[pct-l] Belden to ~Chester walk-around and related

[Alden Tondettar]

Gadget,

I hiked more or less this route back in July.  It was not suicidal or impractical, but it was still a roadwalk.  I brought a book.

For a more exiting alternative, try http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=7f771dae4dc96ade13bbdfc4c42ea7aa&event_id=178 

If after reading that, you decided on the roadwalk, here is the description I posted back in July:

Starting at Belden Town Resort:

Hike EAST on highway 70 for 1.5 miles until you reach Caribou Crossroads Store (the same store that is in Yogi's book).  This is a very busy road (when it is open!), so be careful.

Turn LEFT on the paved road (light traffic).  Walk 8 miles.

Turn LEFT at the signed junction to Butt Lake [this is not a typo.  make your own jokes.] Continue about 5 miles on the dirt road to Butt Lake.  There are many roads in this area, but stay on the most heavily-used
 one and you should end up at the lake.

Continue north along the dirt road on the east shore of Butt Lake.  You will pass two campgrounds.  The second one is your last source of water until you reach Stover Camp on the PCT in about 15 miles.  After the second campground, your route becomes paved.  Stay on the paved road until you can SEE highway 89, then turn LEFT on the last logging road before the highway.  It is about 10 miles from the south end of Butt Lake to the highway.

Follow this road, which is almost never out of sight/sound of the highway, until you reach highway 36. (about 7 more miles)

Turn LEFT on highway 36.  Hike about 4-5 miles to the PCT marker. There is lots of fast traffic here, but the shoulder is halfway decent.

This is not the shortest route (there is a maze of logging roads in this area), but it should be easy to follow. 

There should be a Google map of the Butt Valley route at: http://snipurl.com/2u98c 

Alden


> Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:22:41 -0700
> From: "Brian Lewis" <brianle8 at gmail.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Belden to ~Chester walk-around and related
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Message-ID:
> 	<bd5c16ca0809201922j740876cdsd76c51cab477500a at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> Though I had almost sworn I wouldn't go south to pick
> up missing pieces this
> year unless all of the fire-closed trail opened up, some
> other thru's are
> thinking of doing this (soon), and a friend might help me
> (and maybe
> them) with transportation, so maybe I'll deal with a
> bit more road walk and
> go down to truly finish this year (still TBD, depends on my
> friend's
> schedule).
> 
> I've got a few questions in case anyone has any solid
> data to help.
> 
> pcta.org says: "The PCT is CLOSED approximately 5
> miles from Belden to the
> Plumas and Lassen National Forest boundary. NO reroutes
> available! Pick up
> the trail at Highway 36"
> I'm not sure what they mean when they say no reroutes
> are available.  My
> somewhat dated copy of Streets & Trips software
> suggests about a 36 mile
> roadwalk from Belden.  The route it suggests starts by
> going just under 2
> miles east on SR-70, then taking Caribou Road north for 12
> miles and then
> transitioning on that to the Prattville Butt Reservoir road
> for 9 miles,
> then taking SR-36 to the PCT (and yes, then walking or
> hitching back maybe 8
> miles to get to Chester for transport out).
> Question (1) Can anyone with local knowledge comment on
> whether this is a
> credible route or not?  It doesn't have to be super
> super safe, so long as
> it isn't (actually, not just rumored to be) suicidal or
> otherwise
> impractical.
> And of course, if you're aware of a better alternative,
> that would be great
> particularly if enough data is provided both to find the
> route and engender
> confidence that it actually exists and works.