Greetings from Ashland, Oregon!

For many hikers who came from Mexico, entry into Oregon marks the end of their journey. Not literally, but the hardest part is complete and it’s clear sailing from here on out.

Even though I still have a ways to go, it’s still a fun milestone. I’m feeling stronger and stronger every day and while I don’t think I have my trail legs quite yet, I don’t feel quite as naïve as I did when I started. So for me, it’s like graduating from junior high and now I’m a freshman. Still so much to learn.

The PCT meanders so much, why can’t we just walk in a straight line?

One thing I noticed on this section more than any other, was the high rate of- how shall we say?- shortcuts.

The climb out of Seiad was about 6000 feet of climbing over about 10 miles. But, you could take a forest road which trimmed off 1000 feet of climbing and a few miles.

Everyone has their own definition of what constitutes hiking the PCT. Hike your own hike, they say. but I suspect that when you are so close to Oregon and being done, you are much more willing to bend your own definition of what you mean when you say, “I hiked the PCT.” Take a forest road and trim off a few miles? Hell, yeah! I was sometimes dismayed to find that hikers that had been behind me were suddenly ahead of me. Not that it’s a race or anything. I keep telling myself that. I certainly can’t take the “high road” (pun intended) because I also did this going into Castella, where the trail did this meandering switchback but a road went straight down cutting 3 miles off our journey.

An emotional moment

I had my first tears on the trail. I was hiking in the morning sunshine, listening to music – Tending the Spark by Heather Houston – just as I entered a peaceful shady wooded area. Somehow the combination of the music and lyrics and the beautiful woods raised up emotions. I was completely alone so let the tears fall uninhibited. I wasn’t really sure what I was crying about.

Here are the lyrics:

And we will care for each other
As the world around us unravels
And we will tend to the spark
Of hope that lives within our grieving hearts
And we are here now, in this present moment
Lifting our voices and hearts
And we are here now, we have come together
We are tending the spark of hope
Oh may it grow
And we will care for each other

Ashland, here I come!

Coming down the mountains into Ashland was filled with amazing wildflower displays.

Thank you!

My husband T met me in Ashland and we enjoyed a zero day together. Two nights in a bed! What a luxury. I am so thankful for T for making all the arrangements and also dealing with the ever-growing list items to bring. Some gear and clothing are being changed out.

I’m also thankful to Mustard Patty for letting me use her resupply that she had sent to Seiad. It was fun to have some different snacks and meals than what I would normally pack. And while I can safely say that I prefer coffee to matcha, it did provide great energy on the trail (and made my poop green).

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Day 95- 15 Miles today from The Lookout to Thistle Hill Shelter, 3,700 Feet Up, 4,400 Feet down, AT Mile Marker 1742 (MM)

The Lookout

It was cold this morning. It felt good in my sleeping bag and I didn’t want to get out in the cold yet. So I put on my puffy and merino wool tights I’ve been carrying but have not worn in months. I don’t have much beyond that for warmer clothing. I’ve only got 15 miles and 3,700 feet elevation today.

The Lookout was a rustic cabin with a fireplace and windows. It had a loft area also. There was a ladder with a widow’s walk on top of the roof. From the widow’s walk you could see spectacular views. It is so nice that this private ownership allows us to use this shelter.

There were two other people in the Lookout last night. The wind was blowing hard up on top of this ridge.

Meralgia Paresthetica

Meralgia Paresthetica Is what I had according to my Google research. My thigh was numb. Compression of the lfcn nerve can cause this condition. Yesterday it was very numb and it was painful.

After doing my research I decided yesterday I would keep my hip belt loose. It was hard on my shoulders especially with the heavy weight of the food resupply and then the heavy carry of water. But I wanted to see if the belt was causing the numbness. Today the numbness was minimal .

Cool Morning

I took off about 7 am this morning and the other two ladies were still up in the loft. It was a rather cool morning almost cold. I haven’t felt cold like this since probably Tennessee. It’s actually feels good to get moving. I’m looking forward to warming up on the first climb.

So far it’s a partly cloudy day almost looks like some dark clouds that might drop a little bit of rain but it’s not supposed to.

The woods yesterday evening were dark and eerie. This morning the woods are dark again. The sun has not yet shown its rays in the forest.

Challenging Day

Yesterday was an extremely challenging day not as challenging as the miserable day I had about a week ago but a still a challenge. First of all I had to leave the comfort of a hostel, in a nice comfortable bed, in a cool little town with a brewery two doors away.

I started off day yesterday with two bee stings. And then I had an extremely heavy backpack and I pushed long miles and a lot of elevation. My backpack was full of food from my resupply. And then on the final climb yesterday I had to add 6 lb of water to carry me through the last night and a good bit of today until the next water source.

But today is a new day. Just like life right? One day maybe the shittiest day you had in a long time. A day where everything seems hard and seems to go wrong. And then everything changes as it always does, nothing is permanent. Even bad times.

I know but there will be tough times like there always have been in life similar to the trail. But you plow through these tough times and good times prevail again. That is one trail lesson I hope I can take with me off the trail.

Look Around

The trail was really easy so far today. Just one small climb but a lot of very easy grades with not too many obstacles. After coming out on a dirt road the trail wound parallel to an old rock wall. That always makes me smile

Today so far it’s like a fall day and if I stop moving I actually get kind of cold. I just noticed no gnats and flies buzzing my head. It’s amazing that I didn’t even think about this until just now.

With the gnats I have to always look down to keep them from diving into my eyes. But today so far there are no gnats. I can take the time to look up and look around more.

Tree Falls In the Woods

I just dropped into another pine forest with huge pine trees. The trail was fairly level and covered in pine needles. It was like a soft feather bed under my feet.

Looking up I noticed the ruins of some old structure. It didn’t look like a house but it looked more like the ruins of a mill of some type.

Hiking on I heard a creaking noise up above as if a large limb was about to break loose. I scanned above and couldn’t tell exactly what it was but I hurried beyond it. A very short time later I heard a crash in the woods behind me.

It felt like a very special magical morning as the sun came out fully. It feels nice and warm for once rather than hot and scorching. It has been many months since I stopped and basked in the sun simply to absorb the heat of the sun rays on my body.

Never Quit on a Bad Day

Yesterday when I was talking with two ladies I was sharing the Lookout with we talked about the trail and how some people have quit. I tried to explain to them that after all the excitement of the first part of the trail and then the more recent drudgery of bugs, heat, rain and green tunnel kinda sapped the fun out of the hike.

She asked me what keeps me going. I said I really want to see this through. I also told her never quit on a bad day. Today it’s definitely a good day so far.

Farm Stand

In about 3 hours I had already hiked 6 miles. I was getting hungry. Coming up ahead is a small road walk and supposedly goes to a farm stand.

The trail came down a steep ridge and then popped out of the woods into a farm field. The rolling green hills reminded me of sections of Northern Virginia.

On the Edge Farm stand was not too far of a road walk. Inside they had all kinds of wonderful treats. I got a yogurt, banana, a ham and swiss sandwich, and an orange cranberry muffin. It was so good I had to go back and get an apple tart an 8 oz block of cheese. It was a wonderful stop. Along the way I passed by an old barn and farmhouse that was right on the road.

Old Tree

Coming from the road the trail did a steep one mile climb up to the top of Dana hill. About halfway up the first climb was what looked to be the top of the old Volkswagen van. I have no idea how that would have gotten up here unless somebody pushed it off from the top.

The trail dropped down to another road and then once again made a climb up and over another mountain with some open fields. When I entered back into the woods there were huge trees and one tree that was probably 300 years old . That tree had sprouted a bunch of baby trees around its base. I guess if the mother tree was to die then the little stump sprouts would take over. That’s immortality

The trail today has been up and then down and then through a jungle for quite a while now. It’s pretty steep climbs up to the top of a hill and then dropping down off that hill, opening into a farm field. Many times can hardly see the trail it’s such a jungle. Only to cross a road and repeat the process.

Old Road

The Meadows while they were overgrown were quite beautiful. Lots of flowers, lots of interesting plants, and the wind was blowing the tall grasses around like waves on a small lake.

The trail then climbed up another pud this time with a nice bench and a view. Immediately after that was two parallel rock walls obviously an old road at one time

The trail travel down this road. Before entering back into the woods and on to the shelter.

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek’s ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!

To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.