[pct-l] Back for a spell

[horseam@flahorse.com (Horseback America)]

Hi all!

I am that horsemen from Montana that was on the list last spring. My wife
and I are riding accross the US. We are now outside of Desolation
Wilderness, In the Gold Country. We left the Sierra's last nov after camping
in snow for a week. We traveled over to the coastal range and crossed the
mendocino Pass just before Christmas. It was snow camping at 5500 foot in
bitter cold. 0 degrees out. We were heading for the Lost Coast. This is the
most remote coastal area in California. The ocean meets 4500 foot mountains
which isolate the rugged  beach. Awsome and a very dangerous place to
travel. One of our horses got sick so I decided to work on a horse ranch in
the foothills for a bit and let the horses fatten up.

We will return to the coast, then we are going to ride to San Francisco
maybe crossing the Golden Gate!! KPIX channel five will cover us. We will
swing around and do the Sierra in the Fall. I figure late season will be
less impact with horses. Next winter we will ride through Death Valley on
our journey east, to ride the Continental Divide!

We picked up three major sponsors. The North Face Replaced my VE-25,
Cabela's outfitted us with a spike tent and wood stove. It is great. Wood
stove is way more efficient. Only way to keep things dry in this neck of the
woods. Fox Racing cloths sponsored us with new outfits. Yes, we wear dirt
bike racing cloths. We put our gear through the altimate test since we live
in it.

Last summer was great on the PCT!!!! Best part was socializing with the back
packers. Anybody out their meet us on the trail last year? Made a bunch of
friends. At one camp in the Trinity Alps, some trail workers came up to cut
through a giant tree. I went up and helped them. Bunch of hikers stopped by
that heard about us. We had a big lunch and partied late. I had my fiddle
and a thru hiker "Side Show" had a guitar. That night 
We watched a good program on yosemite on our portable TV. We have a solar
array and a bunch of electronics including a computer. We all were getting
into it. It is really a rush to be so far in the wilderness and be able to
watch TV. I am speaking for us people who spend months on the trail. Believe
it or not, you miss modern living after awhile. I have been traveling for
almost 6 years.

I learned a bunch on the list last year. It really was a big help. I was
able to plan my departure perfectly from a winter lay over. 4 days earlier
and we would not have been able to get past the snow. Trail was pretty nasty
last year. Had some horrible detours but seen some very isolated areas. Took
us two weeks to get around a washout in the Marble mountains. Really rugged
and very steep and narrow. Never seen a foot print in almost two weeks. 

Please check out my website. I have tons of pictures of the Trinity Alps,
Marble mountains and Lasen Park. I will put up some sound of mud pots I
recorded on my lap top. We cooked our lunch on steam vents. Had lassen all
to ourselves. Late season is sooooo nice. Also have some good pix of snow
crossings. Great shots of Castle Crags. Thanks!

Dane 
Horseback America
flahorse.com/horseamerica

* From the Pacific Crest Trail Email List |  http://www.backcountry.net   *

==============================================================================