Charlie Hyde - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2010

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Historic Timberline Lodge

Hurting and Poor Planning

My hips, esp left, were hurting a lot today at least partially due to
a fair amount of downhill hiking. But it was nothing compared to what
I'm going to have to do tomorrow, a brutal 4300 ft descent to the
Columbia after a very long day.
My poor planning involves having a very leisurely breakfast buffet
gorging with Croatian Sensation and Not a Chance and then being slow
to get on the trail. Didn't start hiking until almost 10:00. The
weather was good and the trail nice. A few miles out from Timberline I
took the side trail to see beautiful Ramona Falls which cascade down
almost looking like black and white piano keys flowing down a big
black wall punctuated with mossy ledges. From there I could either
return the way I had come back to the "new PCT" or I could continue
along on the Timberline Trail staying high against Mt Hood which was
the old PCT and closed to horses due to steep washouts. Always up for
a challenge I chose the "old PCT". The washouts weren't a big problem
and the scenery was stunning, probably better than the new route, but
the problem I slowly began realizing was that this route was 2.5-3
miles longer. This put me another hour behind schedule so instead of
getting in the minimum 20 miles I figured I needed I only got in 18.
This leaves me needing to do 27 tomorrow before the Cascade Locks Post
office closes at 5:00. That's going to be tough, particularly with the
huge descent.
Ah well, to bed and a predawn start!










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