PCT Inspiration

Suddenly Timmy started barking. We looked up and there it was, maybe 30 m away down by the creek, a bear!

Susi and I had just sat down on a fallen tree at the side of the trail and were munching on trailmix. We were on the Pacific Crest Trail (or PCT) in Northern California near the Castle Crags State Park, where we had been camping. It seemed as if the bear did not notice us until Timmy had started barking. We stood up, Timmy hid behind us (he was never one of the bravest) and after a few seconds the bear retreated into the woods.

This was our first time on a section of the PCT, almost 15 years ago. We found it fascinating that there was a trail where one could walk all the way between Canada and Mexico. Since then we have walked shorter sections of the PCT, mostly in the California Sierras. The last longer stretch was a ten day trip on the John Muir trail section between Red's Meadow and Bishop. It was so beautiful. On the drive up to the hike we had picked up a PCT hiker, Heather "Two Feathers". She was resupplying near Sonora Pass and we listened fascinated as she told us about her trip so far. I was jealous.

I was making plans for us to hike more of the PCT in sections as we had time when it became clear that I would be out of a job by end of August and would finally have a longer stretch of time available before looking for a new job. This was awesome. Unfortunately it was also the beginning of the school year, and Susi had just signed on as a Speech Pathologist at a local school. Not so good, we always hiked together. Would I even like being alone for so long?

Early in the year we had already planned a Labor Day weekend trip to the Desolation Wilderness near Tahoe. The trail touches on the PCT, so this would be the start of my hike. It would be around the time when the people hiking the PCT southbound were passing through that area. I would have a chance to get over the high Sierras and Forester Pass before it gets too cold and the risk of snow is too high.

So that's my plan, starting at Meek's Bay on the Labor Day weekend and arriving at Campo sometime in November.

I'll see how it goes...