Day 99: Rolling Through California
Date: Wed 7/25
PCT Start Mile: 1555.9
PCT End Mile: 1586.1
PCT Mileage for Day: 30.2
Total PCT Mileage: 1586.1
The Highlights: rollercoaster terrain
Last night right around dark, when I was just about to fall asleep, another hiker came into camp and set up right next to us.
Since we had our rain fly on, I couldn’t see who it was, but in the middle of the night, when we woke up to chainsaw snoring, we figure it out: Flamingo.
Naturally the loudest snorer on the entire trail would roll in and set up an arms length from our tent. Shawn put in his ear plugs.
Some history along the hike.
The day of hiking brought continually undulating terrain, a rollercoaster through the mountains of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Trinity Alps Wilderness.
The total climbing for the day was just under 6,000ft ascent and about 5,000ft descent. The trail alternated between rock, dirt, and soft crushed pine needles. Not enough of the latter, too much of the former.
By midday it was becoming clear that a lot of people were shooting for the same tent site, which was advertised to have enough space for 3-4 tents.
All of the books I’d read about people’s PCT journeys talked about how the herd thins in northern California, but we have not found this at all. In fact, we find ourselves more frequently around other hikers than during any other part of the trail. It almost seems more as if the herd has increased rather than dwindled.
The large number of people on the trail becomes most apparent in the afternoon as we all hike toward tent sites for the night, everyone trying to make it to a site while there is still space.
It becomes fairly stressful actually, as the afternoon and evening hours become a race to make sure you have a tent site for the night. There were so many people that seemed to be aiming for the same site tonight, that Shawn eventually hiked ahead in hopes to claim a spot for us. Lucky he did because, while the area had a lot of space, it was very rocky, so the good spots were few. The first to arrive, he was able to pick the best spot.
By the time the sun was setting there were eight tents, including our own, as well as two people cowboy camping. Lucky us, Flamingo rolled in just a bit ago. Shawn immediately put his ear plugs in.
The site is positioned well for a sunset view to one side, with bright yellows and oranges, and a moon view to the other – with dulled pinks and blues. Not too shabby.
