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Day 17.... posthole, much?

Day 17.... posthole, much?

a_ourso Mar 29th, 2021
a_ourso's 2021 PCT Thru-Hike

Mile 175.4 to Mile 185.9 (the spot we collapsed)...

We woke up early and Andrea and I felt we should be able to make it to 190.5 leaving camp at 7am.... Spirit would be there when we got there... the trail must have been cackling at our plans and cockiness....

It was slow... and slower... and then slower... lots of 1000 ft in a mile climbs... in deep, deep snow... more giant downed trees to climb over... we pushed and pushed ... as the day wore on the snow got softer and softer and we were postholing every step... this is when you step on soft snow and the ground gives way underneath your foot and your leg drops through the 3 feet of snow to the ground - I lost my shoe a few times in these instances... or trekking poles were sticking into rocks far beneath the snow... at times we were moving less than a .5 mile an hour... around 3:30 - on a small climb I post holed past my hips and the snow was was soft I couldn’t get out... I really thought I may cry...I told Nike I needed a minute and sat on a rock... she said she was going to find a dry rock nearby... I looked as I got up from my break and saw she had given up and just thrown her pack in the snow and sat on it... I told her I couldn’t go much further ... I was mentally done for the day... luckily she felt the same way... we walked until we found two very small patches of dirt on a clff side and made the best we could of our tents... At this point... I reached into my food bag and grabbed a snickers that I had packed the night before I started this crazy journey ... I had packed it to save for when I was feeling defeated.... I broke it in half and walked up to Nike’s patch of dirt and gave her half... I thought she may cry... it was the best snickers either of us had ever had.

Abouth that time, Spirit texted - he had made it to 190 campground but thought we should stop - it was too hard and too late in the day... most challenging section of trail he had done he stated.... I laughed and said we gave up before his text...

Our patches of dirt turned out to have the most Incredible sunset and at 8500 ft I was looking at my hometown of Redlands lit up in the distant night ..... I thought to myself I am getting out of this snow and sleeping in my warm bed tomorrow night... even if I have to crawl.... I texted Charlie he would be picking me up the next day... and it could be midnight before I made it... but I needed a hug and a bath.....

Previous: Mar 28th, 2021
Next: Mar 30th, 2021

Comments (1)


GrizzlyGramp Apr 2nd, 2021

You are a champion and you did it. When that darn snow gets that soft it is best to let it freeze and firm up overnight.


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