Burney Falls to Seiad Valley
Sunday, 7/23/00: In Which I Hike Through Clearcut Hell and Camp There Too
The guys returned about an hour after I lay down and were reasonably quiet so I went quickly back to sleep. I got up about 5:15 and had a long trudge to the bathroom instead of a quick stop in the woods. I took advantage of the running water to clean my filter. By the time I left at 6:15 only one other hiker was up and he was at the shower.
The first hour’s walk led to a walk across the dam creating Lake Britton in the park. From there I walked to Rock Creek Canyon, crossed the creek by some falls and continued climbing.
I stopped for water and lunch at 11:30 at Peavine Creek having done about 14 miles. Up to here I had seen some signs of logging, a prelude for what was to come. After lunch I caught Ken and Marcia who I had met briefly yesterday at the park. We would pass each other throughout the afternoon, all headed for the next water 15 miles from Peavine Creek.
In the afternoon clearcuts got grosser. At one point the trail was rerouted around a huge, fresh one, sporting big stumps that once lofted old growth high into the air. Much of this land is private, though some is Shasta Trinity National Forest. I’m sure the Trinity stands for Logging, Mining and Grazing, the USFS’ holiest activities.
I finally made it to water at 6:15 and as I expected found Steve camped there. Also there was Allen, a thruhiker from Portland, who was cooking dinner and left shortly thereafter. When I was about done with dinner, Ken and Marsha showed up saying they had seen a mother bear with cubs about a mile or so back. They left to stay half a mile up the trail and then I took off. Steve joked it was nice we all cooked to invite the bear over and then took off.
I made it a couple miles up the trail before exhaustion and dark convinced me to throw my sleeping bag down in a clearcut. Seemed an apropos way to end the day.
Monday, 7/24/00: In Which I Hike and Cross the McCloud River
I didn’t sleep well due to warm weather and mosquitoes. Every night there are a few which hardly seems worth putting up the Bug Bivy, but then it seems one comes buzzing in my ear every 5 minutes so I don’t go to sleep for an hour and then only to dream of swatting mosquitoes.
I was off by 6:15 and nothing much happened but hiking. I went until almost 11 before stopping because that was where water was and I was out (breaks are no fun without water). I caught Allen there and talked a few minutes and he went on. Steve showed up when I was about ready to go so he and I walked the next couple of hours together.
Turns out he’d worked for H&R Block this past tax season so we swapped tax stories for a while. He took off ahead at the next water stop, but I passed him at McCloud River when he stopped there. I dined at an abandoned road (I like signs of progress like that) and then went on past Trough Creek, dancing through brush that included poison oak to reach a ridge where I spent the night.
Tuesday, 7/25/00: In which I See Castella Again and Reach Castle Crags
Up early and off on a typical trudge through clearcuts and across roads that this section offers. I eventually caught Herman, a professor from South Carolina, and after passing each other a couple times, ended up walking the road together to Castella.
He is 59 and is only doing California this year as he has to be back to school by August 12. The recommended route to town was on Riverside Drive and while it ran near the Sacramento River, it went up and down a lot and was only one lane with virtually no traffic so hitchhiking didn’t work. It was shaded (good because it was in the 90’s) and we chatted during the 2+ miles to the Post Office.
I got my box, did the usual sort, called home and got cheese, root beer and ice cream at the store. I said goodbye to Herman, who was staying in the nearby State Park for the night and headed back to the trail. I crossed under I-5 and into another section of the park and made another six miles to the East Fork Sulphur Creek. Along the way I passed Becky of Becky and Dave, who I had met at the PO and had gone on before me. Turns out they had forgotten stove fuel so Dave had run back to town to get it.
At the creek I had a cold dinner of hummus and crackers, not wanting to cook and attract bears. I washed my legs and feet in the creek and removed the second skin from the blister on my right heel (there since Belden Town). It actually looked bigger but I decided to leave it uncovered overnight to see what happened. It was well after dark before I climbed into my bag, erected the Bug Bivy and went to sleep.
Wednesday, 7/26/00: In Which I Stagger Up to the Trinity Divide and Still Come Close To Doing 30 Miles
I had a hard time getting going, partly because there was little early light down in the creek bottom. My heel looked much better and probably would be ok in a few days with rest, but I slapped on a bandaid and hoped it would at least not get worse.
Today was a major climb day from 2750 feet where I started to over 7000 feet by day’s end, though most of the climb was in the first few miles to 6000 feet. Of course, the guidebook warned of water shortages (turned out to be untrue) so I was carrying three quarts of water in addition to the fifteen pounds of food I got yesterday. As I tried to lug all this uphill, I realize some of the reason for my recent high mileages was due to resupplying every 3 or 4 days, which cuts down on food weight.
There were some great views of Castle Crags as I went up, but the sun was in that direction so I had trouble taking pictures. Mid-morning I came upon Carl from Astoria who was section-hiking to Ashland. By noon I had done most of the climbing, but only gone about 12 miles.
Here I as on the crest called the Trinity Divide and for most of the afternoon I weaved on either side of it with great views. I passed dayhikers, including some older folks near a road who peppered me with questions and admiration and one of whom had to have his picture taken with me.
I stopped for dinner about five, now having done about 23 miles. I left there about 6:15 and climbed to the section high point of 7200+ feet and began looking for a place to camp. And kept looking until almost dark as the trail was routed on steep slopes. I ended up near Deadfall Lakes having gone almost 30 miles when I really would have stopped sooner if I could have.
Thursday, 7/27/00: In Which I See the Trinity Alps
Off and rolling by 6:30 I spent the morning contouring mostly along ridges, but did see a couple of lakes. Late morning I met a couple that I quickly figured out were in the midst of an argument as she was drying her eyes. They were Weathercarrot and Laura and we passed each other two or three times during the afternoon. They asked me to give a message to Jim and Ginny if I caught them because they didn’t expect to be to Seiad Valley before Tuesday.
After more contouring in the afternoon I plunged down to cross Highway 3 and then climbed 1200 feet back up the ridge on the other side. There I caught my first glimpses of the snow-capped Trinity Alps. I dined along the trail near a spring and ended up camping just short of the trail to East Boulder Lake.
Friday, 7/28/00: In Which I Notice A Little Geology and Keep Rockin’ On
The early morning hike was along the crest and I had great views in many locations, both looking at mountains and lakes. I also started to pay attention to the guidebook geology info as there are many different rocks in this section.
The oldest are Mafec or Ultramafec, rock that was once under the ocean 200-300 million years ago, I think. It is blackish when it cracks (and falls on the trail), but has lots of iron so ages to red, which makes several red peaks around here. My favorite section of rock was phylite, which was banded with different colors. There was also marble, granite and volcanic rocks making for an interesting mix.
A lot of the trail in this area goes over these rocks and they are generally hard on my shoes and feet. My shoes are developing holes where grit and dirt mix with the sweat to turn my socks into sandpaper. The insoles have long been smashed flat so my feet have little protection from the pounding. I have a couple blisters, several cracks in my heels and general bruising and swelling. In short, I’m sure they would qualify for federal disaster relief if I could only find a nearby FEMA office.
Afternoon put me into the Russian Wilderness, and I spent most the my time there trekking about halfway up a canyon wall. I finally climbed around the ridge and dropped to Payne Lake where I had dinner. From there I made it to a great ridgetop campsite where I watched the sunset light up Mt. Shasta. I’m about 2 miles from the road ending this guidebook section and less than 60 miles from Seiad Valley, so still hope to make it by Sunday evening.
Saturday, 7/29/00: In Which I Visit the Marble Mountain Wilderness
Up early and off to a beautiful sunrise I coasted two miles down to the road that divides sections in the guidebook. Some folks hitch to Etna from here but I was glad I’d carried extra food as no cars passed when I was within sound of the road.
On the other side I was soon in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. I saw a note from Last Exit in an impromptu register dated 10 days ago indicating he’d been to Etna and found the local watering hole to his liking. As to trailside water, this was the first area where I’d found “seasonal” sources dry already and had a long walk to Shelly Lake Creek to refill my water bottle.
The scenery was nice but the trail was rocky with lots of ups and downs and I made slow progress. Mid-afternoon I bathed and ate at Fisher Lake. From there I climbed up and down by Man Eater Lake (one wonders by what), along the crest with great views, got water at Soft Water Spring (a bare trickle) and had dinner on the saddle above the Sky High Lake Basin.
As I was finishing up, Ed, another thruhiker, appeared and we walked on to the Marble Valley Guard Station together. He needed water and was moving at a good pace so that helped me do 3-4 miles quickly. He didn’t want to pay to camp in Seiad Valley (he’d come in Monday morning), so he stopped and I went on, climbing around Black Mountain.
When a snow-bank drove me off trail and into a nice camp area, I decided to stop even though I had done “only” about 29 miles. I’ll have 31 miles to go to get into Seiad Valley tomorrow, but much of it is downhill.
Sunday, 7/30/00: In Which I Coast into Seiad Valley But Arrive After the Store Closes (No Ice Cream!)
Another nice sunrise and I was off, headed towards what I hoped was a shower, clean clothes and ice cream (that’s how I see a town stop now). The first part of the hike was through meadows filled with flowers. Very beautiful, but they were above my waist in places and growing into the trail so my pants were soaked from the dew.
I stopped early on at the Paradise Lake outlet stream to rinse out pants and socks and then hiked several more miles to where I stopped at a spring for water and food. From there it was short climb to the crest where I left Marble Mountain Wilderness (worth another visit if closer to home) and began a 20-mile descent into Seiad Valley.
The first several miles were on and near logging roads and I went rapidly. Eventually I reached Grider Creek and essentially followed it most of the way to town. At the last creek crossing I had planned to cook dinner but it was so hot I settled for more snack food. I also washed up a bit and put a clean for the walk into town.
That walk was 6 ½ miles along roads, first gravel and then paved. It paralleled the creek and then the Klamath River until I got to Highway 96 where I crossed the river on the narrow highway bridge and walked into town.
I got set up to camp at the RV park and took a shower. Then I did laundry. I met and visited with Jim and Ginny and passed on the message from Weathercarrot. The store had closed at 6 (1/2 hour before I got there) so no ice cream. I snacked again and called home to check in. I put up the tarp for privacy (still very warm). It is strange sleeping with bright lights on all night.
Monday, 7/31/00: In Which I Fail The Pancake Challenge But Still Have a Good Rest Day
I was up early as usual. I cleaned up gear a bit and got this journal caught up. At 8 when the café opened I walked over with Jim and Ginny to try to win the PCT Hiker Pancake Challenge. The challenge is simple: eat the 5 pancakes and they are free; otherwise they cost $ 5.95.
Now 5 pancakes don’t sound like many until you see the stacked in front of you about 1” thick each and 12” in diameter. The last hiker to succeed was in 1998. The cook Rick and the regulars in the café clearly enjoy seeing hungry hikers fail. Rick says anyone who stops (not just hikers) can try the challenge. He’ll take on anyone and claims he bested a whole hungry construction crew once.
Ed came in as we were ordering and joined us, but neither he nor the other two took on the challenge, so I gamely went it alone. I had Jim take my picture as I started doing pretty well. By the time I finished #2, I knew I couldn’t eat five, but went on to down #3 and a small part of #4 before I officially gave up. The other hikers were impressed that I got that far.
I got my resupply box and drift box from the Post Office and spent the rest of the morning on the usual sort, clean and replace. The café closed at two. Though I wasn’t really hungry yet I wanted to try the milkshake, so I closed up the drift box to mail, took care of that and got my milkshake.
I had it with Dave and Becky, who showed up mid-morning shortly after Jim and Ginny left. Ed left about 11. Weathercarrot and Laura showed up mid-afternoon and decided to spend the night. Dave and Becky took off about 6. I had dinner after that, getting cheese and carrots at the store just before it closed at 7.
At 9 I called home again for final planning. At 12:30 we had talked about an hour and set up a tentative schedule for meeting at or near Crater Lake on August 7 followed by hikes with Kevin, Kjersten, Sid and Jim. I’ll try to call from Hyatt Lake Thursday to confirm. With everything more or less settled, I went to bed.