Caveman, Hot Lips, Taco

Day 19 and only 3 days from my termination point. I'm a day ahead of schedule! I really have my climbs set up perfectly for an old man. I am camping at low points on the trail, setting up all my climbing early in the morning. I'm also getting faster and stronger as the days go by. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I'm hiking 15 lbs lighter than when I began which probably accounts for why the hiking is getting easier, finally. Today started off with a 750 ft climb over 3.5 miles to Pinhead Saddle at the base of North Pinhead Butte. After a period of downhill I had a sizable flat hike that ended at Warm Springs River, still on the reservation, and the lowest point of my trip at 3347 ft elevation.

On my way I crossed through a very popular horse camp trail head structure in the picture below. As soon as trail riders leave the nearby corral, they stop for the obligatory picture under this PCT sign. This may have been from tomorrow's hike but it's all running together now.

I'm knocking out my 10-12 miles by late morning now. Because I am limiting my hikes to an average of 10-11 miles I am the first one to reach each campsite. The thru hikers average at least 20 miles a day with some of the hard core kids doing as many as 35 miles. They don't roll into camp until somewhere between 6 and 9 pm. Because of this setup, I meet different thru hikers each night. Generally they only stop if there is water. Because of my shorter days I sometimes have to pick dry camps. Last night at stagnant Lemiti Creek, only one hiker stopped. Tonight at rushing Warm Springs River there were as many as 10 tents set up on either side of the river.

I ran into Caveman and Hotlips again at Warm Springs River. They live in N. Calif and were forced to evacuate from the Redding fires. The moved their vehicles, trailer and dogs to a friends property and decided to hike the PCT while they wait out the evacuation. Their house is right in the fire's path but they had not yet heard if their house survived. I also met a retiring cannabis grower. He was in his late twenties and after 6-7 years in the business, the market price was dropping to the point he could no longer make money. He said growing permits were being given out like candy. I then met 'Taco', a former nurse who was now a government field agent managing and reviewing cannabis permits and grow sites. She confirmed close to a million permits had been issued. While we were talking she doctored up another hiker with a pumice stone injury to his heel. All patched up, he decided to night hike out to civilization and a trip to Urgent Care.

The time has passed slowly, and seems like ages since Mark and I took off from Crater Lake. Mt. Hood is only two days away! Here is a look back at the beginning of the hike.