PCT Trail Days. This year it’s the end of the hike for a lot of people who had planned on pushing north to Canada. The fires in Washington have 60% of the trail shut down across the state. Most people are planning on coming back next year to hike Washington sobo back to Cascade Locks. […]
Category: Pacific Crest Trail
Stealth Camping Cascade Locks, Oregon
“Why something instead of nothing?” A hiker named Late Night asked, as we lounged on the sidewalk, in the shade, in front of the grocery store. He was drinking a six pack of beer, I was working on my second half gallon of milk. And because of that, I missed my bus to Portland, and […]
Timberline Lodge, Government Camp, Oregon
Hiking with no socks slowed me down, but only slightly. I was taking my time, laying around, trying to catch Scrub Jay’s in my hand that thought maybe I’d fallen asleep with snacks left out in the open. The trail was starting to get crowded. Northbounder’s mixing with southbounder’s. Nobo’s slowing down, trying to figure […]
Olallie Lake Resort, Mount Hood, Oregon
Having worn significant holes in every pair of socks, my feet had seen better days. I found snow fields lingering in the shadow of Mount Jefferson, and walked across them barefoot. It was perfect sledding snow. Solid underneath, soft and wet at the surface. I sat down and let gravity take its course. Sledding until […]
Hitchhiking into Sisters, Oregon
Milk run into town. From Santiam Pass it’s an easy hitch into and out of the town of Sister’s… except for the news. Two people that I cared about had passed away. My Mom’s husband, Fred, and a good hiking friend named Spider. It will take a while to sink in, that they aren’t there […]
Obsidian Falls, Blue River, Oregon
Back on trail, devouring homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, and burning through socks. From Elk Lake to Obsidian Falls on the PCT. Meadows covered in smoke, my home for the night. Drinking from the headwaters of Glacier Creek after a night spent somewhere on the side of North Sister, one of the volcanic peaks making up […]
Getting on the PCT, Elk Lake, Oregon
Summer vibes permeate lazy days… until your family decides that you need a couple of training hikes before you jump on the Pacific Crest Trail. Our first hike took us up Mount Bachelor, standing majestically in the Cascade Range at 9,068 feet. Then we explored Tamolitch Falls, also known as Blue Pool. Despite the falls’ […]
Diamond Lake Resort, Oregon
Days of rain and nights of snow, with no break for most of the rest of the week, I lost the desire to hike. Hiked out of the woods, through a magic tunnel to hot chocolate, freshly made chicken pot pie, and an indoor fireplace. I was going to dry off and maybe hitchhike down […]
Mount Thielsen, Oregon
When I saw the water cache I realized that I’d hiked five miles in the wrong direction. The sun had found its way out from behind clouds and I felt light on my feet after a long night’s sleep. But when I turned around to retrace my steps the sky grew dark, the clouds thick, […]
Diamond Peak Wilderness, Oregon
Thirty miles into the hike I set-up my poncho into an A-frame shelter to protect me from the relentless, cold rain. In the blink of an eye I’d slept three hours, deciding that maybe I needed another twelve. The cold rain continued through the night, the trees swaying and cracking above me in the wind. […]