Day 63 July 27, 2017

Daily mileage 27
Total miles 1121
Hiked from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm

If it were not for a bear, today would have been boring.

Got going at first light this morning which is now 15 minutes later than it was a month ago. Arg things are changing on my hike!

I had a very long (like 11 miles) of gentle downhill to start the day. About 3 miles in I was humping along with my head in the clouds when up pops a bear from the rather steep sidehill. Where he intersected the hill was no more than 20 feet from me yet he clearly had not seen me. So I clanked my poles together to let him know he had company. He scampered up the high side of the trail, bit only about 15 feet. Then he planted one paw on a log (his back feet were on the ground) and lifted his other front paw in the air. Now he could ha've been saying "Howdy there hiker" or he could have been saying "Look at how sharp these claws are". I scooted past without slowing to take a pic.

The rest of the downhill was long and boring. Just as I was to start a 1600 foot uphill, I caught up with another hiker. We fell into pace and conversation and soon the hill was done.

Hiking in the green tunnel

Squaw River

Actually in chatting with him, it further confirmed my decision to not go further into the Sierra. He got his trail name of Life Saver because he went into a swollen stream to rescue another hiker who could have been swept away.

Now I am camped on a ridge about 14 trail miles from the I5. I will go into a small town called Dunsmuir to resupply and to pick up my new pack.

Ever present Shasta

Home for the night