I woke today with a scratchy throat. I kept waking up in the night and covering my face with my shirt to filter the smoke. My eyes burned too. The smoke had sunken a bit into the valleys below but it was still very present. I left around 7 and started on. I was so tired from my lack of sleep. The climb we had was almost nonexistent yet it took so much out of me.

I took my first break after about 7 miles for some water and a snack. I felt so sluggish. I met up with Thankful and Planner. I pushed on listening to podcasts and audiobooks to pass the time and keep me moving. It was flat but I was just too tired. I crossed a trailhead with lots of cars and considered hitching to town from there but didn’t know if it was possible. I pushed on another 3 miles.

I met up with the other two at the water and I had noticed the smoke was closing in again in the same fashion as the day before. It was very very thick again. I didn’t want to be stuck in the smoke again so I talked it out with them and I decided I was going to head back to the trailhead and hitch to town. I have never turned around before and hiked back on any trail like this but it just felt like the right choice. I felt very sick from the smoke.

I got to the trailhead and and waited for quite some time before seeing anyone. I finally asked a couple and they didn’t seem to want to give me a ride. I asked another two women later and they said they didn’t have room. A minute later I heard “hey orange shirt, we’re making room for you!”. I was glad and I squeezed in.

The ride was very long and windy and I was carsick as usual. They actually gave me Dramamine which was nice. They were only going to go so far but offered to take me all the way to Etna. I arrived to dozens of hikers and even worse smoke than where I was picked up from. Every place was booked. I tried my best to hitch to Yreka and had no luck. Some man pulled up and offered to take me to his friend’s house who hosts hikers.

I arrived at Lori’s house and she was extremely friendly. She was recently widowed and lived only with someone she said was her pseudo daughter. She gave me a bed and laundry and a shower. There was no AC in the room but it was still great.

I went out for dinner with two other hikers she hosted, Slice and Mango.

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The next day I decided to zero since the smoke was no better than the day before. I just laid around almost all day until I went to get dinner. By nightfall the sky had cleared substantially. I’m hoping it clears so I can head out tomorrow.