Trail Day 1 - July 25

Up early for the 18 mile drive from the Mazama Ranch House to Hearts Pass WA.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ThFJJsCLJDhqUl-3u5fNNTGXl3kzYgMo

Most of the way was dirt!!!
That’s why 18 miles takes 45 minutes!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1wCwJlh_t90OHlbE-mEH-4m1LsXAwvfev

Sondra kicks me out with a kiss at Hearts Pass, and drives off for Spokane and her flight home.  

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1cAcrkY2DdfIncEk9gFZ4hGM8wnd6wMmY

The journey officially begins, but does it?  Remember...  31 miles to the Canadian border and the OFFICIAL start of the PCT!

The weather is perfect!  Cool mornings and afternoons in the high 70’s to low 80’s!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13mloKbdvk9rG2yyIZn0v_z6af4Z_vM4f

The wildflowers are in full bloom, it’s like a picture!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1WTpQz6CXRW2XTc7QDI7bjV-ZC9KobHA1

The views are breathtaking!!!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Me7jk6_ifGMIo590_VM41l34m2g5o3mb

Not many people on the trail, but the three “local day hikers” I did see, warned me that due to the COVID the crews haven’t been doing any trail maintenance this year, and there are many rock slides, washouts, and downed trees blocking the trail.  I wondered if my 17+ mile per day goal for this first week could be in jeopardy, but I moved on.

They were right!!!  Numerous downed trees blocking the trail, that you had to go over, under, or around, and going around is difficult, since most of the trail is cut in steep side hill  forcing you either up and around, or down and around!  

Also...  many sections of trail covered by rockslides.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qa3M3zkqzedcfNffwx2K8fIAn3EjfDRt

Even with all that I was happy with the first day!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=143_Q2R3mfkmlUdp3vQT9nKbRcEhqRge-

First nights camping location was beautiful with a good water source nearby!!!

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1o58A7PC7MC_FI2_Bl8T0E7vbTFXDyHTf

First day done!  Good distance, even with many trail obstacles!  Cardio, lungs, legs, and feet actually much better than expected, considering the altitude factor, and with the first day pack full of food at maximum weight.  Backpack was well balanced, and handled all the awkward positions while navigating up, around and over all the trail hazards!  
I slept well, and got up after the morning frost burned off!

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 3, 2022 at 3:39 PM

    The Casino Hotel Map & Floor Plans - Mapyro
    Find 창원 출장샵 your 파주 출장안마 perfect the Casino Hotel in San Diego County, CA and save more when 의정부 출장마사지 you 문경 출장안마 bundle your flight & hotel 양산 출장마사지 travel MGM National Harbor, MGM National Harbor

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trail Day 4 - July 28

Image
Even with some Motrin on board I didn’t sleep well last night.  Between the left knee throbbing, and the toes on my right foot hurting, along with a bear rumiging through camp it was a restless night.   I heard Meander pack up camp, and leave at 5:30 am.  I tried to sleep in some more, and got up at about 7:00 am.  Knowing it was 10 miles to Hearts Pass parking area and almost all up hill,  and worried that Meander would have to wait for me, I just had a cliff bar, and some coffee for breakfast, did my morning routine, packed-up and hit the trail.  Another beautiful day, with temps higher than they had been.   I caught a quick pic of this little guy scurrying across the trail! Thankful that it was uphill most of the way, and my injured left leg could do some of the heavy lifting, I caught up with Meander at about the 8 mile mark.  We took a water and smack break, and then he told me what his car looked like, and said he would catch up with me ther...
Read more

Trail Day 3 - July 27

Image
Said goodby to my Mountain Goat friend.  I felt kind of bad, because he seemed really lonely out there, but I had miles to cover, so I finished my MH Granola with Blueberries packed up, and started my trek back toward Hearts Pass.   It was another beautiful day, and I was looking forward to getting back to a more manageable trail.   And then!!!   While scrambling across one of the rock slide areas I had successfully passed on the way in, my footing slipped, and I twisted my knee, and then slammed it down hard on a large rock.  It was a LONG way down, so the alternative would have been much worse.   I immediately knew it wasn’t good, because it was that kind of pain that makes you immediately a little nauseous!   In that instant I thought about the fact that it had now been more than two days  since I had seen anyone, except my Mountain Goat Buddy, and how fortunate I was to have my Garmin InReach Satalite Comunicator with the SOS Rescue button on ...
Read more

Injury Update

Image
With a day off the trail in Mazama, my hope was that with some ice and rest my knee would have improved, and I could have resumed my journey.  After a day off, the knee was still very painful to use for downhill trekking, so not wanting to cause further injury to my knee by pushing it, I decided a full medical evaluation was the best course of action.   With options limited for medical evaluation up in Mazama WA, I would have had to go to Seattle, or Spokane for any real care, so I decided to return home to be evaluated. After a drive to Wenatchee with an UBER type service in Mazama, and a flight from there to Seattle, and Seattle home, I arrived in Phoenix the evening of July 30.  I was able to get into Urgent Care, and they did a full exam with X-Ray's of my knee.   Good News Bad News... Good news was there was no bone damage or chips, but bad news...  there was a significant amount of fluid built up under the knee.  Unsure as to why the fluid b...
Read more