[pct-l] Etna Summit

[metam01 at earthlink.net (Monty Tam)]

Etna. Great, clean, very small old town with very warm people.
End of this August we hiked 18 miles with heavy rain and high cold winds
that pushed the rain uphill against the mountains.  My hiking partner for
the Northern California portion got to the road about 2 pm a hundred yards
ahead of me.  Fog was so thick I couldn't see the road.  Before I got there
she already had a ride for us, a local gold mining couple. Of course she
was much better looking than me.  It was the ONLY vehicle on the mountain.  
They not only brought us to town, they offered to drive us to any of the
other towns nearby....anywhere.
The postmaster got on the phone and found us a few places to stay, two
free.  We bought dry clothes and shoes for $3.00 each at the local thrift
shop.  
We found laundry, great food, a good grocery store, denatured alcohol , the
old soda fountain with a hiker's register, a clinic, and a coffee house
with the best coffee I had in all California.  Most of this was on Main
Street or The Street.  This sectioin was just over one block long. We
stayed an extra day.  
A lot of people, unsolicited, were eager to connect us with a couple of
local trail angels.  One was out of town, but his home, with great hiker
boxes, was unlocked with signs welcoming hikers to make themselves at home
but leave the door open so the cat could get in and out.  The other loved
giving hikers rides, not only back to the summit, but as far north as
Ashland and recently one I-5 hiker farther than that.
We made a lot of genuine friends in two days.  I called home and said I
found a place to consider for retirement.
I'll be back.

Warner Springs Monty

> [Original Message]
> From: Robert Ellinwood <rellinwood@worldnet.att.net>
> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Date: 1/31/2005 5:42:13 AM
> Subject: RE: [pct-l] Etna Summit
>
> Certainly agree about  Etna.   However...
>
> > It is a 9 mile hitch from the trailhead on a narrow winding road, 
> > but surprisingly there is sufficient traffic both ways.
>
> In 1990, I met 3 local lads from Etna with fishing poles 2 days before 
> Etna Summit. They said traffic was OK during the week, but dead on 
> the weekends. Arriving on a weekend, from the height of land above the
road
> I kept cranking my neck desperately looking for movement of a car on the
> twisting road below as I descended.  Nothing in sight.  Anxiety mounted...
> Reaching the road, there sat an old beaten-up pickup loaded with firewood
> with the engine being cooled after the climb on the road.  The driver
> graciously waved us over.
>
> "Sufficient" means one car that will take you.
>
> Dr. Bob
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-
> > bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Singewald
> > Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 2:10 AM
> > To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
> > Subject: [pct-l] Etna Summit
> > 
> > Just thought I would share a bit about the current conditions up above
> Etna.
> > This weekend my wife and I headed north to snowshoe south from the Etna
> > Summit trailhead.    We found 4-5 feet of snow with 3-4 inches of fresh
> > stuff left on Thursday night.  It was a glorious day for snow travel and
> > although we didn't make it out as far as I had hoped it was a wonderful
> > adventure.
> > 
> > On the way back to town, we saw several of the monks from the monastery
> out
> > walking and also thoroughly enjoyed a fountain drink at the Scott Valley
> > Drug Store's old-time fountain service.  The Etna Brewery was closed
> during
> > January, so we missed the chance to taste the local brew.
> > 
> > It's amazing that Etna hasn't changed much at all since my last visit in
> the
> > late 70s while growing up just east of Etna.  I would highly recommend
> this
> > stop to all the thru's this year.  It is a 9 mile hitch from the
trailhead
> > on a narrow winding road, but surprisingly there is sufficient traffic
> both
> > ways.
> > 
> > Enjoy Etna!
> > 
> > Jeff
> > Hopeful member of the Class of 2006
> > 
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