[pct-l] trip notes, CA section P

[david at emeraldlake.com (David Plotnikoff)]

Greetings from a long-time list-lurker and section hiker.

The following notes pertain to a 14.3 mile section of California Section P
west of Mt. Shasta -- from the Gumboot trailhead (Forest Road 26) at NB
mile 1525.1 to the Parks Creek trailhead (Forest Road 17) at mile 1539.4.

Last year, two days of thunderstorms forced me to detour around this
section to stay on schedule. I returned to do a make-up slackpack on
Saturday, Sept. 10 and found near-ideal conditions for a delightful,
no-sweat half-day walk. This section and the one immediately north of it
through Scott Summit are immaculately graded, very scenic and
little-traveled. Right now, with the seasonal weather door still open,
section hikers could book very fast 25-mile days from Castle Crags to Etna,
if they're prepared for some brisk morning starts and the possibility of
the occasional one-hour afternoon thunderstorm.

Overnight lows around 6500 feet were in the mid- to low 30s. Temperature at
the Road 23 trailhead at 7:45 was a brisk 42 degrees, with 10 mph wind from
the NW on the crest and just the faintest traces of frost. At noon, temp at
Middle Deadfall Lake was 52 degrees. Partly cloudy conditions prevailed,
more sun than clouds. Afternoon thunderstorms had delivered monsoon rain
for just under an hour over Castle Crags the previous day and quickly blew
through.

The section boils down to about 1200 feet of elevation gain, then 800 feet
of drop over 14.3 miles, all on super-fast, excellent tread running nearly
dead flat for long sections on the crest.

Noted several one-tent possibilities for a stealth camp in the first two
miles north of Gumboot TH. First usable water of note was about 3 miles
north of the TH, a seep spring immediately to the west of the trail,
bracketed by two short damp stretches of trail.

Until Sisson-Callahan four-way junction, trail hugs the east side of the
crest with long panoramic views back to Shasta and Castle Crags and only
occasional views to the west.

Porcupine Lake is unseen from the trail and the spur junction is easy to
miss, with no cairn and no sign.

Noted three in-a-pinch camping possibilities on high shelves above Toad
Lake. The spur to the lake is signed, and it appeared to be a long, long
steep drop.

North of the Toad Lake spur, the trail leaves cover and moves across open
slopes, still climbing at the same even grade. This long exposed stretch to
the saddle and the cliff tread that continues after it to well past the
Sisson-Callahan four-way junction are no place I'd want to be in a thunder
storm. In a month or two, when this area is under a couple feet of snow,
crossing these areas could be challenging.

Just after the high circumnavation of Toad Lake is a small saddle, the high
point for Section P at 7620. A 100-foot boulder scramble up the knob
immediately to the east of the trail here will yield a stunning photo op of
Shasta, the Crags and, way in the distance between them, Lassen.

After the Sisson-Callahan four-way junction, the PCT flips to the west side
of the crest and runs almost dead flat on super-fast tread all the way to
Parks Creek TH. After the three stealth spots above Toad Lake the next
possible camping is at Lower and Middle Deadfall Lakes. The PCT comes
within a few yards of Middle Deadfall, with a gigantic and well-used (but
clean) camp on the north shore. Deadfall Lakes get a lot of day use
traffic, with its own lateral trail to Road 17. Saw four day-hikers in the
final 3.3 mile stretch between Deadfall Lakes junction and the TH. Deadfall
Creek was running well. No water worries in this area.

Note that for resupply purposes Road 17 gets much more traffic than Road
23. The hitch there would be east to either Weed or to I-5 and then south
to Mt. Shasta City.

That's all the PCT miles for me this year. It's back to home repairs and
dayhikes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I'll get back on the trail at
Willamette Pass next July for the homestretch to Manning.

As long as I'm posting, I'd like to burn 2 cents of bandwidth to mention
how grateful I am for all the fine people I encountered along the PCT this
year. 800 miles from Campo to Whitney and not even one bad day. The social
component was a much bigger factor than this solo hiker would have
imagined.

To my compadres who are still walking down the dream, nearing the border --
Paul "Pablo" Carlson, Orion "Tyvek" Desilets, "H", Chunky and Bliss,
Whistler, Nabor J and Chowder, JC, et al -- my thoughts are with you every
day.

David Plotnikoff