Day 175 & 176- Drakesbad

Days 175-176, 9/30-10/1
Two Zero Days

Before relaxing in Drakesbad, my parents took me into Chester to get my town chores done. Laundry and resupply and all that. Chester was a great little town, and we had excellent dinner and also breakfast at the Copper Kettle.

Then it was back to Drakesbad for a truly wonderful and relaxing time. Delicious food, soaking in the hot springs pool, and of course hiking and exploring.

My parents and I went back on the PCT to Boiling Springs Lake. I loved being able to see it for a second time.

Next we hiked to Devil's Kitchen where there were more spectacular bubbling mud pots, steam vents, and hot springs. A large mud pot made a loud thud-thump as it spurted out boiling mud. Another family walked by us and we overheard the father saying, "That's the heartbeat of the earth." The little girl said earnestly, "I want to go closer to see the heart."

You could really get a sense from being there that we were closer to the earth's magma, and that it wasn't hard to imagine this volcano as active. At about three miles round-trip, this isn't someplace most PCT hikers take the time to visit. Which is unfortunate because it's so dramatic.

Then it was only a short detour over to Dream Lake, which has now been allowed to revert back to a meadow now that the dam was breached. There wasn't a trail around the meadow, so it was time for bushwhacking. Mom and Dad are adventurous and crossed streams on fallen logs like pros.

 We saw a great blue heron, and found really neat aquatic flowers which the guidebook back at the lodge showed were water buttercups.

I really loved it at Drakesbad and it was one of the best birthday gifts ever to be able to stay there with my folks. I'll never forget it.

Day 174- Birthday at Drakesbad

Day 174, 9/29/14
1342 to 1354 (Drakesbad)
12 miles

Crisp air, frost down in the valley. Cold granola for breakfast, like every morning, but for some reason it tasted extra delicious as I ate it in my hammock with the clear view of Lassen Peak in the distance. What a way to start my birthday!

With plenty of time before I'd meet my parents at Drakesbad Guest Ranch, every side trail could be explored. 0.3 miles to Domingo Springs (at a car-accessible campground), to the wonder of gushing, clear spring waters and the awesomeness of trashcans- ah what luxury to not have to haul around the clutter of wrappers and used tp.

Domingo Springs.

Entered Lassen National Park, and took the side trail to Terminal Geyser. The scent hit me first- that wonderful sulfur smell. Then the rising plume of steam, then the bubbling water, the colorful rocks around the fumerole. Incredible!

Terminal Geyser

The next geothermal site was Boiling Springs Lake- a green, 130-degree lake with mud pots spewing and gurgling along the edges.

Boiling Springs Lake.

I was warmly greeted at Drakesbad Guest Ranch.  My parents had already been there and were out looking for me, so the staff offered me tea and scones while I waited.  Really hiker friendly!

My parents drove here from Wisconsin to visit and for a vacation of their own, but I must say it was really special to meet them on my birthday in such an incredible place. Feeling so fortunate and loved.

Me and my Dad.

Day 173- Finding that spot

Day 173, 9/28/14
1316 to 1342
26 miles

Tomorrow is my birthday so I had my heart set on finding a special campsite this evening. I wanted to wake up in a beautiful place.

Rain on and off all day. Not as cold as a few days ago when I got so chilled, but I still I had to keep moving to stay warm. No side trails or lingering. I kept my head down, umbrella blocking my view like blinders, not seeing much besides the trail ahead. Regressing back into the mindset of hiking only to get the miles done. It took a conscious effort to not get stuck in the drudgery of slogging along in the dreariness. One might think there is not much to see in the grayness, in the monotonous pine forest, but it just takes more imagination to appreciate the shades of gray, to notice the small things- the tufts of lichen, the shapes of rotting logs, the scampering chipmunks. I could also decide to enjoy the movement along the trail, to feel the strength in my legs, to listen to the rhythm of my breath and footsteps. Deciding to be happy in the rain. Soon, I was cruising along and still savoring the experience.

Seeing beauty in the little things.

Passed the monument for the PCT halfway point. It's not as meaningful to me now that I'm a section hiker, and on the two-year plan. It doesn't feel like I'm halfway to anywhere.

PCT-Midpoint marker.

In the late afternoon, I filled up on water at Stover Camp, the last water for a while, and set out to find a campsite. There were hunters at Stover so I wanted to get well beyond them. Then, there were logging roads so I thought I'd keep going. Then, it was boring logged-out manzanita land. By 'hiker logic' there had to be something better around the bend or over the next mountain.

Weighed down with water for a dry camp and tired from the long day already, still, I felt my pace quicken- gotta get somewhere good before fading light- which is getting earlier since it's well into autumn now. The legs responded with strength- they weren't tired they were moving. Go go go. Up up up.

Crossing the ridge over North Stover Mountain, the snow-covered peak of Lassen was visible in the distance. Ah a view after so many view-less miles! I followed the trail along the hillside across steep volcanic slopes. It was one of the (many) times I was especially glad to have a hammock because there weren't flat spots but boy were there gorgeous trees. I scurried up above a rock outcrop to a grove of huge firs.

Distant view of Lassen.

The rain clouds once again were swirling and making for a dramatic sunset. Going the extra miles to find this campsite was definitely worth it! I made up for some of the monotony of the day by soaking it all in- sitting and really watching and looking. Perfect Birthday-eve.

Day 171- In and out of Belden

Day 171, 9/26/14

1281 to 1295
14 miles

It rained more last night but was clearing by dawn.  Morning fog and clouds swirled on the ridge.  Clouds poured over the saddles.

Sun streaming through the morning clouds.

The mist.

On the descent to Belden, I met Buddha and Girly Girl heading south.  We chatted and when I told Girly Girl that I hadn't seen anyone for over two days, she gave me a big warm hug.  So sweet!

Fog rolling over the mountians.

Though Belden is known as a party place on weekends, it was still quiet at 11 in the morning when I arrived.  Just a few people drinking at the bar.  The waitress was nice and served me breakfast and brought my resupply package, and the bartender showed me gold nuggets he had found in the river.

Belden.

I was eager to keep going so I didn't even shower or do laundry.  I was out of there within the hour.

I didn't even look at my maps for the next section, or I might have noticed the warning about the mountain lion sightings in this section.  I knew I couldn't make it through the mountain lion area before dark.

 The climb out of Belden was blazing hot.  How could I have been so close to hypothermia the previous day and then drenched with sweat and sweltering today?    My feet were feeling sore from trudging through the mud yesterday too and were complaining loudly.  So I camped early, to listen to my feet.

Setting up camp, I carried around my umbrella (to ward off mountain lions), and then I bundled up in my hammock and am gonna keep my fingers crossed that I don't see any mountain lions.

Day 170- Bucks Lake Wilderness

Day 170, 9/25/14
1259 to 1281
22 miles (plus 1 mile to 3 Lakes)

Woke to rain at 5 AM.  Got up and started hiking. Moving as fast as I could manage to stay warm.  But the trail turned into a river of mud so it was hard going.  Hands got cold.  Wind whipping.  A driving rain.

Morning rain.

The problem with hiking as fast as you can to stay warm in the rain is that eventually I need to stop.  I curled up under my umbrella while shoveling calories into my mouth and trying to give my feet a break.  But soon I was shivering so had to get moving.  The rain came down harder and the wind picked up. I started getting worried that I couldn't hike fast enough to avoid hypothermia.

Rain.

At the turnoff for Bucks Lake, the road into town, the rain lessened. I ate some chocolate.  Could feel all my fingers and toes again- a good sign.  I debated whether to go dry out in town, maybe get hot food.  But I wanted to be out on the PCT, even in the rain.  The air smelled fresh, the colors of the moss and ferns and changing leaves were vibrant.  

And I had my first sighting of tree foam on the PCT!  Tree foam is an obscure phenomenon- bubbles are formed when water runs down the trunk of trees and picks up chemicals, and drips down.  Back east, I've seen it create basketball sized mounds of bubbles.  The ones I saw today were small but still made me happy.  The thing that I love about tree foam is that it reminds me of the benefits of getting out in all weather, that it's worth being cold and wet and uncomfortable because you get to see things that are unusual and wondrous.

Tree foam.

As I climbed to the Silver Lake trail junction, the rain clouds moved through and the sun came out.

Rain clouds passing.

I had cell phone reception at an overlook, so I got to call my Grandpa and wish him a happy 90th birthday.  Yay!

Front moving on through.

The rest of the day was cold but gorgeous.  This section is really different but has a beauty all it's own.

Lakes far below.

The trail over to 3 Lakes was only 1/2 mile, so I went to check them out.  They were mostly dry and full of old tree stumps.  No swimming for me.  Guess it was a reservoir that had been logged first before building the dam.  In fading light, with more storm clouds moving in, it was decidedly eerie.

3 Lakes.

Now bundled in my down quilt, hanging in my hammock, I'm finally warming up.  Being cold all day took a lot I out of me.  I'm tucked in the shelter of trees in the lee of a rock face cause looks like more rain is on the way.

Today was the second day in a row I haven't seen a single person.  

Day 169- A Cougar!

Day 169, 9/24/14
1236 to 1259
23 miles

A short while after sunrise, I saw a cougar bounding away from me down the trail (at PCT mile 1238.5).  Large.  Fast.  Powerful.  Gorgeous.  I'd never seen one before but it was unmistakable.  It's rippling muscles, its tail, silky fur.  Like in a nature program.  Only this was real.  It had been directly in front of me, right here.  A cougar.

I gave my best impression of a fierce crazy unstoppable warrior.  Which I am, at that moment.  Banging poles together, shouting, opening my umbrella to look big.   The cougar might not have needed much convincing, as he did run away, but I didn't want him to even consider stalking me.  I've been through too much getting back to the trail.

It was so incredible to see a cougar, any top predator for that matter.  I'm so glad that they are out here, such magnificent creatures that play a vital role in the ecosystem.  Unforgettable.

Looking over my shoulder.

Still, I wanted it to leave me alone, to keep both of us safe.  Cause for cougars to be out here, they gotta not mess with humans and stay out of sight and out of the way of hunters.

I kept hiking, turning around frequently to make sure it wasn't following me.  I kept going and going.  I didn't know I had that much stamina in me.  Only when I got to the Middle Fork of the Feather River, about 12 miles from where I'd seen the cougar, did I relax enough to take a break and go for a swim in the deep pools.  The water cascaded over smooth rock, cutting a steep gorge, dragonflies were swooping around.  The deep valley was filled with lots of plants I had not seen before.

Middle Fork of the Feather River.

I didn't see anyone else all day.   When I stopped I realized I'd climbed a total of 5k feet and descended over 6400 feet today- no wonder the poor feet were tired.  Seemed a good distance to put between me and the cougar.

Umbrella-plant lined banks.

Day 168- Hunters, loggers, and me

Day 168, 9/23/14

1213 to 1236
23 miles

Thick smoke moved in last night.  Woke with an inflamed throat, crusty, puffy eyes.  What was I doing out here in this smoke? What was this smoke doing to my lungs?  Thankfully, as the morning wore on, the winds shifted, the smoke lessened, and breathing became easier.

Smoky sunrise looking down on the Lakes Basin.

Hazy with smoke.

At the A-Tree spring, I met a hunter in a ATV.  He was getting water at the spring too.  We chatted for a bit.  Hunting season doesn't start for another week, but he was out here getting ready.

Sign for the A-Tree springs.

Ridgewalking and the air finally getting more clear.

At mile 1235 when I was going down the road to get water at the end of the day, I ran into some loggers.  I'm embarrassed to say that at first I was reluctant to talk to them- what would I say to loggers, I mean, I love trees it's my trail name after all. But I strive to be open minded and they were just getting off work, so I stopped to talk with them.  Glad I did really nice, hardworking guys.  Covered in even more dirt than me, which made me feel more at ease.  They were the first people I'd seen all day, apart from the hunter.  They offered me a soda and cookies, and we chatted for a while.  They said this was one of the first days the smoke had been bad, that the winds were shifting.  They knew about the PCT since a couple other hikers had come through.  They wanted to know what animals I'd seen and how I get food. I answering their questions and told them my story about seeing a bobcat.

Didn't see any other hikers today, or anyone else for that matter.  Guess the only people in these woods are the hunters, loggers, and me.

Lovely hang site for the night.