The Adventures of...: Days 104, 105

Day 104, 34 miles, endpoint Etna, CA (off the PCT)

Today was very interesting. We hiked down 10 miles to where the PCT intersects with Highway 3. While we were hiking, we ran into the same search and rescue team from last night, still searching for the missing day hiker. A California Highway Patrol helicopter wandered the skies in our area, on the hunt as well.

When we got to the highway, we checked on the status of the PCT in the direction where the fire was. We got the official word that the trail was closed 20 miles ahead. We didn't have any other viable options other than a roadwalk into the town of Etna, 24 miles away down the highway. We were planning on hiking to Etna and getting there from a different road tomorrow to resupply, but the plan had to change. Unfortunately, we were going to miss some great parts of the PCT due to the fire closure.

At the highway, the Siskiyou County sheriff's department and search and rescue were gathered; it appeared to be the base for their search for the missing hiker. It would have been interesting to stay and see how they run their operations for a search like that, but we still had to get to Etna.

We started down the highway; cars passed about once every five to ten minutes. We could still see large billows of smoke coming from the fire a few hills over. The road was mostly downhill and we covered the hot, boring miles at a decent pace.

11 miles in we came to the town of Callahan, which had a store and a bar. It was hot and we were hungry, so we stopped for a break. We had cherry 7UP (amazing) and sandwiches with three other hikers who were also torturing themselves with a road walk. The owner told us the bar has been in operation since 1856; the actual bar we sat at is from the original building.

Two forest rangers stopped in to update a board outside the bar with information about the fire. They brought with them bad news. Essentially, everywhere north of here into Oregon is on fire. There are several large fires north of Seiad Valley (our next town stop after Etna) and it is likely more trail closures will be coming.

After hearing all this, the three other hikers decided to throw in the towel and gave up the road walk. Instead, they decided to hitch the rest of the way into Etna. Josh and I are keeping the faith, though. So far, we have not once skipped ahead, and we are really hoping to make it all the way to Canada without skipping. We decided to continue the road walk.

After Callahan, the rest of the walk was pleasant, with rolling green farmland and surrounding hillsides. The walk was also painful, though. The hot pavement and long distance wreaked havoc on my feet and legs. We made it the rest of the way through the smokey valley on wobbly legs until we reached the edge of Etna.

We turned into the Etna RV park, which offered showers, laundry, and tent camping for $8.50 a person. After showers and eating, we were feeling better, but were still too tired to go to the Etna Brewery, where some other hikers had gone for beer and a live band. It probably would have been fun, but we were wrecked.

Tomorrow we will hike up to the trail, about 10 miles from here, which will put as at the point where the PCT is reopened. We are not sure what will happen with the other fires and future closures, but we will plan on hiking as far as we can until we are told we can't.

Trail views

There was a large search & rescue mission going on in the area... we also got help with navigation from the Sherif

Those aren't clouds in the background... it's smoke from fires. Wonder what it takes to get that needle to "extreme"???

Day 105, 12 (???) miles, endpoint PCT mile 1614

We are back on the trail! No more road walking! (At least for now)

When we got up at the RV park this morning there was a very slight dusting of ash on the tent. The air was hazy with smoke, and the fires were all anyone was talking about in town, locals and hikers alike. We packed up and did our grocery shopping at the small store. We decided we couldn't go back to the trail hungry, so we asked the woman working at the grocery store if she could recommend a place for breakfast. Her response: "Well, there's only one place." That's how you know you're in a small town.

On the way out of Etna we stopped at the hardware store for some backup washers for our water filter. We also popped into the thrift store, where Josh paid 25 cents for a pair of used socks. He has been looking for a new pair of socks to sleep in, so it was a good find.

By then we had been into virtually every business in Etna. With nothing else to do, we began the arduous road walk up Etna Summit Road towards the trail. We wanted to walk up there in order to keep our continuous footpath from Mexico to Canada intact, although plenty of cars stopped on their way up the hill to ask if we needed a ride. We had to turn them all down. One couple gave each of us an ice cream sandwich! Totally made our day.

As the name suggests, Etna Summit Road goes up to a summit. It is a 10 mile stretch of mountain road that steeply runs uphill along tall cliffs. The going was slow and plodding. When we were partway up, a car stopped. Instead of offering a ride, the driver told us about a trail that connected to the PCT that would get us off the road. Luckily, we were right near the trail entrance. It had a sign that read "Etna Creek Trail", and "PCT 5". We were excited that the PCT was only five miles away, especially since it would connect us further north. It seemed like one hell of a shortcut.

The trail took us steeply up several thousand feet, but it was nice to be off the road and under the trees. When we finally made it up to the top of the hill, we had a bird's eye view of the neighboring fire. It was quite amazing to see the smoke actively pluming up, although we couldn't see any flames.

The trail got crazy as we went over the top and began a descent that would take us to the PCT. The trail likely had not been maintained in years. Calling it overgrown would be putting it mildly. I doubt any other people have gone down that section of the trail in a very long time (like, since the 80s). We bushwacked our way past downed trees and branches, over thick layers of sticks, and through overflowing bushes growing right in the middle of the trail. We went extremely slow, and I still have my doubts the distance from the road to the PCT was really five miles. By the time we very happily touched ground on the PCT, more than five, hard-fought, sweaty hours had passed.

By then the sun was beginning its race to the horizon, so we quickly went one more mile to a water source and made camp.

I'm not sure what is in store for us the rest of the way through Northern California. We will likely be able to make it to Seid Valley, our next and last stop in California, but after that is a big question mark. The only thing we can do is keep our eyes on closure information and hope for the best.