[pct-l] Ashland, Sky Lakes, etc.

[NickJStone@aol.com (NickJStone@aol.com)]

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I just finished 18 days of vacation in the great Pacific Northwest.  I spent
maybe half of this time backpacking in various locations, North Cascades,
Olympic Nat'l Park, Crater Lake.  I hiked on a couple of different sections
of the PCT, and crossed it many times during my travels.  My sister and her
husband live in Ashland OR, and so she took me out for a 10 mile section of
the PCT, winding up at Pilot Rock, which we ascended, enjoying the view of
Mt. Shasta in the distance.  Yes, there actually WAS a view.  By the time I
arrived, smoke from all of the fires had pretty much cleared out.  My sister
said that from her house, at one point they could see flames from local fires
on the crests of the hills near the town.  The highlight of the trip was an
overnighter out in Sky Lakes Wilderness, which is south of Crater Lake in the
vicinity of Mt Mclaughlin.  The region is filled with many beautiful snow
melt lakes.  We camped near a fantastic crystal pool at the base of towering
cliffs, about a mile below the PCT.  We returned to civilization headed south
on the PCT.  It is really the best time of the year to be out hiking.  There
were no people, no bugs.  I was a little disappointed not to see any thru
hikers, but I'm guessing they are all way up north by now.

This was my first shot at going "more lightweight" if not ultralight.  I was
a ultra-HEAVY hiker when I started out on the AT with a Dana pack and lots of
stuff.  I recall weighing my pack at the park before going up Springer
Mountain, seeing that it topped out at over 60 pounds, and thinking to
myself, "Hmmm, not bad...".  I recently purchased the Golite Gust, and was
eager to try it out.  The problem is, that when you go with the light
backpack, it presupposes that you will be packing lighter too.  I tried to do
this, but most of the rest of my gear is pretty much the older stuff I used
on the AT, so, the MSR stove and bottle, a water pump, etc., all of which
added up to considerable weight.  And so, what with the Gust having minimal
ability to transfer weight off of my shoulders, they were definitely hurting
after my first overnight trip.  I clearly must revise my gear.

 The funniest thing happened when my sister and I hiked together in Sky
Lakes.  We split up the weight of a 2 person tent, and I stuck the poles in
my pack.  The sack containing the poles felt a little heavy, but the fact
didn't really register at that point since I was in a hurry to start hiking.
When we set up camp after 15 miles of hiking, I dumped the poles out onto the
ground.  I opened up the little satchel that is supposed to contain the
stakes, and out fell a single tent stake, and a huge set of metal pliers.  I
confronted my sister with the offending, heavy pliers, "What the hell is
THIS?" I said to her.  "That's a set of gaffer's pliers!" she said, as if you
usually find such things in a backpack.  "You use it to pound in the stakes,"
she explained to me, which might have made some sense, but then there was
only ONE tent stake in the bag!  At least it wasn't a full sized hammer (or
sledge).  This reminds me a little bit of a cruel trick I used to see people
play on the Appalachian Trail.  While taking a break in a shelter, should one
of a group of hikers slip off to the outhouse and leave his/her pack behind,
someone would slip a 5 pound rock down into the recesses of that person's
pack.  Somewhere down the trail the rock would be discovered, and the trees
would ring out with angry curses and laughter.  Pretty funny, unless it
happens to you, of course.

One thing for sure, spending all of that time out west has solidified my
intention to hike the PCT in 2003.  I have the money, now I just need the
courage to quit the job, pack up my life, and head for the hills (with a
lighter pack, I hope).

Hidalgo the Infidel