1,000 Miles & Entering Oregon!
Mile 1611.5
We left Etna this afternoon and got a hitch from a local. She went out of her way to drive us all the way up to the trailhead on windy mountain roads, we were super grateful. We started hiking just after 4pm and even though it was about 10 degrees cooler at this elevation than down in Etna, it was a pretty warm and exposed first few miles. Luckily as the sun started to set it got cooler, and the sunset was amazing.
We had originally planned to camp 3 miles ago, but there was nowhere for OK to hammock. We decided to press 1.5 miles further to see if the next site was any better. Unfortunately, it was the same as the first site, so we went another 1.5 miles in the dark with headlamps on to a site that was supposed to have water and a lot of trees. We got here and there are a lot of trees, however most of them are dead. It doesn’t make you feel very good when you have to camp in the middle of a bunch of logs. We assessed the area and feel comfortable enough to stay the night, but man these first few tent sites have not been in our favor.
There've been two deer walking circles around our tentsite all evening who we’ve named Little Debbie and Cheryl. They wouldn’t go away even when we tried to scare them. It was slightly off-putting but also funny at the same time.
Off to bed now, if Cheryl would stop snapping twigs nearby…
Mile 1625
Well today was interesting… We had planned on doing 18.7 miles, but we only made it 13.5. I feel like I worked for every mile today, things just felt like they took a lot of effort. Not sure why, but we were all feeling the same way, and we think maybe it’s just a lack of sleep recently. In Etna we didn’t get the best sleep, and then having to night-hike last night meant we didn’t get to sleep until like 11pm. I’m hoping tonight will be more restful.
One of the reasons the trail was so tough today is because there are SO MANY blowdowns. It’s hard to describe how many there are, and not just the quantity but the size and scope of climbing over them or around. It slows things down so much, and takes a lot of effort to go up and around or climb over top. In one mile there could be 20 blowdowns. It’s crazy, and gets extremely tiring... I think it may be like this the rest of the way to Seiad Valley.
Because I wear shorts and I went over so many blowdowns today as well as walked through a lot of burn areas (full of loose soil and soot) my legs and feet were absolutely disgusting when I got to camp. I used like 5 baby wipes to get clean, it felt like wiping sludge off of me. This is the first time I’ve strongly considered getting pants instead of shorts…
Even though the miles were tough today, the views were absolutely spectacular. I can’t believe a place like this just casually exists. I’m actually really glad I get to experience the other parts of the PCT before seeing the Sierra, because I feel like this area wouldn’t have been as magical for me otherwise.
Tomorrow, after about 4 miles, we’ll officially hit 1,000 trail miles! It’s crazy to even fathom that, I can hardly understand it and I’m out here doing it.
Mile 1642.8
We passed mile 1,000!! That happened this morning on our way to our morning break, or as we like to call it “second breakfast”. I got to walk over the 1,000 mile mark with Ziploc and Super Noodz, and we yelled “ONE THOUSAND!!” into the valley below.
When we got to our break spot, OK was there and we joined him. We all had some food and coffee, and then we fashioned a “1000” out of Folgers instant coffee packets, joking how our hike is fueled by coffee. We got into even more shenanigans when Noodz suggested we make a “1000” out of all of the people who were there, so me, Zip, Noodz, OK, Workshop, Summer Wine, and a girl named Artemis all spelled it out while Siesta took the picture. We laughed so hard after seeing it, and I’m so glad Noodz got everyone involved, it was a great way to commemorate this big milestone.
On our hike in the morning we chatted about what we had learned in the last 1,000 miles. I think my biggest lesson has been to recognize how strong I am, and how I can truly do this. I’ve learned so much about being a thru-hiker, and camping and backpacking in general. But overall this isn’t just a backpacking trip, it’s a long-term, physical, and mental endurance challenge. I’ve gotten to see sides of myself I didn’t know were there. I can’t believe it’s been 1,000 miles, it’s truly hard to fathom. I remember by first day on trail having only gone about 11 miles and feeling super dejected and unsure if I could make it much further. I’m 1,000 miles in and feeling strong and capable, as well as continuing to enjoy myself, which feels like such an accomplishment. I’m really proud of myself.
The rest of the miles today were alright until the last 2 miles of trail. The blowdowns on this stretch have been crazy, and this area was no different. Crazy blowdowns on a thin trail that was completely overgrown. The trail was on a steep hillside, and so when it’s overgrown it tends to throw you off balance. Every once in a while I’d find myself stepping off the trail by accident and I’d almost fall into the brush below me. My low point was crawling underneath a giant downed tree that was burned and full of soot. I had to take my pack off to make it under, and then drag it out from under the tree. I got myself and my gear full of soot, and I was just so ready to be at camp.
It was one of those days today that really shows both sides of this journey. The milestone of 1,000 was such a high point. So many people there to enjoy the moment, being out in nature, and having the accomplishment of physically exerting myself each day was wonderful to reflect on and continue to experience. However, I then ended my day with some awful trail conditions and a late night getting into camp again, which are not the fun parts of trail. These are the types of things that make the milestones so sweet, but it doesn’t mean they don’t suck in the moment.
I got to camp later than I would have liked, and found myself calling out “Hey Bear!” the last half mile because it just seemed like perfect bear territory with a rushing river, berry bushes, and lushness all around. Planning to get up at 5am tomorrow so we can get a move on and get to Seiad Valley around lunch time. This was honestly a pretty tough stretch. It really drained me, and I’m looking forward to maybe staying in town tomorrow to give my brain and body a break.
Also, Cheryl the deer (all female deer are just “Cheryl” to us now) is near my tent. They really like licking up pee, and I peed right outside my tent. Not sure that was my best idea... I also saw Darryl (male deer) earlier today as I was walking through all of the blowdowns. I had thought he was Cheryl until I saw his little prongs. My second confirmed buck of trail so far. Still haven’t seen a bear, still don’t want to.
Mile 1657.5
Really rough day for me... it was a good day in terms of the lovely people, but wow. This morning we got up early and I left camp around 6:20am. I had only gone 2 miles when OK and Ziploc caught up to me. We walked together the rest of the way, but I had a hard time keeping up. The trail was still really overgrown this morning just like it had been yesterday, and that’s always a huge mental struggle for me. There were also blowdowns today. Not nearly as many as there have been, but the ones that were there were intense.
I listened to a History Chicks podcast about the wives of Henry the VIII and just tried to knock out the miles as best I could.
After 7.5 miles we started to road walk. I had it in my mind that I was going to hitch the next 7 miles to town, but the road was totally deserted. It was hot and exposed, and road walking is hard on the feet and shins. By the time we got to be a mile away from the cafe in town, I just sat on the guard rail and cried. I haven’t cried on trail since before Walker Pass back in the desert, and here I was just miserable, about to be leaving Northern California in a few days, and sobbing. I miss Erich and I was hot and felt depleted and this section has been so tough. I probably should have stopped for a few breaks before this, but being on the road and almost being in town we just decided to keep pushing to get there. Looking back, I should have listened to my body more.
I drank some water and continued on, but by the time I had made it to the cafe the damage was done. I ended up getting really faint, and had to sit in front of the AC unit. I drank a soda to help get my blood sugar up and cool me down, and I even took off my sun hoodie to help me cool off. I ate my plate of food, but still felt faint for the next few hours.
I went to the bathroom after this and ended up having diarrhea. I think I had heat exhaustion. I resupplied afterward and felt awful, and then we had to walk the half mile on the exposed road to the RV Park where we’re camping for the night.
After getting my tent set up and feeling woozy, I went down to the creek and submerged myself. I sat in the water for at least 20 minutes, and it really helped to cool me down. It also was so wonderful to feel really clean after a stretch of feeling absolutely disgusting from all of the dust and burn zone soot.
I was able to eat dinner and am feeling better, but I’m exhausted and my stomach is still not quite right.
We’re planning to leave tomorrow morning at 6:30am to road walk to the top of the climb out of Seiad Valley. This helps us avoid the strenuous trail which has many blowdowns, is in a burn, and is longer than the road walk will be. My goal tomorrow is just to get to the top, then I can see what I want to do afterward.
On the bright side of today, it was a lovely evening at the RV Park. They cater to hikers and made us a giant feast that reminded me of the 4th of July. It was such a treat since I didn’t get to go to the 4th of July get-together with my family this year like I usually do.
Summer Wine made us some “summer wine” out of red wine and lemon/lime soda. It was delicious! I’ll definitely be doing that in the future. She said to use a Cabernet Sauvignon, but we used Merlot since it’s all the tiny general store had.
OK showing us some dance moves at the beginning of our road walk
Mile 1677
Had a really wonderful day today! What a contrast to yesterday. This morning when I woke up, I had a hard time getting out of my sleeping bag, but once we started walking things felt alright. I walked with OK up ahead and we ended up seeing so much wildlife! We saw an elk, deer (several does and a buck), turkeys, a fox, a rattlesnake... it was seriously a wildlife filled day!
Around lunch time we stopped to dunk in a beautiful pool at the base of a small waterfall, and it felt amazing. We were on the Seiad Valley alternate route which takes a dirt road out of the valley up to the trail. It was mostly shaded but had been getting more and more exposed, and we were so excited to go in the cold water. I dunked 3 times - it was chilly and fresh and felt so good.
We made it to the top where the dirt road met the trail and took a break for an hour or two. It felt great to sit in the shade and just relax a bit. We continued on around 5pm and had a 3-mile climb. It ended up being steep, but overall the time flew by. I spent a lot of time hiking and chatting with OK today which was really nice and helped pass the time. He’s really funny and has an improv background, so we end up doing silly bits which is really enjoyable.
We made it to camp and are all tucked into a little grove of trees together which is always the best. We’ll hit the Oregon border tomorrow near the end of the day which is super exciting! It’s going to feel so good to be out of California for a while. I’ve been here for 3 months now, and I’m excited to move on.
P.S. I also have a heat/friction rash on my back, which makes carrying my pack painful and uncomfortable :( Hoping the Benadryl and antibiotic cream I put on does some good overnight…
Mile 1693.1
We crossed into Oregon at the very end of the day today, and it feels really good. It feels like we’ve actually gotten somewhere! Even though by this point we’ve walked over a thousand miles.
The miles felt good today, and I listened to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix most of the day. There were a few climbs, but otherwise it was cruise-y and beautiful. Lots of meadows in between dense forest. The trail was smooth and soft and it felt like such a reprieve from the last stretch.
When we crossed into Oregon, the tree that used to have the “Oregon” trail sign on it is now a blowdown you have to climb over, so it was a funny way to commemorate the start of this state. We’ve been told Oregon has plenty of burn zones and blowdowns to go over.
I got to cross into Oregon with Ziploc which was super special. She pointed out that we basically started the trail together (same day only like 30 minutes apart), then we finished the desert together on our last day, and now here we are finishing California and starting Oregon together. I’m so grateful for her and for Noodz & OK, I love them so much. Noodz had been up ahead of us and crossed a few minutes before us, and was there waiting as we walked in.
As we walked to the border I told Zip that I’m grateful to California for keeping me safe, turning me into a thru-hiker, and showing me all that I’m made of and what I can do and overcome. California has not been easy, and there’s still the Sierra waiting for me that I’ll need to come back and complete. But for now it feels good to close this chapter and breathe the fresh air of Oregon.
