8/1 – Day 104
28.4 miles from Dispersed Campsite to Grouse Hill Camp
An easy morning took us through a mild burn area for the first five miles of the day. The next five were back within the mossy trees. Then, we passed a sign marking the southern boundary of Crater Lake National Park. At length, we popped out of the forest onto the park byway.
We followed the road for a short while to Mazama Village. We were one of the first tables to be seated at Annie Creek Restaurant, but the burger I ate was mediocre. There was a camping store that most hikers had to choose between shipping a package or relying on the small selection of snacks and ramen for resupply. Fortunately for us, we only had to top off our candy supply for one day, when we were planning to meet our parents and could resupply with their help. As we were leaving, Otis and Uncle pulled up in a rental car to say goodbye. Uncle was getting off trail and on her way to the airport.
We took the Annie Creek Trail back to the PCT, but only followed it for a short while before turning off. Perhaps the most popular alternate route along the entire PCT is the Rim Trail and we were thrilled for the upcoming hike. A two mile climb brought us to the south rim of Crater Lake.
Yet another gift shop awaited us at the visitor’s center, but we only stopped by to fill up water and, of course, see the deepest lake in the United States.
The caldera formed only 7,700 years ago in the aftermath of Mount Mazama blowing its top off. The lake was a marvel of geological change. There was only a single island on the water, named Wizard Island. We did not see the wizard, but I look forward to the day he battles the Marmot King for PCT supremacy.
Nearly every step of the Rim Trail was stunning, world-class backpacking scenery. The trail remained faithful to the edge of the cliffs as it worked its way along the western rim, hundreds of feet above the cerulean water. An afternoon thunderstorm rolled in for the fourth consecutive day and cast a dark shadow over the bowl.
After teasing precipitation throughout the day, the skies finally unleashed. The rain was frozen into chickpea-sized pellets. At first it was cool, then it was a bit painful. We ducked for cover under a stand of firs and let the hailstorm run its course.
When it eventually stopped hailing (on the first day of August), we resumed our hike. The ominous sky made a surreal backdrop to the final few miles along the Rim Trail. We took a nice long break next to the Devil’s Backbone, a jagged outcropping over the lake that I could not resist climbing.
One more serving of rain forced us to move along. The trail turned away from the lake towards Grouse Hill Camp, where we settled for the night.
8/2 – Day 105
8.5 miles from Grouse Hill Camp to Highway 138 (Dawson House Lodge, Chemult, OR)
The next nine miles were quite possibly the easiest of the whole trail. They were easier, even, than walking on a track. There was a slight downhill grade and the terrain was soft dirt, padded with pine needles. It took us three hours on the nose to reach Highway 138.
It was a special day since we were meeting my parents who flew all the way across the country to see us! They adopted honorary trail names for their time in Oregon. My dad would be “Weatherman”, since he checked the weather constantly, to the point of obsession. My mom was “Mama Bear”, since she felt protective of her cubs.
They scooped us up from the road crossing and we drove back towards Crater Lake. We spent the afternoon doing a bit of sightseeing along the rim. Swarms of beautiful butterflies, called California Tortoiseshell, fluttered around, adding a whimsical element to the already incredible scenery.
Afterwards, we drove to the Cleetwood Cove Trail. A fairly steep mile down the switchbacks brought us right to the water’s edge. Spout and I took a dip in the crystal clear lake. Right on cue, an afternoon thunderstorm dispensed a sprinkling of rain to scare the crowds away.
After one more stop at the Visitor’s Center, we headed towards Chemult, OR. This town was essentially just a trucking rest stop, but was close enough to Crater Lake to catch the tourists. We stayed at the Dawson House Lodge, a historic 1929 inn. Chores came first, then dinner at Ponderosa Public House. I thought the food was delicious, especially the honey barbecue wings and the salad croutons that were strangely irresistible.
We had ice cream for dessert at the local c-store and spent the rest of the evening on the balcony of the hotel, catching up with the parents. Love them.
8/3 – Day 106
32.8 miles from Highway 138 to That Lake Over There
In two days, we needed to end our hike at a road so we could meet up with Tyler. This left us with two options: double zero or hike 60 miles to Shelter Cove. We chose the latter. The biggest downside was a hurried morning leaving Chemult. Weatherman drove us back to the trailhead in time for us to get started hiking at 7:00am.
When we have hiked 30 miles or more previously, it was rarely planned and rather just happens. Knowing in advance that we would be walking from 7:00am to 9:00pm with little room for breaks was strange, but our bodies were up for the endeavor. We knocked out the first 16 miles without stopping, except to filter water at the base of Mt. Thielsen.
Beyond this point, we entered the land of the bountiful mosquito. The worst bugs we have yet experienced had us constantly smacking our arms, literally begging at points for rain, wind, dragonflies, or some form of divine intervention to make the winged demons lose interest. The mosquitos enjoyed a feast that put even our most glutinous McDonald’s mukbangs to shame.
The miles fell like bodies of our flying foes, covering twenty big ones by 2:30pm. Podcasts helped us pass the time until it was time for a mac & cheese dinner. Little did we know, we stopped just two miles shy of trail magic at Windigo Pass. A couple was grilling burgers and hot dogs, drawing the company of handful of hikers. It was a wonderful sight for sore eyes and a blessing for our battered legs, now with 30 miles beneath them.
While we originally had more ambitious plans, the barbeque vortex tampered our expectations. However, we still continued on another 2.5 miles, just barely cracking a new longest day of hiking on the PCT.
8/4 – Day 107
27.3 miles from That Lake Over There to Willamette Pass (Willamette Pass Lodge)
I felt especially fatigued in the morning, perhaps a minor illness or something. The mole hills we climbed over felt more like mountains. The mosquitos were absolutely ravenous, attaching to our clothes as we hiked, biting, then sucking our blood.
The trail took us through the Diamond Peak Wilderness, featuring a climb to the brim of the jagged mountain and even a few patches of snow still lingering at 7,000′. A reward near the apex was the ice cold water from Mountain Creek.
After the descent, we passed several lakes and some stagnant ponds. Oregon has been such a pleasant blend of flat, easy trail, pristine lakes, mossy forest, and prominent peaks. It might otherwise be my favorite section yet, if it was not for the buggers.
We made fairly decent time as we hiked. We pushed to reach the road as early as we could comfortably manage. We came upon a spectacular view of Odell Lake right before we arrived at Willamette Pass. Here, our beloved support crew pulled up.
Tyler just arrived at the Eugene airport a few hours ago and was waiting with my parents. A whirlwind travel day had him arriving later than anticipated, but even worse was that his checked backpack full of all of the gear he planned for the two day hike was stuck in Dallas. He had to buy a full load out of new gear at REI, earning him the trail name, Baggage Claim.
We ate family dinner at Manley’s Tavern. Central Oregon is known for broasted chicken, made by deep frying chicken under pressure. Afterwards, we checked in to the Willamette Pass Lodge. The room had a rustic feel and offered a King Arthur-esque challenge to those hoping to bathe. It was great to spend the night with the family, but Spout and I conked out early.
8/5 – Day 108
25.3 miles from Willamette Pass to Brahma Lake
Outfitted in brand new equipment, Tyler was ready to go. Outfitted in disgusting, tattered equipment, Spout and I were ready to go. Even Mom and Dad were up for a short hike once we made it back to Willamette Pass around 7:45am. After walking with us a half mile, my parents were proud to say that they have now hiked the entire width of the AT and the PCT.
The three of us continued on once we said goodbye to Spout’s in-laws. The first highlights of the day were Lower, Middle, and Upper Rosary Lakes, three beautiful ponds beneath Maiden Peak. There were two modest climbs in the morning, the first bringing us to an overlook of the rosaries, the next marked a great spot for lunch. Tyler was more than capable of keeping pace with us, even as we approached twenty miles on the day past Charlton Lake.
There was a 5 mile burn section that was so decimated there were hardly any dead trees left standing. The upside was that wind rushed across the barren landscape, scaring away the mosquitos. There was also an epic view of South and Middle Sister that was only visible due to the lack of trees.
We reached Taylor Lake, then Irish Lake, then entered the Three Sisters Wilderness. We realized that the reason there were no bugs in the previous section was that they were all gathering at Brahma Lake for a highschool reunion. Our attendance was mandatory, which was fine considering the lake was perhaps the most beautiful of the day.
We setup our tents right on the shoreline. Major props to Tyler; he managed to hang with us for 25 miles, starting cold.
8/6 – Day 109
19.4 miles from Brahma Lake to Elk Lake Trailhead (Bend, OR)
The mosquitos said, “good morning”, to us as the sun rose. They were so excited, they could hardly wait! The pesky bugs were perched on the mesh of our tent before we even had a chance. The morning tear down time was a bit longer than usual considering the three person queue to use the trowel. Tyler also had to filter four liters of water in an attempt to rehydrate, but the filter flow rate was reduced to a trickle after a week of processing pond water.
The three of us were moving shortly after 7:00am. Passing in the opposite direction throughout the morning was an occasional southbound thru-hiker, now finally frequent enough to make note of. The trail offered endless lakes and ponds today.
Tyler admitted that the high mileage caught up to him as the day progressed. It took Spout and me three weeks of regular hiking before we attempted to go as far as he did yesterday. The terrain that our bodies have been conditioned to chew up and spit out was still a rugged mountain trail and walking 50,000 steps in a day is considerably unnatural.
Despite this, we walked together at pretty much our standard pace. Stormy Lake, Desane Lake, South Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Island Lake were a few of the highlights hidden among the coniferous forest. Eventually, we sauntered onto a peninsula of Dumbbell Lake for lunch after putting fifteen miles behind us.
A final push brought us to a trail junction leading to Elk Lake Resort. This left one more off-trail mile to hike, but exposed a beautiful view of Mt. Bachelor. My parents intercepted us at the trailhead at 4:00pm. Crutches were not necessary after all.
The reward for finishing as early as we did was a relaxing evening in the city of Bend, OR. After showers, we went to Deschutes Brewery for some hard-earned beer flights. We ate dessert with miniature spoons at Bonta Gelato. Then, we spent the night soaking our battered bones in the hot tub of our AirBnB.
8/7 – Day 110
0 miles in Bend, OR
Today was our first zero day since South Lake Tahoe, 38 days and some 860 miles ago. My parents made a delicious, hearty breakfast to start the day off right. Spout and I walked downtown to Lone Pine Coffee, then stumbled upon a cute book store and cafe with a book selection that seemed to be catered to our tastes. We decided to get our chores out the way while we had access to a car, stopping at REI and Market of Choice to resupply.
We rode with the family to the top of Pilot Butte. From below, it looked like an unimpressive hill, but it was actually an extinct cinder cone with an expansive, 360 view of the city of Bend and several volcanoes.
The real highlight of the day, however, was our next stop at the last Blockbuster in the world. It was a complete nostalgia trip. Plastered above the VHS rental section was a dying request to any 90s kid who would listen, “Be Kind, Rewind”.
Bend is home to over 30 breweries, but we only had time for a few. Crux Fermentation Project offered Spout and me free beers for being PCT hikers. Ale Apothecary brewed some of the most sophisticated sours I have ever tasted. Bend Brewing Company had a gorgeous venue nestled on the shore of the Deschutes River across from the Peace Bridge.
Back at the AirBnB, Spout put on the movie Groundhog Day. The plot was oddly familiar to life on trail. My parents had to leave around 6:00pm, so we said goodbye to our support crew of the last week that helped us out so much. Tyler, Spout, and me grabbed some Indian food at Spiceland. Then, we sipped a Blockbuster brown ale while watching the blockbuster, Ricky Stanicky, before calling it a night.
8/8 – Day 111
18.9 miles from Elk Lake Trailhead to Obsidian Area
Tyler left early around 6:30am to catch us bus back to Eugene, OR. Just like that, Spout and I were on our own again. The past week included 4 nights in real beds and I probably would have felt refreshed if the beer in Bend was not so damn tasty.
Before leaving town, we grabbed a stellar breakfast at The Lemon Tree. We were ghosted by two separate “trail angels” who had previously offered us a ride, so we found ourselves on the street with our thumbs out. An exceptionally kind man went 45 minutes out of his way to drop us off at Elk Lake, simply asking us to “pay it forward”.
The side trail connected to the PCT a mile later. We worked our way to the base of South Sister through a picturesque meadow. The South Sister, Charity, was the tallest of the trio and had rounded features, still sparesly snow covered.
Middle Sister, Hope, appeared more like the stereotypical volcano a bad artist might scribble down. All around this section were fields of vibrant wildflowers.
Enjoying a cold drink from one of the mountain streams was a doe and two fawns that hopped away upon our approach. We reached the threshold of a limited access obsidian area and were satisfied with a nice campsite with a stunning sunset to the west. Spout and I sat out as darkness settled around us and appreciated again what we ought to be appreciating every day: we were lucky to be alive and should never take this beautiful planet we have for granted.
8/9 – Day 112
20.1 miles from Obsidian Area to Mt. Washington
The new day arrived full of potential. Littered along the trail for the first mile or so were tiny shards of obsidian: volcanic glass. As the sun rose higher, the glass shimmered on the ground as we hiked.
We came upon the aptly named, Obsidian Falls, which was a short, albeit magnificent cascade of water.
North Sister, Faith, was the most formidable of the three, looming to our east as we hiked along a unique section of trail among volcanic rock.
The trail was rugged and the footing on the porous rock was sketchy at best, but we were hiking along the solidified remains around Collier Cone that was spewing lava just a few hundred years ago.
We re-met Loopy and Bobcat while gathering snow melt at the bubbling, Minnie Scott Spring. Some more scenic miles along a dirt path followed, until another stark transition to volcanic rock occured. This one was likely the aftermath of the most recent eruption of Mt. Washington and would dominate the terrain for the next six miles of the PCT.
At Highway 242 and McKenzie Pass, Loopy and Bobcat were waiting at the road and scored a ride by the time Spout and I arrived. We originally planned to head into town at the next road crossing, but recalled some saying about a bird in the hand. A charming and energetic older woman drove us into Sisters, OR. We made a quick resupply at Ray’s then went to McDonald’s.
We sat and ate with Loopy. I was completely enthralled by his stories and honestly found him to be one of the more interesting people I have ever met. An Olympic cyclist who trained with Lance Armstrong, he rejected capitalist society upon retirement and chose to spend the rest of his life doing what he loved: hiking. In addition to looping the TRT dozens of times, he has hiked the AT, the CDT thrice, and the PCT nearly four times, as well as many, many other trails.
A woman returning from a Donald Trump protest offered the three of us a ride back to the trail and I found myself feeling a little more hopeful by the time we hiked away. This was punctuated with trail magic just a few minutes later. A couple with their two baby boys who had hiked previously and wanted to give back, with just some sandwich ingredients and a cooler of drinks.
Thru-hiking is a respite from the transactional world. It operates under its own rules and provides a glimpse of what a society could look like if we stopped obsessing over materialism and could learn to love again. This was what we talked about with a man who was hardly more than a stranger just a few hours ago. We hiked with Loopy through the remainder of the volcanic wasteland until sunset, when we made camp at the base of the bad-tempered, Mt. Washington.
What’s Next?
Northern Oregon includes several of the state’s highlights, including Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood, Ramona Falls, and the Eagle Creek Trail. We are closing in on the Washington border at Cascade Locks, OR. The PCT Days festival is taking place here, too!
How’s It Going?
It is a huge boost to spend time with family. Though it always seems to go by too quickly. It meant so much that they were willing to travel so far just to spend a few days with us. Our morale received a large boost after the last week.
Hiking with Tyler was also a reality check on our physical condition. To be clear, it is normal to be sore after hiking for over ten hours a day. However, at this point in the thru-hike, we rarely feel any pain or soreness anymore and just hike all day, every day. It is really an amazing feeling.
Gear Changes
- I lost a sock somewhere near Chemult, OR. It now resides in the Chemult laundromat hall of fame. My parents picked me up a new pair of Dark Tough socks and brought me them at Willamette Pass.
- We accidentally left behind our Vargo Dig Dig trowel at Brahma Lake
It was so wonderful to see you both and be a small part of your incredible journey! Weatherman and I did it! We hiked the entire width of the PCT!!
Love to you both💗
Happy Trails!
Mama Bear
Love you too! Congrats on the accomplishment.