1,599 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)

From October 2023 until March 2024 I did very little walking owing to a chest infection so my progress on My Virtual Mission PCT was miminal bordering on the static! Now it is 1st April I have 93 days to complete the reminder of the My Virtual Mission PCT! This means I need to average 9.54 miles every day. The Pace Maker is at 2,063.7 miles which is 83% of the PCT and it says: “You are 465 miles behind. Let’s do this, Christopher.” Periodically My Virtual Mission sends me a postcard and here it is:

“The next 15 miles (24km) were quite uneventful travelling either on the ridgeline or just below until I arrived atop a crest with views of Cliff Lake in the large valley below and Campbell Lake beyond. Another 5mi (8km) along, I come across Sky High Valley below, with three lakes near each other: Upper and Lower Sky High Lakes and Frying Pan Lake. Looking north from up here, I can see the striking white rocks of Marble Mountain above the treelines.

As the PCT reaches the junction with Marble Mountain Trail, it veers to the right. It descends into Little Marble Valley and then over white rocky terrain extending above the mountain cliffs. Marble Mountain sits within the Marble Mountain Wilderness. Besides the usual mix of oak, fir, pines and hemlock, at 225,114 acres, the wilderness has a whopping 89 lakes. Wildlife such as bears and deer are plentiful. The PCT crosses the entire wilderness for 32mi (51km). 

Marble Mountain is located in the heart of the Klamath Mountains, and its bright white cliffs made of glacially polished granite are a sight to behold. Although the highest peak is the nearby Black Marble Mountain at 7,429ft (2,264m), what makes Marble Mountain’s peak interesting is its “long, curving escarpment with numerous points along the rim”. It is broken into two segments separated by Marble Gap near the centre. The mountain has a gradual slope to the east, where the PCT traverses it across Marble Valley. However, on the western side are sheer cliffs with Rainy Creek and Elk Creek at the base.

After Marble Mountain, the trail passes Paradise Lake with Kings Castle Peak behind it, then across Big Ridge, down into Cliff Valley and alongside Grider Creek till Klamath River, where the trail skirts around the river bend and terminates this section in Seiad Valley at an elevation of 1,388ft (423m).

Flowing for 257 miles (414km), the Klamath River travels through Oregon and Northern California and empties in the Pacific Ocean. It is the second largest river in California by discharge. It begins in the high desert and flows through the Cascades and Klamath Mountains before reaching the sea. Inhabited by Native Americans for 7000 years, the river’s fish migration of salmon, steelhead and trout was their food source. With the Europeans arriving in the 1820s, the Native Americans were, within a few decades, forced into reservations. Soon after the gold rush began, the river became polluted with the influx of miners. Steamboats operated in the upper basin until the railroads arrived, when the area turned agricultural, and dams were built to provide irrigation and hydroelectricity. Today, the river is a recreational area that continues to provide agricultural water.

Seiad Valley is a small community of 350 residents and only a mere 15 miles (24km) south of the Oregon border. I will take a load off at the historic Wildwood Tavern and Lodge. Opened in 1929 as a one-story building and bar, it was sold, bought and remodelled many times across the decades, except for the 24ft (7.3m) bar that has been lovingly preserved for the last 90 years. Today it continues to serve passing travellers.”

Now to move forward get the job done and meet the deadline so I can receive My Virtual Mission’s PCT medal.

1,423.5 miles along the virtual Pacific Crest Trail

On 17th September 2023 I completed Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge. In unison with this challenge in January 2023 I decided to start the #Myvirtualmission Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). On the last day of December I have completed 1,423.5 miles on the PCT. The last three months of 2023 I wasn’t well with chest infections which led to five weeks off work. Now I am on the way to recovery and I am keen to complete the PCT before the deadline of the end of June 2024. So, every day during the first six months of 2024 I need to complete at least 5.8 miles per day! Back to 2023 and periodically #Myvirtualmission provides a postcard from the PCT and what follows comes from this sent via e-mail on the last day of 2023.

A mile (1.6km) after crossing North Yuba River, the trail, through a series of tight switchbacks, sharply gains 1,400ft (426m) and continues to climb as it rounds the flanks of Sierra Buttes Peaks some 2,000ft (610m) above the town of Sierra City.

Travelling along the ridgeline, I’m taken by the vast views, especially the large Gold Lake flanked by Deer Lake and Long Lake to the east of the trail and a little further along the lovely peaks of Mount Elwell and Mount Washington. 

As I reach McRae Ridge (elevation 7,200ft/2,194m), I leave Tahoe National Forest behind and enter Plumas National Forest. The forest was established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Within its boundaries is Bucks Lake Wilderness. Named after a primary watershed, Rio de las Plumas (translating as Feather River), the forest has a land area of 1,146,000 acres, of which 127,000 acres are old-growth, mostly mixed conifers. Due to extensive logging during the gold rush era into modern times, much of the original timberland has disappeared.

Descending into a valley to 6,000ft (1,829m), the trail skirts around the foot of Beartrap Mountain, then around the two closely located Mounts Stafford and Etna, across Bunker Hill Ridge to swing around Pilot Peak and then continues with a long, gradual descent to Grass Valley Bald Mountain and Little Grass Valley Reservoir below. The reservoir, accessed via the Bald Mountain trail, is an artificial lake created when the dam was completed in 1961. Used as a recreational area, the lake is 2mi (3.2km) long, one mile (1.6km) wide and 65ft (20m) deep. Its shoreline is 14.5mi (23.3km). 

Travelling through woodland across a ridgeline, the trail further descends to 3,000ft (914m) alongside Onion Valley Creek, where the trail crosses Middle Fork Feather River via a bridge. A major river, Middle Fork, is nearly 100mi (160km) long, of which just over three-quarters is designated National Wild and Scenic River. A remote and rugged landscape with huge boulders, cliffs and waterfalls, it is seldom visited due to the difficulty of navigating the terrain and river.

The trail travels up and down in the forest, across Bear Creek and onwards to Bucks Lake and Bucks Lake Wilderness. Encompassing 21,000 acres, the Wilderness was established in 1984. The Wilderness is filled with conifers, oaks and red firs, with lakes to the east and small meadows to the west. Its elevation is from 2,000ft (610m) in the Feather River Canyon to 7,017ft (2,139m) at Spanish Peak. The lake is a result of damming Bucks Creek in 1928. 

Passing Spanish Peaks on the right, the trail travels along a steep escarpment with views of Silver Lake below, onto Mount Pleasant, then Three Lakes to the left before a long and gradual descent to 2,400ft (731m) at Feather River near Belden.

At its main stem, Feather River is 73mi (117km) long and is a major tributary of the Sacramento River. Starting at Lake Oroville, the River is joined by its four branches: South, Middle, North and West Branch Feather Rivers. During the 19th century, the river and its forks were a centre for gold mining. Today, it provides water to the state and hydroelectricity generation.

Happy 2024 to everyone!

1,120 miles along the virtual Pacific Crest Trail

On 17th September 2023 I completed Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge. In unison with this challenge in January 2023 I decided to start the #Myvirtualmission Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). On the last day of November I have completed 1,120 miles on the PCT. During November I wasn’t well and had chest infections which meant I was unable to make the start of The Seagrave Wolds 16 miles Challenge Walk which I have completed for the past twelve years or lead my LDWA Anytime Anywhere Group walk the 14 miles Mini-Zed Challenge. Periodically #Myvirtualmission provides a postcard from the PCT and what follows comes from this sent via e-mail on 1st November 2023.

Departing Echo Lakes, I travelled 24mi (38km) with a plethora of lakes as constant visual delights.  Between Ralston Peak and Keiths Dome, beside each other in the basin are a tamarack lake and Ralston Lake.  Both Ralston Peak and the Lake were named after William Chapman Ralston, who founded the Bank of California in 1864 making it the first commercial bank in western US and the second richest bank in the nation.

The path then followed the mountaintop through some snow with Lake Margery to the right and Lake of the Woods to the left, through Desolation Valley, passed Cracked Crag peak and the very large Lake Aloha, a backcountry reservoir within the Desolation Wilderness area.  The lake was created in 1875 by damming Pyramid Creek as a year-round water source for grazing cattle.

Turning right from Lake Aloha, the trail descends to Heather Lake, then southside of nearby Susie Lake.  As I skirted around Susie, I almost missed the fact that Susie is the source of a stream that culminates in a waterfall plunging down the mountain over several tiers flowing into Grass Lake below.  Only the brink of the waterfall is visible from the PCT as the best view is from Grass Lake.

Halfway along the right side of Susie Lake, the trail turns left and winds its way through the landscape to Gilmore Lake.  Ascending the western slope a third of the way down from the ridge, the trail hugs the side of the mountain to the right with a steep escarpment to the left with spectacular views of Half Moon Lake below flanked by Jack’s and Dick’s Peaks.

Crossing Dicks Pass at 9,200ft (2,800m) the trail descends to Dick’s Lake which is pressed against Dick’s Peak on the opposite side of Half Moon Lake.  A third of a mile away (480m) from Dick’s Lake is Fontanillis Lake and just a little further along are the Velma Lakes.  The PCT passes the Middle Velma Lake with Upper and Lower Velma Lakes just beyond.  All these lakes are popular fishing spots for anglers who come up from Tahoe.

From here the trail descends to 7,600ft (2,300m) between Middle Mountain and Phipps Peak for a fairly straight northbound trek to Lost Corner Mountain to the east followed by Richardson Lake with Sourdough Hill opposite the lake.  A short hike up Sourdough Hill is a must with expansive views of Lake Tahoe.

Back in the woods I forged onto Barker Pass, climbed a few switchbacks and followed the ridge line for about 2.4mi (3.9km) to Ward Peak.  In the winter, a keen skier has a varied terrain to choose from at Alpine Meadows or Squaw Valley Ski Resorts which are to the east of the PCT.

Alternatively just off Interstate 80 at Donner Summit where this section of the PCT ends, are Sugar Bowl or Boreal Mountain Ski Resorts.  Leading up to I-80 were another three picturesque lakes nestled amongst the rocky mountain and scattered woodland: Lake Angela, Flora Lake and Azalea Lake.

These resorts along with a few others off the PCT are part of the Lake Tahoe area within Tahoe National Forest, famous for winter sports, summer activities and surrounding scenery.  A large portion of its economy is reliant on the winter season and ski resorts. 

Lake Tahoe itself is an extraordinary ancient lake at least two million years old.  It is the second deepest lake in the US with a depth of 1,645ft (501m). The lake is 22mi (35km) long, 12mi (19km) wide and has a shoreline of 72mi (116km).  The California-Nevada state line runs right through the lake. 

Naming the lake was quite the story.  It’s first known name was Lake Bonpland but it never took.  It was changed to Mountain Lake and then Fremont’s Lake which also didn’t stick.  Fallen Leaf Lake (there is one now such named lake just south of Lake Tahoe) and Lake Bigler were both names given by the same person.  Eventually in 1862 it was named Tahoe but it also didn’t seem to be favoured so it swung like a pendulum between Tahoe and Bigler until 1945 when it was affirmed by the California State Legislature as the official name – Lake Tahoe.

Donner Summit is the end of the central California section. This completes two-thirds of the PCT in the state of California.

1,047 miles along the virtual Pacific Crest Trail

On 17th September 2023 I completed Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge. In unison with this challenge in January 2023 I decided to start the #Myvirtualmission Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Periodically #Myvirtualmission provides a postcard from the PCT and what follows comes from this sent via e-mail on 28th September 2023.

Heading northwest from Sonora Pass the trail rounds Sonora Peak and treks alongside East Fork Carson River in a valley till it commences an ascent and passes several peaks to Wolf Creek Pass and the nearby Asa Lake, a spring-fed lake located amongst woods and meadows.

Moving in and out of woodlands, the trail passes between Tryon Peak and Highland Peak with Noble Lake at the base next to the PCT and on to Ebbetts Pass.

Elevated at 8,736ft (2,663m), Ebbetts Pass is a high mountain pass and one of two passes that is traversed by State Route 4.  Registered as a California Historical Landmark, the pass was named after John Ebbetts, a fur trader turned guide for California Gold Rush prospectors circa 1851.  He thought the pass would be a viable place for a transcontinental railway but upon later examination he deemed it unsuitable.  Although he wanted to return and survey the area further he unfortunately died in a steamer explosion three years later.

Just north of the Pass a little off the PCT is a lookout with views of the Kinney Reservoir below.  With a little uphill hike, the trail then descends with Ebbett’s volcanic peak to the left followed by Sherrold Lake right next to the PCT.  Another mile further (1.6km) are the Lower and Upper Kinney Lakes and together with the Reservoir are known to be popular fishing spots for brook, rainbow and trout.

Interestingly the 1864 Silver Mountain Mining District map has the two lakes marked as Silver Lakes.  Sometime in the 1890s, Silver Creek was dammed to create the current Kinney Lakes and the reservoir, utilising it for irrigation purposes in Carson Valley.  The dam for the lower lake was completed in 1926, and the upper lake in 1990.  Several other reservoirs were built by 1912 to serve the agriculturists in the area.

Rounding Raymond Peak, the trail moves up and down gaining and losing about 400ft (120m) of elevation until I reached Wet Meadows Reservoir and realised how spoilt for choice I am on this section with a multitude of lakes on either side of the trail.  There’s the Reservoir, Summit Lake, Lilypad and a Tamarack Lake to the left and Upper Sunset Lake (which joins with Lower Sunset Lake) plus two unnamed lakes to the right. 

The trail climbs up the southside of Nipple Peak to 9,000ft (2,743m) and travels along the ridge with spectacular views of the Blue Lakes, Twin Lake and Meadow Lake below and the peaks of Markleeville and Jeff Davis to the northeast and east.

The two mile (3.2km) hike along the ridge is in the open on desolate landscape with no shade to escape to until it descends slightly near the headwaters of West Fork Carson River and there’s a short reprieve through chapparal woodland. 

Crossing Forestdale Divide the trail meanders down into a valley, climbs across the Elephants Back mountain, past Frog Lake, through Mokelumne Wilderness and into Carson Pass.  The Elephants Back is a volcanic rubble that is easily recognisable from Carson Pass and although it is overshadowed by its neighbours Round Top and The Sisters, it provides great views over Carson Pass and the Mokelumne Wilderness.

From Carson Pass the trail treks through Dixon Valley, past Showers Lake, through woodland and gently descending to 7,600ft (2,300m) straight into Echo Lake.  The small community of Echo Lake is near the glacial lake of the same name.  This 2mi (3.2km) long lake is divided into Upper and Lower lake and sits within the Eldorado National Forest.

Established in 1910, the Eldorado forest ranges from 1,000ft (300m) in the foothills to over 10,000ft (3,000m) along the Sierra crest.  The forest is broken up with many steep canyons with plateaus at the base between them.  Desolation Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness can be found within its boundaries.  Most of the forest is made up of chapparal, oak woodlands, pine trees, fir trees and old-growth. 

910 miles along the virtual Pacific Crest Trail

In 2023 I decided to start the #Myvirtualmission Pacific Crest Trail instead of doing the Land’s End to John O’Groat’s trail (LEJOG) for Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge. Periodically #Myvirtualmission provides a postcard and what follows comes from this sent via e-mail.

A short hike from Crabtree Meadows is the John Muir Trail. The trail with its southern terminus at the summit of Mt Whitney descends the western slopes and joins the PCT. Mt Whitney is the tallest mountain in contiguous United States with an elevation of 14,505ft (4,421m). It was named after Josiah Dwight Whitney, an American geologist whose extensive experience made him the foremost authority of his day in economic geology.

The mountain is partially dome-shaped with jagged ridges flanking the sides.  Its west slope is in Sequoia National Park whilst its east slope is in Inyo National Forest.  With its alpine climate very few plants grow near the summit except for the colourful sky pilot, a perennial plant that grows 4-16in (10-41cm) with blue or pink flowers and the cushion plant that grows low to the ground. 

On Whitney’s summit is the Smithsonian Institution Shelter, a stone hut built in 1909 after a hiker was struck by lightning whilst having lunch. 

The John Muir Trail joins the PCT for the next 169mi (272km) travelling over eight named passes that exceed 11,000ft (3,352m) and a collection of 17 named lakes.  Forester Pass at 13,153ft (4,009m) is the highest point on the PCT and it sits on the boundary between Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park.  The lakes up in the High Sierra, are a result of glaciers creating basins that filled with water.  There are thousands of lakes and pool ponds in this region.  The trail crosses several creeks and around several unnamed lakes.

No roads travel through the boundaries of the Sequoia National Park making it accessible only by foot or horseback riding.  About 84% of the park is designated as wilderness making it home to an abundance of wildlife such as bobcats, foxes, mule deer and rattlesnakes and a rich landscape of various pine trees including Pinus Lambertiana, the tallest pine tree with the longest cones of any conifer tree. 

One of the major highlights in the park is the giant sequoia tree known as General Sherman for being among the tallest, widest and one of the oldest trees on Earth.  It stands at 286ft (86m) with a circumference of 113ft (34m) and estimated to be between 1800-2700 years old.  The tree was named after American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman.

The Kings Canyon National Park was originally named General Grant National Park when it was established in 1890 and it was renamed in 1940.  The General Grant sequoia tree, the second tallest sequoia tree, sits within this park and stands at 268ft (87m) with a circumference of 107ft (32m) and estimated to be around 1,650 years old.  Named after the 18th US President, Ulysses S. Grant, in 1926 the tree was designated as the “Nation’s Christmas Tree”.

The two parks are managed together as Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and in 1976 it joined the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve list.

North of King Canyon National Park is the Sierra National Forest followed by Yosemite National Park.  The Sierra National Forest was established in 1893 and at the time the largest national forest with an area covering six million acres.  By 1908 it had been broken up to make a series of other forests or parks. The John Muir Wilderness sits within this forest and the PCT travels through it.

Yosemite National Park is home to Devil Postpile National Monument, a basalt rock formation and Rainbow Falls, a 101ft (31m) high waterfall both within easy reach of  the PCT. Yosemite was listed a UNESCO site in 1984 and it is 94% designated wilderness.  It is one of the most famous parks known for its “granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity”.

This section of the trek finishes at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite alongside Tuolumne River and at the junction of Tioga Pass Road, the highest paved through road in California’s State Route System.  During the Gold Rush era the pass served as a pack trail for prospectors circa 1849 and by 1875 it was a wagon road extending to Yosemite Valley.

On the last day of August 2023 I have travelled 910.3 miles (36%) along the Pacific Crest Trail. When I have hit 994 miles (40%) I only need another six miles to complete Country Walking magazine’s #walk1000miles challenge and I am hoping to finish this before the end of September. However, my journey doesn’t stop at 1000 miles because the Pacific Crest Trail in total is 2,485.5 miles long.