[pct-l] Roy Robinson on the PCT, part 2 (long)

["Robinson, Brian A" <brian.robinson@compaq.com>]

> Here's some more...
> 
> 7/4, 8:30pm  About 1.5 miles W. of Carter Meadow Trail Jct. (N5)  Brian
> left me at Cold Spring at 2pm.  Made 11.5 miles this afternoon.  No snow
> on trail!  A really nice contrast to two weeks ago when the snow made good
> mileage impossible.  And who should I meet at the Humbolt Road crossing
> but Charcholla - Charlie Jones in the real world - and Cheryl Mason, both
> from San Diego area.  Charlie has been an active correspondent on the PCT
> list.  He and Cheryl were completing a section hike.  I'm camped on an
> exposed saddle.  Stars will be appearing soon.  A good hiking day.  I'm
> glad to be back on the trail, heading north and able to clock some decent
> miles.
> 
> 7/7 6:30am  Just S. of Nobles Trail Jct.  Monday 7/5 was a long hiking
> day, 24.7 miles ending at the North Fork Feather River.  Got there just
> before dark after eating dinner at Stover Camp.  Feather River looks like
> a decent trout stream.  No road along it at least right here.  Yesterday
> was another 20 miles, not including a couple side hikes. First was an hour
> long hike down to see terminal geyser.  the second was a wrong turn at
> Lower Twin Lake which took me to Rainbow Lake before I realized my
> mistake.  I blame this second diversion on the mosquitoes, which have been
> thick since I entered Lassen Park.  I should have double checked the map
> but didn't want to stop and let the bugs descend on me.  Dinner last night
> was Kathi's dehydrated Mexican style beans & lentils.  Excellent!  Must
> get recipe.
> 
> 5pm  Old Station.  The pizza place is closed on Wednesdays!  Artis, the
> postmaster lady, helped me out, calling Uncle Runts to be sure they were
> open.  That's where I am now, checking out the h'burger steak w/ grilled
> onions.  It's good.  Uncle Runts is closed on Mondays.  
> 
> 9pm  Hwy 44 trailhead near Mud Lake.  20 mile day.  A challenge getting up
> here from Old Station.  I started from the Hwy 44 crossing and after going
> about a mile without seeing any PCT signs, decided I must be on the wrong
> trail.  So I returned to the crossing.  No other trail, just no PCT
> markings.  That's really a problem when you're trying to make 30 miles to
> the next water.  I lost the trail about 1/4 mile W. of here where the hwy
> dept. is putting in a rest stop or something.  Major construction.  Maybe
> it's a rim view point.  Anyway, it took me a half hour to pick up the
> trail.  I've seen not one trail marker on this section.  Without the Trail
> Guide map, it would be hopeless.  Early start tomorrow.
> 
> 7/9, 8am Cassel Campground.  Hiked 26 miles yesterday, mostly on the Hat
> Creek Rim.  Started with about 4.5 liters of water, then didn't get nearly
> as far as I wanted Wednesday night because of the confusion at the start.
> So it was a Marathon yesterday with temps in high 90's (at least.  Redding
> was 100+ yesterday.)  By 3pm I was seriously rationing water, so came into
> Cassel for the night.  Got in about 7pm.  Stopped at the Clearwater Lodge
> - first place I saw a garden hose and asked if I could fill my water
> bottles.  I must have looked in need because the guy went in and brought
> me out two cans of soda - one Squirt and one Sprite!  After sitting for a
> bit, I walked down here to the PG&E campground.  The host, Larry, let me
> camp in a vacant spot without paying the $13 fee.  Says he likes to
> accommodate the PCT hikers if there is space available.  All packed up and
> heading to McArthur-Burney.  Looks like about 13 miles.  If Larry's
> around, will thank him again before I leave.  Treated small blister on
> outside of left heel.  It hadn't broken, should cause no further trouble.
> 
> 7/9 8:30pm  Burney Falls PCT Hikers Camp.  I started from Cassel
> Campground about 3pm. - 13 miles.  It was really hot, and dry.  Very
> little shade, but not as bad as Hat Creek Rim.  Got water here, then went
> down to park HQ to pick up my boxes.  Good news is, they were there,  They
> charged me $3 per box for storage.  However, they don't ship out of here.
> How to get the drift box to Seiad Valley?  Once I explained about the
> drift box, the lady at the store said she would take it in to Burney (the
> town) and mail it for me on Tuesday.  I addressed it and gave her the
> postage.  Then the gate guard recommended I camp at the hiker/biker area
> in the park.  $3.  After sorting out my food and downing a quart of O.J.,
> I checked out the H/B area.  Hot, dusty, no water.  There's a spigot in
> one of the designated campsites about 1/10 mile away.  The PCT camp was
> looking better, even though a half mile back down the trail.  So I got a
> shower, $.50 for 5 minutes, then back to the gate guard.  PCT campground?
> $3.  I traded him my old receipt for a new one, took a look at the falls,
> and headed back up the trail.  Couldn't catch anybody at home tonight.
> Better swing by the pay phone on the way out in the morning.  I have a
> nectarine for breakfast.  Lady was taking pictures of family - they're
> camped next door - and I offered to take a picture of the whole group. One
> of the kids came over a bit later with the nectarine as thanks.
> 
> 7/10, 6pm  Peavine Creek.  14.1 miles form Burney Falls with 2000 foot
> climb to get here.  It's been very hot but there's been water a couple
> places along the way.  I'm in what seems to be a packer camp.  The flies
> outnumber the mosquitoes.  I'm cooking dinner - Raman & tuna fish with
> rice.  Tastes good.  I have to cook where there's water.  It's 13 miles to
> the next water on trail.  I'll clean up, load up on water and dry camp
> down the trail.  (Waiter, there's a fly in my soup!)  I can get some more
> miles before dark and there'll be fewer bugs away from water.  
> 
> 8:30am  Just past the power lines, about 1.6 miles from Peavine.   Found a
> fairly level spot to lie down.  No room for tent so I'm wearing mosquito
> netting.  The sun is just setting to the left of Mt. Shasta.  The trail is
> in terrible shape here with heavy brush and many blow downs.  Almost
> impassible this side of Peavine Creek.  There's a logging road that
> parallels the trail for the next few miles.  I may have to try it if the
> trail doesn't improve, but must be careful not to wander down the wrong
> road and get lost.  Brian recommended staying on the trail if possible.
> We'll see how it looks in the morning.
> 
> 7am  Time to get on the trail.  Will see what's ahead and cut over to the
> road if necessary.  It stayed warm all night.  Must be 75 degrees right
> now.  Will be a hot day.  Mosquitoes are bad.  I'll have to find a place
> to set up the tent tonight.
> 
> 7/12, 5:45am  In grove of trees near Mushroom Rock.  Got in here last
> night in time to cook dinner.  16 trail miles and who knows how many
> actual.  Went through several "slash and burn" areas where loggers have
> churned the forest floor - including the trail, pretty completely.
> Sometimes I could pick up the path again, and sometimes not.  I lost at
> least 2 hours going down a logging road which I thought would bring me
> back to the trail.  It looked right, but wasn't the one on the map.  This
> was a bit north of where Brian had the same mishap two years ago.  I also
> stopped at Moosehead Creek Spring to wash self and clothes.  Three
> thru-hikers caught up with me there.  One said he was from Minnesota.
> First people I'd seen since Burney Falls.  One thing about hiking solo,
> you see more wildlife.  A deer yesterday morning couldn't figure out what
> I was in my sleeping bag.  It peered at me, huffed and trotted first one
> way then the other - finally decided to be somewhere else.  Also ran
> across my second bear about mid day yesterday.  It was kind of scrawny -
> didn't have that big bear rump - and was shedding its winter coat.
> Altogether kind of a pathetic looking critter.  Time to get some breakfast
> and head for the McCloud River.
> 
> 7/13  Ash Camp, McCloud River.  Got in late last night, about 8pm.  Hot
> and tired.  Time to eat and sleep.  20.7 miles.  Must have been 100++
> degrees in afternoon and still hot at sunset.  Quite a contrast to the
> morning when I was climbing over some major snow drifts.  Also in the
> morning, near Grizzly Peak, I caught the peak of the wild flowers.  It's
> about 30 miles to Castella so I won't get there today as planned.
> "Terrible Section O" has lived up to its name.  The trail's almost
> nonexistent in some stretches.  Tony DeBellis and the trail maintenance
> volunteers sure have their work cut out for them in August.  Hope they can
> make a good start at it.  To me, it looks like 2-3 years of effort to get
> this section back in shape.  
> 
> 7/13, 8:45pm, 2 miles W. of Squaw Valley Creek, where I had dinner, then
> got some uphill in before dark.  15.5 miles today, about 14 more out to
> Castella tomorrow.  It's been a real furnace room out here.  I'm at 4000
> feet - climbed from 2380 at Squaw Valley Creek, and it's still got to be
> 90 degrees.  S.V. Creek is the most beautiful spot I've seen on the trip
> so far.  Very similar to the McCloud River, but with no roads, cars or
> people.  Getting too dark.  Will continue this in am.
> 
> 7/14, 5:30am  It cooled down enough sometime last night to get to sleep.
> This heat's been getting to me mentally as well as physically.  Must get
> going now before it gets hot.  Still  8 miles to next water at Fall Creek.
> First 4 of that is uphill.
> 
> 6:45pm  Oak Tree Motel, Dunsmuir (Where Brian stayed 2 years ago)  14.9
> trail miles today.  Maybe 3 more actual miles.  I got to Interstate 5 at
> 1:30pm, then hiked on to Castle Crags State Park (the beginning of the
> Milt Kenney Trail where I intend to start tomorrow.)  Then down to the
> post office at Castella where I picked up my care package.  Next I hitched
> a ride here.  Jim, a friend of Anthony, the motel manager, has offered to
> haul me back to the trailhead tomorrow morning.  Oh, I got a ride down
> here with two avid rock climbers form N. Hampshire, in a very small car.
> Full of packs and climbing gear.  They were planning to climb at Castle
> Crags tomorrow and were headed for Yosemite later in the week.  They were
> interested in my gear, and asked if I carried a stove.  When they heard
> about the tuna can stove, they had to inspect it.  Price of the ride.
> (Climbers want to travel light, too.)  My pizza - pepperoni, mushrooms,
> sausage, and olives, 10 - inch size, has just been delivered.  Earlier, I
> picked up an artichoke salad to go with it, and a banana for dessert.  Can
> of beer, shave and shower, have made things look rosier after a hot walk.
> That poor little disposable razor almost choked on a two-week beard.  Had
> to work in sections.  If it had broken before I finished the job I was
> going to be a funny looking hiker.  Still have to pack food for the next
> leg.  8 days.  A big load.  To make room, will send my fleece layer home.
> Also, a roll of exposed film and these notes.  Good pizza.  Salad was a
> mistake.  Way too much garlic.  Maybe it will keep bears away for a couple
> days.
> 
> [end of notes]
> 
> There probably won't be any more notes until dad and I get off the trail
> in mid September.
> 
> Brian 
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