Mile 1351.8 to 1368.8 – 17 miles total hiked on PCT

While the previous two days were very short 10 mile days, this would be a very long day: 15 to 16 miles.

That’s how far I would need to go to get out of Lassen National Park.

I got a little color to get start the day.

And then I started climbing up the hill. Unfortunately, the initial climb from the campground was a somewhat steep 700 foot climb. After a descent about half of that elevation, there was another climb, but it was much more gradual.

Like a fast moving creek inside one of the few pockets of green that morning.

And some Meadows along the way.

In the middle of the day, I came upon lower twin Lake. Definitely a nice change of pace compared to the burned forests.

And of course, I had to jump in and do a little swimming and relaxing. Wasn’t terribly hot, but it was still nice to get in the water and cool down.

After the lake, the terrain was mostly flat without any wild climbs or descents. That was a nice change of pace.

It was also nice that the trail was in pretty good condition and there were only a few trees to maneuver up, over, or around.

Just as if it knew that I was missing it, Mount Lassen peaked out behind the hills around me.

Once I crossed over the national Park boundary, the landscape started to change and the trail descended downward into a canyon.

At this point, I was basically on the lookout for a good place to camp. The information in the FarOut app didn’t indicate anything was likely for the next mile or mile and a half.

But it doesn’t doesn’t hurt to look.

This burned remnant of a tree amazes me at how it was still standing like that. You think the wind or something would’ve knocked it over by now.

But there stood as if taunting the fire by remaining upright.

I emerged out of the burnt forest and looked around eagerly for some kind of clearing, flat space, or clue as to where a campsite might be.

Sadly, I did not find anything up along the ridge. Even after doing some bushwhacking.

Reluctantly, I sent it down into the canyon and valley below me.

I did find some camp lights sprinkled it in among some live trees (It is usually not good to camp underneath dead trees because they could fall or their branches could fall and kill you-they called those branches widow-makers).

I finally settled on a campsite that also happened to have a nice view of Mount Lassen.

Keep looking it’s there. 😄

I made sure my tent had a great view of Mount Lassen.

See? There it is right there.

I was surprised that I managed to do 17 miles this day. There’s been a couple other days that I did that much, but that has been the exception to rule.

And then I settled in for the night watching the sun go down, and the light cast against Mount Lassen.



But my day was not over.

As I was preparing to go to sleep, I saw a shadow outside my tent. And heard some footsteps.

Four footsteps.

It was just a shadow, but I think I just saw my first bear in the wilderness.

Hopefully, that’s all the interaction I would have with the bear that night and they

Re will be a PCT day 122 entry.

7 backpackers. 3 day hikers. Getting busy on the trail again.