Our App is Available for iOS and Android!   Download it now!

Day 26 - the trail provides

Day 26 - the trail provides

a_ourso Apr 7th, 2021
a_ourso's 2021 PCT Thru-Hike

Mile 257.9 to 250.3 and Mile 257.9 to Mile 283.9 (yes that is 33 miles in one day... but there is an asterisk)

An early start back on trail this morning.... Charlie dropped me off at mile 258ish because I directed him to the wrong trailhead.... I sat there for a moment after he left in a dilemma... do I walk 8 miles back and tag the spot I got off on (and potentially have 8 miles back - to make for a 16 mile round trip??) or just skip 8 miles.... I came to the brilliant conclusion to stash my pack in some bushes and walk the 8 miles with just a half liter of water... and then hope for a hitch or call a trail angel’s number I had been given....man, I thought as I set off sans the weight of my big pack... I really am a genius!!!

It was a beautiful easy hike and I was basically skipping along, enjoying the beautiful morning air.

About 6 miles into my backtrack around Onyx Summit.... as I realized I was almost out of water... and the first stupid Amy moment occurred... My filter was in my pack... in the bushes...then as my stomach growled... I realized I should of grabbed a bar.... sigh! As I approached the dirt road at mile 250, where I had gotten off trail - I realized both my phone and my garmin... were also in my pack.... which meant if I couldn’t get a hitch... I was walking the 8 miles back from where I had just come... with no water... and no bar.... I started down the dirt road to hwy 38.... downhill and thought man... I am going to have to walk back up this if no one will stop to give me a ride... from genius to idiot in one quick swoop!

However.... the trail provides... coming up the dirt road was a truck... he stopped to chat with me and said he was doing some work at the “ranch” further up the dirt road... he offered me a ride on the spot.... still have yet to throw a thumb up.... it was going to be a great day - I decided at that point - it was 9am, I had a clear conscience that I still had a continuous footpath to Canada and I was back at my pack and ready to get on with the next section....

I felt great getting back on trail... the days off had got my mind back in it... the easy warm up hike had the blood pumping... the high elevation and shade made the air cool... it just felt right getting back on trail again. In tennis we call it being in the zone... on trail we call it being in a groove... whatever it was it felt like I could walk forever.

I stopped for lunch at Caribou Creek and a man (later I learned his name was Hipshot) came up the trail... it was the first hiker I had seen all day... he was off in search of water... I told him the cache ahead was mentioned to be dry and he seemed to want to go ahead instead of getting water. I thought about telling him the next water source was 10 miles up.... but didn’t... I regret that because later on in the day I passed him twice and he was out of water... I offered him some of my extra but he felt guilty taking it saying it was his error.

Next during my lunch break another hiker showed up... her name was Nicole... she seemed pretty shy at first, but I invited her to sit with me. Turns out she had a week off of work and decided to try backpacking for the first time... she seemed defeated and had already called her husband to pick her up early after only one night... I shared some of my first backpacking experiences with her and gave her some suggestions of other “ease” into backpacking excursions In the area... told her she as braver than she felt to try it alone ... and that seemed to perk her up. I packed up and left her in good spirits.

I took a look at my app and realized with the 8 miles sans backpack, I had done 25 miles and it was barely 2:00... my mind said you should stop... but my body said get it girl... I decided to go until 5pm... the hiking was easy.... I passed rumrunner (Nathan’s dad, I had been leapfrogging them before getting off in Big Bear).... he was done for the day, but said Nathan was camping at the next water source... I decided to try and catch him, but alas... all the adrenaline and second winds wore out about 2 miles shy.... and a decent campsite in my vision was calling my name ....

All In all... it was a great first day back.... I fell asleep tired... but satisfied and happy to have not given up. The trail seriously gave me the medicine I needed to continue on and find my way as a hiker again today!

Previous: Apr 6th, 2021
Next: Apr 9th, 2021

Comments (0)


Loading