Day 9. Into Seiad Valley

Day 9. Into Seiad Valley

Grinder Creek (1646.8) to Seiad Valley (1656)

9.2 miles 

As I walk into town, I see a bunch of “No Monument” signs. They remind me of the signs back in southeast Utah opposing Bears Ears National Monument. I am curious to know what monument they are against and if the conflicts have parallels to the ones we have back home.

I get to town before 10 and get my chores done before the heat of the day. It ends up getting above 100!

At the RV park where I am staying, I listen to some of the locals talk about why they oppose the Cascade-Siskyou National Monument. I decide not to mention the fact that I work for the National Park Service. 

Most residents of the RV park are retired except one family with two small kids. It’s so awesome to be around kids and I’m even more excited when I find out that that the older boy is into dinosaurs! Now there is a topic that I love to talk about! I spend a few happy minutes discussing how awesome dinosaurs are until his mom whisks him away. Ah, I miss talking about dinosaurs with my students back home.

There are only a few hikers staying at the RV park and we sit in the shade and try not to melt in the heat. I love how there are some hikers who you can instantly feel as comfortable as old friends with. I meet B. who shares a love for Big Bend National Park with me and has hiked the AT. I meet up again with N., who I’d met a few days earlier, and her husband S. It’s so wonderful to sit and talk to people who are so positive!

On this section hike, I haven’t hiked or camped with anyone. This hike is one I want to do solo. But it sure is nice to have instant and easy camaraderie in town. 

There is much discussion about the roadwalk out of Seiad Valley that avoids the overgrown, poison oak-infested section of the PCT. I’d been thinking I’d risk the chance of getting poison oak so I could stay on the official route. But then B. and S. tell me the critical bit of information that I’d been missing— the roadwalk has a great swimming hole and a waterfall! That makes the choice easy! 

It's still warm even at 8 PM when I finally set up my hammock in the back of RV park. I drift into a deep sleep and dream about refreshing swimming holes.