Wild Morning

6:52 AM

Okay—new attempt, new chances to make this day great. I slept well, but I feel very alone. In the twilight I pack all my gear and start walking.

I nearly jump out of my skin when something big next to me snaps all the branches. A terrible crashing sound of breaking wood charges up the mountain. I need a moment to recover, I think. “Hey bear, hey bear,” I call out to make my presence known. I shouldn’t be moving so quietly through this deathly silent forest. More banging with my trekking poles and really swinging my pack through the bushes.

7:08 AM

Well, that was an interesting forest! I think I saw five large bears running away, three red deer, and ten young deer. There was also a lot of noise in the bushes from big animals running off, but I couldn’t see exactly what it was. This bodes something for California; I’ve never seen such a massive presence of wildlife in the other states.

9:01 AM

10:30 AM

It’s hot—or rather, brutally hot. My Garmin shows 38 degrees, and I try to cover myself with clothing so I don’t get roasted alive. Water is genuinely scarce now, and I’m drinking like crazy just to survive the heat.

12:11 PM

The views are breathtakingly beautiful, but with this heat I can’t stop moving. I have to keep going, hopping from tree to tree to find a bit of shade.

Another pass to cross at 2,200 meters. Jeez, it’s hot 🥵 and heavy going. I switch to salt water, otherwise I really won’t make it.

1:36 PM

3:04 PM

3:38 PM

Alright, I finally made it to the top. Unfortunately, after that you also have to go down again. The PCT runs through Seiad Valley, a tiny place with an RV campground, gas station, and a small store. I can already see it in the distance. It sits at 419 meters, while I’m at 2,200 meters 😮‍💨. That’s going to be a brutal descent.

3:45 PM

4:15 PM

4:44 PM

This was truly an absurd descent. Steep downhill with nothing but switchbacks and no water. The lower I get, the hotter it becomes.

In the last two kilometers I spot a concrete basin with water. Well 🤔—filter in and start filtering. I lie down next to the tank and drink like crazy.

So… what now? You still have two kilometers to the road and then more walking to reach the village. Dragging yourself back up again—it feels like a scene from the movie Wild, forcing yourself to keep going.

Even the asphalt looks like it’s melting 🤣.

5:59 PM

First I walk past the RV campground and see that it’s still quite a walk to the store. Not happening today. I head into the campground, which is filled only with big RVs.

Someone tells me to go to the camper with the purple awning and knock there. Okay—because I honestly have no idea where to go 🤣.

A woman comes outside:
“Finally, a hiker! Do you want to shower?” Yes please—10 dollars.
“Do you want to do laundry?” Yes—8 dollars.
“Do you want food?” Yep, I want everything 🤣—11 dollars.

A man makes a double hamburger for me while I pitch my little tent. I wonder where everyone is. Normally there are 40 hikers a day, the man says, but now only one or two. “That’s because of a wildfire.”
“But that was extinguished two weeks ago?” I ask.
“Yes, but everyone is still going around it.”

I get a big watermelon and an extra hamburger. In the background I hear him tell his wife that I look extremely hungry 🤣.

9:56 PM

I put on my rain gear, but quickly realize it’s way too hot, so only the rain pants stay on. I throw everything into the washing machine and take a shower. Luckily I get shampoo, soap, and a towel, because I really wouldn’t want to carry those around. Everything goes into the dryer and I wait by the power outlet until all my devices are charged.

At the campground 🎶🎼

Total: 37.90 km in 13:09 hours
742 m up · 2,094 m down