Discovered a Website for CDT Planning

I am watching Disco's Walkumentary, which details his journey on the CDT. In the video, he references Jonathan Ley's maps.  I did a quick search for Jonathan Ley, and I discovered his website: http://phlumf.com, which has some sick information on the CDT.  I am going to link it here on my blog.  CDT 2009 Baby!

Billygoat Speaks

I ran into Billygoat at Pacific Crest Trail Day a few weeks ago - I think many of us thru-hikers can say that he is our hero. Our conversation was pleasant, and we talked about his hiking into the California wilderness with two backpacks (you must ask him about this yourself!). 

Anyway, I told him that I saw an article and a video about him that was done by the LA Times, and that I thought it was really well done. He agreed. I told him that I had shot video of a conversation we had in 2006, and I asked if him if I could put that on my blog.  Of course, he had no objections. So below is a short video about how he explains thru-hiking to a non-hiker. Enjoy!

ALDHA - West Gathering this Weekend

While I was hiking up in northern Oregon, I ran into Warner Springs Monty up in Cascade Locks. "What the heck you doing up here?" I asked him.  He responded saying that he was doing some "trail angeling," and then he was going up to Wenatchee, Washington for the ALDHA-West Gathering . "Cool," I said, "Can I get a ride up to Panther Creek tomorrow?"

Blunt as I may have been, I certainly had a heightened sense of curiosity surrounding this event on Septenber 19-21 and the ALDHA-East Gathering event on October 10-12. What the heck goes on at these events?

I spent a little time with Weathercarrot this past weekend, and I learned a lot more about what goes on.  These gatherings are similar to the Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off events in that they provide programs and workshops for hikers to attend.  Much more than that, they are events where hikers get to hang out, talk trail, and just be a hiker. 

For those of us who have been bitten by the hiking bug, these events are necessary. Popular culture blesses going to college, incurring debt, getting a desk job, having a family, getting a mortgage, and blah, blah blah.  Taking six months off to go hike a trail goes against that norm, and for those of us who do it, we need a support system that blesses long-distance hiking.

I won't make it to either of these events this year, and the Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off will continue to be my support event.  Nonetheless, I hope to get to one of these gatherings.

Mountain Lion Fends Off Hikers!

I caught this article in the Onion, which had me rolling with laughter.  Certainly, the wheels were turning in my head, because the article, despite its morbid absurdity, has a hell of a lot of truth in it. Our wilderness adventures transform us into visitors in the living space of wildlife.

Dr. Winston Vickers, a wildlife veterinarian from UC Davis, spoke at ADZPCTKO back in 2005-6, and reminded all those in attendance that everyday hikers enter prime mountain lion habitat throughout California.  Shrinking habitat and more people in wild areas unfortunately means that there will be more encounters between cats and people (and perhaps their pets!). What is more unfortunate is that when mountain lions and people have nasty encounters, both parties lose. People get severely injured and the mountain lion is subject to elimination.

I saw a mountain lion in 2003 near Grizzly Peak, and I just met a hiker in Washington who had a similar benign encounter.  When I saw the lion, I remember feeling shock, fear and awe, but afterwards I felt extreme privilege and honor for having seen it. I was also reminded of my visitor status in the wilderness, and I must say that I had a different mindset for the rest of my hike.

Enjoy the wilderness out there visitors!

First Night in Oregon

Saturday August 31st

I am back on the trail! However, I am not quite on the PCT. I am camped out right next to Little Crater Lake, but it is a relief to be camping out here in the Oregon woods. I will say that I am already a little lonely, but I am sure to meet up with other hikers tomorrow.

Neighbor J picked me up at the airport in Portland around 5:00. He arrived with Phantom (AT 01, PCT 05) in a borrowed Isuzu SUV with a canoe strapped to the top. we loaded up my gear and quickly made our way towards Mt. Hood, only stopping to pick up a few last-minute supplies. Neighbor J said that he was meeting up with Tourist (PCT section hiker 2007) and her friend, Sweet Pea (Amy) up at Timberline Lodge, and he asked if I was interested in joining them for supper. "Why not?" I replied.

When we arrived at Timberline, the temperatures were bitterly cold (and a sign of things to come!), so we rushed to get inside. Just as we walked in, we met up with Tourist and Sweet Pea, and we went upstairs to grab food and talk trail, which I have not done for a while. Over supper, I learned that Tourist and Sweet Pea had over the course of their hiking camped out with a group of former ex-cons, whom they said were really cool. Tourist also talked up a storm and entertained us singing "REI" to the tune of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." It was awesome.

Time got away from us, and we realized that we needed to get out of Timberline, so I could get out on the trail and Neighbor J could return the SUV he had borrowed.  After saying our goodbyes, we walked outside, and noticed that there was a layer of snow on the cars in the parking lot.  Snow!  This is August 30th! Anyway, we boogied down to the car and took off.

As we descended, the snow turned into a light rain, and as we drove further, the skies began to clear.  After about a half hour trip, we pulled into the Little Crater Lake Campground area and found the trailhead.  

The weather is milder down here at Little Crater Lake, and there is not a cloud in the sky. It is very quiet out here, and I must admit that I am not used to it. Living in San Francisco has got me so used to consistent noise, and when I don't have it, it makes me feel that loneliness I had expressed earlier.  

Off to bed.  I have a full day ahead of me tomorrow.

Just off the Pacific Crest Trail

I am in Portland resting my tired legs and sore feet after a whirlwind of hiking over the past five days! Over the next two weeks, I will be adding my journals from the trip along with pictures and video, so stay tuned!

I will say that I enjoyed meeting many of the PCT hikers while hiking southbound from Panther Creek back to Cascade Locks. Although most hikers were still excited to be on the trail, many expressed a sense of urgency to finish before the bad weather begins in the northern Cascades, and a few hikers just seemed ready to be done with it.

So the story goes on the trail in southern Washington in early September. Regardless, I told them that they have much beauty ahead, and I made the bold prediction that they will have great weather ahead (it was crappy in Oregon!). If I was wrong they could blame God, not me! Hike boldly!