Enduro1525 - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2014

View: 1  2 
(Click image for full size)


Shakedown hike on PCT just North of Cascade Locks

Shakedown Hike #2

May 24- Saturday & May 25 Sunday. Parked car at trail angel Shrek's place in Cascade Locks (Thanks again Shrek).

Weather perfect for hiking. The goal was to shakedown gear and weight. I loaded the Golite Jam50 with bag, tent, clothes, bear can, food and water to get a good feel of the load . The climb into the Beson area clibs nearly 4000 ft. Nothing similar to the first three days I will be walking from Kennedy Meadows to Lone Pine and then Forester pass starting June 10. In the bear can I loaded 3 days food, and my new GSI soloist cook pot (0.6oz). I placed about 100g of isobutane and my microrocket stove in the pot. I then filled 1 1/2 liters of water and called it good. Bear can with food and cooking setup complete plus water = 11# Total pack weight was 23#

Previous hike in same area last OCtober, using the Golite pack but loaded at close to 30# then. I felt at that time the 30# was about max for the pack and for my comfort. Therefore, if I can keeo the total pack weight between 20-27 lbs max durng the 800 mile PCT section, then I am confident the pack will hold and the comfort level acceptable.

Met 3 women hikers heading back from Wahtum and intending to camp at Smokey crk. I walked to Wathum, ate dinner and felt like walking some more. So I heading 4 miles back doen trail to Smokey and camped with the 3 hikers. Shannon, from Portland, a strong hiker evolving into a serious trekker, Tabitha and her parnter(I forget her name) were also doing a shakedown hike in preparation for a Grand Canyon hike this summmer (have a great time ladies).

We shared snacks and stories and were all in tents by hiker mid-night (9pm). I was chilled even though I had all my clothes on including tech T, base, shirt, jacket, down vest, tights and hiker pants. I realized that my tech t was damp from sweat and therefore causing the chill (duh!). Won't make that mistake at 10,000+ ft.

Hiked out by mid-afternoon on Sunday. HAd a beer and a buger at the brew-pub. Note: Waited an hour for a basic burger and fries fro no explainable reason. Althugh I was in no hurry, I cant wait until Thunder Island Brewery ( on the West end of Marine park) serves food. The beer and the view there are magnificent.

Total 21 miles Saturday and a liesurely 14 on Sunday. A good shakedown event.

Two weeks from Weds I start my most epic hike to date from Kennedy Meadows just North of the Mojave. Time to pack the resupply boxes and eat, eat, eat. Thanks Pat for loading up a desert plate for me tonight.





Update on this hike. I picked up a dose of poison oak.. Started itching on Tuesday after the hike. Quickly had the Doc write a script and contained the red/blister/itching to 3 locations on my left foot and ankle. I did pass PCT trail maintenance crew at the Herman TH cutoff. They warned me.

Entry 2 of 38
First  :: Previous  :: Next  :: Last