PCT 2024 - NorCal-Sierra

Have a great hike!

Have a great trip!

Coolkat

If it doesn't fit, you can't commit!

My boots were Danner boots - 1-piece leather with vibram soles. It made it the entire trip without needing re-soling. By the time I got to mid-Washington, most hikers were on their 3rd set of soles, while I was on my original soles. To be fair, though, I walked Oregon in tennis shoes until I got to Mt. Hood.

An on, off and on return to the PCT. 


Final task: Prepare Subaru for storage. Fuel additive, trickle charge and insurance savings.


Medford, OR, gateway to my SOBO start at Siskiyou Summit (I-5) near Ashland, OR


Michelle, NOBO section hiker had just come through the Marbles and Siskiyous. Used ice axe and micro spikes for the Marbles. She summited Denali in '23 and begins her master's degree studies at Stanford this fall. 


Small World Dept.: Encountered a Bay Area group of senior hiker ladies. Among them was Dorie, an event volunteer I knew from many figure skating competitions.   


The next day was simply stunning! 


A pipe spring!


Bits of snow now and again, a few blowdowns, rather pleasant.


California!


The ramshackle Donomore Cabin, my accommodations for the evening.


Got back on the trail, promptly at 6:30a. Hiked two miles to Wards Fork Gap, a very remote location...when my iPhone began making bizarre noises and an annoying and unintelligible uber-fast paced feminine voice. I stopped and tried for an hour to resolve the issue and came to the conclusion that the iPhone was inoperable. Had to stop and think things through. The iPhone is among other things, my basic navigation tool. I easily could continue the next 30 miles to Seiad Valley, a mini town consisting of a tiny post office, a store and a downtrodden RV Park. No fix there. The next option was to hike back to the starting trailhead (30-something miles) and then find a way to get to either Ashland or Medford for an ATT store and replace the iPhone. 

I started hiking back and upon reaching a forest service road near the Donomore Cabin, a faded light blue 1990ish Dodge Dakota Sport came along with two kids riding in the truck bed. Driving was Claudya "Bum" Aklerman, a gray haired 60-something rancher with her daughter Kelsey and two grandkids riding in the truck bed. The forest service had asked to round-up her cows and keep them from straying into Oregon. Apparently, the forest service wants Oregon cows in Oregon and California cows in California. I mentioned that the state border is just a line on the map. She replied, "the cows don't know that". We got to talking and she offered to give me a lift to Yreka, CA. It was something and somewhere and a faster option than backtracking by foot and still needing a ride to get to Ashland or Medford. It was a gift, and I took it.

First, they had to run their cows away from the border. They suggested I hike back to Wards Fork Gap and wait.  They would collect me for the ride to Yureka in about two hours.

My next image will live in my mind forever. I could hear the cows coming by the ever-nearing sound of the Swiss cow bells.  Soon the cows came rushing down a forest service road past me at a fast gait. I counted about 18-20. That was followed by the truck, driven by Kelsey, the daughter. She would come right back after she "pushed" the cows down the road a bit. She mentioned Claudya would be there in a few minutes on foot. And there she was, about five and half feet tall, a weathered face wearing Wrangler jeans, accented by an oval metal belt buckle, a light-colored western style long sleeve shirt, work boots, no hat and carrying a shotgun in her right hand. 

We all crammed in and begin the ride down a precarious, winding, steep and exposed dirt road to the Klamath River, pavement and eventually Yreka. My plan was to get a room, go the library and figure it all out from there. At the moment my mind swirled with a haberdashery of scenarios and strategies. Our twenty-first century lifestyle is so dependent on our Apple or Android. We drove by the library, validated the open and close hours and proceeded to the Best Western, where I attempted to get a room. 

The hotel computer was down, I couldn't book a room. I suggested, just comp me the room and we can work out the details later. No real problem solvers present, then the unexpected. A bang, bang moment! A hotel customer was departing for Medford Airport via an executive car service. They quickly agreed to take me. I gave Claudya a hug, thanked her and said good-bye and an hour later was at the Medford AT&T Store. 

At the AT&T store, I was thinking replace the iPhone. Not so fast. Apparently, Apple iPhone, have this feature called VoiceOverAssist. It was accidently activated on trail. I had no clue what it was and did not know it can be turned off. The showed me how to activate and deactivate. Phew! Booked a room for two nights to chill out and post this from the Jackson County Public Library. 


Ryan, my driver and local Medford benefactor. All's well that ends well. Tomorrow, he will drive me to Seiad Valley, California and I'll be back on the PCT! 

Greetings from the State of Jefferson!

An on again, off again proposed U.S. state including parts of Southern Oregon and Northern California. 

The trail from Seiad Valley to the ridge crest was brutal. Over 5,000 vertical feet, through a steady diet of blowdowns and overgrowth. Some use the term bushwhack. I disagree, you can see the trail if you look at your feet, thus disqualifying that definition.

Once on the ridge and reaching the Marble Mountain Wilderness it was rather magnificent. Snow drifts, still some patches of blowdowns, deer galore all punctuated by clear blue skies.   

My cash stash included some two-dollar bills. The payback I received for a "cherry on top" tip component was much goodwill! 


Seiad Valley, CA - pop. 300


This is it! An all-in-one town! Post Office, General Store and Restaurant!


A bounty of overgrowth! Many sections of trail like this!


Happy Camp Complex Fire Burn Zone - 2014


Rock Garden


Sunrise means on trail - Paradise Lake - Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA - Saw a large, male, cinnamon bear near here.


Picturesque snow drift!


Black Marble Mountain


Zag - Philadelphia, PA- We had previously met while camped at the KOA, Acton, CA (SoCal last year) We planned to visit the bar in town. While walking to the car he tripped on stairs and tore the toenail off his big toe! So, we dropped him off at the hospital emergency room in Palmdale, CA. That's the last I saw of him until now...Crazy!


Man Eaten Lake


Descending a snowfield!


Mount Shasta (14,180') on horizon


Kidder Creek


Snowmelt!


Marten Lake


Blowdowns and lots of them...for that... obstacle course ambiance!


Short and sweet! Fast Lane! Very much appreciated.


R&R - Etna, CA - Crossed this off my Scavenger Hunt list!


Etna, CA - Molly MacGowan - Long time US Adult Figure Skating Championship competitor including events we hosted in Salt Lake!


Zero Day in Etna, CA (0 trail miles). My hang-out...always the library

Yours truly prepping FB post!