July 16

1484-1504

Our level of fitness has become remarkable. In the morning we have a 2500 foot climb without water for 10 miles that feels like nothing. Our legs churn up inclines with the methodical progress of a cog train. It is cool to see how the stressors of the trail have made us strong.

I’ve been thinking about the nature of thruhiking quite a lot lately. In truth, it is an exercise in escapism. Escapism disguised with an arbitrary goal. Out here our home lives feel static and frozen in time. The focus on food, water, pace, miles to camp all act as blinders to the outside world. Our sensory experience of being hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, or tired, is so uniquely intense that there is little room for much else. In truth, everything else moves on as we are out here. The problems we left back home will be waiting for us when we return, and some may be magnified from months of inattention. For now we have our little mission to focus on- hike to Canada. Until then the effort of the trail has a way of Erasing worries, like the blood from a cut under running water. It is still there, just hidden.

After our early climb we pass the 1500 mile mark before beginning a long descent to I-5, another manmade Mexico to Canada pathway. With its less meandering route, it takes I-5 1,380 miles to cross the continent. The PCT takes 2663 miles.

We get great views of Mt Shasta and Castle Crags on our descent. With its sharp pinnacles and cliffs, Castle Crags looks like the stone fortress of a villain from a Superman comic book. We cross I-5 and go into the small community of Mt. Shasta, California.

Unfortunately the 15,000 acre Shelley Fire continues to rage ahead of us and the next section of trail remains closed.

This unfortunately is a very common occurrence along this trail every year. A history of poor forest management, extended droughts, and increasing frequency of heat waves have made it very rare to be able to make it through the entire trail without encountering a closure. We were reminded of this while walking through hundreds of miles of burn scars, but we still hoped we would be able to avoid this. In town we arrange a ride up to Seiad Valley, the closest community beyond the fire closure, and then eat and gather some new gear for our next stretch. We share a hotel room with Papa bear who will be joining us on the shuttle.