Elk Lake in central Oregon is where I left off hiking in 2021. It was a summer marred by wildfires, and substantial sections of the trail were burned. A good chunk of the Oregon PCT was still closed in 2022, and Canada was closed to entry by hikers completing the trail.
So I passed on trying to finish the PCT last year. This is the year I will do it. At least I hope it is. If all goes well, I will hike the last 700 miles of the trail and arrive at the Canadian border in mid-September.
I’m off to a good start. There were no snags encountered in getting here, and the entire first day went remarkably smoothly. The bus ride was fine, the plane arrived in Bend 30 minutes early, my pack survived, Trail Angel Reid showed up as promised to give me a ride to the trailhead. He is a good guy, also a hiker, and also a native Boulderite. There are probably more than a few of those in Bend.
The only obstacle to my complete satisfaction was my new collapsible whiskey flasks, one of which developed a pinhole leak and soaked my gear with a couple ounces of whiskey. But better whiskey than water I suppose.
Back on the PCT
We got to Elk Lake and I started walking before 3. This (along with an easy trail) allowed me to make 10 miles, which will make it much easier to get to the Big Lake Youth Camp at mile 1996 by dinner time Friday (free to PCT hikers).
Walked by my first Sister (the south one), the view somewhat diminished by haze from the Bedrock fire near Eugene. The trail angled around a steep lava flow face coming from the mountain. It was desolate and moonlike, a sharp contrast to the grassy meadow it stopped in.
Arriving in camp there were just enough mosquitoes to justify putting up the tent. Otherwise this is cowboy camping weather – blue skies, no threat of rain.
No doubt the rest of this hike will go just as smoothly and delightfully as today.