Day 91 – 21 Jun 19. Back on Trail Through the Lakes
Today 12.6 km (7.8 mi), Total Distance 1766.7 km (1097.8 mi) 4 hours 25 minutes (1400-1825)
I enjoyed a nice sleep in before getting stuck into editing the last of my videos and posting my blogs. I was so short of time that once again there are no photos for the blogs, just the link to the videos.
While I was doing this Daniel continued to feed me excellent food with a lovely oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, watermelon snacks and a yummy burrito for lunch.
I was finally finished just before 1300 hours and Daniel drove me to the edge of town where I would be able to get a hitch back up to the trail.
After 15 minutes I was beginning to think this would not be as easy as I expected when a lady picked me up. She was an Uber/Lyft driver and was on her way to a pick up. She dropped me off half way up the hill and fortunately the next pickup truck stopped and picked me up. John had walked many of the local trails including some of the PCT here. He was lovely and when I didn’t stop him in time to get to the turnoff he turned around and took me back to the carpark.
I touched the plaque and was back on trail. It was a lovely day and the trail was very pretty going through the pine forest with lovely clear dirt trail. The trail paralleled the road for around a mile before crossing over and heading up the hill and down too Echo Lake.
There was a large carpark and then I dropped down to the marina. There was a shop so I enjoyed an ice cream before getting back on trail.
The trail went beside the lake on a concrete path until it crossed the spillway then was back on a lovely trail that went along above the lake.
There were heaps of day walkers and some stopped to chat about the trail. The trail itself was in great condition, a little rocky and alternated between stone areas, rocky trail and dirt trail through trees. It was so pretty looking out over the lake. There were canoes, kayaks and motor boats all over the lake. There were also some lovely cabins along the lake edge.
At the head of the lake the trail curved around a hill to go beside the next pretty lake. Three hikers who looked like PCT hikers were heading the other way. They said hello and then after checking out my gear said “happy trails”, having recognised I was a thru hiker.
I passed a sign saying “Taxi” which is where the water taxi stops. One past the lake the trail started climbing.
Sitting on a log having a break was another PCT hiker. Rapter had been off trail 18 months and was finishing the final section he had not completed.
I left him and continued to climb. A trail runner was coming down the hill and warned me that he had seen fresh bear tracks. Maybe I would finally see a bear.
As I got higher the snow started and eventually I was back to full snow. I came across a father and two young boys who asked me what time the water taxi finished. I said I thought it was already stopped and he looked devastated. I guess the boys were starting to get tired.
There were heaps of tracks in the snow so I was enjoying being on a well trampled path through the snow.
I caught up to two men who were heading to Gilmore Lake and then over Dicks Pass. We all were looking at a large set of bear tracks. I had planned on camping but decided to push on a bit further before camping.
I continued following the tracks in the snow and then found a patch of clear ground that would fit my tent. I strung my bear bag line only needing three attempts this time to get my rock bag over the branch. As I was doing this the two men passed, having decided to camp by the lake in another mile or so. I had diner, strung up my bear bag and went to bed.
Just after 1900 two girls passed. They looked like thru hikers but passed the tent without looking my way so I was not able to confirm.
I was happy to be back on trail. I had good energy and felt mentally and physically refreshed from my wonderful break in South Lake Tahoe.
Visits: 386