Monday 24 July 2017

Day 57 July 21, 2017

Daily mileage 18
Total mileage 981
Hiked from 5:15 am to 2:30 pm



A day of average hiking ending in luxury.

I had a much better hiking day today. Unlike yesterday, my legs felt up for the task at hand. And that task was to get me to the Drakesburg Guest Ranch in time for PCT dinner service, which happens as soon as the actual guests who paid boatloads of money to be here have dined.

The morning started out in a select cut logging area. The terrain was very gentle, as it was for most of the day. No climbs greater than 1000 feet. Jeez, now that I write all this down, it really was an easy day.

Part way through the morning I crossed a gravel road and lookie there. There is a cooler full of all the goodies us hikers crave. And just down the trail a bit is a sign inviting PCT hikers to a taco and beer feed at 4 pm. Too bad it was still mid-morning!

Some great hiking

Coolers at trailside are always good news

I got all excited at the prospect of an afternoon lake swim when I saw that the trail went directly past Little Willow Lake. Well that may have been a lake eons ago, but it is a meadow now. Bummer.

Mt Lassen getting very close

Little Willow "Lake"

Not directly on the trail but close enough to explore were Terminal Geyser (more like a steam vent if you were to ask me) and Boiling Springs Lake which was very impressive.

Terminal Geyser

Boiling Springs Lake

And then I was at Drakesnerg. I had run into a couple of PCT ladies earlier in the day who said the dinner was not worth it at $17 per person. What they did not mention was that fee also included a shower and the use of the pool. I accidentally used the guests shower instead of the outdoor PCT version. That in itself was worth $17! I am currently sitting poolside awaiting my dinner seating. And I am camped about 10 minutes away at a car campground with picnic tables. This really is Gucci.

My view this afternoon

The shower I used

The shower I was supposed to use

Dinner was a three course affair and really quite good. The only other PCT hikers there were a mother and daughter team from Chester, Ca. I had a nice chat with them and then it was bedtime.

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