Monday, July 10 Start: ponds by Wasco Lake End: Ollalie Lake Resort Miles: 36.5 Elevation gain/loss: 6201’/6670′ I was awake at 5:05 and on trail by 5:35am. It had been a miserable night. My cut knees had bled onto my sleeping mat and once when I tried to roll over, my knee had clotted and … Continue reading Day 10, Oregon PCT 2023
Sunday, July 9 Start: McKenzie Pass End: ponds by Wasco Lake Miles: 26.6 Elevation gain/loss: 3753’/3527′ With the call of ‘town food’ and a potential breakfast buffet, I was up at 4:55am with no alarm and on trail by 5:15am. I decided that I could push hard and make it to Big Lake Youth Camp … Continue reading Day 9, Oregon PCT 2023
Saturday, July 8 Start: Dumbbell Lake End: McKenzie Pass Miles: 37.0 Elevation gain/loss: 5066’/5374′ I was up at 5:05 and out by 5:35am. Most of today’s hiking was through the Three Sisters Wilderness. It was hot, sunny, and very exposed. I took a 15-minute break to dry out my tent and sleeping bag in the … Continue reading Day 8, Oregon PCT 2023
Friday, July 7 Start: Upper Rosary Lake End: Dumbbell Lake Miles: 35.7 Elevation gain/loss: 3963’/4295′ I was up at 5:10am and out by 5:35am. At Charlton Lake, one of my day’s first water sources, I fell into shin-deep water off a log when getting water for filtering. It was very annoying but my shoes and … Continue reading Day 7, Oregon PCT 2023
Thursday, July 6 Start: 0.4mi north of Cowhorn Mountain End: Upper Rosary Lake Miles: 31.6 Elevation gain/loss: 3438’/4523′ I was up at 5 and out by 5:30am. There were horrible mosquitoes for the first half of the day. I was eager to get into the Diamond Peak Wilderness, since areas with snow typically had no … Continue reading Day 6, Oregon PCT 2023
Wednesday, July 5 Start: near Byway 138 End: 0.4mi north of Cowhorn Mountain Miles: 35.6 Elevation gain/loss: 5748’/4603′ I was up at 5 and out by 5:30am. There was a lot of snow today, with two major misses for me on trail navigation. The snow made the trail hard to follow, and I mindlessly followed … Continue reading Day 5, Oregon PCT 2023
Monday, July 4, 2023 Start: 2.4 miles north of Jack Spring Trail End: near Byway-138 Miles: 36.5 Elevation gain/loss: 4619’/4954′ I was awake at 5:15, and out on trail by 5:40. I booked it and was at the road by 9:15. I met Fagowe (a trail angel) at the parking area; he was heading out … Continue reading Day 4, Oregon PCT 2023
Monday, July 3, 2023 Start: 2.9 miles north of Highway 140 End: 2.4 miles north of Jack Spring Trail Miles: 35.0 Elevation gain/loss: 4413’/3970′ There was a VERY LOUD herd of deer last night around 3am. They were crunching bark and stomping around breaking sticks and sounding like they would crush my tent. After debating … Continue reading Day 3, Oregon PCT 2023
Sunday, July 2, 2023 Start: Hyatt Lake Campground End: 2.9 miles north of Highway 140 Miles: 33.8 Elevation gain/loss: 4767/4081′ I was up at 5:05am; ready by 5:35, and then spent 10 minutes at the potable water faucet, washing my socks and doing a little wipe-down. I met Sunflower and Blueberry (hiked the PCT to … Continue reading Day 2, Oregon PCT 2023
Saturday, July 1, 2023 Start: Ashland/I-5 End: Hyatt Lake Campground Miles: 24.3 Elevation gain/loss: 4386’/3540′ I started out on the trail at 1:10pm after relatively straightforward flights and a shuttle from the airport to the trail by I-5. It was 95+ degrees actual and 100+ degrees in the sun; I was sweating heavily and water … Continue reading Day 1, Oregon PCT 2023
Transcending Mountains 