Section Q is 55.5 miles long and runs from Etna to Seiad Valley. Section R is 65 miles long and runs from Seiad Valley to the California/Oregon border. August 9th - 12th.
Day 95, 24.1 miles to Marble Valley.
During our food resupply I picked up some waffles for brekkie since the hiker hut had a little kitchenette with a toaster. There was also real maple syrup left behind so it made for quite a yummy start to the day. We quickly got a hitch back up the mountain (thanks Jim!) and hit the trail. We soon crossed the 1700 mile marker and continued on through the rocky landscape. I got to Fisher Lake and met some new hikers who were putting on temporary tattoos and offered me one but I was about to go for a dip. It was a small lake but it was soothing to swim to the other side and cool down. Sea Lion arrived and we ate lunch on the shore and had to fend off a chipmunk or two. We slugged through the ups and downs over the next stretch and decided to gun it for Marble Valley so we could camp near water. I was a little bit ahead and heard some rustling so I thought it was another deer. Then I heard some grunting and realized it was a bear! He was walking away from me so I quickly changed to my zoom lens as Sea Lion caught up and asked what I saw. BEAR! I snapped a few photos as he walked away but then he stopped, looked down at us, and stood up. Time to go! We clanked our poles together and talked loudly as we walked away from the big fella. We got to camp and set up behind an abandoned ranger station which seemed to now be home to a pack of deer.
Day 96, 25.8 miles to Grider Creek Campground.
We slept in and soon after resuming the hike we popped out of the woods and saw something we haven't seen in awhile...blue skies! The winds shifted and cleared the smoke out and we could see everything. There were rolling valleys, tall white marble buttes, distant ridges, and all crystal clear. It was beautiful and I was taking tons of photos and hiking slow. I was hoping for a swim in Paradise Lake but it was shallow and littered with branches and rocks so I just had lunch and admired the scene instead. Just past the lake I found another cave to climb down and explore and then we jogged up the big ascent. One area suddenly turned to an orange sand with tons of rocky stairs and it reminded me of Egypt. It was hot and I was sweaty when we finally got to Buckhorn Spring where we took a second lunch under an old and wise looking tree. From there it was the start of the huge 5500 foot drop into Seiad Valley. It dragged on forever and just to ?? there was a huge S-curve before the campground. You could see the bridge at the start but then had to walk the other way, then back. I went back to the river, filled up our water bags, washed my socks, and went for a skinny dip to sooth my sunburned shoulders. Then we ate dinner at a rare and luxurious picnic table before turning in early. We planned to get brekkie in town and get out quick to climb out of the valley on the other side.
Day 97, 21.2 miles to Seiad Creek Road.
We got started on the terribly long road walk but at least found some blackberries along the way. We passed quite a few trailers and tiny frogs hopping across the gravel before reaching the paved road. It paralleled Klamath River for awhile and I kept seeing shallow routes to the other side and contemplated fording it to skip another huge S-curve. Sea Lion kept me in check and we stuck to the trail, ate more fresh blackberries, and eventually arrived at the Seiad Valley Cafe. We ordered some absolutely delicious breakfast dishes and got some laughs at Hightower's attempt at the pancake challenge. If you finish five pancakes, each anout 14" in diameter and weighing a pound, it's free. He failed. We grabbed some snacks and border beers next door and then were back on trail ready to climb back out of the valley. We stopped at the Fern Spring to water up and saw a dragonfly pogo-sticking it's butt in the mud. That's how they lay eggs apparently. Then I put on some metal music and crushed the next four steep miles with a 3.2mph pace. Pretty good if I say so myself. Up on the ridge I could see Mount Shasta and then saw a new plume of smoke. A new fire had broke out and the smoke soon erased Shasta from the horizon and then clouded the blue skies. It was nice while it lasted. We hiked on and arrived at our destination at Seiad Valley Road. We were surprised that Shark was there with beer and she filled us in that Moose and Midge caught up and they were all hiking up the road since it is a shorter route and there is a swimming hole halfway up. The traimily was reunited and we sipped beers and gazed at the stars while sharing stories of the past couple hundred miles.
Seiad Valley from above.
Looks like a new fire just broke out.
Mount Shasta, slowly being covered by the smoke.
Day 98, 25.4 miles to Sheep Camp Spring.
We packed up in the chilly and smokey morning air and set out to conquer the final miles of California. Shark, Squirrel, Sea Lion and I marched at the same pace for the first 5.5 miles to water. Squirrel tried to hang his water bag from a sign post that fell over. From there it was a seven Mile stretch to the next water and I listened to some podcasts to pass the time. The smoke was back, clouding any views and rendering the day rather boring. I did pass a group of cows huddled under a tree but hardly took any other photos. The next break spot was at an old cabin from the 1850's which is recently being restored by the Offenbacher family. We ate dinner on the new porch and kicked the shoes off while we waited for the crew to assemble. Once we were all there we hiked the final 0.8 miles of California and then enjoyed border beers and some whiskey as we crossed the first state line. After the celebrations it was a short three miles to a spring where we spent
