Ashland

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Ashland
July 15

Shasta to Etna:
July 5
On my hitch out of Shasta, California Highway Patrol pulls up next to me. Uh oh, I think – I’m an upstanding citizen! “Yeah, if you could just stand over by that blue sign over there, just can’t have you on the on ramp.” Whew, thanks CHP! Once out of town, I camp right underneath Castle Crags. Awesome.

This section goes through the Trinity Alps and the Russian Wilderness, part of NorCal that really seems like the Sierra. It gets cooler the higher I climb, and I’m relieved on ascents, I want them to last forever. Take me back to those below freezing nights!

I ran into Coughee in this section. He just got out of the hospital for giardia… 40 visits to the bathroom in one day. I start to take my aquamira treatment a bit more seriously.

At Etna summit, I’m surprised by D-Flem and his RV. So happy to see a familiar face! In three more days I’ll be in Happy Camp to do some whitewater on the Klamath! Etna has everything a thru-hiker needs: grocery, brewery, hostel.

Etna to Seiad Valley:
July 9th
I get a ride back to the trailhead from one of the owners of the hostel. On the way up, it starts raining. At the summit, we see flashes of lightning to the south. The storm is moving north, but we have 3 miles of ridge walking before we can descend to a safer area. Nothing like outrunning a thunder storm on an exposed ridge to get the adrenaline going. By the time we start descending, most of the storm has dissipated and I rest easy.

July 10th
I see Dirtmonger and Bearclaw first thing in the morning. A bear came up to their campsite the night before. They’ve seen several and I’m jealous I haven’t seen a single one on the entire PCT. Bearclaw says I’ll see one today… sure enough two hours later I turn around and see one CRASHING down the hillside and across the trail about 100 feet behind me. Awesome, thanks for the foresight Bearclaw!

July 11th
More thunder storms and I’m arriving into Seiad Valley today. The lightning sets off a forest fire or two and there’s quite a bit of helicopter activity around. While walking through the Grider creek drainage, I turn a bend and see another bear. This time, I don’t see it until I’m about 10 feet away. I could have touched him, but he hasn’t seen me yet. I back up swiftly and yell, “HEY!” He CRASHES down the hill side, doesn’t even look up to see me. What is it with you bears?

By 5:30 I’m walking down to the put-in at Ferry Point on the Klamath. Why hello Sunrise Rafting crew. Long story short, Sunrise Rafting (thanks Bryce, Keith, D-Flem, and Gina for delaying my arrival to Canada!) and the EdTec crew kept me busy for a few days on the Klamath. Whitewater, Ukonom falls, dragons tooth, river mochas, flip cup, and bottomless margaritas. Not bad at all.

By the 14th I’ve crossed into Oregon. California… that was pretty cool.

I’m currently sitting in the Ashland Hostel. I bought all of my resupply for Oregon which I’ll send out tomorrow. Still hot! Crater Lake next!

Lassen National Park.