Lakes and Water Caches

I sat and stared at the lake and ate a honeybun I had bought at the store the night before. Uphill discovered he had phone service and ordered some new warm clothes at REI that his Uncle was going to pick up and bring to him in a couple of days. The early morning was ours with all the tourists still slumbering their lives away. After a while we got motivated and started on down the trail. It followed the r of the lake and we were constantly stopping to take in the dazzling views. From every side and angle the lake was mesmerizing. Hundreds of feet down to the waters surface we couldn’t get near but the views from the cliff tops were magnificent. Someday after the Covid scare has gone away I’ll return and take the boat tour and hike on Wizard island but for now I had miles to make so after a morning of dazzling lake views, and cool breezes the trail led away from the cliffs and back into the forest. We followed along. Water was scarce as it always has  been in Oregon so far on the PCT. we drank what we had as we walked views of far off mountains greeted us in the open meadows between forest groves. We reached the Official PCT again and turned back south for a tenth of a mile to reach a road crossing where there was a water cache of jugs that someone maintained for hikers. We drank and snacked and filled up again then aimed ourselves north and resumed our hike. We hiked on into the afternoon through trees and burns until we came to a road crossing with a another water cache. It was still relatively early but the next water source was a long ways away and their was camping so we stayed. Terminator and another hiker we had met the night before showed up and camped nearby. 35 got water and hiked on. The water was in 30 or 40, 5 gallon drums some awesome person refilled every now and then. Over half were full and we ate and drank our fill and socialized before retiring to our tents after a great day on the PCT.  mile 1847.9 a 27 mile day.

The 8th I was hiking early as usual. I had to climb Mount Thielsen. It was a long climb and was actually up to the highest point on the trail in Oregon and Washington at 7537 feet. The climb was long but not too steep and I passed by the high point sign mid morning. The morning water stop had been at a creek with loads of day hikers tents about with them still nestled inside, so I had skipped break and was getting hungry. I ran into some other hikers and saw 35 again as I made my way down through the trees on a lovely dirt trail. It was a beautiful blue sky day and not ferociously hot. The afternoon waters stop would again be the only water stop and Uphill and I would have to decide if we wanted to stop early at the water source which was another cache with water jugs, or fill up and carry camping water up the next mountain to a campsite. Uphill was way in front and I knew he would reach the road with the water jugs super early. I made as good of time as possible. I was feeling a bit worn out and was actually thinking that it might be time for a day off or zero day soon. It had been  40 plus days and over 1000 miles since my last one way back in Mammoth Lakes. We actually had plans to meet Uphill’s Uncle in a day or two at shelter cove and spend a night at his cabin but were still planning to do 20 plus miles in and 20 out the day after. I made a decision while I walked and decided I was going to go to a medium sized city in Oregon called Bend in a few days and take a day off. I had signal so I looked it up and saw where the nav app told me to hitch in from the trail about 100 miles away, and figured I’d be there on Wednesday, 4 days ahead as it was now Saturday. I found a cheap hotel with 2 beds right near the grocery store for around 80 bucks a night and booked it. I was going to town! I sent Uphill a text telling him we were taking a day off and going to the city and then resumed my hike. I walked on down past the junction to Maidu lake which was somewhere off trail and passed on by, heading to Windigo Pass. I got  there a bit before 3 having already hiked 30.4 miles for the day and could tell Uphill had already been there a while. He was sitting on a log, talking to a sobo hiker and I walked over and joined them. I asked Uphill if he’d gotten my text and he said yea but the sobo had said it would be easier to get to Bend from Elk Lake which we would hit a day earlier. That was fine with me  and I still had signal so I got online and switched my reservations from Wednesday and Thursday Nights to Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Uphill and I decided to fill up our water and climb on up the mountain before camping so we said goodbye to our south going friend shouldered our now heavy water laden packs and began the uphill trek. We climbed for 4 miles up Cowhorn mountain before finally reaching the ridge and the Cowherd traverse. We could see lakes and forests and mountains stretching off to the horizon in a spectacular panorama of wilderness. We walked the ridge for a couple more miles through rocks and woods eying the gorgeous views before finding a couple of flat camp spots right on the edge of the cliff skirted by boulders. We had a gorgeous view of the distant mountains and the forest and several lakes below. We could even see boats flitting about. Clouds floated by and we settled in for the night high in our nest overlooking a whole world below. Mile 1884 a 36.1 mile day.

Long before dawn on the 9th, in the chilly dark of night we reluctantly packed up and left our perch. With miles to hike we traversed the ridge and walked on down. We reached Summit lake in time for a magnificent sunrise and I stopped and lingered for awhile. Watching the sunbeams dance and play across the placid mountain lake. The crescendo of colors reflected across the mirrored trees creating a surreal impossible scene. I stared mesmerized as the early morning birds sang, frogs croaked and the world woke. What a day to be alive and wild I thought but sadly I had to go. I was supposed to meet Uphill and his Uncle at noon so many miles away. I tore myself away and walked on. I passed a road and the car campground where it looked like dayhikers had set up a village with tarps and canopies and multi room tents. There were all still asleep and didn’t even notice a creature of the woods walk by in the early morning light. I hiked on in tree canopy induced twilight flitting from sunbeam to sunbeam in the crisp morning air. I climbed up another ridge past Mount Yoran and across and down past midnite lake. I made it to the dirt road around 1145 and turned right to follow it a mile and a half down to the Shelter Cove resort on Lake Odell. I got there right at noon and saw Uphill in the distance. I went in to pick up my box that was supposed to have been delivered by UPS several days before. The lady looked at the list and it wasn’t there. Crap, that was all my food. Good thing I had already planned to go to Bend in a couple of days cause I was going to have to hit a grocery store. The small store there had snacks and candy bars so I bought enough to get me through for a couple of days and the lady said if it was ok with me she would give my box to the homeless if it ever got there instead of trying to send it back. Imagining happy folks eating my mountain house meals and Nutella made me smile so I happily agreed and went outside to where Uphill and his Uncle Tim were waiting for me. We loaded up in Uncle Tim’s Prius ( which I found out gets 55 miles per gallon!) and headed out. He had a cabin on nearby Crescent Lake and we were headed there for a relaxing afternoon and a nights rest. It wasn’t far and we soon arrived at a small cabin built in the 30s right on the shore of Crescent Lake, a beautiful mostly undeveloped lake in the mountains. There were several cabins on the shore and boats and partiers out on the lake but it was still relatively serene and a lovely spot. The cabin was rustic with a nice porch and a deck. I relaxed on the porch as Uncle Tim and Uphill caught up. I was wishing I had bought more food at the store as I was starving and no one else seemed concerned about lunch. I barely had enough food to make it to bend do I didn’t want to eat mine. I resigned myself to waiting for dinner and took a luxurious shower in the cabin. Then clean,  I went down and joined the others on the dock for a while. Uphill’s nephew and niece came by and visited and later on  Uncle Tim grilled chicken and reheated homemade Mac and cheese his wife had made and sent out. We all sat out at the table on the deck and had a delicious dinner. We visited then went and sat on the dock and watched the lake for a bit: after that was ice cream and brownies for desert. Uphill’s niece and nephew left and the rest of us retired to the cabin for the night. Mile 1906.6 a 22.6 mile day.

The 10th was the end of my 2nd month on trail I had walked 753.2 miles about 1253.2 in total in the last 30 days. I woke up in the cabin happy with my progress but knowing I still had so many miles to go nearly 1400 in fact. I was up early and went to sit on the porch to read. Before long I heard Uncle Tim stirring in the kitchen and Uphill shortly after. Soon coffee was poured and sunlight rose over the lake. We had eggs and bacon and toast and it was delicious as we lingered over the breakfast table. Too soon it was time to go and Uncle Tim drove us back to where the dirt road hit the paved and we headed off back up to our trail. We walked a couple of miles and crossed the highway before climbing uphill again. We passed Lower Rosemary Lake and climbed on up near Pulpit rock before stopping at Maiden Peak Shelter for a break. 

It was a beautiful wood and rock shelter maintained by a local ski club that lets hikers use it in the summer. It was fully enclosed with a part stone part raised wood floor and a loft. Supposedly there was solar lights but it was day and we didn’t try them. We ate snacks and signed the log and hiked on. From there we went on hiking through a large burned area climbing over deadfall after deadfall. The trail was an obstacle course with a tree over it every few feet, it was exhausting and we it took forever but we finally reached  the edge and went only a couple more mile to campsites on Irish lake. We got water and the mosquitoes were horrendous so we quickly set up our tents and crawled inside for the evening. There was a gravel road nearby and we heard cars occasionally and a couple of dayhikers came by but soon the sun set and another day was done. 

The 11th I was actually still asleep for once when Uphill packed up and headed out excited to get to town. Still I was up and walking by 430. My minor puncture wound on my hand was infected so i checked for signal and when I got it called the urgent care near my hotel in Bend to see if I could get it looked at. They said yea just come in whenever I arrived and they closed at 7pm. That was good so I hurried on. I reached a part of the trail that looked like a tornado had come through with huge old growth trees laying everywhere blocking the path. I climbed over and under and jumped from one to another balancing on trunks and footballs and tightroping across limbs: then just as I could see clear trail ahead I caught my pants on a limb and ripped the whole cargo pocket off. Great now I was going to have to go clothes shopping before I went to the doctor. I needed a new shirt anyway as the whole back was ripped out of mine and my underwear were more holes than cloth plus both pair of my hiking socks were full of holes; so as much as I hated to think of the expense I guess I needed to replace the rags I was calling clothes. But first I still had to get there. So on I went past Brahma lake and Deane lake, South Lake and Horseshoe, up hill and down, through forests and burns where only ghosts of forests now stand. Eventually in yet another desolate patch of bare scorched trunks scratching at the sky I turned right and made my way down to the Elk Lake trailhead where Uphill was waiting with Dundee and his brother whom I hadn’t seen since Bishop California hundreds of miles ago. They had arranged for a ride to town and we agreed to split the cost. Soon the guy arrived and we all piled in and rode to Bend. Dropped off at the Rainbow Motel where I had already booked a room. It is a lovely old motel from back in the day that is meticulously maintained and covered in lovely rose bushes. We got checked in and showered. ( I found a five guys across the street while  Uphill showered and got a burger) Then we went out and ate (ate again in my case) after food we walked across town to REI where I paid full price for the 1st time ever for the most expensive set of clothes I’ve ever owned in my life. Over 200 bucks for pants, a hiking shirt and underwear I almost had a heart attack. Then back to the room, I changed and went to the doctor while Uphill went to do Laundry. All my old clothes went to the dumpster except my socks which I planned to exchange the next day. The doctor frowned at my hand and assured me being a dirty hiker living in the woods was absolutely not the best thing for an infected puncture wound and prescribed me some antibiotics, My first ever official prescription as an adult, believe it or not, since I avoid doctors like the plague. I took my prescription to Walgreens curious to see what would happen and they looked at my VA card and gave me the Medicine for free. Back to the hotel where I managed to use door dash for the first time to get Taco Bell delivered to my door which was freaking mind blowing to me!!! I ate again and soon Uphill arrived and we ordered more food from A local Mexican eatery and yup I ate yet again, before happily resting in my comfy bed finally full and looking forward to the next day; my first zero (day off) in forty five days and over 1000 miles!

infection :/