Day 126 : Shelter Cove

23rd August 2013
Mile 1912 to mile 1934 : Shelter Cove to Another Burn Zone
Mileage : 22 + 2

Average mileage since day 101

I could have slept for a week after my ordeal in the cold and rain yesterday, but unfortunately the store owner ensured it was not to be. I packed up my stuff and tucked into a breakfast of coffee and icecream. Almost 2 litres of icecream to be precise. I decided to stay at Shelter Cove for as long as it took for me to eat it all, and it took me all morning. If there is one thing to say about Shelter Cove it is that they know how to take money off hikers. All credit too them as I understand that they need to make a living, but I felt violated paying a dollar and a half for a 3 minute shower, which is about as much time as it takes to fully clean one of my toes. The storm had either petered out during the night or had moved elsewhere, and so in the morning the hikers came out of the woodwork to enjoy a glorious morning relaxing on the porch of the store. The big attraction for me in coming to Shelter Cove was a care package sent to me by Sophie. I loved everything in it, and most of all the cryptic crosswords. I spent the morning eating icecream and wiping the rust off my crosswording skills and by midday was ready to leave. The afternoon was spent getting 20 miles done in order to keep to my schedule and be sure of not running of food. This afternoon, I caught up with Jess, whose parents are very kindly going to put me up in September as I get off trail for 10 days. Jess had had a bit of trail magic the night before thanks to a family friend, and had stayed in a ski resort (at least I think it is anyway) just up the road from Shelter Cove. I was envious of her sleeping in a night comfy bed with more than one toe clean, and had I have known whe was there, she would have no doubt offered me floor space, but I was happy enough being out of the cold last night and didn't begrudge her good fortune. Trail Magic has funny ups and downs all the time, and it is almost as fun listening to other hikers's experiences with trail magic as it is experiencing it yourself. I considered hiking with Jess for a little while, but it would have made my schedule difficult to keep so I headed on up the trail and ended up camping in yet another burn zone.

Day 125 : The Oregon Skyline Trail

22nd August 2013
Mile 1871 to mile 1912 : Miller Lake trail to Shelter Cove

Mileage : 35

Average mileage since day 101 : 23.1

Today was one the first time on the trail where I took a short cut. The short cut in question was the Oregon Skyline Trail which would cut about 7 miles off the official PCT. From the beginning of my hike I decided that my goal would be a continuous hike, i.e. with a continuous line of footprintsfrom Mexico to Canada, only allowing myself a detour if that detour be at least as long, difficult, or scenic as the PCT. The one factor I hadn't considered at the planning stage was safety. Since leaving Crater Lake, the view to the west has been essentially one long line of dark black clouds illuminated by flashes of lightning every once in a while. Yesterday, the clouds were sufficiently far enough away that I didn't really worry about them, but in the evening they were much closer and I decided to put up my tent in case it rained. Although it didn't rain last night, the sky was dark and omminous and I prepared myself for a day hiking in the cold and wet. As I headed toward the junction the decision was made for me. From a prominant bit of section, I could see the ridgeline of the next section almost completely obscured by the dark clouds, except for the strobe-like effect of multiple lighting flashes along its length. My near miss with lighting coming into Etna only 10 days previously was still fresh in my mind, and I decided I wasn't purist enough to risk being hit by lightning. My decision made for me, I turned onto the OST and made my way along it to Shelter Cove. Although not as long, in my opinion the trail wasn't any easier than the PCT it was mostly very sandy, which is very time and effort consuming through which to walk. The first half of the detour to Cresent Lake passed uneventfully, with a few minutes of rain here and there but nothing of any real note. During the second half however, the heavens opened. I knew that I would be a Shelter Cove that night, so wasn't really worried about the rain, but the lightning was close and continuous for miles and miles. I was thankful that the trail was easy enough to allow me to almost jog or trot at times, and that i wasn't having to negotiate lava fiels as I made my down to Shelter Cove on the north western shore of Odell Lake. By the time I emerged out of the trees next to the lake it was almost pitch black. It was so black that at first I didn't see the double line of railway tracks right infront of me. I did however hear the air horn of a freight train about to pass in front o me. I had my head phones and hadn't noticed the low frequency rumble that accompaies these mile long train, and so almost jumped out of my skin. It wouldn't have made for a good Hollywood nailbiter as I wasn't really close to being run over by it, but I did have to stand by it and watch it rumble passed me for about 5 minutes getting colder and wetter with every second. Thoroughly knackered, I made it to the resort store and found it closed. I hadn't known what to expect, but I had thought i'd be at least able to get a beer and something hot to eat, but it was not to be. Two hiker sitting outside the front of the store on the porch offered me a beer and some cold leftover pizza, which i accepted without hesitation as I had no intention of eating hiker food that night. Given as the rain was showing no signs of letting up, I slept on the covered porch knowing that I'd probably be shouted at for it in the morning by the store owners, but being too tired and wet to care. The long, cold, wet day coupled with the beer knocked me out almost instantly, and I forgot all about the weather until being woken up by the store owner who was indeed less than pleased to see me sleeping on his porch.

Day 124 : Mt Thielsen

21st August 2013
Mile 1837.5 to mile 1871 : Crater Lake Rim to Miller Lake trail

mileage : 33.5

Average mileage sic day 101 : 22.4

Camping on the rim of Crater Lake was worth the risk of it being mildly illeagal. It was simply stunning, the pictures, which I hope to uplaod soon, cannot even begin to do it justice. It rose directly across from me turning everything red and gold as it slowly rose into the sky. After just sitting and watching the lake for almost an hour watching the night slowly give way to day, I finally wrenched myself away and started the long, long trek down the north side of the crater with my heavy rucksack. It turned out that my 4 litres of waters of water that I'd decided to carry to get me across the day's 27 mile dry stretch were un-necessary, as there was a cache at the road bordering the northern side of the Crater Lake National Park. I'd heard from a south bounder not to depend on this cache, and so that's why i'd packed out so much water from Crater Lake, but I found the cache full meaning i didn't need to have carried all that water all that way from the lodge. I couldn't have known about the cache being full, so had taken the right decision to carry the water, but it was annoying anyway. The rest of the day passed quickly and before long I had managed almost 34 miles before the light forced my stop at the Miller Lake trail junction. I had taken a half day at Crater Lake yesterday but was still on course to get through Oregon in 17 day, assuming of course that the next few days would go as well as today.

Day 123 : Crater Lake

20th August 2013
Mile 1824.5 to mile 1837.5 : Stuart Falls trail junction to Crater Lake Rim
Mileage : 13

Average mileage since day 101 : 21.8

Lisa. I had planned to arrive at Crater Lake, where I'd be picking up a resupply box, with no food and that included that mornings breakfast. With a light packed, and spurred on by the thought of a real breakfast I covered the miles into Crater Lake's Mazama Village at speed. Mazama Village is located at the southern base of the fomer Volcano known as Mazama by the indian peoples that used to live in the area. After picking up 2 resuply boxes containing 6 days worth of food from the store, being charged way too much for breakfast, taking a cold shower at the campground, and speaking to Sophie for the first time in ages, I headed up the hill to the crater rim. I'd forgotten what 6 days worth of food feels like, and it wasn't pleasant. The trail up the the rim was steep and hot, and I was hot and sweaty by the time i got up there. Although impressive, I wasnlt blown away by the view due to the fact that the prevailing westerly winds were blowing huges amounts of smoke from the fires i'd been smelling up to the lake and was so think tat I couldn't see the other side. I contemplated my next move sitting at the rim cafe eating an overpriced icecream, and finally decided that I had come a long way to get a good view of crater lake so would stay until I got one. With that decided I headed across to the Crater Rim Lodge to find out if I wanted to be fleeced some more before heading back to the trail and bumped into Puppy again before even setting my rucksack down. I was surprised not to see her at Mazama, but had rightly guessed that she had just continued straight up the trail to the rim, and sort out resupply stuff from there. I sat down and managed to get some a plate of very english looking chips and struck up a conversation with Lisa, who was sat opposite us on the other side of a small coffee table. Lisa was very interested in our experiences as she had a friend who was contemplating the trail, so Puppy and I, entertained her with trail stories for an hour or two we tried hard to put off our chores, mine hiking, and Puppy's resupply. I had been assured that the smoke would clear up as the night drew on Puppy and I waited until dark before heading back to the trail to camp on the rim. Camping on the rim of Crater Lake is mildly illegal, but I am used to stealth camping by now and so wasn't worried about being caught. Besides, although the rules apply to us, the no cmaping rules I feel are mostly there to deter non hiker campers from camping there, and don't really apply to us. I know that isn't a very good attitude to take, but I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to see the sunrise over crater lake, a sight every thru-hiker should see. Puppy and I finally got up to leave, and as we were about to settle our bill's discovered that Lisa had covered it for us. Neither of us were expecting it and so were very grateful for the hospitality shown to us both by this impromptu trail angel. If you're reading this Lisa thankyou very much, those chips were much needed and greatly appreciated! Puppy was heading down to Mazama in the morning to do her resupply, and I was continuing around the lake to the western most point in order to get the best view of the sun rise, so we parted ways in the dark. It's unlikely I'll meet up with Puppy again on the trail but you never know with the PCT anything can happen. I carried on in the dark for a few miles along the rim looking for somewhere to stop right on the end of the almost sheer clifs down to the lake below. The trail was surprisingly difficult here with several steep ups and downs, exacerbated by my heavy rucksack with my 6 days worth of food, and also by 4 litres which I would need to cover a 27 mile dry stretch I would have to cover tomorrow. I had orginally planned to head up to a fire tower on a peak called the Watchman, but stopped just short right on the cliff. I made camp quickly and set my alarm early in order to be sure of seeing the dawn the next morning.

Day 122 : The Oregon Desert

19th August 2013
Mile 1794.5 to 1824.5 : Red Lake trail junction to Stuart Falls trail junction
Mileage : 30

Average mileage since day 101 : 22.2

Tired and irritable from the lack of sleep the night before, I resolved nevertheless to get a full day's hiking in and be so tired that i would sleep no matter what that night. I had resigned myself to a difficult day when after only a few miles, my day was turned around by Puppy. Puppy is one of the few hikers on the trail that I would actively seek out to talk to and hike with, and I happened across her mid morning as she was breaking camp. The last time I had seen her, i think, was probably about 800 miles ago just before getting into South Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately for her, she had gotten a cold off someone and was suffering from the usual cold like symptoms and was therfore struggling to make miles. Thankfully, I have been spared any sort of illness and as I had no intention of getting sick, kept my distance as we spoke. Puppy is a solo hiker, and although I usually hike with people, we both prefer to do the actual hiking alone, but today we kept each other company. I lead the way and she tagged along behind me, 'pulling' her along. Given my irritability not even an hour before I surprised myself by actually enjoying the company of another hiker and before long we were making good miles at a comfortable pace. Puppy is a stronger and faster hiker than me on a normal day, but we seemed to maintatin about the same speed that day as we made our way north. On the maps today I saw that we were passing through the Oregon Desert. Hiking along the PCT in Orgeon shaded by a forest canopy the idea of a desert made me smile to myself thinking of other deserts i've experienced on this trail and growing up in the middle east, but I guessed that the main reason it is called as desert is that there is little water. The volcanic landscape of the southern section Oregon Cascades with its porous means that there are few springs and creeks, and most of the lakes are man made and far from the trail. The 'desert' nature of the trail and the corresponding relative lack of water meant the we hiked fast taking only enough water to get to the next source. By the end of the day however Puppy was feeling the effects of day's hike coupled with her cold and had to stop a few miles short of my own goal. I didn't feel bad about carrying on and leaving her to fend for herself as she is one of the capable and independent, male or female, hikers on the trail and didn't doubt she'd be fine. I stoppped a just inside Crater Lake National Park but before the crossing with the main entrance road, as I intended to get up early and get to Mazama Village at the main entrance in time for a real breakfast. Given the miles I'd covered that day, and lack of rest the previous night, sleep came quickly and easily that night.

Day 121 : The fawn

18th August 2013
Mile 1762.5 to mile 1794.5 : Big Spring to Red Lake trail junction
Mileage 32
Average mileage since day 101 : 21.8
I started late today as I had camped in a grove of pine trees that had kept the light levels down meaning my body woke me up a bit later than usual. I had been joined late last night by another hiker called PimPlimp, who headed out before me. We were both ready to hike at about the same time, but as I prefer to hike alone I let him go first so waited a few minutes to let him get ahead. There is a weird trail phenomenom in which hikers leapfrog past each other but without seeing each other, and this is what happened with PimPlimp. I wouldn't see him again until Crater Lake, where he surprised by turned up behind me at Mazama Village at the main park entrance. The trail is strange sometimes. Setting out into the cool of the morning my main thought was what I would put in this day's entry. It is difficult trying to find ways of spicing up blog entries describing a day on the trail which is pretty much identical to the previous day. I hope I manage to keep you all suitably entertained! Just as I was thinking about what to write, I came across the fawn. On the face of it deer encounters, and even fawn encouters, are far from unusual, but this encouter was unusual in every way. As I cam round the corner I could see a little blog of brown in the middle of the trail. I clicked my poles together to let whatever it was know I was there and give it time to get up and disappear into the trees. As I got closer however I could see the little guy was lying unmoving in the trail and did not move a muscle even as I got close enough to touch him. He was lying with his head pointing up the trail, so although he must have heard and smelt me, he hadn't lifted his head up to look at me so I gently stepped past him to let him know I was a hiker and not a bear about to take advantage of a prone little fawn. I took off my rucksck and knelt down next to the fawn to investiage a bit further and could clearly tell something was wrong. I could see his heart and lungs moving, so knew he wasn't dead, but apart from that I had know idea what was wrong with him. Wierdly, I sort of felt that he was just absolutely knackered and could go no farther at that moment, and just did not have the energy to even react to my presence let alone stand up and run away. I can empathise with that sort of fatigue and tiredness well, but there was obviously something more to this little guy than that. He literally didn't even blink or flinch as I stroked his head, or felt his legs to see if anything was broken. I wondered if he was thirsty, as this section of the trail is very dry, and so scratched a small hole by his mouth, put a spare ziplock back down to form an impromptu bowl and used a little of my water to try and get him to drink something, but there was no response. I rubbed a little of it on his muzzle to let him know what it was, but to be honest I had no idea if he was old enough to be drinking water and not his mother's milk as he was small and still covered with the bambi-like white identifying spots of a fawn. Given the total lack of response from the little guy, I realised there was little I could do for him. AT&T, my mobile phone service provider, has unbelievealbly poor coverage at the best of times in Oregon and Washington, so calling an RSPCA type body was out of the question, even if i had known the numbers to call. I could hear some rustling in the brush near me and assumed mum was watching me nervously from just outside my field of view so decided the best way I could help the two would be to just leave them to their own devices. I put on my rucksack and looked back at the fawn one last time before heading back up the trail. I would like to think that once mum had turned up he would get up and disappear back into the forest, but the feeling I got from him was that he had just given up and accepted that the end was nigh. When I met up with Pimplimp a couple days later he had no idea what I was talking about, so presumabely the fawn had stumbled on the PCT in the 10 minute interval between the pair of us. My encouter with the fawn that morning had cost me a good couple miles of hiking time, so I upped my pace and tried to claw some time back. This proved difficult during the middle of the day as I had to contour around a volcano called Brown Mountian, but which I couldn't see due to the denseness of the forest. The trail was difficult contoring around this volcano due to huge lava flows which periodically cut across the forest, and across the trail. Lava, as per my experience on the Hat Creek Rim, is difficult and tiring to traverse, and this was no different. In the hot sun I carefully threaded my way across the lava trying my best not to stress my feet or ankles any more than was absolutely necessary. After a couple hours of this I was sore and tired and in need of a welcome break by one of the few creeks coming down off the next volcano in my way. Thankfully this volcano, Mt McLoughlin, was forested and devoid of lava flows so traversing was no problem, and by the evening I was well past it. Just as I was looking for a camp spot I began to smell smoke everywhere, and it began to even obscure the hillsides around me. I was aware that there were big fires west of me, but thought I wasn't sufficiently far enough away from them for them to not be a threat. I couldn't see where the smoke was coming from so had to assume it was not close, and therefore not an immediate threat. Evenso I decided to get a couple more miles in that evening to try and get away from the smell at least, in case it was actually nearby. It was fully dark by the time I had stopped and I had to make the best of a campsite almost right on the trail. I started my evening routine and before long was tucking into that night's dinner. Dinner tonight however was so salty it was inedible. I had a Bear Creek potatoe soup with 8 servings adding up to 1200 calories. Unfortunately each serving had almost a whole gram of salt in it and was supposed to be heavily diluted and was not intended as a hiker meal. I only managed about half of the meal before having to reluctantly through it away knowing the effect of not eating would be detrimental to the following day's hiking, but being unable to stomach the salt. I dug a hole a few meteres from my camp and buried it before settling down for the night. Sleep for whatever reason did not come easily that night. For a start the smell of smoke was still in the air and made me uneasy, and also i think in the dark i had pitched up on top of, or at least clost to an ants nest and was constantly flicking inche long black ants off me. 2 of them even managed to get between my sleeping bag and the liner waking me up periodically. At some stage, I don't know at what time this occured as I hate looking at the time during the night and knowing I only have an hour or two left in bed, I heard a large animal in the forest nearby. I have encountered so many deer in these forest that I know what they sound like, and this did not sound like a deer. I suspect it was a bear coming to investigate the food i hadn't eaten that night, but I didn't manage to get a look at it as my head torch is just a cheapy one that doesn't penetrate very far into the forest gloom. The animal, whatever it was, lurked around my camp for some time preventing me from getting back off to sleep before it finally headed back into the dark. The combination of disturbances that night prenvented me from getting any real much needed sleep, and fnally just as the first rays of the dawn started to lighten the forest, i packed up and headed up the trail in a bad mood.

Day 120 : Big miles

17th August 2013
Mile 1728 to mile 1762.5 : I-5 to Big Spring
Mileage : 34.5
Average mileage since day 101 : 21.3
Although obviously i crossed into Oregon a couple of days ago, it feels like the Oregon hike began today. I was up and hiking by 6a, today as i was woken to the sound of the Intertate highway close to which i camped. By mid morning I had managed 10 before 10 and was feeling on form so was anticipating a big mile day. Just after my first stop, I met a trio of Oregonians out for a day hike and they kindly offered me a homemade muffin. Homemade food is hard to come by on the trail, and even harder to pass up, so I chatted with them for a good 20 minutes before heading off into the woods. Oregon has a reputation for immitating the ATs green tunnel so I was looking forward to shady hiking, but at least for the first day it was not to be. For whatever reason most of the day's hiking was in view of the full summer sun, but still I had made a good 20 miles by lunchtime so sat and had a leaisurely lunch by a creek amidst several groups of day or weekend hiker/campers. Days of the week mean little to thru-hikers, but i new it was the weekend due to the number of non-thruhikers on or around the trail. While sat enjoying my lunch, I had one of my most bizare encounters on the trail. A little girl came past me and asked me if i was a hiker, I responded giving the standard response "I'm hiking from Mexico to Canada along the Pacific Crest Trail" at which point her mum turned up, and had obviously overhead me speaking to her child and as the pair walked away, I heard the mum say "Don't listen to what that man just said". Now I often get people looking at me incredulously when I explain what I'm doing, as clearly most people have never heard of the trail, but I have never had anyone assume that I am lying. I wasn't annoyed by this but rather dismayed that her instant assumption was that I was lying and that her daughter was about to miss up an opportunity to learn about the trail. I had my PCT bandana close to hand so ran after the pair to put this woman straight and explain to the little girl that I what I had said was true. The woman did not look happy to be contradicted in front of her child, but I was glad I got to show the bandana, which has the route across the 3 states marked on it, to the little girl who rewarded my efforts with some suitable gasps of awe. My good deed done for the day I headed back up the trail making it another 15 miles up the trail before the light put an end to my day's hike. 35ish miles was a good start to Oregon