Category: Hiking

I woke several times in the night…wouldn’t you know it, my sleeping pad had a leak. The cold ground was sharp enough to rouse me from the depth of the long miles the day before.
But! The stars were stunning and bright. I gazed at the Milky Way and the incredible infinity of the sky above. I tried to put more air into the sleeping pad but I slowly sank to the earth again and again. Drat.
When I finally had enough of the air games, I retrieved my food from the ursack and made coffee in the dark. By the time Cindy rustled herself awake at daybreak I was onto my second cup of hot drink and was reading the latest issue of Harper’s.

Ok, let’s hike! We were in the shadow of Middle Sister for hours this morning, but the air was still relatively warm, no frost yet. The colors were pure fall with carpets of maroon and gold as far as the eye could see. It was the best kind of hiking. I marveled over the difference from thr Appalachian Trail…you almost can’t even compare the two trails, they are so different in character and style that it’s not really fair to sit them side by side. I do love the easy-breezy rock-free smooth trail, but my body wasn’t used to striding out…I kept falling behind Cindy and wondered if the steep rocky trail from this summer had caused me to shorten my gate…it was nearly impossible to take long smooth steps this summer….even on the flat bog bridges I had to hike a bit timid so my feet wouldn’t slide out from me on the wet wood (that happened anyway a few times).

When the sun finally hit, we were snacking by obsidian falls and about to enter the lava flow portion of the loop. Somehow a few trees were still able to do their thing, and grew precipitously from the volcanic rock. The air was clear enough to see up to Mt Hood, and we stopped often to take it all in.

We were both feeling the miles in the early afternoon…even though I had hiked almost all day through the summer, the month at home and back at a desk had taken its toll, and my legs felt heavier with each mile.
Then back to the burn as we closed the loop on the weekend.

Finally I saw the glint of car through the burned out trees…cars! I do love seeing my vehicle intact at a trailhead, cause, you know, things can happen.
We hugged out our goodbyes and parted ways….Cindy had a long drive home, and I had a date with a tub of lavender scented epson salts.
What a fabulous weekend .

I’ve been home a month now, and have been perfectly content to spend most of my days inside, doing inside things.
The arm is still bothersome, but I’ve been to a physical therapist a few times, and a couple sessions of acupuncture has definitely helped me feel almost healed. I have high hope of being able to return to my regular activities, like yoga. (Oh how I miss it!)
So Cindy, my AT 2002 partner, had a permit for the Three Sisters Wilderness (my backyard), and invited me out.
The idea: Circumnavigate North and Middle Sister, a 30-oddish mile route. The weather was looking like the typical clear, warm, fall day that October can reward us with.
The start: We woke up at 5am. Cindy had arrived a few hours earlier from Portland, and I made us egg and cheese bagels while we packed our few last things. Wheels up by 6am, walking by 7:30.

We were eager to talk trail, afterall, it was Cindy’s 20-anniversery for the AT too!
The morning trail necessitated a brisk pace till we warmed up along with the sun. We were walking through a vast burn area that would take the whole morning to get through. We were heading south from Scott Pass Trailhead.

We lunched at the junction with Demeris Lake, and couldn’t resist the pull of treeline and the pass between South and Middle Sister. The lake at the top, camp lake, is apparently at risk of breaching the glacial rock, which forms its swell in the earth, and flooding Sisters. When I worked for Outward Bound we avoided this drainage for liability reasons, so when Cindy and I reached the water, it seemed i might have miss-remembered the whole situation or this was one has-been of a risk.

It was lovely though. It was all so beautiful.
We spent the afternoon sauntering, as much as you can saunter in lose scree fields, stopping for photos and expressions of delight.

The best news of all: we were headed for the PCT to walk the western portion of the loop back up to our cars. My old friend.
I can’t tell you what a psychic boost it is to have the Pacific Crest Trail in my backyard. I know it has had a profound effect on me these almost 15-years I have lived here. All trail all the time.
We worry about finding water for the night after passing several dry creeks, but our rationing fate was sweetly wiped from our brow when we saw the pretty little pond, our hopeful destination for the evening.
There would be no tents tonight…we tucked ourselves into a small clearing above the pond, and lay out our tyvek. Soon we had inflated all the things and surrounded ourselves in down cocoons. The early October air cooled around us as we looked at a small pocket meadow, all golden and shiny in front of us. Contentment. We ate snacks until it was time to lay down.
The best day.

I’ve been home a month now, and have been perfectly content to spend most of my days inside, doing inside things.
The arm is still bothersome, but I’ve been to a physical therapist a few times, and a couple sessions of acupuncture has definitely helped me feel almost healed. I have high hope of being able to return to my regular activities, like yoga. (Oh how I miss it!)
So Cindy, my AT 2002 partner, had a permit for the Three Sisters Wilderness (my backyard), and invited me out.
The idea: Circumnavigate North and Middle Sister, a 30-oddish mile route. The weather was looking like the typical clear, warm, fall day that October can reward us with.
The start: We woke up at 5am. Cindy had arrived a few hours earlier from Portland, and I made us egg and cheese bagels while we packed our few last things. Wheels up by 6am, walking by 7:30.

We were eager to talk trail, afterall, it was Cindy’s 20-anniversery for the AT too!
The morning trail necessitated a brisk pace till we warmed up along with the sun. We were walking through a vast burn area that would take the whole morning to get through. We were heading south from Scott Pass Trailhead.

We lunched at the junction with Demeris Lake, and couldn’t resist the pull of treeline and the pass between South and Middle Sister. The lake at the top, camp lake, is apparently at risk of breaching the glacial rock, which forms its swell in the earth, and flooding Sisters. When I worked for Outward Bound we avoided this drainage for liability reasons, so when Cindy and I reached the water, it seemed i might have miss-remembered the whole situation or this was one has-been of a risk.

It was lovely though. It was all so beautiful.
We spent the afternoon sauntering, as much as you can saunter in lose scree fields, stopping for photos and expressions of delight.

The best news of all: we were headed for the PCT to walk the western portion of the loop back up to our cars. My old friend.
I can’t tell you what a psychic boost it is to have the Pacific Crest Trail in my backyard. I know it has had a profound effect on me these almost 15-years I have lived here. All trail all the time.
We worry about finding water for the night after passing several dry creeks, but our rationing fate was sweetly wiped from our brow when we saw the pretty little pond, our hopeful destination for the evening.
There would be no tents tonight…we tucked ourselves into a small clearing above the pond, and lay out our tyvek. Soon we had inflated all the things and surrounded ourselves in down cocoons. The early October air cooled around us as we looked at a small pocket meadow, all golden and shiny in front of us. Contentment. We ate snacks until it was time to lay down.
The best day.

Below is a selection of photos that are our favorites from our hike of the Slovenia Mountain Trail. All of the shots captured here can be found in our trail journals. These photos barely represent the trail and these are just some of the ones that we thought stood out – whether they represented a good day, a beautiful view, or simply some friendly faces that we met on the trail.

Our journal for this hike is here -> Slovenia Mountain Trail Journal

Our Favorite Slovenia Mountain Trail Photos

The post Slovenia Mountain Trail Photos 2022 appeared first on Long Distance Hiker.

Below is a selection of photos that we enjoyed in particular from our hike of the CDT (Continental Divide Trail). All of the shots captured here can be found in our trail journals. These photos barely represent the trail and these are just some of the ones that we thought stood out – whether they represented a good day, a beautiful view, or simply some friendly faces that we met on the trail.

Our Favorite Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Photos

These photos go state by state northbound on the Continental Divide Trail. Even though we didn’t hike the trail northbound in all sections, it just makes sense to present them this way. Our hike was a flip flop – palooza, and the photos illustrate this.

Here is how it went down:
West Yellowstone (Targhee Pass), MT to Jackson, MT – Northbound
Steamboat Springs, CO to Cumbres Pass, CO – Southbound
West Yellowstone (Targhee Pass), MT, to Steamboat Springs, CO – Southbound
Cumbres Pass, CO to US/MX Border – Southbound
Jackson, MT to Northern Terminus – Northbound

Cumbres Pass, CO to US/MX Border

Steamboat Springs, CO – Cumbres Pass, CO

West Yellowstone (Targhee Pass), MT to Steamboat Springs, CO

Montana

The post Continental Divide Trail Photos 2020 & 2021 appeared first on Long Distance Hiker.

So today I am ready to be done with the hike, which is convinent since it is my last day!
The tent held up overnight, but with each unzipping I was worried the unnatural angle of the broken and splinted pole would stress or tear the zipper or door fabric, so it was a relief to take it all down. These poles will be going in the garbage when I get to town, my tyvek ground cloth too…it has gotten to the point where it picks up a fair amount of the forest floor when I lay it down, and is absorbing water instead of repelling it. On a long hike I like to replace it every few months.
I had wings this morning. I have done a good job at being present on this trip, I had to be to keep from tripping and cracking my skull open on a rock, but today the thoughts of home, Kirk, seeing my parents, and wearing clothes other than my stanky hiking ones was strong. I couldn’t peace out all together though, Vermont’s roots and rocks continued with some additional mud pits thrown in for good measure. This was still New England hiking. And then my feet slid on a wet bog board like it was ice and I went down hard on my left knee. That could have been bad, but somehow it wasn’t, and I kept going.
I made amazing progress and even had time for a nice relaxed lunch under some power lines where I was actually able to feel the sun on my skin (the green tunnel is thick).
When I reached the Massachusetts border I did a little jig, three states completed on my sobo hike!

Then there was a crazy jumble of rocks to contend with as I descended to the town of North Adams, and bugs. Little knats flew in my eyes, near my ears and were all up in my grill the last few miles. No thanks! These bugs were the last straw…I’m done with you AT.
I had called a hotel from a few miles back (thank you technology!) and made plans for them to come pick me up at the hiker kiosk in town. NEMO is coming to pick me up tomorrow, and since I’m down a day earlier than I had planned, I’ll have some time to unwind, shower, do laundry, and be ready for one last hurrah with her, Pouch, and Rewan at their farm before I fly out the next day.
The trail turned into an urban hike as it crossed the valley towards Mt. Greylock, and when I reached the pre-arranged meeting spot, to my delight, found multiple coolers filled with cold drinks and snacks. Wooza! I was so thristy, it was hot in the valley and this was unexpected. A woman stopped by to check on the cache and I met Renee (another Renee!) who trail angels in the area and helps replenish the coolers and takes hikers in occasionally too. She has so much excitement for the AT and hikers, it really was a wonderful bookend to the hike. This community, these people, this trail…it’s larger than life.
I love you Appalachian Trail, but it’s time to go home!

The rain fell hard all night, which is good for all the dry little creeks and streams out there. I decided to splurge on a morning shower and stood under the warm water for several quarters worth of time. State parks have it going on with all these amenities…if you can put up with the traffic and people.
We took it slow this morning; Retread was heading home, Anonymous was flying out tomorrow, and the two nobos were getting dropped off for their Katadhin quest. It’s strange just having hiked what they have left to do. I refrain from saying too much about what they have ahead…I don’t always like it when others do that to me…regardless, they will get a ton of advice from all the others coming south too. It’s hard, they wanna know what they are in store for, but I don’t think you really can prepare yourself for New Hampshire and Maine, you just have to experience it.

The hype around the trail south of here is: “so flat, you can do big days, it’s nothing like what you experienced in the north.” The challenges down here are more like: ticks, heat, and…hmmm, what else??? Maybe not so much the heat anymore. The sobos got hammered by long periods of really hot (like in the 90s AND incredibly humid hot. No thank you.)
I walked out of camp and to the trail. A short up got the blood flowing. Solo again. I would be solo through my last 100ish miles when I made it to, hmmm, not sure yet. I can get off trail and to Albany, NY from any number of places in the next week. When I looked at a map, Albany sat to the east, and a wagon wheel of roads burst into the mountains of Vermont and Massachusetts. I could hop off the trail and to the airport from just about anywhere.

And then I was on the Long Trail. About 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail share the same tread south of here…the northern portion of the 200ish mile trail traverses the spine of mountains north of here to Canada. Also the Long Trail is the first long distance trail in country. Respect!

The big feature of the day would be to climb Killington, Vermont’s second highest peak. It also has the region’s biggest ski resort. I passed on the climb to the top (via a steep 0.2 side trail) and snack bar because the forest was in a cloud, and I had too much food on my back. I remember racing up there with Average Joe in 2002 and snacking hard. The views were great too.
The rain had stopped shortly after I had started hiking yesterday, but the dense and thick greenery made for a drenched walk all the same. It was beautiful.

I ambled to a stop early. I had already made a reservation at a nice hotel in Manchester Center, a three+ day hike from my zero. I had plenty of time to hike there, too much food once again, and another book that was getting interesting – this one a British spy novel set in the 1970s.
Hiking!

Today was truly relaxing. I didn’t have any chores to do, so I could just sit. Retread made sure we were well fed, and I just sat.

Arm pain update: not using my arm has helped a lot. I still feel that something isn’t right, but I’m not in as much pain as before. I will contine to not use my left hiking pole and see what happens.
Bee sting update: the swelling has gone down and I’ve all but forgotten the event, but a mosquito stung the sting area, and that’s not cool.
Foot gash update: the cut is in the crease of my toe, so hard to see. Hope it’s doing OK.
Legs update: legs are ripped and ready to go!

Since my Day 49 blog was so short, here is some bonus content: the interview I did with #2 Pencil…

Your pace doesnt have to be fast if you can do the time.
Almost 12 hours of hiking.
Do the time.