Author Archives: bengland8

The trek from Shelter Cove Resort to McKenzie pass was uneventful. I was able to meet Dayle in Sisters, who drove me up past Warm Springs to where the 26 crosses the PCT to get around he fire closures. From there it was 10 miles to Timberline Lodge, and another 45 miles to Cascade Locks.Continue reading “Cascade Locks”

The heat has finally died down a bit while the smoke from nearby fires has been intermittent. I took the alternate route by Crater Lake, though it was pretty obscured. Now I know what you’re thinking: this is clearly the secret lair of some member of the League of Supervillains. Just look at the place,Continue reading “Central Oregon”

I was starting to get the feeling California didn’t want us to leave…. After a relatively cruisey section, things took a turn to the difficult with tons of poison oak, downed trees, steep terrain, and as a more devious delaying tactic, tons of ripe blackberries. How Sloth and I managed to escape the later I’mContinue reading “Ashland”

I’ve been hiking with fellow Boise resident Sloth, and we’ve been continuing to rack up the miles since Burney Falls State Park. Smoke from the Dixie fire has been an intermittent issue, but air quality should be improving as we reach the Oregon border. The Bootleg fire remains very large and active, but the trailContinue reading “Mt. Shasta to Etna”

Turns out I dodged a bullet as a fire started outside Belden shortly after I left, closing the trail. Given it was a 6000 ft climb out of town, I ended up leaving late afternoon to get a few miles in despite the roasting heat. It did make the remainder of the climb easier inContinue reading “Burney Falls State Park”

This morning is a quick stop at Hat Creek Resort for a shower and to wash some truly disgusting clothing. Someone ask me later about the term “hiker tie-dye”. I hit the halfway stretch this week (1325 miles), which means I should be down to my last 2 months at current pace. Yesterday was myContinue reading “Halfway there…”

After 3 and a half days of hiking, I covered the 92 miles between Sierra City and Belden, getting in last evening. First, I got to see evidence of the larger fire to the east. Fortunately, the trail turned west at this point, heading in the opposite direction. Yesterday the air was a bit hazy,Continue reading “Belden”

I’ve stopped off in Sierra City overnight. I tried booking it yesterday: 23 miles by 1:45, but wasn’t able to get a hitch into town until after 2:00, missing the Post Office hours. Now I have to wait until 10 to pick up my resupply box. I passed a small fire on the way in,Continue reading “Good morning from Nor Cal”

I’m back on the trail after an impossibly short week visit home. A couple of observations: 1. Time accelerates when you’re off the trail. 2. It is depressingly easy to regain weight when you bring home a 20 mile a day appetite without doing any actual hiking. Worse, really, since on the trail you’re limitedContinue reading “Desolation Wilderness”

Mosquito #1: Look, I know you’ve turned in for the night, but the girls and I were talking, and we feel badly about chasing you around the park all day. We built a campfire and would love to make it up to you by having you come out and share s’mores with us. Whaddya say?Continue reading “Camping in Yosemite”