A Quiet Morning into High Ground

6:26 AM

The weather is beautiful and it’s completely silent. Gently I pack up my things, eat a sandwich at the picnic table, and then quietly slip away.

7:36 AM

I walk through a huge burned area that originated five years ago. There is said to have been a small village that was completely wiped out, but the lodge where I slept last night is still intact. 🤔

8:47 AM

Today I have to climb to 2,100 m to hike around Mount Jefferson.

I’ve got a good pace, the weather is great—it couldn’t be better. Then suddenly I get a signal on my phone. A quick call home. They’re in the middle of a move; Tho is moving out and has found their own apartment. I’m nicely spared the lifting, because the apartment is on the third floor. Sorry 🥴.

9:22 AM

10:07 AM

10:26 AM

They’ll come, as long as you have patience.

10:37 AM

10:53 AM

Slowly the landscape changes into a moonscape: large chunks of rock, rubble, dust, and loose stones. The final meters are the hardest.

10:55 AM

But once you’re at the top, you have a magnificent view of the area you came from and where you’re heading next. For me, this is of course the perfect spot to have lunch and enjoy the vistas.

11:40 AM

11:49 AM

12:48 PM

Look, a crop circle in the water 🤣

Checkpoint? Two rangers are sitting at the junction.
“How are you doing?”
“Very well, thanks, and you?”
“We need to check your permit, so can you show us your permit?”
“Sure, why not.”

That weirdo proceeds to read the entire permit, even though everyone has the same piece of paper and only the date and name at the top are different. Well, it’s fine—I’m allowed to continue 🤤🤭 and the ranger moves on to the next person who has just arrived.

1:59 PM

I had been warned that there would be another slippery river, but when I arrived, I was fortunately able to hop across using stones.

7:49 PM

I decide to also take on the next mountain right away, so I won’t have to do it tomorrow. It would be annoying to get really tired right at the very end, so grit my teeth and push through.

This is the last spot just before the summit. If you want to go further and camp there, you need a special permit. Better not take that risk.

Total: 37.39 km in 12:11 hours
1,300 m ascent
1,064 m descent