June 29th
Chester/Chico Mile 1335

Most of NorCal is either a ridge walk or under tree cover. Some people find this section boring, but it’s quite peaceful. Apparently there are also a lot of mountain lions here… we can’t see them but they can certainly see us. There is still quite a bit of climbing as we go from the top of one ridge to a creek thousands of feet below and then to the top of the next ridge. Four days ago we had a 30 mile day with 8300 feet of climbing! More than my Mt. Whitney and Forester pass day!

There’s also quite a few town stops in NorCal. Sierra City, Bucks Lake, Belden, Chester (where I hitched from to get to Chico) all within a day or two of each other. Needless to say, I’m staying well fed.

We went to TWO trail angel houses, back to back. Two days out of Sierra City we find ourselves on Nancy William’s deck. We arrive after a short 14 mile day at 12:45 and she makes us cheeseburgers, gives us beer, s’mores, lasagna for dinner, huge breakfast. It felt like summer vacation. Not a worry in the world.

After that we do 25 miles to Belden where we stay at the Braatens in Little Haven where we all piled into the hiker cabin and pass out at 9. It’s been an easy week, that’s for sure.

We also hit the halfway marker in a little over two months. A bittersweet moment, so much has happened in two months, but I feel like we’re just starting.

NorCal ridge walking.

NorCal creek walking, we’ll drop 2500 feet to a creek, then climb up another 2500 feet to the next ridge.

Hitching into town.

The descent into Belden.

The halfway monument!

Caitlin reacting to trail hygiene stories. She came up to visit in Chico where we went to the Sierra Nevada brewery. Trail life, not so rough after all!

andrew batjiaka

pacifc crest trail 2014

pct