One Last Time

7:16 AM

For you, Pat 🌹

7:22 AM

Brr 🥶—it was two degrees last night, but this time I was well prepared. Alpaca vest on, all hats on, legs inside my down jacket, and buried deep under the quilt. It was surprisingly warm—maybe even a bit too warm 🤣.

The more kilometers I walk today, the fewer I have to do tomorrow. So pack up quickly and head into the cold!

7:42 AM

The sun is slowly breaking through, but it’s a struggle. I still have to wear my wind pants and wind jacket; otherwise it’s just a bit too cold.

8:17 AM

Hard to see—or rather, it’s just poorly visible—but this should be the path to the water source. I’ll skip it for now. It doesn’t seem wise to stash my filter already when I still have two full days to walk.

9:21 AM

Warming up in the sun 🌞. Perfect hiking weather: just a bit too cold in the shade, but lovely in the sun.

12:25 PM

3:03 PM

I’d been wondering when Mount Shasta would show up, and then I looked to the side and—hey 👋—there it is! 🥳 Mount Shasta is an impressive, snow-covered stratovolcano and, at 4,322 meters, one of the highest mountains in California. The PCT passes by the mountain, but my journey stops there. Interstate 5 runs past Mount Shasta, and that’s still 50 kilometers away.

3:30 PM

5:12 PM

Found a nice water source. This will be tonight’s and tomorrow morning’s water, because the next source isn’t for another 25 km.

6:43 PM

Pff, that still turned into quite a push. The sun is already setting and I still have to do everything. Oh well—then it’ll be in the dark.

It’s silent and deserted. One last time pitching the tent. One last time preparing a freeze-dried meal. One last time inflating the pad and one last time hiding the bear canister. Everything one last time—and then it’s over 😮‍💨.

Total: 44.06 km in 11:57
804 m up · 686 m down