Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - July 4th
Day 79: Thursday 4th July
Sierra Butte – Ridge above Jamison Lake
Most of the thru-hikers in the vicinity were taking a day off in Sierra City, where
there was a barbecue organised to celebrate US Independence day. I wasn’t sure
whether an Englishman should be celebrating; perhaps I should have joined in to
celebrate getting rid of the “Revolting Colonists”! It was a hot traverse rising through
scrub for another 1,000ft up to a saddle. In the next couple of miles I came across many
day-hikers climbing the Sierra Buttes, which had a Fire Lookout Post on the highest
pinnacle accessible by a stairway with 176 steps. There wasn’t time for me to join them.
One of the disadvantages in doing such a long walk is that you are reluctant to make
attractive diversions from the route. There were many motorcyclists and mountain
bikers at the trailhead parking, but fortunately they had their own separate trails. The
route was now a mixture of viewless forests, clear-cut and replanted woodland, with
sections of open or semi-open ridge.
There were hummingbirds flying around and feeding on the flowers when I stopped
for my third breakfast. I was overtaken by a group of men on mountain bikes, despite
their being banned. I stopped for lunch at Summit Lake, a small lake with dubious
water quality, where I had to boil the water before drinking it. Unfortunately the water
was too shallow and muddy for a swim. I had had an easy day and camped by 6pm at a
small pond on the ridge.
Day 79: 15.7 miles 7.00 hours Camp Ridge above Jamison Lake
Sierra Butte – Ridge above Jamison Lake
Most of the thru-hikers in the vicinity were taking a day off in Sierra City, where
there was a barbecue organised to celebrate US Independence day. I wasn’t sure
whether an Englishman should be celebrating; perhaps I should have joined in to
celebrate getting rid of the “Revolting Colonists”! It was a hot traverse rising through
scrub for another 1,000ft up to a saddle. In the next couple of miles I came across many
day-hikers climbing the Sierra Buttes, which had a Fire Lookout Post on the highest
pinnacle accessible by a stairway with 176 steps. There wasn’t time for me to join them.
One of the disadvantages in doing such a long walk is that you are reluctant to make
attractive diversions from the route. There were many motorcyclists and mountain
bikers at the trailhead parking, but fortunately they had their own separate trails. The
route was now a mixture of viewless forests, clear-cut and replanted woodland, with
sections of open or semi-open ridge.
There were hummingbirds flying around and feeding on the flowers when I stopped
for my third breakfast. I was overtaken by a group of men on mountain bikes, despite
their being banned. I stopped for lunch at Summit Lake, a small lake with dubious
water quality, where I had to boil the water before drinking it. Unfortunately the water
was too shallow and muddy for a swim. I had had an easy day and camped by 6pm at a
small pond on the ridge.
Day 79: 15.7 miles 7.00 hours Camp Ridge above Jamison Lake
Traversing Sierra Buttes
Trail through
regenerating clear-cut
regenerating clear-cut
Deer Lake
Summit Lake
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