Echo Lake to Belden Town
Monday 7/10/00: In Which I Visit South Lake Tahoe and Relax at the Cabin
I slept in until six, read Walk in the Woods for a while and then had breakfast. We went into South Lake Tahoe where a got a new, cheap ($10) pair of sandals that hopefully I can hang on to. I did laundry while Dad and Fifi did some shopping and then came back to the cabin for lunch.
I spent most of the afternoon sorting the supplies Dad had brought, cleaning the water filter, etc. I did help Dad trim some limbs rubbing against the house.
Dinner was good once again (lots of vegetables!) and we played Scrabble after a walk down to the river. With electric lights I stayed up until ten once again.
Tuesday, 7/11/00: In Which I Get a Good Start Into Desolation Wilderness and Wind Up in Mosquito Hell (as Warned)
I invited Dad and Fifi to join me for the start of today’s hike and after a last shower and breakfast we were at the trailhead by 7:30. We walked together by Upper and Lower Echo Lakes and all of us took pictures. About 8:45 I took off on my own.
First major site was Lake Aloha (a City of Sacramento water source) where I met Pete and Joe, a couple of Thruhikers I’d seen at Tuolumne Meadows. They were about to make a wrong turn at a junction and were glad I appeared to point the way. We all wanted to get to Sierra City before the PO closed at 11:30 AM Saturday, so passed each other two or three more times during the day.
From there I passed several more lakes in the Desolation Wilderness and then made the long hike up to Dick’s Pass. I had lunch there looking down on several lakes I would pass during the afternoon. I set off and at one of them ran into John without Lamont, who had headed into town with the Lost Tortugas. We exchanged info and I found out John had caught food poisoning or something and had been sick last night. He was feeling better and starting to eat. He went on with me and we passed each other a couple times.
As predicted by the southbounder last week, the mosquitoes got bad after Middle Velma Lake. I stopped for water in clouds of them and then got to a higher spot where they weren’t so bad and had dinner. I needed to get in a few more miles so took off after dinner into what became increasing swarms of the pests. At sunset after desperately searching for a calmer area I gave up and set up to sleep by the trail in a rather lumpy location. I got ready, put up the bug bivy, crawled under it as quickly as possible, killed all the mosquitoes that got in and tried to ignore the hordes clustered outside as I went to sleep.
Wednesday, 7/12/00: In Which I Meet Bear #2 and a Hollywood Star from Portland
I awoke early and looked up to see the mosquito swarm, while diminished, still large enough to wreak havoc when I arose. I took care of everything as rapidly as I could including possibly a world speed record for an outdoor poop. I ate quickly, packed promptly and was on the trail by 6:15. By walking rapidly and heading uphill towards Barker Pass and drier ground I was out of the worst of the mosquitoes by 7:30.
Around 8, about a mile from the pass, I came across a fresh pile of greenish poop, not horse as I first thought, but surely from a large mammal. A few steps beyond this point I spotted a dark brown black bear about 50 feet away and it immediately did what wise bears should do: it raced off up the hill. I headed on knowing it was long gone, but excited that I had seen two bears even before the halfway point of the trip.
From Barker Pass I climbed up and around finally reaching the Sierra Crest and the boundary of Granite Chief Wilderness. For several miles I wandered back and forth with great views east to Tahoe and northwest into the wilderness area.
While lunching in this area I waved to two hikers who passed heading my direction. I later caught them as we dropped into a valley and found out they were Hollywood and Star from Portland, Oregon.
From there I climbed back to the pass near Granite Chief Mountain, which is right by Squaw Valley, whose various ski runs marred the scenery. I had dinner at the headwaters of Squaw Valley Creek and tried to get in several miles afterward, but stopped short of the ridge I hoped to clear. Still, I have gone about 53 miles in two days, which is pretty good. I am sleeping right off the trail again but in a little flatter location with few mosquitoes.
Thursday, 7/13/00: In Which I Meet Another Oregonian and Hike about 30 Miles
I got a 6:30 start and quickly topped the ridge. I stayed up high for several miles with good views (passing Hollywood and Star) until I dropped down to Highway 40 a little after 9.
While taking a break a little past there overlooking Donner Lake, a thruhiker, Jake, stopped to talk. He was walking with friends he had been visiting a couple of days in Truckee. I had heard his name mentioned and turns out he is another Oregonian from Sisters. I left him with his friends and went on only to get lost on some side trails used by climbers.
Eventually I made it over to Interstate 80, passing many dayhikers and another ski resort. On the other side of I-80 I passed the cutoff to the rest area and headed up to Castle Pass for a noon break. Jake caught up with me there after having hiked with Hollywood and Star until they pulled off at the rest area.
From there he and I hiked together for the afternoon, exchanging stories when we weren’t short of breath from the uphills. The terrain was pretty gradually up and down, nothing spectacular, and we made good time. Jake started the year by hiking the 800-mile Arizona Trail before beginning the PCT, so he’s been on trail for four months. He also did most the trail in 1998 when too much snow in the Sierras caused him to do a flip-flop from Canada south to Fish Lake in Oregon.
When I stopped for dinner he went on (he carries a bear canister so doesn’t worry about eating and cooking at the same sport). After dinner I got in a few more miles, making it a 30-mile day and leaving me in good position to make it to the Sierra City Post Office before it closes tomorrow.
Friday, 7/14/00: In Which I Roll into Sierra City for a Resupply Stop
I was up by 5 and off before 6, wanting to quickly finish the 20 miles to Sierra city. After a couple miles I ran into Jake just getting started. We walked on together passing by two hikers sleeping on the trail (they passed by me after I went to bed) and eventually running into Marty and Aaron, the couple from Vermont I met last Sunday at Echo Lake.
Jake stopped for breakfast with them while I pushed on. Most of the trail was downhill as I was headed below 5000 feet for the first time since the desert. Much of the descent was into and along the canyon holding Milton Creek.
I stopped there for lunch and wasn’t feeling that great afterward, but I continued on reaching Highway 49 at the end of the Section at 1:45. I headed along the highway to town (Sierra City 1.5 miles away) and ran into Jake, Marty and Aaron who had taken a shortcut on the edge of town. We got our boxes at the PO and then went to the RV park across the way that lets PCT hikers stay for free (with free showers no less).
It was good to get cleaned up and I also washed clothes at the Laundromat. Ironically the only bad thing about this place is that bears and raccoons raid the trash in town, so I have that to worry about tonight. For now I’m feeling better and looking forward to taking off in the morning.
Saturday, 7/15/02: In Which I See the USFS Multiple Abuse Policy in Action and Record my Most Mileage in a Day
I woke a little after 5 (no animals in the night, though I woke several times to check) and went up to the bathroom and picnic area to wash and eat. That completed I returned to the sleeping area to take down the tarp and leave. Jake was also preparing to leave, while everyone else slept. When I headed for the road at 6:15, Jake was cutting up his shoes a la Ray Jardine and said he would catch up later (he never did).
Road walks from town are always uphill and boring but I reached the trailhead by 6:40. All I had to do was climb over 2000 feet in 7 miles, but I felt inspired and was up there by 9:30. As I hiked there were great views back down to Sierra City.
Once around Sierra Buttes I dropped down to a trailhead serviced by a paved road, which I had to walk along for ½, mile and I certainly learned it was Saturday. At the trailhead about 50-60 hikers were posing for a group photo before they set off. ¼ mile up the road in another parking area 25-30 mountain bikers were preparing for action. And just as I finally got away from the road a phalanx of dirt biker riders roared up the hill. It almost was enough to make me glad to walk through the clearcuts, mining operations and cattle grazing areas that complete the USFS Multiple Abuse policy in this region. I’m in lower elevations here and there is no significant wilderness left to protect, though there are some pretty areas.
At lunch I was overlooking one of them (the Lakes Basin) when a dirt bikers rode by and then returned. I ignored him pointedly and hoped that was as effective as yelling at him. In the afternoon I passed some southbound hikers and finally stopped for dinner about 5:45 at Nelson Creek.
From there I hiked a few more miles giving me 32 trail miles for the day and with the 1 ½ miles hiking the road from Sierra City I covered more than 33 miles today, easily the most miles I have hiked in a day.
Sunday, 7/16/00: In Which I Climb In and Out of the Middle Fork Feather River Canyon and Go Another 32 Miles
Didn’t sleep particularly well as I had ignored mosquitoes and clouds before going to bed, so was pestered by one and worried by the other. Up at first light I was off by 6.
The clouds actually produced a few sprinkles but not enough to even call a trace of rain. As I neared a clearcut by a small lake, I heard the whine of many engines which at first I thought were dirt bikes but turned out to be chainsaws. I guess they were cutting up slash for firewood bright and early Sunday: Praise the Lord and Pass the Firewood.
The morning passed undulating through lands that had suffered various forms of logging butchery. In the afternoon I began the long descent to the Middle Fork Feather River, arriving there (2900 feet) by mid-afternoon. After climbing a few hundred feet up I stopped about 4 for dinner at Bear Creek. At 5 I began a 7-mile, 2600-foot climb that ended at 8 PM at Lookout Rock, where I decided to spend the night in a small clearing. Though tired (and hungry enough to eat more, which I did) I was proud of having hiked another 32 miles, leaving Belden Town Resort 27.5 miles away, which seems a reasonable jaunt for tomorrow. By the way, I saw no hikers, thru or otherwise, today, which perhaps is a commentary on the mismanagement of this potentially beautiful area.
Monday, 7/17/00: In Which I Head Down, Down, Down to Belden Town for Resupply
I got my usual early start, leaving before the sun cleared the opposite ridge, though enjoying a few colored clouds behind Lookout Rock. There was fire through some of this area as there had been further below.
The early morning hike was through logged areas but then I hit Bucks Lake Wilderness, logged 50 years ago but now coming back. I climbed past the 6000-foot level and enjoyed some nice views of lakes (with clearcuts in the background).
Early afternoon brought me to the edge of the descent (9 miles) into the canyon holding the North Fork of Feather River. By 4:45 and many switchbacks later I arrived at Belden Town Resort where my next resupply box waited.
After ascertaining my box had arrived I paid to take a shower. I sorted my food while waiting to use the Laundromat (if 2 washers and dryers rates that term). Calling this a resort conjures up an image that contradicts the reality: 1 large, old, two-story building serving as general store, saloon and restaurant with a motley collection of cabins and travel trailers scattered around the rest of the property. They are fond of hosting “bikers,” and there were a number of motorcycles around. The ambiance was fine with me, I just wished they’d finish with the washers, which eventually I got to use. Being a warm evening and after 7 by the time the washer finished, I decided to hang the clothes to dry at a campsite near the river where I could cook dinner.
First, though, I called home, got the news (LiAnna did well on her AP tests) and discussed various logistical issues, mostly meeting various people to hike with me in Oregon. Down by the river the mosquitoes were thick and I had fun doing dinner and getting ready to sleep by waving my hands a lot. I had seen a couple packs parked outside the saloon but was too busy to look for anybody then or now as it got dark, so I went to sleep.