PCT: Day 128

PCT Oregon

Miles today: 30.5

Trail miles sum: 1196

Trail location: 1878.3

Elevation: 5831

Spinning on the turntable: Alanis Morissette: Jagged little pill

I’m finding some excitement in the bigger mileage hiking days. It’s a very different mindset. I need to be focused on continual, consistent movement the entire day. Ten miles by 10AM, twenty miles by 2PM. So far I’m able to usually hit the 10/10, but I start slowing down around noon and miss the 20/2.

This morning I was chatting with a hiker who was going to climb this mountain. He invited me along. He mentioned that it was a class four technical scramble and ropes were suggested. I declined.

PCT Oregon

Detour for mountain climbing?

I was so absorbed in my discussion with him that I missed my trail junction and walked down the wrong trail for 10 minutes. Curses. I returned to the apex and selected the proper trail. Lost time=25 minutes.

There was a tiny bit of snow on the trail here and there, but nothing serious.

PCT Views

Small amounts of snow

I chatted with a super friendly SOBO hiker for a bit. Lost time=10 minutes.

I stopped for my morning break and a water refill at an amazing river.

PCT Views

Riverside breaktime

The mosquitoes were ferocious. Just swarming all around.

When I checked my 10/10 progress I found that I missed it by two miles. The wrong turn and chatty spell cost me two miles. Not a big deal at 10AM, but a pain at 6:30 when I want to be done for the day and need two more miles.

Guthook Screenshot

Oregon’s Highest PCT Point

Hitting the highest point of the PCT was so important that I missed it! It just seemed like an open meadow to me.

PCT Oregon

Oregon’s highest point

I kept plodding along throughout the afternoon and met up with Noelle around 6:30.

There were other hikers next to the trailhead so we sat with them and ate our dinner. It’s weird. We have a lot of food in the van but I’m reluctant to start eating a big meal in front of my fellow hikers. I don’t want to be nonchalant about my easy access to food but nor do I want to be hungry.

Noelle and I split a Mountain home dinner and then I had a big snack when we said goodnight and retired to the van.

3 Comments

  1. Joe Lee

    I did that Mt. Theissen climb once. Or I should say I did it all except the last 50 ft where it turns from a scramble to a class 4 climb. Nice mileage Steve.

    Reply
  2. Lesley Steiner

    Thielsen is the name of the mountain. I’ve ckimbed her twice, both without ropes or helmet. Last time was last year when I was 66. The meadow you crossed with the highest point on PCT is right below Tipso peak, the first mountain my granddaughter climbed at age 6. Glad you enjoyed the Umpqua. Come back.

    Reply
    • mcgarveysan

      We will absolutely return to this area, it’s an incredibly beautiful section of the PCT!

      Reply

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