to the garage and showed us a 4# inflatable kayak he had just gotten. Then we saw all the other outdoor gear: snowshoes, cross country skis, mountain bikes, road bikes, big wheel bikes, camping gear, VW camping van, Ford camper—an outdoor adventurer’s dream room. Yada, yada, yada, we made it to the Post Office around 11. 

Jenny dropped us off at the trailhead where John picked us up just under two days ago. It was hot. We weren’t expecting this hot in the Oregon mountains. It was so hot, it scared the piss out of all of us…literally. Once all of that was taken care of, we finally started hiking. 

I like Oregon, but I’m getting tired of burned forests. This is the 4th day in a row that we’ve spent in burned areas. When the trees get a bit older, we can find some shade, but that can take decades. We’re burning up now. The soil is so dry and fine, that it penetrates through EVERY article of clothing. When we take off our socks at the end of the day, it doesn’t even look like we were wearing anything on our feet. They are so dirty. I wear long pants because of the sun and mosquitoes, but my legs are just as dirty as Bunny’s. 

Water was also at a premium today. We only had one identified source along the trail. We had prepared for this, but we passed some nobo hikers who told us they didn’t see any water, but they weren’t looking for any since they were carrying a gallon each. Guthook has been pretty reliable for us so we weren’t overly concerned. 

Sassy was the first to notice the depression to the left of the trail. It was a small hole in the middle of a small meadow. I went over to check if there was water and a snake got scared and try to slither away. Bunny got more scared and ran faster than any snake could hope to move. I tried to get Bunny to stand near the hole so I could take a picture, but it’s easier to get a cat to do tricks than get Bunny to move into an area where a snake was spotted. 

Bear and I were delegated to dipping water out of the hole. While I was dipping, the snake came back and got back in the water. When he saw me, he dove under water but couldn’t hold his breath until I was done so he charged at me to get out of the water (I was dipping from the low spot). I just let him pass then continued dipping hoping not to scoop up any of the other water creatures present. It was not an ideal spot, but on a hot dry day, any water is good water. 

We had identified a couple of camping spots ahead and decided on the first spot. In the comments of Guthook, this was the campsite on the edge of the lava field we will be crossing tomorrow. It was also in a saddle with a bit of protection from the west. As we dropped down, we could see we’d hit the jackpot. The campsite was right up to the edge of a lava wall, but there were lots of living trees to provide shelter. 

We set up our tents, then I pulled a few logs in for us to sit on while we prepared and ate supper. It has been a full day with a late start yet we still managed to get 12 miles in. I think we might all be getting stronger. It won’t be much longer before our group turns into a threesome when I can no longer keep up. They won’t even remember me. I am Easily Forgotten. 

EFG

This is the longest we have ever planned for a zero…almost 4 years to get here. 

We met John and Jenny when we hiked the Wonderland Trail in 2016. They were the first people we had openly talked about our plans to quit our jobs in our premium earning years and go hiking. To our families dismay, instead of telling us we were crazy, they encouraged us to follow our plans. So far, I haven’t regretted doing so. I can’t speak to Bunny’s feeling, especially when she lays down in the tent and moans after a long, hard day of hiking. She may be a killer Bunny, but she is an older killer Bunny and getting more so every day. 

John and I have similar backgrounds. He was in Boy Scouts, got his Eagle Scout, worked on camp staff for 10 years, was in OA, and went to Philmont. He credits scouting with giving him his love of nature and wanderlust. Once he got done with schooling, he started hitchhiking and traveling the world. He spent a year in Australia paddling the coast and climbing whenever he could. He is not a one trick pony like Bunny and me. He hikes, kayaks, rock climbs, skis, snow shoes, bikes, and anything else that gets him outdoors. He eventually ended up in Alaska where he found a job working for REI that gave him the flexibility to leave for trips whenever he wanted. He became a master craftsman and remodeled houses on the side. He can tackle anything. 

Jenny was an East Coast girl growing up in Vermont, Washington DC area, and Cape Cod. She developed a love of the outdoors which drew her to the west coast (Seattle) where she worked for REI for a while. She enjoyed all the recreational activities WA offered. Eventually, her and her fiancé decided to accept an REI transfer and move to Alaska. On one of his climbing expeditions, after successfully summitting, he was skiing down the mountain. An avalanche occurred and took his life. This was just two weeks before they were to be married. 

Jenny took the opportunity to go back to school to get an advanced degree in biology and outdoor sciences (I don’t remember all the degrees she has). With her degree, she went to work for the a National Park Service. Jenny has had some bad events along the way and another one happened to her while working for the NPS. She was in a helicopter wreck, but no one died, fortunately. She did hurt her back and no longer likes to fly. Jenny decided she wanted a bit more peace in her life, so she took a librarian position with the state of Alaska. This didn’t end her love of outdoors. She was a musher, often owning as many as 15 dogs which she spent countless hours training. 

John and Jenny knew each other for 9 years before they got married. That marriage was almost 30 years ago. They decided to move down to Sisters, OR when they retired, so they could have some warmer summers. They still own property up in Alaska which they rent. John and Jenny are about 10 years older than Bunny and me. They are ACTIVE! 

Jenny now has one dog, Lexi, who is amazing. Lexi is a natural learner as Jenny discovered, but that doesn’t mean they don’t spend hundreds of hours working together. Lexi is an agility champion, a certified trick dog, therapy dog, and an amazing friend. Jenny, although claiming to be slowing down and not able to do as much, takes Lexi for a 5-10 mile bike ride/run every morning before having breakfast. Instead of long backpacking expeditions, they now settle for day hikes, which there are plenty of opportunity for here in Sisters. 

If there’s something outside, John and Jenny are up for it. They spent 2 months canoeing the Northwest Territories in Canada paddling all the way up to the arctic circle. John climbed in the Brooks Range. They’ve hiked the GR20 on Corsica (which we wanted to do in 2017 but didn’t have the time). They have lived and are living the life Bunny and I dream of. 

We hiked with John and Jenny for 4 days on the Wonderland Trail. If it wasn’t for them guiding us, we wouldn’t have made it across the snow fields on the side of Mt Rainier. We had a 13 day itinerary and theirs was only 12, but they kept tabs on us the rest of the trip by sending greetings through hikers going in the opposite direction. 

We did manage to see them on a chance encounter outside of Mt Rainier NP as we were hiking in WA last year. We had planned to visit them when we came through OR. We were just a few days away when my mother died and took us off the trail. We kept in touch all winter and made plans for getting in a visit this year. 

Covid did effect our plans a bit. We knew we’d have anywhere from 3-5 of us when we arrived. We maintained strict isolation while on the trail to verify that we were Covid free when we arrived in Sisters. John and Jenny graciously opened up their house to us for two nights, chauffeured us around for resupply and gear, cooked wonderful meals for us, and let us do laundry and shower. They were so kind, they didn’t make us shower first thing and gave us drinks by their beautiful water pond out back. 

All in all, we had a fantastic time with John, Jenny, and Lexi. They were such fantastic hosts, we hated to leave, but we got an intro to the Sisters/Bend area and really would like to see more of it. This area has moved onto the list of possibilities for us to settle in when we get done hiking. One of the things we’re doing while hiking is trying to decide where we want to die (or live the rest of our lives as Bunny prefers to state…I’m more pragmatic). We can’t wait to come back to visit again when Covid finally gets contained. That might be a while since the federal government has basically given up.

EFG

I’ll admit, I was tired after yesterday’s events, but I still managed to lay awake a bit and worry about what was in store for us today. We camped in the shadow of a Three Fingered Jack last night, and there’s quite a bit of snow on the side facing us. I know Bunny wants an easy day and I can’t help but visualize watching Bunny, Bear, and Sassy plummet to their deaths. I may be Easily Forgotten, but I am the designated survivor. 

We got another taste of mosquitoes this morning having camped between a couple of mountain ponds. I didn’t want to scare Bear and Sassy, I just smiled to myself when they said the mosquitoes were bad. Actually, my inner voice was a diabolical, knowing laugh. Which one will break first in the onslaught that is to be. My money is on…Bunny. 

Get this, I was awoke by a runner on the trail just after first light. Let me repeat. A runner at first light, nearly 10 miles from the nearest parking lot. At least I hope it was a runner and not a hiker that had an unexpected Bigfoot encounter. Bigfoot are real and the best practitioners of LNT (Leave No Trace). The scariest part of Bigfoot LNT practices is that they steal hikers tp and eat it after using it (they aren’t as flexible as dogs). Do not, under any circumstances, kiss a Bigfoot no matter how charming they seem. 

All that worry for naught. Even after quizzing an early hiker who said “I sure wouldn’t want to be heading up the direction you are,” we were confident. We kind of discounted him since he was planning to hike a half mile off trail to get water when we were standing between two pee-warm ponds. The hike up to the pass was not bad and the only snow we encountered were a few small patches under tree cover. A local couple with a dog had told us we’d have no problems with 2 hiking poles each. Everyone knows, dog owners are trustworthy. 

The few patches of snow we encountered on Jack’s backside were obviously melting fast. We could tell from the mud and moisture around the snow patches that just a few days ago, the snow must have covered the trail. As it was, we could walk around most patches. We saw the couple with the dog taking a snack on the side of the trail. We thanked them for the info and proceeded off the trail behind them to have a snack with a tremendous view out over the western range of the Cascades. 

We had told John and Jenny that we would be at the trailhead by 4p. We knew this would be no problem at all when we started encountering elderly hikers without hiking poles. Several days ago, when we had nearly lost Dancing Dog, I asked DD if the trail was what she had expected. She said she had imagined walking through mountain meadows filled with wild flowers. I suppose we might have oversold the “Oregon is flat” concept. Oregon is flat compared to California and Washington since 2000’ climbs are the exception rather than 4000’ climbs the norm. Climbing twice the height of the Sears Tower (what you talking ‘bout, Willis Tower) every day can still be daunting to fresh lowlander legs. 

The final 3 miles today would have been what DD had been expecting and wanting. Granted, it was a burn area, but the burn had probably been over a decade ago because new trees were sprouting with some almost 10’ tall. There were still plenty of standing dead trees (and several fallen trees which we had to climb over). The absence of tree canopy allows light down to the ground. Flowers are the first to sprout after a burn which help stabilize top soil so trees can eventually take back over. Burns are part of the cycle of life. I just don’t like seeing so many of them. 

EFG

We concluded that Dancing Dog could have done yesterday, but she would have hated it. After today’s efforts and rough snow crossings, we all agreed that she made the right choice to get off trail at Olallie. 

We all had surprisingly good nights of sleep last night. This is a statement that Bunny will challenge nearly every day, but after sleeping next to her and listening to her snores, I’ll speak for her. Do we sleep as well on the ground as we do in a bed? Duh! It’s tough sleeping and different. Despite Bunny’s claim that she needs 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night (which is why she justifies not getting up to pee in the night…I’m thankful we have separate pads and quilts) the aim of sleep is recovery. Bunny is recovered every day. Yes, a bit grumpier than normal from the tossing and turning, but double the coffee in the morning helps. 

The uphills on the PCT compared to the AT just aren’t that bad. We started out with about 6 miles of uphill walking. After 4.9 miles, Bear said “That went by fast. The climb is barely noticeable.” At which point we stopped for a trail side memorial service after Sassy and Bunny tore him apart. Bear will be missed greatly. Someone tell his children that Sassy has moved to Greenland, where there is no extradition until the sale is complete. 

I’m just kidding. Bear is still alive. He’s just a bit hobbled from the extra weight he is carrying and the few kicks to the groin he got. It was my understanding they were done with children, anyway, so no loss. Bear won’t be acting like an enraged dog hanging around a female in heat for a while. Other than that and the few cuts he’s got on his legs from “accidentally walking into stabs,” he’s as good as a 65 year old Bear. Yes, hiking takes its toll. He’s only 61. 

Cumulatively, we crossed about 4 miles of snow in separate patches along the ridge running beside North Cinder Peak and South Cinder Peak. Today, it was decided that I was the most expendable member of the party, so I led over the snow crossings. It was warm enough that I could kick in larger steps closer together so our lovely brides wouldn’t have any trouble crossing. Sassy followed behind me with Bunny directly behind her. Bunny feels more confident watching an older woman in action (her words, not mine). Bear was designated survivor. He was very instrumental in talking Bunny over the roughest crossings. Bear is very calming on both of us in the snow. 

Last year, we spent 3 rough days on the snow in Northern California with just the two of us. It felt much safer with a group of four. The biggest difference is that I don’t like to cry in front of friends so I’m forced to stay calm. Another big difference is that I could concentrate on making steps in the snow for everyone to follow and I didn’t have to pay attention to navigation. I trust Bear to handle reading the maps whereas with Bunny…

I’m not bad at maps. I consider myself to be fairly competent with map and compass, map reading, and just following a gps. Having said that, I don’t hold a candle to Bear with maps. In all the snow crossings today, we managed to never stray from the trail at all. Bear reads more in a map than I ever consider. As an added bonus, he converts all directions into Klingon. Grieb no kleisch!

There were four steep sloped crossings that would have freaked DD out. In fact, I was pretty close to freaking out once or twice. The four of us worked very well together as a team in the tough spots. That’s probably a result of the nearly 1000 miles the four of us have hiked together on the AT and PCT. 

On the last steep crossing, we couldn’t decide whether to cross the snow, climb above it, or descend below it. We ruled out a direct crossing because the angle was close to 70 degrees and there was a potential couple hundred feet of fall. I climbed up above the patch to see if I could maneuver over the top. I started climbing and got myself committed to a point of no return. It was way too difficult for the ladies, so I told them to drop below the snow (we had already been told there was a potential path below by some nobo hikers). 

I continued forward while Bear lead them below. I managed to get stuck in a crevasse above while everyone else bushwhacked below. I had to take my pack off so I could work my way forward. I was able to kick a hole through the snow pack, grab my pack, and slide down about 15’ before crashing into the trail again. 

The rest of the group appeared about 40’ below the trail once I got composed again. I could see a path a directed Bear from above. He got near the trail and I was able to reach down and pull him up. The girls both followed without incident and we helped pull them back up to the trail. 

All of this happened in the first 12 miles of the day. By this point, we were all beaten down, but we needed to get in a long day because we have friends picking us up at Santium Pass and there is a time crunch involved. John is scheduled to go on an expedition to the Sawtooth Mountains and he’s supposed to leave on the 15th. We want to be able to spend an entire day with John and Jenny before he has to leave. If we stick to our original plan, we’ll have right around 10 miles to go tomorrow. 

With 5 miles to go, Bear asked if anyone wanted to try to find an earlier spot to camp. Sassy was the first to say she didn’t want to go through all the hell we had so far to quit early. Bunny agreed. Bear took off in the lead. There was just two small snow crossings we had to deal with after that. One of which, I slid down on my butt. The other we could pick out a trail to avoid the snow once we climbed to the top of the snow patch.  

We were hurting, but we kept pushing on. We knew we were required to push on to at least 16.5 miles because we were crossing a restricted camping area which we hadn’t gotten permits to camp in. There were signs posted stating it was a $200 fine. We weren’t sure if that was for the group or per person. We didn’t want to find out. 

The last half mile was uphill in a burn area. There was a pond with some campsites around it. When we got there, we had a hard time finding the spots because of all the downed trees. Bear and I finally found a couple of spots next to each other with only a couple of widow makers around. We were too tired to care. We set up the tents and crawled inside to eat because the mosquitoes were pretty thick. 

It had been the hardest day so far even though it was a full mile shorter than our previous long day. The snow just takes a lot of energy out of old bodies. Bunny and I were both glad Bear and Sassy were with us. It we were going to die in a humiliatingly stupid manner, we didn’t want to be alone. 

EFG 

Disappointment alt def To be in a back country camp with a pit latrine that is full to the brim. 

No man is an island. Every man is an island builder when it comes to pit latrines. I grabbed my stick and headed into the latrine. It’s always wise to carry a big stick when heading into a latrine. If you open the lid and something jumps out, the stick is a lifesaver. On the other hand, if you open the lid and are presented with a volcanic island, you get to play god and smite the Lilliputians; the stick is a lifesaver. 

I play a little game and try to be the first ready. I was the first out and packed. Today the winner was actually the last one out because the mosquitoes were swarming. Sassy won and lost. She was the last out of the tent but was immediately covered by the little blood suckers. She has a gift. 

Something strange happened. We had a goal of leaving camp at 8:30. Thanks to the mosquitoes, we were on the trail, a quarter mile from camp, at 8:15. It was looking good for us making our 18 mile goal for the day. We had what appeared to be an easy 1500’ climb to 7000’ above sea level in the first 3.5 miles. 

We had discussed hiking arrangements for when we got on bad snow. It’s inevitable that we will be on snow since the melt line is around 5800’. It was decided that Bear will break trail/lead with Sassy behind him. Bunny will be next so she can watch how Sassy makes a crossing. That leaves me to be the designated survivor in case of accident. 

Altogether, we crossed about 5.5 miles of snow. It wasn’t a continuous path of snow. We were often dumped out onto rock piles or would find clear stretches of trail. The views were spectacular. Early on we met a girl coming down with her Great Pyrenees, Einstein (I didn’t get her name). Obviously, Einstein was not leading because we met them again later on when they came back by us after they discovered they were going the wrong direction. A dog named Einstein would never make a mistake like that. 

We ate a snack directly across from Mt Jefferson. There were obvious cracks in the snow pack onJefferson where an avalanche will eventually take place. We hoping not today as we will have to cross below that on our way down. Bear decided to check to see if there was cell signal. There was enough for us to get an email from John and Jenny with a way to contact them. We also got good news that the weather will be good for next 10 days. On the bad side of things, our inReach is still not working. Worst news was that Sassy’s dad’s cancer has relapsed. 

Coming down, we met the least helpful ranger. I’m pretty sure her name tag read Ranger Negative Nancy. She tried to scare us off the trail telling us about a rough river crossing ahead at Russel Creek that was over 3” deep. She also gave us trail conditions ahead which contradicted reports we had already gotten from people that had crossed a couple days ago. She then finished off her soliloquy by dissing how slow we are hiking. Bear tried to see if we could get permission to enter a “limited entry wilderness” below the PCT. She shot us down there, as well. It was a very pleasant encounter. 

Bear wasn’t going to give up on the alternate route. I’m not sure if he really wants to hike it, or if he’s just trying to see if I’ve become more flexible in my trail standards. This will be the third alternative he’s tried for us to get (nature and the Forrest Service having thwarted the first 2 attempts). He spent 15 minutes on the phone at lunch trying, but failing again. My hiking in the wrong direction for 1300 miles is not enough to satisfy him that I’m a changed man. 

Not too long after our brush with death crossing Russel Creek, we spent 3.5 miles walking in burnt forest in blazing sun. It was hot, dusty, and depressing. There are lots of burned forests in this area, or one massive burned forest, it’s hard to tell how many fires have raged through this area in recent years. It’s terrible to see the destruction and waste. I know this is nature’s way of rejuvenating forests, but I don’t have to like it. 

We made it to camp around 6 after giving up on our original mileage goal of 18. In all, we only got a little over 12 miles. The snow crossing had really slowed us down and taken our energy. Sassy found a nice little camp just off the trail about a quarter mile after Milk Creek. We all ate together outside since we were far enough from water that the mosquitoes weren’t a pain in the ass. Before turning in, Bear was looking at our tents and made the observation “Our tramily has a big ass and a light heart.” I’m assuming he was referring to our tents: a Big Agnes and a LightHeart and not either one of our wives. I’ll defend my wife’s honor.

EFG

Disappointment def To be in a secluded mountain resort equipped with pit latrines and not be able to go. 

Today was not a disappointing day. All four of us managed to not only get satisfaction, but we each got prolonged satisfaction by doubling up on visits. It was even sweeter because of COVID restrictions. A sign in each latrine stated not to share toilet paper to help reduce the spread of the virus (I’m hoping they mean clean toilet paper…we’re close with Bear and Sassy, but sharing slightly soiled tp represents a line that even I won’t cross). Some kind stranger had left a roll of tp in the right latrine which caused a line to form. As luck would have it, we were the only 4 hikers in the resort and we were also the only ones waiting in line for the latrine “with a prize.”

It’s only 45 miles from Olallie to Santiam Pass where John and Jenny are going to pick us up for a couple of days of R&R. We’ve been trying to check snow conditions between here and there by interrogating nobo hikers. A couple days ago, we met Sweet Pea and Door Mouse who both said it was doable w/o micro-spikes, but they are young, healthy, and fit, so we discounted their opinion. (Coincidentally, their opinion was all it took to scare Dancing Dog off trail…the mention of snow caused flashbacks to our time on the AT in the Smokies when we got snowed in a shelter.)

Today, while I was up retrieving my iPad from the store, an older hiker came in. I asked which direction he was going.  When he said north, I asked if he had come over Mt Jefferson. He had. He told me the snow was terrible. I asked if had had used micro-spikes. He said he had not. His credibility was shot with me. He didn’t mention falling and just gave a completely negative answer without perspective. He’s dead to me. 

Taking into account the few reliable reports we have, we feel like we can safely cross the snow if we go slow and stick together. To improve our chances, we want to start earlier in the day when the snow is more solid before it gets slushy and slick. That means, we are only going to hike about 6 miles and stop before the snow starts. This fits in with our preconceived notion of maximizing town time. Check out time is 11 and we plan to turn the key in at 10:59. Easy day today. 

We came across several nobo hikers coming off of Jefferson (or Javier as Bunny calls it). The first was Silver who has hiked the AT 4 times and the PCT twice. He’s older than us and is credible. He said there was some snow patches but they aren’t big or dangerous. If we fall, we wouldn’t slide more than 10-20’ but we shouldn’t have any problems because he had been traveling with someone that didn’t have spikes. He had kicked good footsteps across all difficult areas. He also told us of a couple other young girls coming behind that don’t have spikes. 

We did catch up with the girls coming down and talked to them for a while. They are from Sisters which is where we’re headed. They thought they knew Jenny with it being a small town. They said they didn’t have any problems and they started at Mackenzie Pass 4 days ago. They said 3 Finger Jack was worse than Jefferson and it wasn’t bad if you go slow. They are currently 2 days ahead of schedule because conditions better than anticipated. We’re GTG (good to go).

We started to encounter something we had anticipated running into at some point…mosquitoes. Sassy is proving invaluable in this new endeavor. She is a mosquito magnet! The trick is to have her around, but not too close. She looks like PigPen, but with a cloud of mosquitoes instead of dirt. The only time I had mosquito issues was when I got less than 10’ from her. 

For a short while, we considered going over the snow today. We were standing at the last water source before camp trying to decide. Sassy came up to join the discussion with Bear and me and brought a swarm of flying assholes with her. They were so thick that we couldn’t talk about options w/o getting frustrated. I finally decided to get water while everyone else moved further away from the water. I won’t say all the mosquitoes disappeared, but they were noticeably less once Sassy moved on. There is definitely a market possibility here. I’ve got to try to get some samples of her hair clippings and sweaty bandannas to see if it’s possible to create a m-draw (mosquito draw) around the edge of a camp. There’s a fortune to be made here and I’ll even cut her in, for say, 10%. 

We gave up the idea of continuing on when the Bears couldn’t come to a consensus. Safety Bear was sitting on one shoulder while Adventure Bear sat on the other. Between the 3 bears arguing in the trail, the rest of us got scared enough watching Bear interpret that we decided to just stick with the original plan before Bear became Schitzo Bear. 

DD would have enjoyed today. Even with leaving at 11, we made it to camp by 2:15. We surveyed the entire area before picking our camping spot on flat ground between the lake and a swamp. There was a steady breeze blowing through the area keeping the mosquitoes away. We did meet 3 other sobo hikers that started at Cascade Locks two days after we did. They were at Olallie last night. 

By the time we got everything set up and we’re getting ready to cook supper, we realized it was only 3:30. Instead of supper, we opted for late afternoon high tea, complete with trail mix, a pickle, leftover Parmesan cheese, and crushed guacamole chips. Three of us ate while Bear worked out 3-4 contingencies for the next 3 days. 

As we finished up afternoon tea, it started to sprinkle a bit and cool down demonstrating that Safety Bear was correct and we were right to listen to him and ignore Adventure Bear. I got our supper all prepped (another Kevin’s sauce, chicken breast, and a Knorr garlic noodles) before we all retired to our tents. It was only 4:30. 

EFG

Just as we got in the tent last night, a light rain started. There was a cool breeze. I was feeling chilled. Bunny tried to steal my quilt. I closed the tent completely down into storm mode. That’s where we lower the vestibules and close the vents. Our tent can take some pretty strong winds in this setup. 

A couple hours later, we heard a lot of sounds coming from Bear and Sassy’s tent. The sound of the pads were really amplified. We found out later that they were just innocently changing the direction of their pads as they were sleeping with their heads pointed downhill. Right. 

It gets light early here. Or it stays light late. Or it was a full moon and never got dark. Or I slept very well and woke up early. Whatever the case, I seemed to be awake for a few hours before anyone else started moving. I figured, after all the middle of the night sounds coming from the “sleeping pad rearrangement” that Bear and Sassy would be late getting up. Dancing Dog was the first one up. She was ready to get to Olallie. 

It was the late hour of 7:10 when DD started her coffee. I made the Bunny her coffee per her new instructions (3x the cream), cut her avocado in half, and boiled water for her coffee and blueberry oatmeal. I place the breakfast by her head before I even think of saying anything to her. And when I do say anything, I can expect no response until her coffee has cooled to drinking temperature. 

DD has done everything for herself these past several days, including put up and taking down her own tent, fetching and filtering water, preparing all of her own meals including lighting the stove. This trip has been a lot of firsts for her with glacial river crossings, crossing over mountain snow fields, and total self sufficiency since her husband or Trail Runner wasn’t here to do stuff for her. We are very proud of all she has accomplished on this trip. 

Why am I talking about DD as if she were dead or dying? Well, she’s decided that she doesn’t want to cross any more snow fields and we are looking at going over the shoulder of Mt Jefferson within the next couple of days. She was talking about getting off at Olallie and has made up her mind for certain (if she can get a ride out).

We covered the almost 4 miles to Olallie in less than an hour and a half. We knew when we made the turn into the resort that we were home. The first thing we saw on the trail in was a nice pit latrine. Bear and I had “put all of our eggs in one basket” or “kept all of our poo close to colon” or hadn’t “gone” in the hopes of just such a vision. 

Guthook said to call ahead to get a cabin reservation, but we decided to take our chances in the age of Covid. Bear walked into the store to enquire about cabins. There was one large cabin still available capable of sleeping 5. Normally, they charge extra for walk-ins that don’t phone ahead, but they waived that. They also gave us a midweek discount and another discount just because. We had planned on getting individual cabins at $60/couple but got a big cabin that would hold all of us for $75. It still pays to not plan too much. 

There is a very hiker friendly store at the resort. Since DD is leaving, she bequeathed her extra food to us. Bear and Sassy’s trail angels, Miles and Linda, have already agreed to bring us two more food drops than we had planned on getting so this food helps us a lot. We bought a few extra items for the future drops to add to our stash when Miles and Linda come here today. We also bought a little junk food to snack on this afternoon.

Our cabin is a cute little 2 room structure with 2 queen beds, a kitchen/living room/dining room with a front porch that looks directly at Mt Jefferson. We spent a bit of time planning the next few days of hiking until a Miles, Linda, and Puff showed up with our food resupply. They had also brought us some snacks to eat while we went through our food drops. They also agreed to take Dancing Dog to her hotel next to Portland Airport. She’ll be home soaking in her hot tub before we even make it onto the snow fields of Mt Jefferson. 

We just chilled the rest of the afternoon until we cooked hotdogs on a communal campfire in the middle of the cabins. The resort was a perfect retreat from the trail, if only for one night. I’ll admit to being a bit nervous about crossing Jefferson, but we’ll take it safe and slow. The biggest thing I have going for me is that we don’t carry life insurance, per say. We did pick up a travel policy that carries $50K each, so, if I don’t make it, please thoroughly question Bear and Sassy to find out what Bunny promised them for their part in my disappearance. 

EFG

I made a big mistake when we got to camp last night. Everyone was tired after an 18 mile day. Sassy set me up. She said “I need a shorter day tomorrow!” Like an idiot, I said it’s only going to be 14-15 miles. Immediately, all three women started in that that was too long. I saw Bear knowingly shaking his head. You’ve got to know when to shut up, Padewan. 

The only way the 18 mile day makes sense at this point in the hike, is if we get close enough to Olallie Resort that we can nearo into the camp before lunch so we can get a long recovery time. Hiking 2-10 mile days doesn’t give you as much recovery time as a 15 mile day followed by a 4 mile day. A 4 mile day doesn’t tax your body at all which actually gives us a 36 hour recovery period. Plus, I don’t want to spend money to stay at a “resort” that doesn’t have electricity or showers if I’m only going to be there to sleep for the night. I’ve created a political situation which I need a master manipulator to correct. It’s time for Bear to shine. 

When hiking, it’s customary to put the weakest link out front. As usual, I assumed my position at the front of the line. We had left camp without a lot of water with the intention of stopping in 2 miles to fill up. Bear took me under his arm and said “I’ll correct the mess you made last night. I know how to deal with weak-willed minds. BTW, this has nothing to do with Sassy. Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll stop for a snack in another 3 miles. After that, we’ll push on another 5 miles to stop for lunch at the spot the women want to stop at for the night. When they see it’s only 2, or even as late as 3, they’ll be willing to move on. We’ll get the 15 we want today.”

I was as good as is possible for me. I kept my mouth shut (an extremely difficult task for me…and the source of most of my problems in life). Bear and I went to get water for everyone when we stopped. We picked the pace up just bit. The three blind mice followed along to their obliviousness. 

Sassy was the first to come around. Even before we made the 5 mile spot for lunch, she came up front with Bear and me and said she thought we should go for 15 so we can nearo in tomorrow. At lunch, I said I think we should stick to BUNNY’s original plan and go on to Jude Lake. Bunny and I talked a bit. She admitted she was feeling better than she thought she would be. It was now 4-1.

Of the next 5 miles, only the first 2 were slightly uphill then we had 3 easy downhill miles. Double D pretended like she wasn’t aware of what was going on. We all avoided talking about where we were going to stop for the day. At the spot the gals had thought as a bailout spot for the day at 10 miles in, the mosquitoes were a bit annoying. I told Sassy to make a big deal about the mosquitoes when she walked into camp. She complied like a champ and attracted her own personal swarm. It was amazing to see. Bear had no mosquitoes around him. Bunny and I had a few. Sassy must have had a hundred. She was a mosquito magnet. 

Double D played her hand as we set down to eat. “I hope the mosquitoes aren’t as bad at the lake you want to go to.” None of us made eye contact with anyone. Bear finally said “It is only 3. We could get in well before 6 and have an easy day tomorrow.” Double D was not happy. I’m sure her big toe was hurting. She just threw her pack on and said she hoped we made it before the rain started and took off. 

Greg, DD’s husband, had inadvertently become a bad guy today. About 3 days ago, he sent us a text that it was going to rain on us today. Naturally, everyone turned on the messenger when it started to drizzle today. Add in the fact that Double D was a bit upset about getting “tricked” into putting in an extra 5 miles more than she wanted and now she was out front of the group. Even though it wasn’t her fault about nearly getting lost last week, her sense of direction is not exactly stellar. We were a bit concerned with her being out of sight. 

Bunny and I put our packs on and started after her. It was cold and threatening rain, so we stopped to put our rain jackets back on giving DD a bigger lead. I remained calm, but I was worried. We had said to regroup at the next road crossing. In about 10 minutes, we caught up to DD waiting in the trail. She had wanted to keep walking, but didn’t want to risk getting separated on the wrong trail. I was relieved. 

She had admitted defeat and was now on board with the extra 5 miles. We regrouped at the road as planned. DD was probably the most tired of all of us, but she’s also the most stubborn (her strongest point, according to her husband), so she pushed on without complaint. With about 3 miles to go, she fell again.

This time, it may have had less to do with tiredness and needing the adrenaline death rush that she normally goes for, than it had to do with getting slightly distracted and letting a hiking pole get between her feet. By the time we made it back to her, she was already up and walking. We decided to take a short break anyway. We were at the high point of the last 5, so it was a reward break.

Everyone was ready to make it to camp. Mileages vary day by day, but generally, if you are hiking upper teen miles, once you get past 10 miles, you tend to pick up speed. When you get below 5 miles, there’s a buzz and a feeling that you’re going to make it. When you get below 3, the adrenaline kicks in with a feeling of invincibility. Then you get to 1 mile and hit a block wall. The last mile is always the longest of the day. 

Bear and Sassy stopped at a spring on the trail to fill up. The rest of us didn’t want to carry the extra weight an extra 0.7 mile, so we continued on. Pretty soon, I heard a thump behind me and heard “Pam down!” I needed more info than that, both of them have a tendency to fall. This time it was Bunny. She had been giving DD words of caution because we were walking across a bunch of bark on the trail. She knew DD was tired. Instead, Bunny took the fall. 

Bear and Sassy caught back up just as we made it to the bridge across the Lake Jude outlet. We turned towards the campsite and were rewarded with the best site so far: a spot on the shore of the lake with a central fire pit and flat spots for 3 tents. Even better was a huge boulder in the middle of the site that was ideal for sitting on or using as a table. 

We set up all the tents. This was the best setup DD has had the entire time. We have slowly been getting better each time. Last night, we had gotten a pretty decent set up. The secret seems to be properly folding up the tent after each use and then setting the corners first. It sounds simple enough, but it takes practice with a diamond shaped tent. Tonight, DD and Bunny set it up perfectly. Dancing Dog’s training is complete. 

We all ate supper together and were in our tents by 8:15. Just as a point of reference, the sun doesn’t set here until 9:30. I think the 48 miles we’ve covered in the last 3 days is catching up with us. 

EFG

Bunny and Double D woke up to the smell of smoke. The other couple in camp were smoking first thing in the morning. Of course, I thought it would be the type to mellow you out, but they both said it was just cigarettes. I didn’t bother to try to bum any (for inflammation relief!). We were fed, packed, and hiking by 9.

DD’s husband had texted that we were about to come to a geological formation, today, that we should not miss—Little Crater Lake. I had already been checking Guthook for significant sights along the trail, and several hikers had said this feature was worth the side trip. It was only a quarter mile off the trail. Bear and I had already decided we were going to make the side trip, but when Greg told DD to go, all of the women were in. Just as in civilized life, a random stranger’s opinion matters more than a present husband’s does.

It was a magnificent shocking blue artesian pond (not to be confused with the artesian pit latrine Bear discovered on the AT in 2018). This was clearly visible 45’ deep where we lost visibility after only 2’ in the latrine. The pond water also smelled better. Even though we were only 4 miles into the day, we decided to have a snack on the viewing platform. 

For the next 6 miles, we walked along Timothy Lake. This was clearly a tourist area because the trail was wide enough to walk 2 abreast and there were long sections of boardwalks installed in swampy areas. We couldn’t always see the lake from the trail, but when we did, it had that same fluorescent blue water that Disney water rides have. After 5 miles of this, the temptation was too great. We decided to stop for a lunch break on the shore. Bunny and I opted not to take the chance of being bitten by water snakes or get bled by leaches, but DD, Bear, and Sassy were more adventuresome and soaked their feet in the pond. The leaches would probably be beneficial to DD’s big toe. 

We waited to get water from a fork of Oak Grove Creek which feeds into Timothy Lake. We’ve got about a 7 mile dry section of trail so we waited for the last possibility to filter water. Part of DD’s badge requirements are to do everything for herself and she is doing an excellent job. She retrieved the water and filtered it for herself. She even properly closed her bladder so the water will not drain through her pack and down her legs. Grasshopper has come a long way. 

Not even 2 miles later, Sassy decided we had to stop. I don’t know if the has cooter lock at water stops, but we tend to have to stop quite frequently after a water stop for a pee break. Women think they can do anything that a man can do, pee standing up with your pack on (this doesn’t apply to DD who regularly poops with her pack on). Knowing Sassy is not as fast as DD when it comes to peeing, I headed for a log to cop a squat. I checked to make sure it was long enough that there was enough mass to counter lever my weight. Apparently, I haven’t lost as much weight as I thought because the tree tripped up and I went down. 

We took one last break at 5p to compare how we were doing vs yesterday. At this time yesterday, we had 3.9 miles to go and today we only have 3.6 miles to go. We are ahead of yesterday and have hiked an extra 3 miles. DD’s foot is bad. She described it a bit until I couldn’t take it any more. At one point in my youth, I wanted to be a surgeon, but that ship rightly sailed on by. One time at CrossFit, a friend missed a box jump and scraped the front of her shin. I went to get her a glass of water, took a look at her shin, drank the water, and sat down before I fainted. 

Bunny, Sassy, and Double D started talking about treating the blister under the nail of her big toe and I had to cover my ears, chanting “lalalalala” until they stopped. I heard DD say “I don’t want to do that because my nail will come off and I’ll be dealing with an open would.” “Lalalalala” don’t count on me when blood is involved. 

The final 3 miles were all downhill. I just wanted to be done, but I didn’t want to say anything about my feet hurting after hearing about DD’s big toe. I heard Bear say we only had a mile to go. I started to run to get this day to end. I rounded a turn in the trail to see nothing but downed trees. Damn, we had an obstacle course to go through…ABC Wide World of Sports Celebrity Challenge Special Olympics. 

The obstacle course was only a half mile long. Just as we’re getting near the end, Sassy said she was hearing voices. This is nothing unusual as she often hears voices—it’s a coping mechanism from living full time with Bear. But I started hearing them, too. This is not good. There was already a group of hikers in the spot we wanted. It was a group from San Francisco that was hiking from a Olallie to Timberland. They had hiked 19 miles today to get to this spot. 

When they found out we had started at Cascade Locks, they asked if this was our 3rd or 4th night. I immediately hated them. It’s our 7th. I explained that we are a geriatric group of hikers taking our time and savoring the trail. BTW, HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE (the hiker way of saying FU if said with enough snark—I think I nailed it).

Even though we were in a low lying area next to a river, the mosquitoes weren’t bad. We decided to eat supper together around the campfire ring. Bear was so tired, he had to be forced to eat. Sassy even told him to go ahead and go to bed while she cleaned up after supper. Bunny, you need to spend more time with Sassy. She could be a good influence. 

EFG