Wednesday, June 29 Independence I sleep 12 hours and it’s not enough. I drag myself to Mt. Williamson Motel’s lovely breakfast at 8am. Owner Jim fixes a scrumptious yet simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, AYCE english muffins, homemade jam and coffee. I haven’t had coffee in weeks and it’s not long before I’m jittery … More Public Transportation Becomes My New Best Friend

Start: Kearsarge Trail Stop: Independence 6 miles 700 ft. up, 2500 ft. down As the first light brightens the sky, I breath a sigh of relief. No humans or bears were harmed in last nights series of events. I get up around 5am and take a gigantic post-adrenaline dump before crawling back to into my … More Grateful For Dawn

Start: Tyndall Creek, PCT mile 775 Stop: Kearsarge Pass Trail 16 miles 3836 ft. up, 3679 ft. down I’m up early enough that I can eat breakfast before leaving camp. And then the climb to Forester Pass starts. I chat with Puppy part of the way up. It’s a 2200 ft., 5 mile climb which … More When A Bear Laughs In My Face For Being A Stupid Human

Start: Rock Creek, PCT mile 760 Stop: Tyndall Creek, PCT mile 775 14.25 miles 3679 ft. up, 2232 ft. down It’s a slow climb out of Rock Creek canyon. I huff and puff, trying to dislodge the altitude brick that rests squarely on my chest. I’m grateful no one is around to see how often … More Bighorn Plateau

Start: Horseshoe Meadow Stop: Rock Creek, PCT mile 760 14 miles 2000 ft. up, 2327 ft. down A girl roles into the hostel dorm about 11pm and climbs into the creaking bunk above me. At 1am the other bottom bunk girl roles in. At 2am the girl above me climbs from her bunk, turns the … More 110 MPH and High Sierra Euphoria

Start: Bakersfield Stop: Lone Pine Plan B. There’s a devastating fire storm in the Lake Isabella area with at least 90 structures lost so far. Hwy 178 is closed so I must detour farther south. Luckily there is a bus that leaves Bakersfield and goes through Tehachapi and Mojave. Hwy 395 is also closed north … More When Fire Storms Erupt

I’m awake early and Yazhi lazes on my chest. I think he knows. I don my familiar hiking clothes, dump my pack and resupply box in the car. My mom clutches the oh shit handle as we bounce down the rough road into town. Amtrak bus departure is 40 minutes late but I get a … More How Do You Make Antifreeze?

Spring is in the air. The black-headed grosbeaks, acorn woodpeckers, and hummingbirds are just returning. Madrone blossoms rain down, looking like patches of snow. Allergy goo flows from the nose. The newborn black-tailed fawns prance through the front yard following their cautious mother. The garden weeds are joyfully excommunicated. Evasive maneuvers are used dodging the numerous … More 2016 PCT Section Hiker Gear List