#ca section r

Phoebe and Harrriet Robertson and Meg Wettenhall are walking the PCT in 2017 and missing an Australian winter.  Harriet is a trained landscape architect, Phoebe works as a nurse, and Meg recently completed a degree in Psychology but have temporarily forsaken it all to walk the PCT.  You can follow their journey on their blog:  https://mentalsnakes.wordpress.com/blog/

Back in mid-May, we reported that Tacocat had made it into the High Sierra.  But, deterred by the snow pack, he took a little time off to re-evaluate his plan.  He eventually bounced north 500 miles to Belden where he re-started the trail on May 31st.  It was still no easy walk in the woods (bottom photo . . . climbing out of Belden) but by July 7th he had reached Siskiyou Summit (Callahans).  He reported an abundance of water and, now, heat . . . lots of 80s and 90s.

The top photo is beautiful Marble Mountain.  Center left of the Trinity Alps moving west from Scott Mountain Summit. And, as clear from the center right photo, there is still plenty of snow in the Klamath Mountains.

This is the 400th post on this website. www.pcttrailsidereader.com really is a homage to a trail that I love and believe is as important a national asset as Yellowstone or the Washington Monument.  The PCT represents our commitment as a people to celebrating our beautiful country, to preserving wild spaces, and honoring the diversity of individuals that come together around the trail. We are people of the land.

I have long been attracted to the concept of generativity . . . that is, caring for those things that you value in a way that they will be vibrant and healthy when passed on to future generations. I believe that it is part of the unwritten covenant that all of us accept who walk and love the trail. Look for ways that you can help promote and protect the trail . . . simple acts of trail kindness, assisting with trail maintenance and repair, advocacy for the PCT, supporting the PCTA financially, sharing your PCT stories or images, (the options are nearly infinite).

I feel honored to have posted some wonderful stories from the Pacific Crest Trail, stunning photos and artwork, poetry, and humor from the trail.  Thank you for visiting this site and thank you for loving the Pacific Crest Trail.

Mile 1537 - 1562 (25 miles)

Bacon Bit has been a frequent contributor to this website.  I appreciate the perspective she shares on her PCT experience and her ability to put both her experience and feelings into words.  This is a simple way of capturing the PCT experience.

By Dorothy 'Bacon Bit' Brown-Kwaiser

100 days of what? 

Walking. 

Eating dehydrated food. 

Drinking from creeks, troughs, springs, lakes, rivers, and random containers. 

Sleeping on the ground. 

Living outside. 

Rarely staying in the same place twice. 

Relying on the kindness of strangers.

Wearing the same seven articles of clothing.

Solar charging.

Waking up at 5 AM and going to bed by 9 PM.

Blogging.

Searching for service.

Studying HalfMile's maps.

Eating meals on the ground.

Digging catholes.

Peeing in the brush.

Having filthy hands.

Checking in with "the babysitter" -- our SPOTs.

Greeting other thru-hikers like old friends.

Getting closer to Canada.

Getting farther from Mexico.

Admiring my 2012 PCT Thru-Hiker bandana.

Not burning down California.

Not working for pay.

Homelessness.

Sunsets.

Meals well-earned.

Conversations with the self. 

Cousin companionship.

Looking forward to town food.

Eating Snickers.

Hauling around our lives on our back.

Photographs.

Bugs.

Birds.

Sunshine.

Anticipation.

Exhaustion.

Happiness.

Beauty.

And last, but not least, California.

Sometimes the High Sierra get all of the attention.  While certainly deserved, beauty can be found in virtually every section of the Pacific Crest Trail.  And, some sections seem to get no respect . . . I feel like the long stretch from Belden to Crater Lake is foremost among the underappreciated.  Here is another photo from Weathercarrot taken in the Siskiyous.