Aug 15th - The Trail Town of Etna

Took a bike into town to do laundry and had a great breakfast at Bob's.  Had to resupply with alcohol because they did not have any canister fuel.  I made a stove out  of a potted meat can.  After stopping at the library to use the Internet I headed over to the Etna Micro Brewery to try out their sampler and a burger.  Last, a visit to the Etna town museum.  A very friendly town.

It was hot so I hung out at the hostile in the afternoon in the 100 degree weather.  Extra Credit and several other friends from Drakesbad showed up as I was leaving around 4:30pm.  The second car that drove by gave me a ride.  What a friendly town.  You could hear cow bells as the cows climbed down from the mountains with their bells as we drove up the mountain road.  Met up with another large group of hikers at the trail head. 

The trail went up the spine of a mountain ridge with good views of the many mountains in the distance and a red sun at sunset.  Campsite was nice but a few ants came to visit during the night.  Nice to be alone.  Guess I'm in the middle of the big groups of PCT hikers.  Everyone seems in a hurry and just wants to get to Ashland.

Aug 14th - The Russian Wilderness

Yesterday the Trinity Alps - Today the Russian Wilderness - Assume!  Lunch on top of a rock with great views all around, then around the mountain and into the Russian Wilderness.  A really great section with lots of rocky mountains, lakes, and a cool view from a mountain pass overlooking Taylor Lake.  Crossed the 1600 mile mark and met Seahag and Robo-knee. 

I got a hitch from a drug runner to the Hiker Hut in Etna.  The hiker hut had bikes to borrow, a bunkroom, tv, and a small kitchen.  I decided to camp outside and after a shower I hiked into town as it was too dark for the bikes.  Turns out this small town is not open late.  Only restaurant open was Bob's a good distance away.  But nice food and I slipped in just before closing. 

Aug 13th - Catching the Herd with Cow Bells

Entering the Trinity Alps Wilderness.  Really nice views from the ridges and hazy views into the surrounding mountains through the fire smoke.  Lots of springs, then the sound of cowbells rising from the valleys below.  The cow bells could be heard for miles.  Starting to find more new PCT hikers.  I must be catching up to the herd of thru-hikers.  Creeps and Twisted seemed nice and we had a nice break with a view.  Also met Keichi from Tokyo Japan.  Then I met up with Chowdown, Dr Haus, Lorax and his brother.  All I have not seen since VVR.

Met Bo Derek, a long distance section hiker going southbound.  She's a fire fighter who originally wanted to start in Washington but to much snow in July.  Changed plans to hike here.  Had a long lunch with her at a spot with great views.  She earned her trail name with a definite "10" in her sports bra. 

Hiked till almost dark and had to take a poor campsite as my headlamp battery is failing so I don't want to night hike.  It's been tough to find camps near water this last week due to the steep angle of the terrain around the trail.  Decided I might try to hike into Etna tomorrow - I really want a shower.

Aug 12th - Shasta Comes out of the Smoke

Wow, spent the whole day on ridges and side traverses of mountains:  first with views of the Castle Crags, then multicolored mountains, and then, as I crested around a rock outcropping, the fantastic Shasta without smoke.  Hiked most of the afternoon with views of Mt. Shasta and the Cascades.  A great day for views and the wind came up in the afternoon to tame the sun.  Found empty trail magic in the heat of the long 13 mile section but there was a great ice cold spring shortly after.  Met Red Rover thru-hiker today.

Aug 11th - Castle Dome in the Castle Crag Wilderness

Friday, Aug 10th found me hiking along and around canyon walls with the sound of water most of the morning.  Met Magellan at a trailhead crossing and he gave me a second cup of coffee.  I am low on coffee and fuel so it was a great treat!  Passed HeeHaw and Kristo with their guitars. Lots of blackberry bear scat and deer sightings today.  Went swimming in deep creek by a bridge crossing before the last 10 mile dry section.  Came around a bend near the end of the day and the view of Mt Shasta hit me in the face.  Very Nice!  No camp spots near here so had to keep hiking on for several miles to camp near mile 1501 with a view of Mt. Shasta and the company of Jeff and ED.

Today I entered the Castle Crag Wilderness.  Couldn't see Shasta in the morning due to the fire smoke but still pretty on the ridge.  The view of Castle Crags when I crossed route 5 and entered the Castle Crag Wilderness was so rocky and inviting that I knew I had to find a side hike into the spires.  Met two section hikers that offered me coffee and ganja.  I took the coffee!  And used their map to find a side trail up to Castle Dome.  A five and a half mile side trail to Castle Dome and Indian Springs.  Very interesting rock scramble, views, and lots of day hikers.  Very steep at times and slow scrambling but the views from the rocks near the Dome were well worth it.  And the side scramble over to Indian Springs was fantastic too with ice cold delicious waterfalls.  There was a crowd of people there so it was obviously well known.   

After returning to the PCT the trail wrapped around to give views of the crags from all angles and with lots of steep switchbacks.  Great views but the sun was hot!  At a great rocky viewpoint I met a couple who had setup a romantic campsite and of course I was offered a glass of wine.  Found a fantastic little campsite in a hollow in the bushes high on the ridge with room for just one.  So many great views and an exciting side hike today to the dome! 

Castle Crag Dome side hike a few miles north of the 1500 mile pt.

Aug 9th - Mt Shasta and BAD mac-n-cheese

Woke to a great view of Shasta but then smoke came in and turned the views today into the "Smokey Mountains".  PCT is now closed for 100 miles due to the Lassen Fire.  Glad I made it through.  Janet and Dazzle camping with me last night and hiked with Flagman, then SwissArmy.

We broke out onto open ridges with closer views of Shasta's snow fields.  Almost got ran over by a deer.  A pretty section and easy terrain so I made 30 miles today.  Met Hee Haw and one other hiker; both with guitars. Saw humming birds at the spring. 

Tonight I tried a hiker box find that I thought was mac-n-cheese.  What a disaster!  Turned out it wasn't mac-n-cheese but elbow noodles mixed with instant mashed potatoes.  I normally add pasta to unfiltered cold water then heat it to boiling to save fuel.  When I added what I thought was pasta and cheese mix it immediately solidified into cold potatoes and started scorching on the bottom of the pot.  I dumped it out, heated more water, and tried to add the potato-pasta mix back in to heat it like a potato soup but it was still too thick.  I couldn't get it to boil.  It just fried the bottom layer.  In frustration I left it for an hour and came back to find the noodles soft so I ate them anyway.  Probably a bad idea.  I forgot that it never got more than lukewarm and the water was unfiltered.   Hope I don't get sick from this one.  I should have just thrown it out.