MudNCrud Forums
Climbing and ... Climbing => Everywhere Else => Topic started by: Brad Young on October 05, 2015, 09:05:07 AM
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Our end-of-the-year trip was great fun and a great success. We had cool, crisp temperatures that were perfect for hiking. We got close up, amazing views of Mount Shasta (man that thing is huge). We traveled 38 more miles of the trail in three days, bringing our total mileage for 2015 to just under 310. And we reached a low elevation on our way west to I-5 which should set us up perfectly for an early (May or June) start to next year's season.
But first the "oh crap, I don't believe it" part of the story.
A week before we started, Tricia was at her class's eighth grade outdoor camp for three days. On the last day there her best friend didn't feel well. And of course, a few days later, by the Sunday before this PCT trip, Tricia didn't feel well either.
She had a fever that day, which persisted into Monday. She also commented a few times on Sunday that her feet hurt. This last comment seemed strange, but as experienced parents we chalked it up to good old "oh well." We did keep Tricia home from school on Monday though; usually a fever indicates that one is contagious. It was only when Vicki called the school to tell them that Tricia wouldn't be at school that day, that it all fell into place: apparently several of the Twain Harte Elementary school kids had "Hand, Foot and Mouth disease."
Yeah, we hadn't ever heard of it either. Apparently this virus afflicts only kids. It results in fever and in blisters on the hands, the feet and in the mouth. That evening Tricia's hands hurt. And she showed us some blisters on her feet. But by then her fever was also gone.
Fever-less for nearly 24 hours, "T" went to school on Tuesday. She definitely felt better. On Wednesday she insisted that, blistered feet or not, she was going to run in her cross country race (and she did). We stopped worrying and checking at that point; these events, up through Wednesday afternoon, led Vicki and I to assume that her small bout with what I'd jokingly called "Hoof and Mouth disease" (which I have heard of) was over.
Um, not quite.
We'd given this tough little girl the option of bailing out on this PCT trip because of her feet. She scoffed at us. I'd suggested that we could possibly start hiking on Saturday instead of Friday to give her feet another day of rest. She told me that she'd be "fine." So we went as scheduled, hiking nearly 15 miles on our first day alone.
Call it Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, or call it Hoof and Mouth disease. Call it any funny name or call it a mildly amusing little sickness. Call it only painful and annoying. Call it free range parenting. Call it what you want. Just please don't call Child Protective Services. Here's what Tricia's feet looked like two hours before we started hiking:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5740/21770852930_ececfcb425_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/763/21771079728_e8df9c664e_c.jpg)
We'd driven up to the town of Burney the night before so we could start hiking early on Friday. We met our friends the Dawsons there. In the morning we found one of those "all American," small town diners and had a hearty breakfast:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/725/21958947665_a85cdaa6ba_c.jpg)
And then it was out the dirt roads to where we'd ended our last trip, near Peavine Creek:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/715/21336374714_74d9e1db1d_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5777/21779612339_442018d5c1_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5723/21955434912_4e1176dc47_c.jpg)
The first miles of hiking on this day were mostly in forest:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5654/21824670899_a5bec7b3ac_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/707/21977754551_a7d2672714_c.jpg)
The PCT isn't in wilderness here. And just like it crosses roads, the trail must also cross other accoutrements of civilization (at least we got a good long-distance view):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/681/21336080354_a08c0a4cf1_c.jpg)
And then, about three miles into the hike, we got our first view of Mount Shasta from the trail (wow!):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/756/21771920329_6e49b9de91_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5732/21932655596_9cffb0c6a8_c.jpg)
After this first view, the trail opened up nicely for most of the rest of the day:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5672/21968608191_8d3cf7d6a4_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5796/21941940606_5a2a81d514_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/742/21771029968_f1ef474fb4_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5715/21345429554_3bbfcacf0b_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5787/21771024598_a0a609ecd6_c.jpg)
We got a view of Castle Crags (it's on the other side of I-5 from this view-point, about 50 miles away):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5624/21958837905_c7cd76b53c_c.jpg)
Tricia had time for a few selfies (one of which Steve got to photobomb):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5737/21780281838_e0340f7dbe_c.jpg)
Alex tried to hold up Mount Shasta with a single finger (as a hiking crew, we know all the modern photo-taking tricks):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5728/21346979213_fe8005fa4c_c.jpg)
After just over 13 miles of hiking we reached a dirt road at Bartle Gap. We knew that Vicki would be waiting for us a mile down this road (she couldn't drive that mile because of a locked gate). During this mile we saw these (the first of very, very many we would see, especially on our second day):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5723/21956042622_0ba5eccc28_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/747/21347065673_2ea0d31d7f_c.jpg)
We were happier to see her:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/605/21345470254_981969e917_c.jpg)
This last bit of road ended a wonderful day of hiking and views. One with extraordinarily clear skies and brisk Autumn temperatures that made the movement a pure joy. We then finished by piling into our cars and driving to Ash Campground over near McCloud Reservoir (we intended to finish our hike right at this campground after two more days).
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Ya'll are super cool and gritty!
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Temperatures on day two were noticeably cooler. Our first mile-plus on the road back up to the trail at Bartle Gap required us to wear all the clothes we'd brought with us:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5705/21991551471_7b70773aa9_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5700/21794840029_07fc19d5b7_c.jpg)
We hiked the first third of the day mostly on the north side of a long, east/west ridge system. The lack of sun and a cold wind kept us wrapped up and moving:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5743/21981906465_f18519d13a_c.jpg)
We took a break at one nice, sunny, open area:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/574/21794069538_77c332c927_c.jpg)
A second open spot on this side of the ridge gave us the day's first views of this great feature:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5655/21360639743_c7bd9803b0_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5624/21793647790_02d50bbdf3_c.jpg)
Although Steve's back was acting up today, he seemed to have a great hike anyway (and the movement helped with the stiffness). At times he and Alex hiked ahead:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/713/21955623676_d4f7556712_c.jpg)
Eventually we crossed to the south side of the east/west ridge. Temperatures jumped and the views multiplied. We stopped for lunch:
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(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5673/21969761062_5711292be5_c.jpg)
Beautiful hiking, west on a ridge-line followed (this shot shows the rest of the day's hike, including Grizzly Peak):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5645/21360673903_23fb41bd5b_c.jpg)
Views alternated to the south, the west, and the north. Here's the town of McCloud from 40 miles away:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/746/21794918539_64a354eae4_c.jpg)
And the Castle Crags again (right of center):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/585/21955660116_9f741a7392_c.jpg)
And that gorgeous mountain:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/632/21794920849_3ff5ab8e51_c.jpg)
At one point we could see much of what we'd hiked on the the PCT behind us (all the way to the steep dirt and rubble escarpment that we'd hiked the edge of yesterday; it's in the far background, right of center):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/617/21969675752_285e4c372f_c.jpg)
Finally we started traversing under the south side of Grizzly Peak, toward our end point for the day. Here the amounts of bear poop became just crazy. Yes, we'd seen their tracks since late yesterday. And we'd seen many, many huge piles of their poop too (mostly filled with the remains of dark berries):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5718/21794936689_e85145e398_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5684/21359212114_4c3aae62d4_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/686/21955826296_02c012cb5b_c.jpg)
But here, on the south side of Grizzly Peak (how appropriate) it got to the point where the kids counted more than 100 plops of bear poop in a third of a mile! Here are two example photos; these were taken about 100 yards from each other. Each shows, on the trail itself, six or seven separate poops:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5739/21991671961_ff114df9d9_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/671/21969690432_412f8aa959_c.jpg)
Here's what they appear to have been eating:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/735/21997811142_69f656a09c_c.jpg)
Now, I'm not obsessed with poop and I'm not even obsessed with bears (although it was a big disappointment for us that we didn't see even one live bear). But holy wow, I've never seen anything even close to this. Alright already; the clear answer to the age old question is "yes." And they do it in vast quantities.
Eventually we made it around to the west side of the peak and found our "always there" chaperone:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/753/21793757790_1b3a092510_c.jpg)
We got a view today of Lassen Peak (in the deepest background of this shot):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5732/21991708751_4b99ac9d72_c.jpg)
And that wrapped another great hike (and set us up for a very, very easy 10 miles tomorrow - just enough to make some progress and still get home on a school night):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5815/21955713576_0fb8cbcb8f_c.jpg)
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You have an amazing family Mr. Young.
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You have an amazing family Mr. Young.
Thanks Mud.
And amazing friends too. Together they make life wonderful.
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Are those wild blueberries?
If that is what happens when the bear walks uphill - imagine having him or her as a leader on a multi pitch climb :)
That tilted and folded strata on Grizzly Peak looks interesting - possibly metamorphic rocks comprising a roof pendant - or cooler yet some old ocean floor seds in an accreted patch/terrane...
Now I do have one question...Is the Castle Crags anything like the 108?
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Are those wild blueberries?
I'm pretty sure they're not. Blueberries grow very close to the ground (I think).
If that is what happens when the bear walks uphill - imagine having him or her as a leader on a multi pitch climb :)
Oh God, that's gonna be one of those images that I'll never get out of my mind.
That tilted and folded strata on Grizzly Peak looks interesting - possibly metamorphic rocks comprising a roof pendant - or cooler yet some old ocean floor seds in an accreted patch/terrane…
Funny, Steve and I had that exact conversation in between stepping over bear poop.
Now I do have one question...Is the Castle Crags anything like the 108?
Take the inappropriate word "the" out of the question and I'll answer you with great specificity.
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Oh God, that's gonna be one of those images that I'll never get out of my mind.
That may apply to the blistered foot for me - gives new meaning to tuff chick :)
I'm pretty sure they're not. Blueberries grow very close to the ground (I think).
I just did a fruitless internet search for blueberries in that area - although I did learn that blueberry bushes can grow low as well as up to 10 or 12 feet depending on the variety. I remember picking some at a friend's house in WA that were about eye level and very tasty.
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And the Castle Crags again (right of center):
Take the inappropriate word "the" out of the question and I'll answer you with great specificity.
You first :)
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You first :)
Nope.
Especially not after that unbelievable pun.
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Ahh, Hand Foot and Mouth.
We've had it 2x....
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Our last day was as cruiser as a day on the PCT can get. We hiked 10.3 miles at a gradual downhill, ending right in Ash Campground where Vicki and the cars were waiting for us.
We started where we'd left off, again with clothes on for cold temperatures as we hiked down forested canyons:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5725/21809592838_fe3fb88b2c_c.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5801/21809322540_ee87a74c52_c.jpg)
The miles flew by. We took a break at a sharp bend where the trail cut into Butcherknife Canyon (another one of those names):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/589/21997388235_1e2d7e1c9e_c.jpg)
The kids were fascinated by a "sap waterfall" coming from a fir tree:
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5674/21810592789_d0b6aff9a5_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/676/21997516485_ba12744825_c.jpg)
Fairly soon jackets were off:
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(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5684/21971338466_097b6a0464_c.jpg)
Flora started to change (more oaks, fewer deciduous trees):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5628/21997415335_d1ecb3feec_c.jpg)
We came to Road 11 (which we'd driven to get up to our start point):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5699/21985214292_f3774ff517_c.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/633/21809576958_4afc52c842_c.jpg)
Tricia and Alex were in the lead at this point in our hike. They hoped to sneak into Ash Camp on the short section of trail from Road 11, so I got "shushed" by Tricia (it didn't' work - Vic was hanging out in a chair, looking right at the trail and saw them quickly):
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/749/21376291003_b36f32c28d_c.jpg)
And that wrapped it up for the trip and for the 2015 season. The trip home was long, but we've done longer. And we were all satisfied and comfortably tired (even the dogs):
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5687/21971356156_0f9f17c53a_c.jpg)
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Nice final installment complete with bleeding tree (eek!) and dog tired ending.
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Nice final installment complete with bleeding tree (eek!) and dog tired ending.
Thanks. Now I'm about ready for Pinnacles season to start. Three weekends from now 8)
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Boy- do I love the scenery up that route. Shasta has always been special too me and the view, amazing.
The bear may want to change his diet though.
PS- Trish is an animal!!
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Lovely place
Shasta has some of the best snow in California.
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As we've gotten to know a bit about the town of McCloud we've learned that its most serious business is Mount Shasta-based tourism. I can understand that. This probably also applies to the town of Shasta. Some of the tourist's nearly religious ideas and views about the mountain (that we've heard about) seemed a little odd though.
We'll start our next trip just south of town (next year). We found a very nice, centrally located campground that will serve well then.
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Some of the tourist's nearly religious ideas and views about the mountain (that we've heard about) seemed a little odd though.
Sounds interesting.
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I'm home with a cold today, trying not to feel too bad.
And, at 2:00, Tricia comes home with her report card.
I still feel bad, but I feel good too. She's not just physically tough, she's smart as a whip. (Sorry to bump the thread; I'm so damn proud that I just had to brag.)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5664/22861858910_5f82df9343_b.jpg)
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5633/23193542371_afcd94a46a_b.jpg)
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4.0! That's impressive. You got a right to brag. Remarkable young lady w/ awesome parents.
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Congrats and get to feeling better soon.
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That is a proud report. Congrats Dad and go for it Tricia!
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Alright, the 2016 PCT season is about to begin. I spent time last night and this morning getting maps together and making rough estimates for daily hikes. Here's the rough plan (not so rough for June, but definitely rougher later in the summer):
- Eleven days in June, starting on Sunday the 12th. We'll pick Tricia up in Sacramento (she's arriving there from Washington D.C. that day; she'll have just spent six days at our Capitol with part of her eighth grade class). I know that we'll do the 31 miles from our last end point to Interstate 5 (at Castle Crags) in two days. The trail then continues west into the Marble Mountain and Trinity Alps wildernesses as it slowly curves north and then east heading for the Oregon border (240 miles from this year's start point). I estimate that we'll hike 110 to 140 miles on this first trip.
- Eleven days in July. On this trip I suspect we'll cross into Oregon (!!) or come very close to it.
- About two weeks in August, ending a few days before Tricia's first day of high school (yes, you read that right: high school).
These are long trips on purpose; the drive's getting to be pretty long again and long trips make the most of the "Interstate 5 boredom and suffering" that we'll be going through. Looking at this schedule, I realize just how lucky I am have such an incredibly understanding boss ::)
We've had one disappointment already this season in that Katie can't join us at all. She's just finishing her third year at U.C.S.B. and is leaving for a solo trip to southeast Asia starting from two days after the end of finals until the day before she starts her summer class. Not only will her trip prevent her from joining us; it's also fuel for Vicki and I to worry a little (a gorgeous 20 year old girl traveling alone in southeast Asia: what's to worry about?). On the other hand, she's been dreaming and planning for this trip for literally years, and we've been very impressed by her thoughtful and careful savings and preparations.
I am hoping to put together a fourth trip that will include Katie, sometime around Labor Day. She'll be free then, but travel will be tough and we'll need to take Tricia out of school for a day or two to pull it off. I'll leave that one as a thought for now and see what we can get together.
Other friends will be joining us too this season; Sharon in June and maybe others. Young Alex Dawson, who's appeared in these trip reports will join us for a week in August without his parents. Actually, he's become a story in his own right. After last year's trips with us he announced to his parents (at age 10) that he wanted to do the whole PCT in pieces, starting from Mexico. They listened and waited a month, expecting that he'd forget all about the trail. Uh, no. Alex has now dragged his parents on two trips, hiking (now at age 11) up to 24.0 miles in one day! His parents (some of our best friends) naturally accused me of "corrupting" their son. If getting a kid to hike with that level of commitment is "corruption," I'll gladly and proudly accept the label ;D
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Cool looking summer Brad.
Mentallor. A mental mentor. :)
How else can one describe a Big wall/PCT enthusiast.
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Alright, we're off. Tricia's back from Washington D.C. (we picked her up at 11:00 p.m. in Sacramento and stayed here).
Upcoming weather looks good: it'll be 84 today, where we're hiking at between 2,400 and 4,000 feet. Then by Wednesday the high will be 61! Sharon's coming up to join us halfway through the trip.
Tiny little pangs of guilt that I'm not climbing. I suspect that these will be gone by tonight (as I'm looking over the maps for tomorrow's hike!).
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Young Alex Dawson, who's appeared in these trip reports will join us for a week in August without his parents. Actually, he's become a story in his own right. After last year's trips with us he announced to his parents (at age 10) that he wanted to do the whole PCT in pieces, starting from Mexico. They listened and waited a month, expecting that he'd forget all about the trail. Uh, no. Alex has now dragged his parents on two trips, hiking (now at age 11) up to 24.0 miles in one day! His parents (some of our best friends) naturally accused me of "corrupting" their son. If getting a kid to hike with that level of commitment is "corruption," I'll gladly and proudly accept the label Grin
Well he did corrupt James enough to make the hike up to Herring creek dome.
That was some feat. So if James hangs around him enough....James will want to start hiking.
Not bad!
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Tiny little pangs of guilt that I'm not climbing. I suspect that these will be gone by tonight
Bolt a pull up bar/hang board onto the Ford. :)
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Our first three days went exactly as planned. We're now seven miles past Interstate 5, westbound.
Today it's raining hard (off and on). So we're taking an unneeded rest day in Mount Shasta City (home of The Fifth Season, the mountain shop that specializes in climbing Mount Shasta).
We're still debating the forecast for tomorrow. We've got 18.2 miles to go in one push and the last half is up among (and in one case over) some 6,500 foot peaks. "Lightning" and hiking in among peaks are a mix that has to be approached with caution.
After tomorrow the weather looks great.
And damn I married well!! ;) ;D
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Yep, you done it well. Don't git yerself zapped by lightning.
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We heard from Brad last night.
He and T managed to avoid getting zapped by sitting out for a few days.
The hiking they did yesterday sounded wet, cold and exhausting.
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Great trip. Many, many miles, some exhausting, some with great views, mostly with both. Now heading home.
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WhooHooo
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Great trip. Many, many miles, some exhausting, some with great views, mostly with both. Now heading home.
Home sweet home. We are heading into the Sierra the next two weekends. Might run into you.