Well, I'm posting this about six months after I wrote it, but here it is! Today is also the one-year anniversary of when I started my PCT hike. A lot has changed since then, but I'm very happy with where I ended up <3 I'll hopefully have another post coming soon reflecting on this past year. If you're wondering how many miles I hiked overall, look no further! The PCT is about 2,655 miles, though it changes a little every year. I had to skip a big chunk due to fires in Northern California, Oregon, and especially Washington. But we did a couple detours here and there, and everyone calculates mileage a little differently. For some people, all that matters is the actual miles of red-line PCT you hiked, or it could include only official detours. Some people count the off-PCT miles to get into towns, others might also include detours to get water or to an off-trail campsite, or even walking around town. Personally, I only counted miles where I had my pack on (but including three 'slackpacks' where I wasn't carrying the full weight, which I've marked). I did plenty of walking without my pack on, either around towns, to get water, or around campsites (my guess would be maybe 20-30 extra miles over the whole trip). And of course this is ignoring all the spots where I had to hike off-trail due to overgrowth, copious blow-downs, or snow. In those sections, its impossible to know how much trail I skipped or added to, so I'm just assuming it evens out in the end. Below is a table of the main mileage calculations, and under that is a complete summary with everything marked. As an aside, we call it red-line miles because the map that all hikers use (Farout) shows the actual PCT in red, with detours in blue or sometimes purple. So you're only on the official PCT if you're on the red line - even if you're doing an official detour or something. In total, I hiked 2,167 red-line PCT miles. Including detours taken specifically to make up for closed miles, I hiked 2,311 miles. And adding the other miscellaneous detours and alternates, I hiked 2,416.8 miles! Red-line PCT miles skipped Detour miles -11.3 Fuller Ridge on San Jacinto +9.9 Devil's Slide Trail and Black Mountain Road -10 Mission Creek +2 ridge alternate -16.2 Mt Baden-Powell and Mt Williamson +13 Hwy 2 road walk -3.8 Endangered yellow-legged frog closure +5 road walk alternate -25 bridge outage on San Joaquin River +28.8 Bishop Pass and Piute Pass alternate -4.1 bridge outage at Devil's Postpile +3.6 road walk alternate -2.5 Castle Crags trail closure +2.8 trail alternate -75 Shelly fire closure :( no alternate -16.2 Crater Rim fire closure +11.4 Crater Rim alternate -68.5 Diamond Peak Complex fire closure :( no alternate -19.3 Whiskey fire closure +14.5 Eagle Creek alternate -147.6 William's Mine Complex fire closure +46.2 Goat Rocks out-and-back -88.9 Mine and Pioneer fire closure +15.7 Glacier Peak out-and-back Total: -488.4 miles missed +152.9 miles gained 2,166.8 PCT miles 2,319.7 PCT miles +97.1 miscellaneous detours/alternates (full list below) 2,416.8 PCT miles Full list of all mileages: +1 Julian hitch detour +1 long water cache detour +1 PVC spring detour +2.7 Devil's Slide trail to town -11.3 San Jacinto Fuller ridge +7.2 Black Mountain road +1.8 Whitewater Preserve detour -10 Mission Creek +2 Mission Creek ridge alternate -16.2 Mt Baden-Powell and Mt Willliamson +13 Hwy 2 road walk -3.8 Yellow-legged frog closure +5 frog road walk alternate +0.6 Acton RV park -0.7 Mt Whitney cut-off +17.6 Mt Whitney out-and-back (slackpack) -25 bridge outage at San Joaquin river +28.8 Bishop Pass and Piute Pass alternate -4.1 bridge outage at Devil's Postpile +3.6 road walk alternate +1 Thousand Island Lakes campsite detour -3 trail shortcut into Shasta +1.5 shortcut into Shasta +2.5 Castle Crags trail maintenance detour -2.8 Castle Crags detour -75 Shelly fire closure :( +0.7 Callahan's detour +2.5 Mazama village detour to town -16.2 Crater rim alternate +11.4 Crater rim alternate -68.5 Diamond Peak fire complex :( +2.4 Shelter Cove detour to town +3.6 Elk Lake detour to town -0.9 Big Lake Youth Camp detour +0.8 Big Lake Youth Camp detour -1.0 Ramona Falls detour +1.1 Ramona Falls detour -19.3 Whiskey fire +14.5 Eagle Creek alternate +0.8 Bridge of the Gods -147.6 William's Mine fire :((( +46.2 Goat Rocks out-and-back (2.3 miles slackpack) +0.6 Hidden Springs detour +0.6 Snoqualmie Pass detour to town +1.3 Snoqualmie Pass again +7 Glacier Peak out-and-back (slackpack) +8.7 North Fork Sauk trail -88.9 Shoofly, Miner, Pioneer, and Flat fires :( +30.4 Hart's victory lap Total: -238.4 missed PCT miles: 2,416.8

And it's done!!! I tagged the border on September 4th, Day 157 of the PCT. Then we did one more day, going SOBO, hiking the 'victory lap' and exiting at Hart's Pass. From there, Shade, Cheers, and I got a ride to Seattle and enjoyed an airbnb in Fremont for two days, reintegrating into society. I said goodbye to them on the 9th, and a friend picked me up to stay with them in Bellingham for a bit, where I am now, enjoying a hot chai latte in a gloriously warm cafe. I'll then stay with my sister in Tacoma for a few days before heading back to the Bay Area, where my adventure will be well and truly done. Thanks so much for following along, and until next time! Day 148: miles 2396-2403 I slept in today and enjoyed the warmth of the hotel at Snoqualmie Pass. Then we packed everything up, luckily all dried, and headed to breakfast, which was amazing. I relaxed while Cheers and Shade resupplied, then we headed back to the trail! It's still quite cold today, but luckily not rainy. We're only doing 7 miles or so up a massive hill to camp. We set out around one, with the trail going immediately upwards. It wasn't too bad though – nicely graded, and with great views the whole way. But there were so many day hikers and weekenders out that by the time we got to camp I counted over 180 people! Most days we only pass 5 to 10 people, so this was quite an increase. I passed mile 2400 on the way up, and saw Turkey Vulture there too – it was nice to catch up since I hadn't seen her since Burney. I took a snack break with Cheers at a nice view spot, then headed onwards. Lots and lots of little pika chirps, though I didn't actually spot any. They sound exactly like dog squeaky toys! I almost lost my poles down the mountain getting around boulder, but was able to climb down and retrieve them without too much trouble. I got some more fantastic views, then joined Cheers and Shade at camp. We dried out our tents as we relaxed – mine was soaked and very dirty. Then we set up camp, got water from Ridge Lake, and chilled a bit more. Then had dinner – I had a butternut dahl, which is probably my favorite premade meal. I'm really excited for the next section – it's got a lot of elevation, but should be truly gorgeous! Day 149: miles 2403-2425.3 I woke up to lots of condensation on my tent and stayed in my quilt, a little longer than usual, so we left camp around 7:20. We had an immediate up, then down, then up, then down, then up. Lots and lots of PUDs (pointless ups-and-downs) this morning. But we had absolutely breathtaking views of Mount Rainier with a completely clear sky near the top of one of the bumps. I also saw so many pikas on the rocks around us - every couple of minutes you could hear a little meep which was incredibly cute. After all the PUDs, we had one more up before a long downhill on the side of the Three Queens mountains, with great views of Spectacle Lakes. Had lunch at the bottom and got to dry out my tent a little bit. We carried on, getting water at a creek, then heading uphill for about 6 miles – oof! It was slow, but we had absolutely amazing views of Lemah mountain and Chimney Rock during it – very epic! Finally got to the top and filled up at a lake, then went another 2 miles to camp. We got a little bit of rain in the last mile, saw a chilling marmot, and managed to find some room to camp. We're definitely back in a bubble because the campsite was much more crowded than I expected, but we got a little corner to ourselves. My Garmin weather says it will rain tonight, but shouldn't be too bad. Day 150: miles 2425.3-2449.2 It did indeed rain through the night, but I stayed nice and cozy in my quilt. We left camp around 7:20, with a long, solid downhill to Waptus Lake. It was foggy and drizzling but not too horrid. After crossing Waptus River, we began a long, steady uphill to Deep Lake. It started raining more heavily on the way, but I had to stop to filter water and dig a cathole, so I got even wetter. Shade caught up to me there, and then we had one more big push up to Cathedral Pass. On the way up, it got even colder and started hailing and sleeting. I was quite cold but equally hungry, so decided to try to find a spot for lunch. When I got down to tree line again, I found a miraculously dry spot and waited for Cheers and Shade to catch up as I made some ramen. The hot lunch helped and we got a tiny spot of sun before it disappeared and started full-on snowing. Crazy! After a short lunch, we had a long downhill, enjoying views of Hyas Lake and trying to stay warm despite the snow and sleet. We crossed a tricky river - our phones/hands were all too wet to be able to pull up our maps and look at comments, so we spent a couple minutes trying to find a safe route over. It felt a bit like being back in the Sierra! Luckily(?) everything was already pretty wet, so it didn't matter much if our shoes got soaked. After, we had some ups and downs, though mostly ups, through Deception Pass and to Deception Lake. It was clear it had snowed for even longer here, since there were large spots of white powder on the ground. There were tons of regular backpackers here, so we had to poke around a bit before finding a good camp spot. But we found some space and set up next to a dad and his two sons, who reminded me a lot of dad, Marissa, and I on some of our camping trips. I was incredibly thankful to have dry sleep clothes to change into, and once I entered my tent, I had no intentions of leaving. I got nice and cozy, though I took a while to warm up, and had a beautifully hot dinner while wrapped in my quilt. Then I filled the backpacker meal with boiling water and put it down by my feet as a hot water bottle, which worked shockingly well. My Garmin weather says it's going to get down to 34 tonight, but should hopefully warm up again tomorrow. Day 151: miles 2449.2-2468.2 It was an incredibly cold night, and I woke up to my tent covered in frost. As I was packing it, with numb hands, I could tell it would never fit in my tent bag, so I just rolled it up and plopped it on top of my backpack. Crude but effective. We had an immediate uphill to Piper Pass, but were rewarded with some very gorgeous views. At the top, we met Boss Lady, Turkey Vulture, and Chris. Boss Lady had camped up there last night and was apparently near hypothermic and in bad shape this morning when Turkey Vulture and Chris found her, but after a few hours they were able to warm her up and get her looking much better. She was 83 with severe arthritis - pretty impressive! I'm really happy the other two were there to help her, or else it could have been a potentially bad situation. We talked about a shortcut she could take into Skykomish, so she only needs to do 5 miles or so before getting to a warm bed, instead of the 14 we'll be doing. We headed down the mountain, with plenty of pikas eeping at us the whole time, then had another up and down. I went past some lovely lakes and meadows, and stopped at Mig Lake for lunch and to dry out our soaked tents. We took a nice long break, then carried on with another big uphill with a bunch of ski lifts which was cool to see. Also so many mushrooms in this section! Not too many that I recognize, but they're fun to see. I had a nice downhill to Steven's Pass, where I met back up with Shade and Cheers soon after. We took a brief break there, then headed on to some nice flat trail. About a mile and a half later, we took a rugged trail back down to the road, where we were expecting to find the Skykomish Outfitters so we could resupply for the next section. Instead, we found an abandoned shack. We called the owner, who said it had been closed all season - even though there had been a fairly recent comment on FarOut about it. He had a location about 20 miles away, but we decided that trying to hitch into Leavenworth was our best bet, since it had a Safeway and KOA, and we could have a very quick, unplanned town day. We ended up getting a hitch almost immediately from Christie, who was coming back from working at the Steven's Pass ski lift. She was incredibly kind and told us all about the history of Leavenworth, which is a Bavarian-themed town. She dropped us off at the KOA around 6, and offered to give us a ride back to the trail tomorrow morning on her way to work! We set up at the KOA, then walked to downtown to get dinner at the amazing restaurant called Prusik. I got a honey-glazed mushroom pizza with thyme sauce and balsamic vinegar. Holy shit. It was the best thing I've eaten for $20 in my entire life. We greatly enjoyed dinner, then headed to the Safeway to resupply. It was about 9 by then and I was so incredibly exhausted, I'm shocked I had anything close to a coherent resupply. We also got word that Boss Lady was happily relaxing at a hotel on Skykomish - really glad she made it to town alright. We trudged back to the KOA, where our previously empty campground was completely full, and tiptoed into our tents before passing out. Day 152: miles 2467-2485.3 Woke up at 5:30 this morning to get packed up and deal with my food before our ride came. I had a nice breakfast of Safeway muffins and a smoothie, then we headed back to the trail, arriving around 7:30. Pretty good town experience despite being there less than 12 hours! The trail this morning was really gorgeous - a wide path, beautiful views, few people, and lots of meeping pikas. Cheers and I stopped on a rock for a snack, overlooking a valley. Then I headed on, with a solid uphill to Union Pass and Lake Janus. I stopped for lunch with a breathtaking view of Glacier Peak and Glassy Lake below, and chatted with a local day hiker for a bit. Then Cheers and Shade joined me and we had a lovely lunch. We headed on for Grizzly Peak, one of the few peaks that the actual PCT summits. At the top, I had great views of Glacier Peak, plus the tip of Mt Baker in the distance. I headed down, going pretty slow, with hundreds of grasshoppers jumping all over the path. Then a final arduous uphill to Pear Lake! I was eager to arrive, since I had run out of water, and the campsite looked gorgeous. We set up, then relaxed by the lake for a while, just listening to the meeps of the pikas as they ran around and greeted each other. It was a little too cold to swim, but I enjoyed soaking my feet and seeing the trout and frogs. Day 153: miles 2485.3-2504.3, 7 miles out-and-back I left camp around 7:30 with a brief uphill, then a nice down for a bit before more up. Lots of pikas in this area too! So many little meeps as I walked by. They really do sound exactly like a dog squeaky toy. I went up to Saddle Gap, then down, then up again to Cady Pass. Then some lovely ridge sections where I could see the top of Mt Rainier, before heaving lunch at Lake SallyAnn, where we could hear the occasional splash of trout jumping out of the water. I'm on my period right now, and was feeling pretty icky and sluggish, but felt a bit better after lunch. We went up to Wards Pass, then down a bit to Dishpan Gap, then up to Sauk Pass - lots of elevation in this section! I got some water at Indian Pass to carry to camp, since the pond right before didn't seem great from FarOut comments. I headed on right as Cheers and Shade got to water. I was feeling really good in this section, and enjoying the views all around me. Glacier Peak rose up out of the mountains - really just gorgeous!. I got to camp at White Pass around 4:30 and set up my tent on the ridge, then waited a bit for Cheers and Shade to get to camp. With them watching my food, I decided to slackpack on a bit. This next section is inaccessible for thruhiking since there's a fire about 30 miles north. We've had remarkably clear skies in this section, but have to get off on a side-trail tomorrow to jump around the fire closures. However, with time left in the day, I really wanted to try to go a bit further and see if there were any good views of Glacier Peak around the next hill - the section we're missing is supposed to be absolutely beautiful. Cheers and Shade stayed behind to relax, and I set off around 5 with an immediate 1.5 mi uphill, during which I saw so many marmots, hearing their high screams echoing across the valley - its clear not many people have been through to disturb them in a while. At Red Pass, I got another great view of Glacier Peak and continued on down the hill. It opened into a gorgeous meadow with lots of streams and peat-like grass. Around 3 mi in, I went off-trail for a bit to get a better view of the peak, climbing around White Chuck Cinder Cone and got the most amazing view yet - the whle mountain lay in front of me. I definitely got a bit emotional, sitting on a rock overlooking a breathtaking mountain, in a section that has seen little travel this month. I'm just really happy to be out here and have the chance to see all of this. There's something really special about experiencing the simple joys and simple sufferings of the trail - life can be really simple when you get down to it. It's easy to get distracted and weighed down in normal life, when you have important responsibilities to yourself and society around you in the busy day-to-day. But its also nice to remember that it doesn't take much to strip those complications away, at least for a little while, and remember the more base necessities of life. The trail has also been a good lesson in nuance - nothing is ever all-good or all-bad. There's always something small that will make the day worth it, but even the most idyllic place will have factors that you can't control. You can only ever make the most of what you're given, no matter where you are. I turned around from the magnificent view and headed back, getting a beautiful glimpse of Mt Rainier on the way, with the soft coos of pheasants running through the high grasses. I got back to camp and said hi to Cheers and Shade, who were just finishing up their dinner. I made some soup, enjoyed the sunset, and headed to bed! I'm really glad I'm out here. Day 153: 8 miles off-PCT, 2593.8-2599.2 I woke up to an amazing sunrise on the mountains around us, then we packed up and headed out by 6:30. There was a brief uphill to the turnoff for North Fork Sauk Trailhead, where we were leaving this section to jump around the fire closures. We headed down, with lots of switchbacks before it flattened out a bit. I was feeling really icky on my period, and going absurdly slow. I ran into a ton of weekenders going up to summit Glacier Peak - lots of heavy gear like rope, ice axes, helmets, and crampons. Made it to the trailhead around 10 and got some water, then waited for my sister who came around 10:45. Marissa is being absolutely amazing and giving us a ride around this next closure - she'll be driving about 10 hours by the time the day is done! It was incredibly nice yo see her, and she was loaded with treats for us, including gatorade and fresh watermelon! We loaded into the car and headed off on the super mangled dirt road. We stopped at Rockport for lunch, then headed on again, getting to Rainy Pass around 3. It was sad to say goodbye to Marissa again - it was really, really nice to spend time with her. I got my food together and we headed off, going all uphill up Cutthroat Mountain. A couple day hikers, and very pretty views! We got water a bit before camp - this section has just opened back up from a fire closure, so no one has been through in a while. That means that there are few to no comments on FarOut about the state of water, which is a little nervewracking. We had to backtrack a bit because one of the streams we thought was reliable was dry, and of course the last FarOut comment was from early July. But we soon ran into a SOBO hiker who assured us that the larger rivers in this section were all flowing well, which was comforting to hear. He also told us that part of the most recent closure had opened back up, which I'm not sure what to think about. We didn't have service to confirm anything, but we also didn't really have the food to do any longer sections either. Ah well, you can only take the punches as they come. Hopefully we'll get service at some point and can see what the current closure is. At the top of Cutthroat Pass, we went off-trail a bit to a clearing further up, and set up to cowboy camp at the top. It was a gorgeous area, with 360 degree views as the mountains rose up on all sides. We enjoyed dinner, then headed to bed, admiring the sunset behind us and the stars blinking into existence above us. Day 154: 2599.2-2619 Had a great night's sleep and a fantastic sunrise - it was so incredibly vibrant! I had a mouse/chipmunk visit me in the night, leaving lots of poop all over my stuff. Ah well, at least it couldn't get into my food. We headed out around 7:30, with a bit of a hill to start, then a downhill with great views, then another uphill to Methow Pass. I took a nice snack break at the top, then enjoyed a long downhill to Methow River. It was nice to be back in a forest, with lots of water too. Right before a likely lunch spot, I ran into a group of horseback riders who were working hard to saw through a massive blowdown. They paused their efforts to say hi and give me an apple and some carrots - though I couldn't help but think I was stealing the horses' snacks. I caught up to Shade and Cheers, who had indeed taken lunch where I thought they might, and we enjoyed the extra treats the riders had passed on. We also chatted with another hiker, Buttbee, who was the first other NOBO hiker we'd seen in this section. We discussed Swedish politics and good scifi recs before heading on, tackling the massive hill ahead of us - a solid 6 miles of very steep switchbacks up to Grasshopper Pass. I took a break halfway up and watched some mice run up and down an old log, before carrying on to a spring where I filled up and waited for Shade and Cheers. Then we went another 1.8 mi uphill to a fantastic, unmarked spot on the saddle between passes. We cowboy camped, enjoyed dinner, and admired the fantastic sunset as we snuggled into our quilts. The sky was such a vibrant, deep orange as I fell asleep. Excited to get to Mazama tomorrow and go to the bakery there! Day 155: 2619-2624.7 I had a lovely sleep in and woke up to a gorgeous sunrise over the mountains. We all sat in our quilts for a while, just watching the sun rise, before we packed up and headed out around 7:30. We had a bit of a down, then up, then down. It was remarkably hot this morning, and my underwear was giving me an annoying wedgie so I was lagging behind. When I arrived at Hart's Pass around 9, it was to find a massive trail magic setup, complete with huge fluffy pancakes, nutella, homemade jam and applesauce, and ice cream! Plus hot cocoa and watermelon. We relaxed for a while and chatted with the ranger, Mike, who had come to join the party. After a bit, a guy came up and said he was headed back to town, did any hikers need a ride? Yes! We were very grateful since the road was not at all what we had expected - instead of a paved highway like the last couple passes, it was a rugged, dusty dirt road with very little traffic in the morning. It took a while to get down the mountain in this guy's old, banged up truck, but we got dropped off at the hostel, Lion's Den, around 10. We got a tour from Groceries and met Mary, aka Lion, before getting situated. We managed to snag a bed upstairs, and took an absolutely fantastic shower - it had been about 11 days since my last one. We got to wear the trademark Hawaiian shirts and shorts while our laundry was done, then relaxed for a bit. I painted a rock with a little pika, and we headed to town on the bikes the hostel provided. The general store/gas station had an amazing selection of baked good, baguettes, and sandwiches! We enjoyed our spoils for a bit, checked out the little outfitters there, and resupplied back at the general store. I was glad Marissa had dropped off my food when she gave us a ride, since it was really pricey there. Back at the Lion's Den, we sorted our laundry and organized food, then I called home. We also nailed down our plans for after the trail. Neither Shade nor I had secured our Canadian Entry Permits, so we couldn't actually legally go into Canada. It was a little frustrating, since we gave almost 8 weeks for it to go through, but had heard from tons of hikers who also hadn't had theirs approved yet. There seemed to be a huge backlog this year, maybe from people jumping around fires? Regardless, it meant we had to do the Victory Lap, where you hike the 30 mi from Hart's Pass to Canada, then head around and hike SOBO back to Hart's Pass. Quite a few people actually plan on doing this regardless of their Entry Permit - it became a big thing after COVID, when Canada stopped approving permits altogether for a while - and hikers realized it was pretty fun to walk the 30 miles back and say congrats to all the hikers who were just in front/behind them. So we'll be doing that, and then Shade, Cheers and I will rent an airbnb for a few days to decompress from the trail and prepare to reenter society again. Then I'll stay with a friend in Bellingham, visit my sister in Tacoma for a bit, then head back to the Bay Area. We found a cute airbnb in Fremont, then headed back to town for dinner, where I got an overpriced but decent sandwich and a cider - good to know I'm now a massive lightweight. We relaxed a bit more back at the hostel, chatted with some other hikers, and headed to bed. We're in the end game now - only 30 miles to the border, and 60 left in my hike! Day 156: 2624.7-2644 Last bit of trail left! We got a ride back to Hart's Pass at 7 and got back on the trail around 7:40ish. It was some decent up and down, with heavy fog covering the landscape. The fog started to clear around 10 and we got some good views of the mountains around us. Got up to Buffalo Pass, Windy Pass, Foggy Pass, and Jim Pass in quick succession, taking a short break at a nice view spot. We passed Booster and her parents heading SOBO and exchanged congrats, then also ran into a Forest Service guy who asked us a few questions about our permits and food security methods, and confirmed that this year there were way more hikers who had a delayed Entry Permit - so at least its not just us! We filled up on water, then had a bit of a downhill to our lunch spot, where I finished off my baguette and relaxed a bit. Then onwards! We went way down to Holman Pass before starting a big climb up to Rock Pass. We saw Juicy and Agent 37 on the way, going SOBO, and exchanged high-fives and congrats. The views here were really gorgeous - I was listening to a podcast for some of the climb, but turned it off to enjoy the great views of Shull Mountain, Powder Mountain, and Holman Peak, rising craggly out of the landscape, still snow-capped. After the grueling uphill, we had a bit of a downhill on the side of Powder Mountain with lots of slate and loose rocks. Passed a few other Forest Service guys who were working on a section of loose slate that had been damaged in a land slide. We filled up on water, then had one last climb up to Woody Pass, where we found a beautiful campsite right before the Pass. We set up to see the sunrise in the morning and relaxed, taking in the views around us. It's been very quiet on trail today, which has been lovely. It was a lot of fun to see people heading SOBO and congratulate each other. We're only 11.2 miles to Canada!! Crazy!! Since we first started hiking together, Shade, Cheers and I have been saying "to Canada" anytime we start walking. We all chuckle and laugh, since its so far away. But in the last week, it's stopped feeling like a joke - we really are walking to Canada. I'm sad that I've missed a big chunk of the trail to fire, but that's just how it goes. Nothing is ever supposed to go completely to plan - that's just a guarantee for a boring-ass life. It wouldn't be real if everything happened how you want it. So while I'm disappointed that I'll hit the terminus without having walked every step from Mexico to Canada, its still a hell of a lot of steps, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished. It's going to be weird returning to real-life, but I think I've learned a lot out here that I'll hopefully be able to take with me. Tomorrow will be bittersweet and strange, but isn't every ending? I'm happy to be out here and proud of how far I've come. But hiking sometimes feels like a little bubble, isolated and protected from the real world. I'll be sad to leave it and the unreality of thruhiking, but there are still good things to be found out of the bubble, and there's a lot in the real world that I'm excited to get back to. Plus, this adventure has to end for the next one to start! Day 157: 2644-2655 (NOBO), 2655-2647 (going SOBO) Last morning hiking NOBO on the PCT!! We slept in a bit and I watched the sunrise from my tent. Then we packed up and headed out around 7:20, finishing the brief climb up to Woody Pass, then continuing uphill for a bit longer until a nice lookout where we all took a break and admired the Canadian mountains in front of us. Another few minutes pf up and then down the Devil's Stairway, with a bunch of switchbacks overlooking Hopkins Lake. Lots of huckleberries here - I paused to pick a few. The trail split off from the Pacific Northwest Trail here, which travels West-East on the border. I met back up with Shade and Cheers at a little campsite, and we had a snack before I took the lead for the last 3.5 miles until the border!! We saw One Gear heading back, and he gave us trail magic of M&M packets! The trail went in and out of the trees for a bit, with occasional glimpses of mountains off in the distance. We filled up on water 0.2 away from the border, and continued down the last switchbacks, finally getting a glimpse of the clearcut line of trees that demarked the border. We took our last turn, and the terminus rose up in front of us. We each touched the marker, and said hi to Pickles and Snakebait, who were hanging out a bit. We took some pictures, then made lunch as the other group headed out. It was nice to get some time with just us at the terminus - made it feel a little more weighty. We took a few more pictures, wrote in the final logbook, and said our last goodbye to the marker. It was a little emotional but also felt a bit underwhelming. I'm not sure what I expected, I guess it was all just a little surreal and hasn't really sunk in yet. We took our time at the marker, then packed up and headed out - gotta get back to Hart's Pass! It was strange to be going SOBO again, and of course we were rewarded with a nice 3,000 ft climb. It was a few hours before we passed any other hikers, and I just enjoyed the walking, thinking back to my favorite moments of the trail. Each section was so unique, and there's so much I want to remember. We took another brief break at Castle Pass, then continued on. I was in front after passing Shade at water and headed up the switchbacks near Hopkins Lake, listening to the second half of a podcast. I took a few breaks on the way up to enjoy the scenery, then waited at the top of Devil's Stairway for Shade and Cheers. We found a great unmarked campsite about 0.5 past the pass, up on a ridge with fantastic views. It's interesting how different the mountains are in either direction. To the northeast, they're all more rounded and rolling, whereas to the southwest they're snow-capped and craggy. As we set up, Avocado and Wild Card passed by - I had summited Whitney with them, and it was really cool to see them again!! We lay in the sun and relaxed for a bit, then had dinner, and I passed around my celebratory chocolate cheesecake with huckleberries - it was divine! Then we watched the sunset in silence together and headed to bed. Day 158: 2647-2624.7 (going SOBO) Last day on the trail! It feels incredibly surreal to be finally finishing. We left camp around 7:30 and enjoyed a nice downhill. We ran into Lizard and then Turkey Vulture, who were headed NOBO, and it was so fun to catch up! I thought for sure Lizard was in front of us - we hadn't seen her since Shasta. We went downhill until Woody Pass, where I filled up on water, then an intense uphill to Rocky Pass, then another lovely downhill. I passed Jumper and Saira on the way, and we said hi. I stopped to filter my water, dig a cathole, and have some snacks, then carried on. I listened to an episode of the Dollop about some baseball guy, which was entertaining for the climb up. I caught up to Cheers at a stream and carried on, planning to filter at lunch. Then I ran into Bossbae and Birdcall!! I hadn't seen them since we did Mather and Bishop Pass together, but had thought about them often, and it was so nice to hear how they'd been. I also passed Wiza on the way up, and we exchanged fist bumps and congrats. Then we had lunch at the top, where I enjoyed some crackers, cheese, and olives, plus my Snapple drink mix I'd gotten in Tehachapi. We enjoyed a break, then carried on. I was feeling a little melancholy about finishing the trail, but it was also so pretty and peaceful. Lots of uphill though! Funny how the trail really does feel uphill both ways haha. But near Slate Peak, I looked out at the view and saw a massive mushroom cloud of smoke - a fire had just broken out. There was also increased haze at the horizon to the south, indicating an increase of fire activity. I carried on, planning to talk to the ranger in the morning, though I was pretty sure they'd already be informed. I also saw Tdubs and Sniper heading SOBO as well - they were gonna camp at Hart's Pass and catch our same shuttle down to Mazama in the morning. As I enjoyed the last couple miles, I reflected on how much the trail meant to me, and how special its been to feel so self-sufficient and capable these last few months. On the trail, it feels so much easier to be satisfied and fulfilled, to be kind to your fellow hiker, and appreciative of the beauty around you. I'm so thankful I had this opportunity to experience it all. Real-life makes things a lot more complicated, and it can be harder to remember the contentedness and happiness you can find. Everything in life is a balance of your responsibility to society and fellow man versus your own state of mind and sense of fulfillment. I've definitely met some hikers out here who have abandoned the former in search of the latter, and I'm not convinced its the better choice - everything is a lesson in moderation. Anyways, I got water just before a camp I'd remembered seeing on the hike in, and set up and waited for Cheers and Shade, who arrived about 20 minutes after. We set up, sat in silence for a while, then made dinner and reminisced about our time on the trail. I'm sad that this journey is over, but am so happy with how it ended. It took 158 days, but I walked from Mexico to Canada, completing about 2,415 miles in total! Epilogue: Shade, Cheers, and I enjoyed a fantastic two days in Fremont, exploring the district and making a brief foray into Seattle to see Pike Place Market. We said goodbye as they left to road trip down to San Diego, where Cheers will return to the UK and Shade will hop onto the AT for a bit before going back to Florida. My friend picked me up and we headed to Bellingham, where I got a nice haircut, vastly increased my wardrobe, and got back to the joys of cooking and cuddling cats. My return to society was easier than I thought, though it took a couple days of being overly grateful for indoor heating, a big puffy jacket, and the ability to charge my phone whenever I wanted. I'll probably put up a couple more posts about total mileage calculations, gear reviews, and favorite sections once I get back to the Bay Area. Thanks for following along on this crazy journey - it meant a lot to know people were interested in my adventures! I'll be staying in the Bay Area until January or so, when I'll return to Boston and get a real job and everything. Until next time, and happy trails to all!

Sorry it's been a while! The trail has been hectic with our various skips for fires. But I'm in the last trail town, Mazama, right now! Only 30 miles left of the trail, which feels absolutely crazy considering last time I posted I was at the start of Washington. I'm trying to get at least this post out before we head back to the trail tomorrow. This has been a whirlwind of a section and it's so surreal to think the hike is almost over! It's exciting and sad and bittersweet all at once - there's definitely things I'm looking forward to in 'real life' but there's also so many things I'll miss. Day 139: zero day! Today we headed to Cascade Locks for PCT Days – a big festival for PCT hikers with lots of vendors and care companies (we're only going to the first day of it though). We slept in, then had breakfast before heading over. The traffic was really bad since this big truck crashed on the highway, but we finally got there and headed to the marine park. As promised, there were tons of vendors and booths, and the whole area was full of hikers. We walked around, getting free stuff at various booths (so many stickers!) and chatting with people. It's sad, but there's a massive number of hikers finishing their hikes here, since so much of Washington is closed. We're going to try to do as much as we possibly can, but quite a few people are feeling like they'd rather stop here than try to piece it together. We said goodbye to a couple groups we'd been hiking around as they got off trail, and it was a sad moment to realize how many were leaving. I'm really happy that Shade, Cheers, and I are on the same page about hiking as much as we can. We got lunch at a food truck and attended some raffles. We saw Abby and Tiffany, Snugs and Rooster, and Lookout and Waddles. I got an ice cream and we went to the big raffle, where there were tons of giveaways – probably thousands of dollars of products. As expected, we didn't get anything, but it was cool to watch. We were going to get dinner in town, but the lines were super long. We also checked out Thunder Island, in the middle of the river, where everyone was camping. Definitely a tent city, but not as bad as it could've been. We got a ride back to the house, picking up dinner on the way. I was definitely quite overwhelmed and sensory overload-ed from the festival so it was nice and quiet on the drive back. When I got back to the house, we said our good nights and planned to get back to the trail in the afternoon tomorrow. Day 140: 2297.6-2295.5 (going SOBO) I slept in this morning, then had a great pancake breakfast! We relaxed a bit more before packing up and heading back to the trail, having to skip over 150 miles due to fires :(( It was just under a three hour drive - I'm really thankful we didn't have to hitch for this. I'm also incredibly ready to get back on trail – I'm very peopled-out. I dropped off my resupply box at White Pass, then said goodbye and headed back to the trail. We're only doing about 2 miles today since there's a really big thunderstorm coming tonight and we don't want to be in an exposed section for it. We're hiking this section as an out-and-back, since the rest is closed due to fires. So we're doing just over 20 miles southbound to see the Goat Rocks Wilderness. This is supposed to be a really gorgeous section so we wanted to do anything we could to get to see it. It definitely feels weird to be going SOBO, but I'm really glad that we get to hit the section. We got to the lake early, and set up our tents to prepare for the big rainstorm tonight. We relaxed, had dinner, and it started to rain just as I got into my tent. Day 141: 2295.5-2274.4 (going SOBO) The thunderstorm last night was really intense! The rain was so loud, the lightning was so frequent, and you could hear the thunder rolling across the hills, a saying that I'd never quite understood until now. I would be just starting to fall asleep when lightning crashed and it felt like sparks going off in front of my eyes, then a massive boom that reverberated all around us. Luckily, there wasn't too much wind, so I wasn't worried about my tent coming down or anything. In the morning, we slept in a bit and headed out around 7:45, packing up all of our wet stuff. Cheers kept quietly repeating "I'm happy I'm out here, I don't want to be at a desk, I don't want to be at a desk" as we rolled up our soaking wet tents and sleeping bags. Good to remember why we're out here haha! We had an immediate uphill, and all the plants were soaked from last night, so my pants got drenched pretty fast. At the top of the hill, we had fantastic views of Rainier, though with lots of clouds near the top. We ran into Axeman going NOBO - he's getting off trail here, and is going straight up to Hart's Pass to tag the border tomorrow. It was really nice to get to see him and say a last goodbye, since we'd been hiking around each other since the Sierras. We then got a nice downhill for a bit, then some ups and downs in the forest. I listened to a Backpacking Radio episode interviewing this woman who did the PCT on horseback, which was really fascinating to learn about. We had a nice uphill and got water and had lunch a few miles in, with a nice flat spot to dry our tents and everything. We got some initial views of Goat Rocks here - really epic and snowy! Then we continued on up, getting more views of Rainier though it was quite cloudy. But we came around and saw Goat Rocks laid out in front of us – wow!! The peaks were so craggy and snowy, and the trail wound up and along the ridge line – it was absolutely spectacular. Lots of ups and downs, as a trail just went straight along the mountain ridge. We walked along Knife's Edge, where the trail was full of slate and small rocks as it wove along the crest. It was truly an amazing experience - I understand why so many people say this is their favorite part. We walked under Old Snowy Mountain and had three snow traverses – amazing to have this late in the year! It was a bit anxiety inducing without microspikes, but not too bad. The trail afterwards was composed of huge rocks, which made it slow going. On the other side, we continued down into a nice meadow area with good views of Mount Adams to the south. So many marmots and pikas! It was really cool to see them running around and hear their peeps. We got to our campsite and set up, then slackpacked another 1.5 or so up to Cispus Pass before turning around and getting water on our way back to camp. We got fantastic views of Mount Adams in Saint Helens on the way! I'm really happy to be here and get to do this section. We got back to camp, had dinner with a great view, then headed to bed. Day 142: 2274.4-2292.3 (NOBO again) Got up around 6:30 this morning and headed out by 7:30. It feels good to be going the right direction again! Though a little weird to be redoing what we did yesterday. I was feeling pretty sluggish, so took my time on the meadow area, and enjoyed the fantastic views of Mount Adams. I stopped to dig a cathole and had a snack, then continued on, seeing a couple more marmots and pikas. We got to the area above tree line, and I caught up to Cheers and Shade on the snow traverse, but took a long time since the traction my shoes is wearing down. At the base of old snowy, I decided to do the alternate to the top as Cheers and Shade continued down below. I lost the trail a couple times, but it wasn't too much of a scramble. Got some fantastic views at the top and took a short rest, spotting a large group of mountain goats down below, which felt very fitting for Goat Rocks. Going down was slower, since the trail was mostly shale here, with steep drop-offs on either side. I continued on, getting to Knife's Edge, which was even cooler than yesterday since the sky was clearer, plus I was going NOBO as god intended lol. I saw Cheers and Shade way ahead of me on the winding ridge, which was super cool. I took a break at the top of one section and just took in the views and enjoyed a snickers. I definitely see why this is such a top section for most hikers. Going around the corner back to the meadows, I got some great views of Mt Rainier, with a ring of clouds around the base. Then onwards, downhill for a bit. I caught up to Cheers at water, then chatted to another hiker, Bounty, as I filtered water. The trail went up again, then down a smidge, with one final glimpse of Goat Rocks behind me. I caught Shade and Cheers at lunch near Lutz Lake, and we relaxed a bit before heading uphill. I think I heard a bear crashing through the forest, because when I caught up to Shade, she said she saw one on the trail before it ran off. Still sour I haven't actually seen a bear on this trail! Doesn't seem fair considering how many Shade and Cheers have seen lol. One last big hill - I listened to the second half of my podcast about the PCT thru-rider, and went off trail a bit for water at Hidden Springs. Then finished up the hill and enjoyed a breathtaking view of Mt Rainier with no clouds whatsoever! Then got a lovely view of Shoe Lake coming around the corner, and did the last downhill to camp. We got in around 4:30 and relaxed for awhile before making dinner and heading to bed. It's gonna be another chilly night! Day 143: 2292.3-2310 Headed out around 7:30 to do an easy 5 miles, all downhill, to White Pass. We passed Bilbo going SOBO and said hi. We got to the Cracker Barrel at the past, where we relaxed and I got my package. I also called Marissa, who can meet us at Snoqualmie pass in a couple days! I'm really excited to see her! We headed back to the trail at 11:30, we had a nice uphill, and I saw a bunch of frogs, some horses, and llamas (oh my!). The trail was really lovely here, and I enjoyed the hike. I listened to my history podcast on an episode about Leland Stanford, which was fascinating and a little rage-inducing. My feet were a little sore but we were doing a short day of only 17.5 miles so it wasn't too bad. We stopped at a fantastic campsite near a river - a really gorgeous site! We relaxed a while, had a good dinner, and headed to bed. Day 144: 2310-2336.9 I had a great night's sleep, and it was very cloudy and overcast when I woke - at first I thought I'd set my alarm wrong! We had a brief downhill before an intense updill to the edge of Mt Rainier forest boundary. I took a brief rest at the top, then continued down. Then another couple ups and downs - I ran into Abby again too, which was cool. Tons of pikas on these exposed rock sections - it's very fun to catch them running back and forth. Then a nice downhill to Chinook Pass, where there was trail magic! Even more exciting, it was from Doug and his dog Buddy, who I camped with on the first night of the PCT! He hurt his foot and had to get off trail on his second day, so it was really cool to see him again. He had pizza, watermelon, and hot chocolate! We hung out there for a bit before heading on, with a great downhill Sheep Lake, where we filled up on water. Then a good uphill to Sourdough Gap, where I had a tiny bit of cell service to call REI and see if they had some shoes that I'm trying to replace - I'm happy that Marissa might be able to bring them to me. Then onwards, some more ups and downs, and then through a big burn zone. It was extremely foggy here, and really cool to walk through the thick haze. I filled up at a spring before camp, where I met up with Cheers and Shade and we set up, then were joined by a bunch more hikers. We had a good dinner and headed to bed! Day 145: 2336.9-2363.7 We had it off around seven - it was shockingly quiet for how many people were camping nearby. Started with a solid uphill to Martinson Gap, then enjoyed the downhill and the lush forest. Mostly firs, cedars, larches, and hemlock – a very different tree ecology than California. Still some manzanita though – I'm convinced we have it all the way to Canada. Made it to the Mike Urich cabin around noon, though we didn't stop – it was the source of the 2022 norovirus outbreak, so no thanks. We carried on before seeing some cars at a dirt road crossing - trial magic! It was so special to get it twice in a row! Magic Man had a fantastic setup of hotdogs, doughnuts, chips, snickers, and snacks. We hung out for a bit and chatted - they lived on Vashon Island. Then we carried on, getting water at a spring. More nice hiking, then an absolutely killer uphill on Blowout Mountain. I listened to a podcast episode about PG&E which was really interesting and incredibly infuriating. We sat at the top of the climb and watched the fog roll in, and I had a smidge of service to confirm that my mom and Marissa could get me my shoes! Then on another 3 miles to a dirt road with plenty of camping, which was good since we seem to be in quite the bubble for this section. We set up and were just starting dinner when it started to mist, then drizzle, then pour. We gathered our stuff and hustled to our tents to eat inside. The rain continued as we fell asleep, but I stayed nice and cozy in my quilt. Day 146: 2363.7-2387 I woke up to more rain this morning – it was just a drizzle by the time I packed up my tent, but was a steady downpour for most of the day. There was also a heavy fog over the landscape – we were in the woods a lot, but every view was just a solid white wall. It was also very cold, and I was glad that I had my gloves. We started the day with an intense downhill, which my knees did not enjoy in the cold, then had a few solid uphills where I got nice and overheated, but it was still raining intensely so anytime I unzipped my jacket or took off my hood, I got nice and soaked. I had lots of water, so didn't stop at the stream and passed a couple other hikers – it's a busy trail today! The trail was lots of ups and downs, often in the woods, but some sections were exposed. I passed Shade and chairs around noon and we decided it was just too cold and wet to stop for a sit down lunch, so we would carry on. But about 20 minutes later, we came to a dirt road and saw the big tent set up – trail magic! Paul and Anthony were set up making burritos and cocktails – what a thing to get on trail! Anthony had hiked the trail last year and they were really nice and generous. It was so fantastic to get under a tent and sit down, then have a warm meal in the cold in the rain. There were lots of us and we hung out for a bit before heading, ready to push out the last 9 miles or so. I listen to the second half of the episode on PG&E and went uphill to Mer Lake or set up camp and drier tents in a short break in the rain. I was very happy to have dry clothes to put on! I got nice and warm in my quilt, made dinner, and had a hot crème brûlée backpacker meal for dessert. The rain started up again right before I went to bed. Day 147: 2387-2395.9 Woke up to heavy rain again and we slowly packed up - oh boy was it cold!! My fingers felt frozen through by the time I got my soaked and muddy tent away. We had 9 miles to Snoqualmie Pass, which felt very long in the cold and rain. And the trail was very up and down, with some quite steep sections. I didn't stop at all, just hiked through and went as fast as I could - a hot meal was calling me. We passed some day hikers picking huckleberries and a runner with a very cute dog. We got to the ski lifts above Snoqualmie and headed down - I tried to take some pictures in this section but my phone and fingers were so soaked that nothing was working. We got to Summit Inn around 10:30 and took all our wet clothes off outside before heading in. It was SO nice to be warm and a bit drier!! We were just checking into the inn when Marissa pulled up - it was so fantastic to see her! I took a lovely shower, laid out all my wet gear, and then Marissa and I relaxed together - it was incredibly peaceful and warm. We got lunch at the market and hung out there, then back to the inn to do laundry, then out again for a little walk together. It was really lovely to see my sister and get to catch up and relax together. She drove us to this great Thai place for dinner, which was fantastic, then back to the inn. I said goodbye and got my food resupply, then took a hot bath and went to bed. I'm so glad Marissa got to see me on trail, it really made my day!

We're taking another zero at a friend's house, and are about to head over to Cascade Locks to check out PCT Days! Tomorrow we'll head back to the trail - the rest has been really nice, but I'm eager to get hiking again! Day 134: miles 2089.3-2105.2 We slept in a bit at the ski club, then got up, got changed, and packed up. After getting our stuff together, we had some breakfast – we were able to have some leftovers from the ski kids, which was really nice. Apparently, you can ski on Mount Hood up to August 15th which just seems crazy to me. I updated my blog again, then we headed off around nine to try to hitch back to the trail. We got a ride from an interesting local where we all sat on the floor of her van, and got back to the trail around 9:30. Then a very solid 10 miles or so of uphill until Timberline Lodge , where we had absolutely fantastic views of Mount Hood! The ground around here is very sandy, which is quite frustrating on the uphills, but overall not too bad. We hung out at Timberline Lodge for a bit, Shade and Cheers did the lunch buffet but I just had lunch that I'd packed out. After relaxing and chatting with some other hikers, we left around 3:30 to do another 5 miles or so – it'll be a short day, but it was nice to enjoy the Lodge. There were some ups and downs once back on trail with the sandy ground making it a bit slow, but the great views of Hood more than made up for it. We got to camp and headed up to the ridge, where there were fantastic views of Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helens, and Mount Adams. The mosquitoes were minimal and it didn't look like it would rain, so I decided to cowboy camp right on the edge of the ledge, which was such a cool experience. The sunset from my bed was spectacular, and I got up at four or so to see the Perseids streak across the night sky. This is definitely one of the most beautiful camp camping spots on the trail yet. Day 135: miles 2105.2-2130.3 I had a great night sleep, though got a little damp with condensation in the morning. Sunrise over the mountains was gorgeous too, and I could see the fog settling in the valley. We headed out around seven, with some ups and downs, but overall just a really lovely trail. It was really foggy and overcast, which felt really neat as we walked through the clouds. Though it definitely made me feel a little more lethargic than usual – I just wanted to be curled up in a big blanket and cozy warm. Cheers and I took the detour to Ramona Falls, which was really incredible! The foggy forest here reminded me a lot of Big Basin before the fire. There were some uphills after, so I took off my jacket, but then had to put it back on for the downhill. There were a good number of day hikers in the section, though much less when we crossed the road and went into the Bull Run protected area. In between the clouds, I got fantastic views of Mount Hood. I listened to a podcast and slowed down a lot to pick hundreds of huckleberries! We took lunch on a log and I enjoyed some hot chocolate and warmed myself up, then carried on. There was some more exposed ridge sections, but a lot was in the trees, which were very damp and foggy. It felt really calm and peaceful and I was really enjoying the trail. I got tons of huckleberries – my fingers were stained purple from the juice, and I completely filled up my water bottle. I got to camp around six and had dinner with Cheers, Shade, and Pepper, then got into bed feeling really nice and cozy. We'll be going down Eagle Creek tomorrow and making our way into Washington! Day 136: 14.5 miles off-PCT, miles 2149.6-2150 I had a really lovely and warm night's sleep, waking up around four listening to the rain, then falling back asleep. We headed out around 7:15, walking into a cloud. I had my raincoat on, but quickly took it off. The alternate here is the only approved trail down, since the actual PCT is closed from the nearby Whiskey Fire – it's strange to be walking through a foggy, wet forest knowing that a trail just a few miles away is closed due to fire. It was a super steep downhill for the first couple miles, then leveled off a little as we headed down into the canyon. The trail followed Eagle Creek here, passing lots of waterfalls on the way down. But the most majestic all was Tunnel Falls, where we walked behind the waterfall in a tunnel made from the rock – it was incredibly cool. We quickly saw a lot of day hikers and carried on down – there were lots of steep drop offs, which had cable running along the side of the trail. The volcanic rock was also really cool here, and the way that the river carved its way down the canyon. Near the end of the trail, there were tons of blackberries, so I stopped for a while to pick them. We followed the road into Cascade Locks, where we walked across the Bridge of the Gods. This was such a cool experience – the border with Washington is halfway across the bridge. But don't look down – you're long way up! We took pictures with the Washington signs, then walked back to town to get lunch. We'll have to skip the next section due to fire, which is sad but expected. After lunch, we waited for Shade's friend to come pick us up and take us to her home in Vancouver, WA. It was really lovely to meet her and get to go to an actual house! Their dog is really adorable too. We took showers and did laundry, and I got to hose off my tent which was very nice and much needed. Then we just relaxed for a while, had a great dinner, and went to bed. Day 137: zero in Vancouver, WA Zero day! I slept in and relaxed, then called home and planned some logistics for the next couple days. We decided that since we were in the area at the right time, we'll be going to PCT days; we'll stay with one of my mom's friends tomorrow so that we'll be in the area. We had breakfast, then headed out to REI to look at shoes. I don't need new ones yet, but I decided which ones I'll get when I do need them. Then we had lunch at a Shake Shack and came back and relaxed some more, then went to Trader Joe's for resupply, which was really fantastic! We made a wonderful dinner and relaxed some more. We also planned out most of Washington and looked at all the fire closures. There's still quite a bit of trail left to do, which is surprising considering how pessimistic some people are being. There's a large number of hikers ending their hikes at Cascade Locks due to how much of the trail is closed, but we still have 500 miles or so left. Granted, a lot of it will be out and back or detours, but I'm feeling OK about this whole plan. I'm really glad that we can still do Goat Rocks Wilderness, even though we'll have to hike south for a little while to do it. Day 138: zero in Woodlands, WA Zero day number two! I slept in until nine, then made an egg scramble for breakfast. We relaxed some more, I worked on my blog, and rested. For lunch I had a Trader Joe's pasta bowl, which was fantastic, and relaxed a bit more. We watched Pacing the Pacific, a documentary about Karl Sabbe's FKT (fastest known time) of PCT - I would highly recommend for anyone wanting a cool film with gorgeous cinematography. Around 3:30, we headed over to my mom's friend's house in Woodland, WA. It's a gorgeous house and we settled in and relaxed a bit. Then we had a lovely dinner, talked, and watched a movie before heading to bed.

We made it into Washington two days ago, and promptly took a zero in Vancouver, WA with a friend of Shade's. We're resting one more day so we can attend PCT Days - a big festival in Cascade Locks where tons of gear companies come and do giveaways, and famous thruhikers give various talks and lectures. I'm excited to see some hikers I haven't seen in a long time! We've also figured out our plan for most of Washington, which involves a great deal of skipping around and some out-and-back hiking due to remote fire closures. But we've got a plan and I'm excited to get back on trail soon! This last section of hiking has been really gorgeous, and even with the sadness of fires, my spirits are still high! Day 128: miles 1954.9-1974.6 Back on the trail today! Got up a bit earlier and made shakshuka for breakfast, which was really good. Then we packed up and headed out around 8:45, getting to the trail around 9:40. We said our goodbyes and headed on! It was a really nice trail, not too uphill and with fantastic views of the Three Sisters and surrounding mountains. We soon got out into a gorgeous meadow where we took lunch, with not too many mosquitoes, and saw a pack of horses passing by. Then we went back into the trees for a while, near some really lovely streams. I listened to an episode of a podcast and really enjoyed the walk. I carried on, taking a couple breaks, as Shade and Cheers went on ahead, then got to the Obsidian Limited Access Area . I had seen bits of obsidian rock on the trail beforehand, and thought it was really cool, but this was an entirely different level! The whole trail was covered in obsidian, and the surrounding hills glittered with it. Every step clinked lightly, and there were huge chunks sitting by the side of the trail. It was surreal and fantastical – just so cool! Definitely some of the coolest hiking in a long time. There was a bit of a climb out, and I enjoyed seeing Obsidian Falls, and then a nice downhill to a lovely river right before camp. I met Cheers and Shade there, and had some madras lentils before heading to bed. It's definitely a little colder now – I had to pull out my jacket for dinner! Feels good to be back in this kind of weather! Day 129: miles 1974.6-1998.1 I slept really well and we headed out around seven. There was an initial downhill and then we got into volcanic rock, which was really cool. You could see large formations on the side of the trail where the lava had rolled in and cooled, making massive statue-like pillars. There was a serious uphill, but at the top I got fantastic views of Mount Washington, Three Fingered Jack, and Jefferson in the distance. There was also quite a bit of smoke resting in the valley, but hopefully it clears up soon. The trail went back into some valleys and forest but near McKenzie Pass, it became volcanic again. It was really neat walking on the volcanic rocks, but quite slow. There was a decent uphill in that section, and it was incredibly exposed - I was very happy it wasn't any hotter. There's something very surreal about hiking for miles in the middle of a barren lava flow– it's easy to imagine what this would've been like millions of years ago when it was still roiling and molten. Once back in the forest, it was still very dusty and dry, but with lots of pine trees and shade. We took lunch in there and enjoyed being in tree cover. Then another foray into the lava for a bit, this time in a burn zone too. The trail then entered a lovely meadow, with a great view of Three Fingered Jack. Then we had a nice flat trail into Big Lake Youth Camp – a summer camp that lets PCT hikers hang out and eat for free. We got in around 4:30 with dinner around 6, so we had time to go swimming, relax a bit, and take a shower, which was very lovely. Dinner was spaghetti, salad, and bread rolls which was exactly what I needed – I had two massive plates of it. Then we headed on, coming to the next dirt road a mile so later, where there was a great trail magic set up – Magic Mike, Goddess, and Cookies had set up their RV and were feeding hikers. No veggie burgers, but I got some chips, a drink, and carrots and hummus! I set up my tent at the road, then hung out a bit with everyone before heading to bed. Day 130: miles 1998.1-2021.5 We stuck around for breakfast in the morning – pancakes! Then around eight we headed out, shortly getting to mile 2000!! We filled up on water and carried on – there's so, so many huckleberries here! Passed by Santiam Pass and got a juice box, then headed up a big hill. I listened to a podcast episode and enjoyed myself – my feet have been feeling much, much better lately. Got some great views as we passed right below Three Fingered Jack – it reminds me a lot of the Sierra Buttes. We had lunch near a tiny snow patch on trail, which was very cool to see, especially after so much hot weather. Everyone's been talking about the fires in Washington – over third of the state is closed right now, which really sucks. But it's also annoying when it's the only thing people ever want to talk about – I'm enjoying my hike and there's no reason to get sad and anxious about it before I'm there. I'll just walk til I can't and figure it out then. Anyway, after lunch we headed on with a solid hill to Rockpile Mountain, which had a bunch of blowdowns and burnt trees. I listened to another podcast and we eventually came to Rockpile Lake where we took a break and got water before heading up again, passing South and North Cinder Peaks before getting to our campsite. We had chosen it because it had a fantastic view of Mount Jefferson - the sunset would be great. It also had extremely vicious mosquitoes, even with all the breeze, so we had dinner in our tents, enjoyed the views over Jefferson, then went to bed. Day 131: miles 2021.5-2046.3 Got up to see sunrise over Jefferson, then packed out. Had a really lovely downhill this morning to Milk Creek at the bottom of the canyon, with some really cool scenery along the way. There's also lots of non-PCT backpackers even in the middle of the week - I guess this is just a popular area. After filling up on water, there was a big uphill of almost 10 miles as we entered the Mount Hood and Jefferson wilderness, skirting the edge of Mount Jefferson, and going up to Park Butte. It was a really gorgeous section, with lots of wildflowers, a still frozen snowbridge over Russell Creek, and great views of the glaciers on Mount Jefferson. We had lunch shortly before the summit, which still had a bunch of snow! It's weird to be walking on snow again in August – I really thought we were done with it! I listened to a podcast episode about the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which was incredibly fascinating to learn about (they were a huge union busting corporation from the 1800s that are still used today by companies like Amazon and Starbucks). Also, there's so many huckleberries here that my fingers have turned purple with the juice! It definitely slows me down as I hike, but it's more than worth it to have berries in my breakfast in the morning. There was a really nice downhill, with a couple bumps, before we got to our camp at Cigar Lake. It was in the middle of a big burn zone, but we found a spot away from burnt trees and made camp. Tomorrow we're planning on a 'hike till you drop' day since it's about 43 miles to the road into town and the elevation and water looks really good. We've been talking about doing something like this for a while so I'm really excited to see how far I can push myself. I'm hoping somewhere above 30 miles – we'll see how it goes. I'll be getting up really early, I'm excited! Day 132: miles 2046.3-2089.2 I had a huge day today! I got up at four and was on my way by five, using my headlamp as I went. I took an unintended detour on Top Lakes Trail, instead of the actual PCT since I missed the turn off, but it was only about 0.2 miles more. The whole area was in a big burn zone, but I still heard a lot of bird calls and deer as the sun rose. It was just getting late as I passed by the Olallie Lake Resort, but it wouldn't open for another couple hours, so I carried on. There was a brief uphill into Warm Springs Reservation, where I filled up on water and took a short snack break. Then onwards, another bit of a hill and then a decent downhill – the trail was lovely, and my feet were feeling good! I passed a bunch of SOBOs, then had another brief hill which I powered up, before passing under some big powerlines. I took lunch around one, having done 25 miles and still feeling good! I rested my feet and had some ramen, then headed onwards, enjoying a nice downhill. I listened to an episode of my podcast, which was really interesting. I did get a bloody nose just before mile 30 and had to rest for a while before heading on, but felt ok, and got water at the next creek and rested again. I felt tired but really not too bad at all. According to my initial plans, I thought I might be camping here, but instead I felt more than good enough to carry on. There's such a specific mindset you have to have a long day like this, and I was prepared to hike for as long as I needed to. So I carried on, walking around Lake Tom, which was really gorgeous! There were lots of people camping near the water, though I hadn't really passed any hikers on trail since lunch. Around mile 35 I took a brief detour to Little Crater Lake, which was a tiny spring-fed lake that was 45 feet deep – it was so neat and the water was so cold! I chatted with some tourists there before heading on, enjoying a flat section and then a solid uphill, which I was definitely a bit slow on but not too bad. The sun started to set, and I enjoyed the sky changing colors, with a fantastic view of Mount Hood. I could see some lights on the slope once it got darker – I wonder if it's hikers summiting. I got my headlamp out and headed on, hiking for another mile or so before getting to Highway 26. I was tracking my hike with Strava, which had me at 44.5 miles (including the brief detour to the lake – I was at 43 trail miles). I really wanted to hit 45, so I walked up and down the road for 10 minutes until I got to 45 miles lol, then I set up my tent and collapsed, heading straight to bed. I didn't feel at all hungry, so I decided I'd just get a big breakfast tomorrow. I really didn't feel too horrible, but my feet and legs were definitely sore. Also, considering I'm on my period, it definitely could be a lot worse in that regards too. Hiking from 5am to 9pm I did 45 miles - I'm definitely proud of myself! Day 133: miles 2089.2-2089.3 I tried to sleep in a bit, but this close to the highway there was a lot of road noise and I woke up around 7:30. I hadn't slept the best, I think due to the soreness and lingering adrenaline. I packed up and headed to the road, getting hitch about 15 minutes from a group of day hikers headed to Barlow. They dropped me in front of the Huckleberry Inn at Government Camp and I had a fantastic breakfast there. Then I relaxed on some picnic tables, called home, and updated my blog. Shade and Cheers had done about 32 and 30 miles respectively, so they showed up around noon. We stayed at the Cascade Ski Club – it's a ski hostel that only lets club members and PCT hiker stay, so it was really cool. The manager was super friendly and we got settled in – I took an absolutely life-changing shower and just got to relax. There's a couple other hikers here - it was fun chatting to some of them, but there's also definitely a lot of doom and gloom about the upcoming fires. We learned that quite a few hikers are ending their hikes in Cascade Locks (at the OR-WA border) because they've given up on doing any of Washington. When I told one hiker we would carry on and do what we could, he replied that there just wasn't anything left to do. But there's still a couple hundred miles open, and a few ways to get to the more remote sections. It's kind of sad to see people just giving up - I understand that it changes the hike, but we've already had to skip sections; as long as there's miles open, I'll still be hiking. We hung around the Ski Club a bit more, then did our resupply at the local store, where the prices seemed very arbitrary, and did laundry at the inn next door. More relaxation, and then we had dinner at a pretty mediocre Mexican place. Then back to our rooms I headed to bed, very happy to have my earplugs due to the loud fans and snoring. Overall a pretty restful day!

Still in Bend, taking a zero, anc getting this out right before I go to bed! Day 109: mile 1453.7-1483 A big mile day today! I left before six to the beautiful view of the sunrise on Mount Shasta as it lit up in pink. A bit of an uphill to start - it was indeed very overgrown with quite a few blow downs, but not too bad. After the hill, there was a glorious downhill of 12 miles! I leapfrogged with Shade, Cheers, and Lizard, and took an early lunch at 11:20 because my feet were really sore. No sharp pain but just like the whole bottom of my foot is bruised. I think it's just the impact from our longer mile days - not much to be done. They definitely felt a bit better after lunch and I carried on, finding some trail magic left at a campsite near the bottom of the hill. I saw Cheers and Shade not long after that, taking their own lunch break by the river. Another couple nice miles before serious uphill – very exposed. I listen to a podcast and carried on, taking a break two miles from camp because my feet were hurting. Cheers and Shade caught up there, and then we continue on. The last mile or so was really rough – my feet hurts so bad and I had to just count the number of songs before camp. But also the rest of me didn't feel too bad considering it was over 29 miles today. Got to camp at six, and set up. Then we all had dinner and I was in bed by 8! 19 miles to Mount Shasta tomorrow, where we'll take a zero – I'm very excited! There, we'll cement our plans for the Shelly fire and figure out what we're doing next. Day 110: mile 1483-1502.3 There was a solid hill this morning, so I got up early to get it out of the way while it's still fairly cool. It was grueling, but not too bad after the initial switchbacks, and I got to the top first and took a nice break. The others caught up and because we had service, we booked a hotel in Mount Shasta – there weren't too many options so we got a nice suite at a pretty good price. We carried on, taking a brief shortcut to do an absolutely gorgeous ridgewalk – with fantastic views of both Mount Shasta and Castle Crags. We carried on, enjoying a lovely downhill in the shaded forest, and passed mile 1500! My feet were feeling quite sore but we made great time and were at Soda Creek Rd by 12. We contacted Eclipse, a trail angel, who came by an hour later and drove us into town. There we had an amazing lunch at Yak's Shack. Then we checked into the hotel and relaxed for a while, headed to do laundry and get some snacks at the store, back to the hotel, and relaxed more. Then we had dinner at a great Italian place and went off to bed. A very successful nearo today! Day 111: zero on Shasta Zero day today! Not much to say - we slept in, got breakfast, then headed onto the gear store where I got fitted for new insoles, which will hopefully help my feet a bit. Then back to the hotel, then to resupply, which was very solid though I definitely got too much food. I cleaned my tent in the bathtub - which was much needed considering how much dirt came out - fixed my tent zipper, and mended the holes in my gloves and gaiters. Then more relaxation, dinner at a great Thai place, and off to bed! A very solid day. Day 112: 1502.3-1517.6 We were going to leave early, but decided to delay to 10:30, sleeping in a bit and getting breakfast from across the street. I was able to contact some people yesterday, and our plan for the fire is that we'll hike on until mile 1581 at Carter Meadows, then get a ride to Etna, then will take a bus down to Yreka and get a ride to Seiad Valley, rejoining the PCT at mile 1657. We'll see how smooth that journey is, but at least we have a plan. We got to the trail around 10:45 and headed off – there was a detour near Castle Crags and we had a bit of a road walk, and then a very steep climb up to the trail. Then some ups and downs, and we took lunch before the really big uphill. I soaked my feet in the river and headed off while Cheers and Shade rested more – it is very, very hot. The climb up was really rough, but I put on a podcast and got it done, enjoying the great views of Castle Crags all around me. There was some flat trail afterwards, where I saw a big Mojave green rattlesnake resting under the manzanitas next to the trail, but it seemed supremely unbothered as I approached and just slowing slinked into the bushes. I filled up on water at a spring and got to camp around eight. Shade and Cheers got in right before I went to bed and we said our good nights. It's finally a little bit cooler tonight, which is a great relief! Day 113: 1517.6-1547 I woke early and headed out around six onto some very lovely ridge walking, and had fantastic views of Castle Crags in the sunrise, all lit up with light. The trail was mostly flat, with some little ups and downs. Quite a few day hikers and weekenders too! I took a nice break for water and enjoyed great views of Shasta and all the lakes below the trail. The ridge walking here is probably my favorite part of Norcal hiking yet! I took a late lunch with Cheers and then headed on, listening to a podcast. Had some great views after lunch, but my feet were feeling really sore and tired. I caught up to Shade at water and we pushed for the last 3 miles to camp – oh man, my feet hurt! But got to camp, had a great dinner, then headed to bed! Day 114: 1547-1573.4 I got up early and headed out, with a solid hill to start before some lovely ups and downs. My feet were sore even in the morning, and I wasn't feeling the best so I put on a podcast first thing. Started feeling a bit better and had a nice stop for water, then saw my first horse of the trail! I got to Highway 3 soon after – it was open and looked very normal, which is a good sign. There's been smoke on the horizon, but it hasn't been too bad. Had an intense climb after, and had lunch near the top. I heard a bunch of cowbells while resting there as some cows walked nearby, though I never saw them. After lunch, I passed a bunch of summer camp kids who were really sweet and curious about the trail. Then some solid uphill during which my feet were quite sore. I got a Garmin message from Shade about a tent site for the night and luckily it was just a few more miles, mostly flat. The last bit has been in a burn zone but not too bad. I got to camp around six and rested my feet and had dinner. It is still very, very hot out! The heat wave seems to be following us. Shade and Cheers got in around 7:30 and I was able to message a ride for tomorrow to confirm our plans, then headed to bed. Day 115: 1573.4-1581.2, 1657-1667.1 Big day today with our fire skip! Left around six this morning to get out 8 miles before our ride came at nine. I wasn't feeling amazing - my feet still hurt and my stomach was acting up, and it's already hot by seven or so. But the trail was mostly downhill, which was quite nice. We made it to Carter Meadows by 8:40 or so and Darcy, our ride, met us right at nine in a teal pick up. There were only two seats so it was quite a squeeze for four of us - my leg and ended up on the other side of the shifter! She got us into Etna, and we saw the massive field where all the fire personnel were set up. It was definitely much smokier in the valley. But at almost 50% containment, the evacuation has been lifted on Etna and the fire crew are starting to clean up, though word is the trail will be closed for the rest of the year. We had enough time to swing by the general store and get a couple snacks before the bus pulled up and took us to Yreka. Then we waited for an hour or so for our second ride, Jeff, to pull up in his Tesla. It was me, Shade, Cheers, plus Duke and Sherlock , so it was quite a squeeze in a very small car. The ride was about an hour and a half, and he dropped us at the café in Seiad Valley, refusing to take any money for the ride. It was horrificly hot so we headed inside and got lunch, which included a fantastic milkshake and grilled cheese. Then I took a nap enjoying the AC. When the café closed around three (it normally closes earlier but the owner was very kind and let us sit in the AC for longer), we headed on down the trail to an RV park where we tried our best to cool down. The cold shower there certainly helped, but I was hot immediately after. We got dinner, which was a good veggie burger, and relaxed a bit more, waiting for the heat to die down. Around 8 PM it was 90° so we headed back to the trail to conquer Devil Peak, a massive exposed climb out of the valley. It was eerie going out in the dark, with the city lights below us and the stars above. It was a blood moon too that night, which was very cool to see. The climb was unrelenting and very grueling, but we took some good breaks and powered through it, getting to camp by 12:30 am. I just took out my tent, quilt, and pad and set up as fast as I could, but got a pretty gnarly nosebleed which slowed me down. But as soon as I lay down, I was fast asleep. Quite the day!

I'm at Government Camp right now, having just finished a great breakfast and waiting for Shade and Cheers to get into town. We did a big day of hiking yesterday - each of us just hiking until we were done for the day, however far we got. I managed to do 45 miles, which feels incredibly surreal! And I'm not even feeling that sore! (yet). We'll hang out here for the day, then head on tomorrow. It seems like Washington is now completely on fire, with more than a third of the PCT in the state closed off :( It feels bad knowing we'll have to skip so much more, but it simply is what it is. We've got to take it as it comes and make the most of it. It's also a nice excuse to come back in some future year and fill in the gaps! Day 116: mile 1667.1-1688.9 Had a nice recovery day after our late night yesterday. We slept in until around seven today, and I really needed it - it was a deep sleep! We were ready to go around eight and headed out, starting with an initial hill, then some downs, and took a break at the bottom near a trail crew working on blowdowns. Saw another big rattlesnake as we went over a blowdown! My feet were really killing me, just super sore on the bottom and my right foot was hurting on top. We then had a big hill, which had some very intense blowdowns and overgrown bits, where I couldn't see the trail at all. But I made my way through, listening to an episode of a podcast. The trail flattened out a bit, and I pushed on for a late lunch, not seeing Shade or Cheers, and goodness in my feet hurt. I sat with Duke and Sherlock for lunch, trying to elevate my feet . I was very low on water – I should've gone down to the last spring, but it was a bit off trail and a comment said it was just mud. Right as I was packing up for lunch, Shade came by – turns out they were down at the spring, which was slow but still flowing. Oh well. Another hill before the next water, and I ran out halfway up, so was very happy to fill up when I got to the spring where Shade and Cheers were resting. Then onwards again, with some ups and downs before a solid downhill to camp. We took it easy today, with just under 23 miles – funny whatever recovery day looks like now! Got to camp around 6:45, had some great pasta for dinner, then headed to bed. Day 117: mile 1688.9-1713.6 Slept in a bit today since we're only doing 25 miles or so, and headed out at seven. Started with some down and then a solid hill, but halfway up we hit the California/Oregon border! The Donomore fire had closed this section for a bit, so we were really happy to be able to actually hike across the border. The fire has since been fully contained with just a bit of smoke on the horizon. It's so exciting to finally be out of California, as amazing and beautiful as it's been, and I'm excited to see what has to offer. I finished the hill and got some water, then headed on, enjoying a nice downhill and hitting mile 1700. Lots of gorgeous pine trees in this section, and the weather has finally started to cool! It's almost strange to be hiking in decent temperatures and not feel my soul getting sweat out as I hike. There were also some incredible views of Shasta today! We had lunch near the start of the next hill, and I was almost cold – what a novelty! Got up the hill, listening to some music – my feet were feeling a lot better too, though still a bit sore. At the top of the hill was a gorgeous ridge section with lots of flowers, and then a cooler of drinks! I enjoyed a root beer before heading on, mostly all downhill with lots of wildflowers. Passed quite a few dayhikers, then filled up on water before going 1.5 more to camp. The trail here is also a Nordic ski trail, and it was very cool to see all the signs. Camping with Shade, Cheers, Sherlock, and Duke, then heading to Ashland in the morning. Day 118: mile 1713.6-1719.8 Slept in before heading out for just 6 miles into Ashland. We walked to Callahan's Lodge to get an easier hitch, getting into town around 10:30 and heading straight to a breakfast spot called the Morning Glory, where I got fantastic huevos rancheros and hashbrowns. Then we went downtown to the outfitters where I got new shoes - for 50% off too! Hopefully this helps my foot pain – I got Timbs which are known to have better cushion than the Lone Peaks I've been wearing. We wandered the town a bit, it's really adorable, then went to the library and submitted our entry permits – it's a little late, but we'll see how fast they get approved. I finally mailed off some postcards and headed to Safeway to resupply, calling my mom and dad as I did. I got offered a hitch to the hotel, where I was able to check in, take a long shower, and swim in their fantastic heated pool! Then laundry and relaxation, and I ordered some Indian food for dinner and ate in bed. Then relaxed a bit more and fell asleep. Day 119: mile 1719.8-1740.9 Got a late start this morning as I had to run into town to get a new fuel can, stopping at the farmers market on the way. We hitched back to the trail around 10:45 and headed off, passing the Pilot Rock as we went, which was a very cool view. This is a dry area with lots of oaks and pines and dead grass. We had lunch in spring, then carried on. I'm carrying so many snacks, but I'll probably need them all - at this point more than half of my pack weight is food since I'm eating so goddamn much. I listened to a podcast after lunch, got water from a very dingy pond, and got to camp just after seven. Had pasta for dinner and then headed to bed. I'm camping here with Shade, Cheers, Plankton, Happy Camper, Breezy, Juggernaut, and Tips. Quite the group! Day 120: mile 1740.9-1768.2 Left camp around seven, getting to water soon after. Then some uphill in the trees, with a break for water and snacks around 11. Then another uphill, with lunch most of the way up near a spring. It's a lot drier here than I expected – quite a few of the water sources are dry now, so we have to be careful to check all the comments on Farout. After the hill, it was lovely and flat. A lot less smoky today, but not really any views to enjoy it, since we've been in tree cover for most of the day. My stomach's been bothering me a bit, but hopefully it's nothing to be concerned about. Got water at the South Brown Shelter, then carried on for another 4 miles to camp. There were so many huckleberries in this section! The last mile or so was on sharp, pointy, red volcanic rocks – not great on the feet. The new shoes feel good, but the pain is definitely still there, just a bit better than before. Got to camp and greeted the very curious deer that was inspecting us. The mosquitoes were a little too thick, so we had dinner in our tents and went to bed. Day 121: mile 1768.2-1797 + 0.4 off-PCT We're doing just over 29 miles today, so I headed out around six, crossing some cool lava fields early on with a great view of Mount McLoughlin. My stomach was bothering me a bit – I think I need to eat more greens and fiber. Stopped at water 6 miles in after crossing the highway and had a brief rest. Then carried on for another 12 miles to lunch at Christi's Spring, where we saw Axeman again! Mostly under tree cover today but with occasional glimpses of the mountains around us, which still have a good bit of snow. Lots of blowdowns too, so it was a little slow going. But I put on a podcast and hiked on. Near the end of the day, we got up on a ridge and had some very good views! It's a lot colder too – I had to wear a jacket at camp, and it was nice and overcast, with a brief sprinkling of rain. After the heat wave, I'm never going to stop being grateful for anytime I'm slightly cold. We camped by Snow Lake, which was really lovely, if a little cramped, and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset. We're gonna get to Crater Lake tomorrow and nail down a reroute for the next round of fires - the Middle Fork fire has closed the PCT near Crater Lake, though the rim alternate trail is still open as of now. And then the Diamond Peak Complex fires have closed a large section after Crater Lake, so we'll have to find our way around those as well. Day 122: mile 1797-1821.9 + 1.3 off-PCT Left camp around 6:15 and headed back to the trail, then through more burn zone. I got some good views on a ridgewalk before heading downhill – passing mile 1800 – to water where I took a short break. Then onwards. I was feeling pretty slow and groggy, so I listened to some podcasts and hiked on. Lots of burnt trees and blowdowns here which slowed me down even more. We had lunch near a pond off trail, in a small bit of shade between burn zones. Then continued on with some ups and downs, a couple good views, and lots and lots of blowdowns that made it hard to find the trail. My left shoe was annoying me a bit, so I stopped to adjust a couple times. Then more forest before finally getting to the road into Mazama Village near Crater Lake. I took a shortcut down and made my way to the PCT camp, a lovely section in the woods across from the car camping sites. I met up with Shade and Cheers there and set up my tent, then we all headed to Annie Creek Restaurant for dinner. My stomach has not been super happy with me lately, so I got a Mediterranean bowl and tomato soup. Hopefully more veggies will help. Then we popped into the campground store and picked up my box, then to the campground host to look at their hiker box, and finally to the camp showers. Only I wanted to wait around for it to become available, so I got a somewhat lukewarm shower with no soap – but I'll take what I can get. It was actually quite cold walking back to camp, which is a sensation I have a new appreciation for after that heat wave! Went to bed and excited to sleep in a bit.

Still in Government Camp, enjoying our morning at Cascade Ski Club, which only hosts ski club members and PCT hikers. The town is very small but quite cute, and has great views of Mt Hood (which has skiing until Aug 15!!). About to head back to trail, where we'll stop at Timberline Lodge for lunch, and then get to Cascade Locks in a couple days. Day 123: mile 1821.9-1824 + 11.4 off-PCT (Crater Rim Alternate), hitch up to 1908 Woke up around 7:15 and slept in a bit before getting up to pack and sort my resupply box. I definitely have a ton of food for this section! Shade headed over for breakfast early and by the time Cheers and I joined her, she had eaten, but the power for the whole mountain was down! They couldn't heat up food or process any payment so I got a great yogurt and granola and fruit with cereal – for free! We have a family friend that we're planning on staying with in Bend, so I updated her on our plans while I had Wi-Fi (on a generator that lasts for two hours after the power goes down, we were told) Then I backflushed my water filter and headed back to the trail around 10:30. It was a pretty immediate climb once we got to the turn off for the Rim Trail alternate - the actual PCT is closed here due to the Middle Forks Fire (though I think we were all planning to do the rim trail anyways since the actual PCT doesn't get to see Crater Lake). The hill was brutal, but cresting the peak and seeing Crater Lake laid out before us was such a fantastic moment – it was so stunning and such a deep blue! We hung out in Rim Village for a bit, filling up on water and learning about the lake, before heading on. The trail had some gnarly elevation gain, but with absolutely gorgeous views. Wizard island was so cool to see, and the ridges of the crater were really amazing. We took a late lunch with a nice view in the shade, and carried on to more ups and downs. Then we left the views of the lake behind and went down to the highway. In the distance, we could see the lingering smoke from two fires that had been in Crater Lake a couple weeks ago. We're coming up on the Middle Fork Fire and Diamond Fire Complex closures, which include the Trail Fire, Wood Fire, Lemolo Fire, Ooya Fire, South Willamete Fire, and Red Fire (the complex has maybe six other fires, but those are the ones affecting the trial). There's a little bit of trail open between them, but no good way to actually get to it, so we'll have to skip the whole thing (though as of writing this, the entire section is now closed). We're skipping up to Shelter Cove, about 65 miles. We waited at the highway for about an hour and a half until we got a hitch, but luckily they were going all the way to Eugene, right past where we wanted to get dropped off. The ride was about an hour and through some really, really smoky areas, where the sun became a spot of deep red shining through the haze. I definitely understand why the trail is closed here - I would hate to hike through that kind of smoke, let alone with the danger of getting caught in the fire. We got into Shelter Cove after everything had closed, but just headed back to camp in a lovely spot. Had dinner then headed to bed. Day 124: 1908-1926.1 Headed out from Shelter Cove around 7:40, doing the 2 miles of road walk up to the open trail. Then started with a nice gentle hill up to Lower Rosary Lake where we filled up water and fought off mosquitoes before heading on. I finished the climb up Eagle Lean, then enjoyed a nice downhill before getting to another up. Stopped at a shelter for a snack before heading on, listening to a podcast. We're doing a shorter day today - only 20 miles - which will be really wonderful. Finished the hill and had a nice downhill into camp at Charlton Lake. I got there around 3, and enjoyed a dip in the lake and lying on the shore talking to the other hikers. We're starting to run into a few more SOBOs, which is fun to see. They still look so bright and cheery! It's been a while since I've gotten to camp early so it was nice to relax. Around 4:30, the smoke blew in and settled over the lake, but it still wasn't too bad. Cheers and Shade had taken a nap at lunch, so they came in a couple hours later and we had dinner with some other hikers, then headed to bed. Day 125: 1926.1-1948.2 Left around 7:15 this morning and had a very lovely flat trail for a bit. Right after camp, we entered a 5 mile long burn zone that seem to go on for ages in each direction. It's definitely the most desolate place we've been yet – there were no blowdowns, because there weren't any trees left, and the ground was just soot. Nothing was growing and you could see the ash getting kicked up with each step. Even though it was really depressing, there was a kind of beauty in it. The land was so changed, and so utterly different from surrounding areas. We finally re-entered the trees at Irish Lake, and then got into the Three Sisters Wilderness. Lots of larches, hemlock, and some pines. There was a decent downhill, then some up. Then lots of flat trail, which was lovely on my feet, which are definitely feeling a little bit better. Also, so many huckleberries! I picked a bunch and stored them in my water bottle, so I could eat them at snack breaks and have them with breakfast. I carried on, listening to a podcast and enjoying the trail. We camped near Dumbell Lake and got to go for a swim, which was really lovely. There's shockingly few mosquitoes here and the smoke isn't too bad. We're going into Elk Lake Lodge tomorrow, where we'll meet a family friend and get to go to Bend! Day 126: 1948.2-1954.9 + 1.8 off-PCT We got up early and left around 615 only seven or so miles until Elk Lake Lodge – it was a really flat and nice trail. Some mosquitoes, but nothing horrid. The sky was overcast, though some of it was smoke, but an hour in it started drizzling a bit, which was a really nice change! I passed Axeman heading back to the trail as we went down to Elk Lake Lodge. There, I soaked my feet a bit, but it was too overcast to really want to swim. Our host in Bend was going to be a bit delayed, so we decided to get some breakfast there, which was fantastic! Then we met up and they took us to their place in Bend which was absolutely gorgeous, with a marvelous view of the surrounding mountains, even though it was a little hazy. We got showers and did laundry - I preached my clothes and oooh boy were they disgusting. Then we got a ride back to the city to resupply, get lunch, and stop at REI. Then back to their place to relax - it's so comforting to be in an actual house again!! We had a delicious homemade dinner with ice cream and watermelon for dessert. Such a restful day!! Day 127: zero in Bend! Zero day today!! We're so lucky and grateful that our hosts' schedule allowed us to zero here, because it's so incredibly gorgeous and peaceful. I'm really enjoying the rest for my feet too - I think it'll really help the soreness. We slept in a bit and had a fantastic breakfast of bread and homemade almond butter, then a second breakfast with eggs and sauce. Relaxed for a while, then got dropped off near the Deschutes river in Drake's Park. We walked into downtown, where we got boba tea (a new experience for Cheers!). We also learned that a hiker Cheers and I had met in Idyllwild had been reported missing, and we had seen him while hiking out - after the report said he was last seen. So I called the sheriff's office to give some details just in case it was useful. Then we got lunch at a food truck and found a lovely spot by the river to relax and watch the folks in inner tubes and paddle boards float past. Right before we got picked up again, there was a freak storm with hail and tons of rain, so we took shelter under a tree. It really hasn't actually rained on us since the desert, which is crazy to think about! Back at the house, I got to help a bit with dinner which was lovely - I've really missed cooking while on the trail. Dinner was a fantastic stir fry and all the vegetables totally revived me. Then I relaxed a bit more, updated my blog, took another shower, and stayed up too late enjoying the cell service before going to bed. This has absolutely been the best zero we've had yet!!!

I'm in Bend, OR right now, staying with a family friend in what has been possibly the best zero ever - it's been absolutely fantastic to sleep in a real house, with homemade meals and a tour of the city, and with such kind and caring people. We've had such a restful stay here and I'm excited to get back on trail tomorrow! Sorry for the long wait between posts - we've been doing longer miles with no zeroes for a while, and it's hard to have the energy to do anything beyond chores and showering when getting to town. Day 102: miles 1314.3-1341.8 Headed off early this morning, starting with some good up and downs and then a solid climb as we went up Butt Mountain. All of the water here is far off trail, so I was carrying enough for about 15 miles. After the climb, it was a really lovely downhill even in the midst of a burn zone. And the halfway marker was there!! It's so exciting and surreal to have finally reached halfway! I took a nice long break there and waited until Shade and Cheers came by, then headed on. I pushed to Highway 89 for lunch because there was some great trail magic there from Hopper, a PCT hiker who was taking a break waiting for the heat wave to pass. I enjoyed the treats with Roadrunner, Traffic cone, Knots, and Firecracker as we chatted about the trail. I left around two and went on to some ups and downs as I listened to a podcast. The trail went through some rough burn zone areas here, which were very exposed and hot. But I got to camp around 5:30, where I soaked my feet in the river. 27.5 miles in less than 12 hours - it feels really good to do this much! We're pushing more so that we can get through Lassen National Park where you can't camp unless you have a bear can. It's the longest day we've done yet, but with good terrain it doesn't feel too bad - just very, very hot and dusty. Day 103: miles 1341.8-1368.3 Another early morning start with some up hills that weren't too bad when done early without the heat. Then some up and downs as we entered Lassen National Park. I could smell the sulfur of Terminal Geyser and see the white steaming lake of Boiling Springs, which was very cool! Then onto Warner Valley Campground and the very intense uphill of Flatiron Ridge. The burn zone here was more noticeable, with a lot less growth. I put on some music and ended up passing Shade and Cheers, then cruised downhill afterwards. Then it was some gradual ups and downs until lunch at Lower Twin Lake, which was so fantastic. I took a swim and relaxed, had a good lunch and sunbathed for a bit before heading on. It was almost entirely flat here, but super exposed in the burn section and very very hot. I listened to a podcast and was glad to have my sun umbrella with me. I filled up on water, then continued to camp, which was just a mile or so after the park boundary where we could camp without bear cans again. Hung out around camp for a while before Shade and Cheers came by, chatting with Stitch who was camping there as well, then we had dinner and went to bed. Still super hot at night, so I'm not using my quilt at all. But very excited to get into Old Station tomorrow! Day 104: miles 1368.3-1386.6 Only 10 miles into town this morning and I made fantastic time as it was almost entirely flat. The landscape was really cool with lots of lava rocks and sputter cones. I got to the road around 9:45 and then headed into the town of Old Station, which consisted of a gas station, laundromat, and café. I got a cold drink at the gas station, then went on to the café and ordered a scramble with pancakes and hashbrowns. Shade and Cheers soon soon joined me and we enjoyed a fantastic breakfast. While they resupplied, I napped by the river and then they joined and we lay in the shade for a while. We then headed to Subway Cave, a really cool volcanic lava tube that was so amazing and cold spite from the 103° outside. We chilled (literally) for a bit and headed out, doing another 8 miles before camp. This section coming up is very dry so we camped above water, climbing way way down into the canyon to get it. It was quite the busy site since water is so scarce - we shared it with T-dubs, Overboard, Happy Camper, Werewolf, Breezy, Sniper, Juggernaut, Don't Stop, Shazam, and three more I hadn't met yet. I had dinner, wiped off some of the dirt, then went straight to bed! Day 105: miles 1386.6-1409.5 Headed off around six today, getting to see a gorgeous sunrise. We were way above the valley floor and it was cool to look out and see both Shasta and Lassen, then look all the way down and see patches of lava flow. It was incredibly hot - around 102 by 11 am, but luckily it was mostly flat. I also saw my first full sized rattlesnake! I'd seen two babies in the desert but they were really little and didn't rattle (though fyi those are more dangerous because they almost always use venom if they bite, unlike adults that will typically dry bite humans). It rattled loudly before slinking into the grass. I took an early lunch, passing 1400 miles right before, then headed on and resting a bit at Shade and Cheer's lunch spot. I got another bloody nose there, which was annoying and took a while to stop. It's so dry, dusty, and hot that I've been getting one every couple days. And it was so hot that even being in the shade felt like sitting under the sun - I was sweating too much to really relax, so I headed on while they took a siesta. It was so so hot - just indescribably hot and exposed. I had to pause under every rare bit of shade to brace myself to step out into the heat. I came to a water cache and took a bit, passing Sesame, Avalanche, Shazam, and Don't Stop as they napped in the shade. Then on again, going from lots of sharp lava rocks into a dead grass meadow with oak trees. I finally got to a cold stream and arrived at Lake Baum, where I took some time and checked out the trout hatchery there - they were really neat. And then I took a nice long nap in the shade by the lake - much better than earlier on trail in the hot lava field. Sesame's group joined and then headed to a swim spot down trail, so I went for a dip and joined them for dinner there. Then did the last 0.7 miles to camp, which was absolutely swarmed by mosquitoes. I got very sweaty and hot booking it to where Shade and Cheers were set up. But only 2 miles into Burney Ranch tomorrow, where I'll get to take a nice long shower! I am so incredibly filthy it's hard to even comprehend haha. Day 106: miles 1409.5-1410.8 We had a really nice sleep in this morning, getting up around seven and heading out at eight. We had a measly 1.5 miles to the turn off to Burney Guest Ranch, which was a really cool section with lots of oaks and dead grasses that reminded me a lot of Foothills Park back home. Next to the turn off for the ranch were these massive powerlines where two big stags passed by, and also massive osprey nests rested on top. The guest ranch seemed unassuming at first - just a few buildings - but it became clear it was a true Hiker Paradise. The main building had a gorgeous lounge with lots of chairs out front and in the back, plus a huge saltwater pool. There was a good laundry setup and lots of hammocks. I immediately took a long shower - this is dirtiest I've ever felt this entire hike. I'm just coated in grime from sweat, dust, and soot. The shower was divine and then I pre-washed my clothes - it took a long time before the water was anything but a black brown. We decided to do a double wash of the clothes which was much needed. I got a bunk in the dorms, which was lovely and I had it all to myself. We relaxed, I called home, and we went in the pool which was so so nice. We relaxed some more, had ramen and pizza for lunch, relaxed again and I updated my blog a bit before dinner, which was a family style meal of salad, pasta, cheese, bread, veggies, and dessert. Christine, the woman who owns this place, is really fantastic and kind. Dinner was a great social affair with good conversation from Overboard, Lizard, Lynx, Sherlock , Duke, Gadget, and Turkey Vulture. Afterwards, we soaked our feet in the pool, admiring the sunset. I took a second shower and then headed to bed. Day 107: mile 1410.8-1428.9 I got up around 6:30 and headed to the main lodge for breakfast at seven. It was a fantastic affair with fruit salad, bacon, hashbrowns, veggie scramble, and waffles! We all chatted as we ate, mostly discussing the upcoming Shelly fire and our reroute plans. The trail is only closed for 20 miles, but the smoke and fire personnel necessitates a much larger skip. Quite a few people are skipping from Shasta to Ashland, which is over 200 miles and misses the Oregon border. We'd really like to avoid that and might try to go from I-93 to Seiad Valley. But we're waiting until Shasta to make any concrete plans since the situation is changing so fast. It's sad to know we'll have to skip, but I was prepared for it when starting this hike - it's just a reality of the trail nowadays. We headed out around nine with 18 miles to do. It was immediately hot and I was very sweaty and experiencing some bad chafing on my hip belt; I was wearing different underwear so that might've contributed to it. The trail was pretty easy though, and we got to Burney Falls State Park by lunch. I got some food and ice cream there - I had a completely liquid chocolate bar in my pack that made for a good ice cream topping. We relaxed in the shade for several hours, though even that felt very hot. The falls themselves were really cool - massive and from almost entirely underground springwater. The trail down the base was closed, but there was still a good overlook. Around 3:30 I continued on and quickly came to Britton Dam, which was very neat to see! Then grueling uphill for a few miles until camp where we filled up on water down a side trail. Then had dinner and headed to bed! Day 108: mile 1428.9-1453.7 I slept really well through the night and got up around 5:30. There was some immediate uphill, but it was deeply forested so stayed nice and cool. I wore different underwear and shorts today and tied my socks around my hip built to try to alleviate the chafing, which did help quite a bit. Lots of ridge walking and dense, overgrown forest sections today, so the heat was more bearable. Also got some gorgeous views of Mount Shasta in front of us. I took lunch by myself near spring and continued on, listening to a podcast. Shade and Cheers had passed me at lunch, but I passed them getting water. Some ups and downs, then a big up with lots of blowdowns before nice downhill to camp. We had a fantastic view of Mount Shasta here. It's really beautiful! Slow end to the day as my feet are quite tired and sore, but I got in at 5:30 so not too bad! We've got a long day tomorrow and it's supposed to have some bad blow downs so hopefully we get through it without too much trouble.

I'm currently in Mt Shasta, about to head back to the trail. We're skipping about 75 miles to get around the Shelly Fire, which is close to the trail, over 15,000 acres and only 20% contained. Quite a few hikers are skipping all the way up to Ashland, which is about 220 miles and includes the CA-OR border - we're trying to go a bit farther since reports say the smoke isn't too bad until Etna. But there's also the Donomore fire right at the border; it's tiny right now so fingers crossed it's either out or we can do the approved road walk when we get to it. The recent heat wave really kicked off the fire season here - there's currently 10 fire closures on trail, with a few coming soon in Oregon as well. It's a little frustrating, but is simply a part of the trail. And regardless of how much I care about this trail, these communities are having their homes and livelihoods threatened. In most of these cases, only a small part of the trail is actually closed (for the Shelly fire, only 25 miles are down), but the danger of smoke inhalation extends much farther, and hikers will start to encounter the threatened communities and fire personnel. Even if the trail is technically walkable there, it's irresponsible to encroach on those areas and be a further drain on their resources during this time. So our plan is to do as many miles as possible while still staying safe and respectful to these communities. We've got a ride set to pick us up at a trailhead on Tuesday that can get us to Etna, where we'll take the bus into Yreka, and then get another ride into Seiad Valley. It'll be a bit of an adventure but we'll make it work! Day 97: miles 1196.5-1220.8 We left Sierra City early this morning, as we had an intense 9 mile climb out of the valley up to the Sierra Buttes. Cheers was way ahead on the climb up and saw a bear up ahead, but it had trundled into the trees by the time Shade and I caught up. We continued up, with great view of the rocky Buttes around us. Near a road at the top we encountered a welcome sight - two coolers full of treats! We enjoyed some cold grapes and applesauce before carrying on. The heat wave is definitely starting; it's very hot in the sun, especially on some of these exposed sections. We enjoyed some flat trail, then had an intense, dry and shadeless uphill before taking lunch under a tree near a creek. It's probably at least in the high 90s today - even a bit of shade makes a big difference. Shade and Cheers took a siesta after lunch but I carried on - I really like getting to camp a little earlier and going to bed early. There were some great ridge sections and good views of surrounding hills and lakes far below. Then a nice downhill into camp, where I enjoyed my dinner in my tent since the mosquitoes were quite bad. Shade and Cheers rolled in as I was finishing dinner, we said hi and then I headed to bed. Day 98: miles 1220.8-1244 We got up pretty early to avoid some of the worst heat today. It was a good day with a short hill in the morning, then some good flat sections and little ups and downs. Very, very hot though, and this section is pretty dry, with most water sources at least 0.3 mi off trail. We took lunch in the dwindling shade of a tree - when it was gone, Shade and Cheers relocated for a midday nap and I carried on. The landscape transitioned into the scar of the Bear Fire, full of charred trees and many blowdowns over the trail. It certainly didn't help the effects of the heat - everything felt scorched, and I frantically reapplied sunscreen. The fine, sooty dust stuck to my sweaty skin, managing to weasel in even though I was wearing long pants. Today was a pretty long mileage day, and I was nice and tired by the time I got to camp around 5:30. I relaxed and moved on a rotation to try to stay in the slim shade. In this section, we have to be a lot more discerning about our campsites to be sure we're camping near live trees and not window makers. This site was in a small copse of live trees in a burnt forest. Every thirty minutes or so I could hear a distant crash as branches fell from dead trees. I ate dinner and got ready for bed - since Shade and Cheers hadn't arrived I suspected they chose an earlier campsite, and sure enough I had a satellite device message that they'd chosen the site before this one. I'd have the whole place to myself for the night :) Day 99: miles 1244-1269 I got up early again and headed out - this section was horribly overgrown, with lots of blowdowns (the first pic is of the trail in front of me - not so easy to find it!). I attempted to stay on the trail but got too turned around, so I took a sketchy slide down to a dirt road that ran parallel, and follow that until it met back up with the PCT. Shade and Cheers caught up to me on the road and we continued on together. We had a massive hill before lunch, which was very exposed. It was horribly hot out, and I had to take copious breaks under each small spot of shade. Our lunch spot wasn't ideal, but it was in the shade and next to water, so we spread out on the trail and hoped not too many people had to pass us haha. My pants are so dirty from all the dust and soot and sweat - I could definitely do with a wash. I left Shade and Cheers to their nap and carried on, enjoying some views of the Sierra Buttes behind us, and made it to our chosen campsite before 6. By the time I set up and had dinner started, Shade and Cheers rolled in, along with another hiker named Lucky. It's so hot at night I can't bear to wear anything more than underwear, and even then I'm sweating. Day 100: miles 1269-1288.1 Day 100! Another early morning with an immediate hill, which wasn't too bad without the sun beating down on me. We've got 19 miles into Belden today, which is a town of two buildings, and then will camp right after it. After the big hill in the morning, it was a frankly lovely section of flat, finally out of the Bear Fire with lots of live trees. Not for long though, as after just a couple miles I entered the edge of the Then there was an honestly grueling 6 miles or so of intense, exposed downhill - in the heat, even that can be hard work. But I made it down into Belden by 1! Belden is a strange, tiny town that is known for raging music festivals and raves. There had been a big festival that ended yesterday, and so there were quite a few hungover and stoned people still packing up, and the kitchen wasn't going to open for another hour or so. Luckily, there was a massive river running through the town, so I swam and washed my clothes in the river. By then the kitchen was open for lunch and Shade and Cheers had arrived, so we enjoyed some food. Then I had to walk 1.5 miles down the highway to the second building in Belden, where I had a package of food to pick up. It was a short ways, but at 105 degrees, it felt like a long haul. But I made it, got my package, and was able to get a hitch on the walk back. I organized my food and napped on the beach a bit more, before we had dinner and walked about 0.5 miles to our campsite for the night. Day 101: miles 1288.1-1314.3 I got up extremely early this morning to try and conquer this hill without the 100+ heat. All the elevation we lost coming down into Belden has to be regained, in a 14 mile, almost 6,000 ft hill, with the first 7 miles completely exposed. So I left at 4am and headed out into the dark. The grade wasn't too horrible, but I'm very happy I left as early as I did, since I made it to the top by 10am, passing the start of the Cascade Range and the 1300 marker! Then a nice downhill - even with the horribly burned forest around me, there were so many wildflowers and butterflies too. Shade and Cheers passed me as I was taking lunch - they left an hour after me in the morning - and then I passed them again as they took their lunch at a small spring. We're doing a big mile day today, since tomorrow will take us to just before the border of Lassen National Park, where you have to have a bear can to stay overnight so we've gotta the 19 miles in one day. It'll be three long days but this way we can keep our mileage up in this section. I got a bit of trail magic at a road crossing before camp, which was lovely, and Shade and Cheers pulled up not long after. We made the 0.8 round trip to get water, then made dinner and headed to bed! There was a very curious deer nearby who poked around as we fell asleep.

Hello! I'm currently at Burney Falls Guest Ranch, recovering and enjoying some much-needed rest after this massive heat wave and burn zone section! I was so filthy it took two showers and two wash cycles to get all the grime off me and my clothes haha. We're also making some plans about the Shelly fire and how much of this upcoming section we'll need to skip, which is unfortunate but simply a part of the trail in this day and age. More news on that when I actually get caught up on my blog (it's day 106 for me, so I'm slowly making progress haha)! Day 90: miles 1092-1104.5 Today's my birthday! Enjoyed a nice sleep-in and leftovers in bed. We headed out around noon and got a hitch back to the PCT, where the trail circled the perimeter of Echo Lake before going into Desolation Wilderness. You need a bear can to stay overnight in the section so we're hiking through in one day. We passed mile 1100 but alas couldn't find the marker, so no fun mile marker pic for me. We walked past Aloha Lake, which was gorgeous and then camped by Gilmore Lake, which was also very lovely, but definitely had lots of mosquitoes, so we had dinner inside our tents. I cooled off in the lake, then headed to bed after the chorus of happy birthday that Cheers and Shade gave me. Day 91: miles 1104.5-1124.4 Headed out early this morning to do a big climb up to a view of Dick's Pass. Near the top I stopped to dig a cathole and was absolutely positive that Cheers and Shade passed me, so I spent the rest of the day trying to catch up. It was a good day with nice elevation and not too hot, so I felt pretty fast and was surprised not to see them by lunchtime. But I continued on, enjoying the views of the lakes below and all the wildflowers. Imagine my surprise then when I got to camp and no one was there yet! Turns out I was ahead of them the whole time! Funny how that works haha. I got to relax for about an hour before Cheers and Shade finally rolled up and we enjoyed dinner together before heading to bed. My socks have definitely seen better days but it's not bothering me too much yet so let's see how big these holes can get before I trade them out! Day 92: miles 1124.5-1145 Started out early this morning to go up Ebbett's Pass, where we got a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe down below us. Then a nice downhill, swiftly going into another uphill to get into Granite Chief Wilderness. From there, we had a fantastic 8 miles or so of ridgewalking, with great views of the mountains and valleys around us plus some of the ski lift areas in Lake Tahoe. We had another nice downhill and then intense uphill shortly before lunch. I think I had my laces tied a bit too tight in this part, as the top of my foot started bothering me. I rested it during lunch, but for the last 6 miles of the day, the pain turned from a brief annoyance to intense pain with every step. My right foot throbbed and the going was slow. It felt bad to be in such pain in such a gorgeous area, and I slowly, slowly trudged into camp where I set up and ate dinner with Cheers and Shade, joined by Lizard and Butter, before taking some ibuprofen, elevating my foot, and heading to bed. We only have 10 miles or so until Donner Ski Ranch tomorrow, where my mom will be meeting me for a brief visit. I'll take those miles slow and really, really hope my foot starts to feel better. It's bad news for me if it doesn't :( Day 93: miles 1145-1156.9 Woke up early this morning to the reports that the bear had wandered into camp in the middle of the night and chewed on lizards bear can! We're out of any regulated zones, but they're definitely still around. I am giving my bear can and all of my Sierra gear to my mom today so hopefully, that's the last one we see for a while! I started out very slow with Cheers and Shade passing me almost immediately. My right foot was still hurting for the first few hours, but did feel better after a while. The trail was pretty nice but included a few sketchy snow crossings where I put on my spikes - hopefully this is the last of it! I got down to Donner Ski Ranch around noon and my mom was waiting right at the trailhead! It was really lovely to see her, plus get to take a shower at the hotel she was staying at before she checked out. My mom's friend Ann was joining her and it was lovely to see her as well and get to tell her about the trail. We got lunch in Truckee then headed back to the trail, meeting up with Shade and Cheers again. The two of them headed off soon after, while Mom, Ann and I hung out a bit and I sorted out my resupply and iced my foot a bit. I also got rid of all my Sierra gear, including my bear can, ice axe, microspikes, puffer, balaclava, extra gloves, and waterproof socks!! Feels good to finally say goodbye to that weight! We headed back to the trail a little later, and walked 3 miles to camp, while Shade and Cheers will go a little farther and I'll catch them tomorrow. This is Ann's first time backpacking and it was really fun to show her the ropes. My foot was feeling a lot better, so I'm hopeful that it will clear up until entirely soon. We camped at a beautiful outlook with Sesame, Avalanche Don't Stop, Shazam, and a few others. The mosquitoes were rampant, so we ate in Ann's tent and then headed to bed! Day 94: miles 1156.9-1175.6 Mom, Ann, and I got up early this morning and they headed back to the car while I carried on, quickly reaching the underpass for I-80. The trail had some ups and downs, and it was quite hot by midday. I took a nice rest at lunch and listened to some podcasts for the worst of the uphills, but was rewarded with really lovely views on all sides. Shade, Cheers and I had agreed on a general spot for camping, but I didn't spot them so I took a gorgeous site on top of a ridge. I had just a bit of signal and discovered I was actually camping a mile after them! Funny how easy it is to pass people on the trail without realizing. My foot was feeling a lot better today, so I'm really hopeful that it was just a bruise from lacing my shoes too tight. I'll have to be careful with it for a couple of days but I'm feeling a lot of relief now that it looks like it'll clear up. There's been a number of hikers I know who've had to quit the trail due to stress fractures or other foot injuries so it's definitely no small issue. I had a lovely dinner and a great sunset before heading to bed. Day 95: miles 1175.6-1191.8 Shade and Cheers caught me early in the morning and we continued on together, enjoying some lovely ridge walks before heading back down to the forest. We also enjoyed some great views of Jackson Meadows, Reservoir, and the North Yuba river. At one road crossing there was a small cooler of Gatorade, cheese, sticks, and basil - quite a fun, eclectic selection! We then had a big uphill, taking lunch near the top. The days are starting to get a lot hotter and there's a heat wave coming, so we'll need to walking in the heat. I think today the high was in the mid 90s – it's definitely rough in some of these exposed sections. After a nice downhill, we got to Milton Creek where there was a fantastic campsite that we set up in. I had some pasta and greatly enjoyed the basil addition. My feet have been bothering me now for a new reason – though I've got hundreds of mosquito bites everywhere, there's a couple very bad ones on my feet and ankles that rub on my socks with every step. I've been trying not to itch them, but they're definitely still there. Luckily, only 6 miles or so until Sierra city tomorrow - I'm definitely excited for a shower! It'll also be the Fourth of July and Shade's birthday tomorrow so hopefully we can do something fun! Day 96: miles 1191.8-1196.5 Town day! We had a bit of a sleep-in before heading out, enjoying some pretty flat trail before crossing the North Yuba river and making it to the highway where we had a 1.5 mile walk into Sierra City. This town is very small but has most of what we need! I managed to get a room at the first-come first-serve Old Sierra City Hotel, run by the lovely Uncle Rob, then got an absolutely massive breakfast burrito and a fantastic blackberry milkshake at the general store. There's no laundry here, but I enjoyed a wonderful shower and washed my clothes in the sink. It was frankly concerning how dark the water became! We relaxed and got out of the heat, which has become quite bad - it's getting up to 98 or so today. We also heard the first reports of the Shelly fire, which is up near Aetna and currently 20 or so miles of the PCT have been closed. Even though it's about 400 miles away, I'm not optimistic that it'll be contained by the time we get there. These days it's very rare for hikers to get truly continuous footsteps on this trail, since every year sections get closed due to fire. I was hoping that by starting early I could avoid some of this, but it seems it's not to be. It's really too early for us to make any decisions about it but we'll be monitoring it and will be prepared to skip to where it's safe. We relaxed some more before heading down the road a bit to a local park where there was some fantastic live music and barbecue for a Fourth of July celebration. I enjoyed hanging out with the locals and getting to dance a bit! We headed back around eight, I took one more shower and promptly fell asleep, very happy that I had a fan in my room. We'll be heading out early in the morning to do a big climb up the Sierra Buttes before it gets too horribly hot!

Day 84: miles 1018.1-1027.3 We slept in today and got a fantastic breakfast, then hung out more. I called home too, which was lovely, and then got a quick lunch. We took the 2:00 shuttle back to the trail and set out with an immediate grueling uphill, then a nice downhill with not too much snow. We did about nine miles before making camp and settling down for the night. I don't normally do many dehydrated meals but for dinner I had a Good to Go mushroom risotto with added olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and parmesan, and it was super fabulous! Day 85: miles 1027.3-1045.3 We woke up early and headed out, with some intense hills to start and then some good ups and downs. The trail was really lovely dirt the whole way, with no big boulders or anything. After lunch, we had an intense climb up to the pass above Noble Lake, and then camped right next to the lake. We got there early and got to relax. It was really windy, so we waited a bit to set up the tents, but it meant the mosquitoes were under control which was lovely. We had an early dinner outside, and I had a cheesecake desert which was fantastic! Then we relaxed a bit more and headed to bed. Day 86: miles 1045.3-1064.2 Started out this morning with a nice downhill to Ebbett's Pass, where we were welcomed with trail magic from Chipmunk and Dave! They had a full spread of toast, eggs, chili, and hashbrowns which were fantastic, as well as a lovely handwashing station with warm(!) water and wipes. We hung out with them for about an hour and then carried on. The trail opened into a lovely meadow as it meandered up and down some hills, then across a steep traverse that we were very happy didn't have any snow on it. Then some more lovely ups and downs, with a gorgeous dirt trail and good views. We had lunch under a big juniper tree, then continued on. It's amazing how much the landscape and geology has changed in the last 50 miles or so - there's still some granite, but it comes and goes, with much more of the shale-like red rock dotting the trail. Also lots of fields of wooly mule's ears with their bright yellow flowers turned to the sun. We made camp at Lily Pad lake, and I took a quick dip to rinse off and cool down. Then we relaxed a bit as some more folks joined our campsite, including Koda, Choker, Sesame, Caboose and Thirteen, and Northstar and Mimosa. We said goodnight early and headed to bed! Day 87: miles 1064.2-1083.1 We headed out around 7 this morning, and Cheers informed us that around 2, he heard the growls and chirps of a mountain lion as it prowled around our campsite for an hour or so before heading off. Fun stuff! This is why I wear ear plugs. Some nice hiking in the morning, with good views and a gently graded uphill. We passed The Nipples, an aptly named pair of hills, at mile 1069 (nice). Then continued on, crossing a couple sketchy snow patches, one of which I took an unintentional glissade and lost a water bottle, though I only noticed a couple miles after when we stopped for a break :( We carried on over Carson Pass, which had some pretty steep snowy traverses, and I was very grateful to have my microspikes. I've definitely become more confident and less wary of heights since starting my hike - a traverse like that absolutely would have given me a panic attack if I'd done it three months ago. I kept calm and put one foot in front of the other, not looking more than a footprint ahead, and eventually made it through. We had some great views afterwards with some good wildflowers. We took lunch at Frog Pond, where I had a quick swim, then carried on to the rangers station at Carson Pass. They had a fantastic cooler of trail magic, which included fresh strawberries and whipped cream!!! We stayed about half an hour before carrying on to our campsite at Showers Lake. The mosquitoes were out and about but we managed to find a breezy spot for dinner. Choker and Koda joined us, and then we all headed to bed! Day 88: miles 1083.1-1092 Only 9 miles into South Lake Tahoe today!! It was a breezy couple hours, with nice path and a small section of burn area, and we made it Hwy 50 around noon. We ran into another hiker, Backtrack, at the trailhead, so we all got a hitch together in no time, getting dropped off right in front of Big Daddy's Burgers, where we had a very satisfying lunch. The burger place was right next to our hotel, and the owner was kind enough to let us drop our packs in the laundry room since check-in wasn't until 3. With some time to waste, we headed to the beach just a block away. The lake was clear, the water cool, and the sand hot, what more could you want? We relaxed for a couple hours before heading back to the hotel, taking showers and doing laundry, and relaxing in bed. Then we walked down to this amazing Italian place where we eat got a big pizza and devoured them. The views of the lake on the way back to our hotel were really lovely. Then we watched a bit of TV and headed to bed! Day 89: zero in SLT Zero day!! Shade and I woke up first and headed to breakfast while Cheers slept in and called home. Then we chilled out at the hotel, I updated my blog, and did some mending on my hiking gloves. Then we headed to the gear store across town where I got a new fuel can and some bars, then a stop at the post office, and then to Safeway to resupply. I also got a couple treats for my birthday tomorrow :D We headed back to the hotel, packed up our food, took more showers, then headed to the beach again where we swam, had a couple ciders, and napped on the sand. Then back to the hotel for more showers, and then out to dinner at this great Thai place. Shade and Cheers were very sweet and treated me to dinner for my upcoming birthday, and we discussed life lessons and the passage of time. Then we headed home, enjoying the gorgeous sunset. Back at the hotel, we did face masks and I attempted to repair my broken glasses a little more permanently (my regular glasses broke about a week ago and were holding on by duct tape, and my sunglasses broke yesterday. Big rip to me and my vision). Then we said goodnight and headed to bed! Overall, an incredibly satisfying zero day!