June 2024
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PCT 2024: McKinney Fire pt 1
June 19-22; Mile 1600-1650 Day 9 Kevin, Carie, and I enjoyed a relaxed breakfast at Trinity Lake before packing up and driving 90 minutes along narrow, winding roads to the little town of Etna. We arrived in the middle of a power outage, but thankfully the distillery was still serving pizzas from their oven. We had a pleasant meal, a quick stop at the local museum to hear stories from the 93-year old docent, and then I stopped at the library to charge some electronics and connect to the wifi. Kevin and Carie returned
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PCT 2024: Dixie Fire pt 2
June 15-18; Mile 1277-1332 Day 5 The day started out with wide-open views and chilly morning air. But then it was a long slog dropping almost 5000’ down down down to Belden. Parts of the trail were overgrown, and with three miles still to go, the undergrowth started to include poison oak in the mix. I did my best to dodge the clusters of three, but as soon as I reached Belden I washed off my legs with soap and water in the restaurant bathroom. Tomorrow I’d face the same slope – but instead
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PCT 2024: Dixie Fire pt 1
June 12-14; Mile 1235-1277 Day 2 After spending the night in Reno, riding three buses to Quincy, catching a ride from two local trail angels (including turning back when the other hiker in the car forgot her shoes) – finally, finally I was back on the PCT just after 5pm. I was entering the Dixie burn scar, a section that had technically been open in 2022, but which I had skipped much of for several reasons. Based on the notes I had about different camping options away from dead trees –
