Category: Walking

Day 101: July 12th
Mile 1350.1 to Mile 1373.6

Most of today’s hiking was in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Just a few miles into our hike we took the side trail to Terminal Geyser, which is a very cool steam vent that spews great clouds of steam into the air. After that the Pacific Crest Trail passes near Boiling Lake, another interesting site.

Soon we got to Warner Valley campground, but had already decided to bypass the resort of Drakesbad and the breakfast buffet and pool. It never really was on our day’s agenda.

We continued another 15 miles or so and exited Lassen National Park and then dropped down to camp at the very lovely Hat Creek, where we cooled off before hiker midnight. The day’s hiking was mostly flat for the afternoon through the 2012 Reading fire area, but still the hiking seemed slow because of the sun exposure (hot lately!) and the sandy, dusty trail. Obviously the PCT is never really easy.

Photo: Terminal Geyser

Mileage: 23.5

Day 100: July 11th
Chester, CA to Mile 1350.1

Surprisingly neither of us slept well in our cute little motel room: we now seem to get a better night’s sleep in outdoors – go figure. Lon was congested and Deb’s legs couldn’t get comfortable on the nice, soft bed.

We slept in until 7 and then got a very reasonably priced breakfast at the Copper Kettle cafe. Deb barely began to write up a hitch hiking sign when Debbie and Tina offered us a ride back to the trail, since they were headed that way to pick up Debbie’s son and other hikers. We so enjoyed our stay in Chester!

Back on trail we hiked the first 9 miles over gentle terrain, a welcome relief when your pack is newly heavy with food. Then it was back to climbing and we are now camped in Lassen Volcanic National Park. We are about 3 miles from Drakesbad, but haven’t decided whether to stop by for breakfast.

Mileage: 15.5

Day 99: July 10th
Mile 1317.9 to Chester, CA

Today we hiked to Chester, CA where a package was waiting for us at the Post Office. Both Deb and I received new shoes (we have been wearing our old shoes for 630 miles, since Kennedy Meadows South). We both got new Platypus water containers to replace leaking ones, and Lon got new smaller size pants.

The grocery store here is one of the best along the Pacific Crest Trail so we were easily able to purchase food here.

Chester is a very hiker friendly little town. Robert and Shannon happened to be restocking coolers of drinks and fruit for hikers at the PCT highway crossing and gave us a ride into town. Dr. Webb (the town dentist) gives hikers gift certificates for a local restaurant (along with toothpaste and floss). The laundry was across the street from a place that serves some of the best milk shakes we have ever had.

We stayed at the Antlers motel, “the cutest little thing in Chester!” We happily took the last room available and were delighted that laundry, grocery, banks, and food were all nearby – hikers hate walking anywhere off-trail, in case you were wondering.

Mileage: 16.8

Day 98: July 9th
Mile 1296.3 to Mile 1317.9

Today was a day of climbing as we continued the climb out of Belden and then made the usual climbs that the Pacific Crest Trail makes as it meanders across mountains. We climbed 4,700 total feet today.

We are about 17 miles from the town of Chester, CA where we have a package waiting for us at the post office, and where we have to buy more food for the next leg of our journey. Trail food is getting a little boring at this point but we eat it anyway.

We also passed the 1,300 mile mark this morning. The 100’s are beginning to go by faster now!

Mileage: 21.6

Day 97: July 8th
Mile 1275.4 to Mile 1296.3

Lon said town days and trail angel stop days only had to be 15 mile days In this section to allow us a few hours to stop hiking on those days to indulge in extra activities like meals, showers, and laundry. So of course we hiked almost 21 miles today despite our stop at the Belden Town Resort to eat a very good lunch and repackage our food bags from a box of food we sent to the resort. We got in at noon and resumed hiking at 3:30 pm.

We liked Belden for its convenient location – the trail literally goes right by the front door of the resort before crossing the bridge over the river and climbing the mountains on the opposite side on the canyon. There is a restaurant, bar, and small store – and it was very hiker-friendly to all the hikers today.

We intended only a 5 mile climb partly up the mountains after lunch but climbed an extra mile to escape an old campsite that was burned and trashy and downright creepy. And it had begun to rain too. But we are happily camped in a new spot with some other hikers tonight.

Photo: Moss covered trees in Plumas National Forest.

Meage: 20.9

Day 96: July 7th
Mile 1260.7 to Mile 1275.4

Today we hiked just 4.5 miles before we took some time to visit the wonderful trail angels at Honker Pass. Nancy and Terry Williams and their extended family are amazing but not listed in any Pacific Crest Trail guides because they only open their lovely vacation cabin to hosting hikers a few weeks a year. You will know if they are open if you see a sign on the trail.

Five of us stopped by Honker Pass and were treated to excellent food, showers, and laundry. Their hospitality is amazing, all hikers agreed!

Deb and I could only stay a few hours because we need to hike the 70 miles to Chester, CA by Thursday to pick up some gear being sent to the post office (which is not open on weekends). Especially important is new shoes for both of us: the Sierra snow and wet trails (now a distant memory) was hard on our shoes.

Lon weighed in on the Honker Pass scale at 160 pounds, 27 pounds lighter than when he started hiking on April 3rd. He is looking so fit! Deb is holding steady at 103, but will be packing more carbs in her pack this next leg.

We departed Honker Pass in the afternoon and hiked about 10 more miles before making camp for the night.

Mileage 14.7