Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - July 10th
Day 85: Wednesday 10th July Humboldt Summit – Highway 36
I left before 7am in the morning. Luke had left at first light as he wanted to get as
many miles as possible under his belt before it got too hot. It soon warmed up, but the
climb up to Butt Mountain was comfortable in shady forest. My left Achilles had started
hurting again, but it settled down when I had warmed up.
Over the past few days, the temperature was too high for mosquitoes but there were
increasing numbers of flies. While I was resting below the summit of Butt Mountain six
Scouts came up the hill at a terrific pace, looking both exhausted and dehydrated. Their
leaders followed at a more sedate pace 15 minutes later!
In the afternoon I caught up with Luke at Soldier Creek, where he was rehydrating
in the shade. He left to get to Chester down Highway 36 that evening, as he needed
some medicines. There was another Scout Group, from nearby Willows, scattered
around the creek. Some headed up for Butt Mountain, while others remained at the
Creek for an early dinner. Their leader was a veteran of the US Rangers from the
Vietnam War. He had his younger son with him. His older son was a Smokejumper for
the USFS in California. Despite the use of helicopters they still use Smokejumpers for
fire fighting, probably more through tradition than any other reason, but possibly
because fixed-wing aircraft are much cheaper to operate than helicopters. As usual for
Scouts, they were heavily laden and the leader even had an attachment for their stove
to bake pizzas. The last four left at 6.30pm and since they weren’t very fit they were
unlikely to find anywhere to camp on the steep hillside before it got dark. As I was
leaving John and Julia, from Seattle, who had started from Campo on 16th April, turned
up
Soldier Creek was the halfway point of the PCT in terms of distance, but well over
halfway in terms of time and effort.
Eventually I left for Highway 36, where I picked up the supply bag I had left
hanging in the trees, and I camped nearby at about 8pm.
Day 85: 20.6 miles 8.04 hours Camp: Highway 36
I left before 7am in the morning. Luke had left at first light as he wanted to get as
many miles as possible under his belt before it got too hot. It soon warmed up, but the
climb up to Butt Mountain was comfortable in shady forest. My left Achilles had started
hurting again, but it settled down when I had warmed up.
Over the past few days, the temperature was too high for mosquitoes but there were
increasing numbers of flies. While I was resting below the summit of Butt Mountain six
Scouts came up the hill at a terrific pace, looking both exhausted and dehydrated. Their
leaders followed at a more sedate pace 15 minutes later!
In the afternoon I caught up with Luke at Soldier Creek, where he was rehydrating
in the shade. He left to get to Chester down Highway 36 that evening, as he needed
some medicines. There was another Scout Group, from nearby Willows, scattered
around the creek. Some headed up for Butt Mountain, while others remained at the
Creek for an early dinner. Their leader was a veteran of the US Rangers from the
Vietnam War. He had his younger son with him. His older son was a Smokejumper for
the USFS in California. Despite the use of helicopters they still use Smokejumpers for
fire fighting, probably more through tradition than any other reason, but possibly
because fixed-wing aircraft are much cheaper to operate than helicopters. As usual for
Scouts, they were heavily laden and the leader even had an attachment for their stove
to bake pizzas. The last four left at 6.30pm and since they weren’t very fit they were
unlikely to find anywhere to camp on the steep hillside before it got dark. As I was
leaving John and Julia, from Seattle, who had started from Campo on 16th April, turned
up
Soldier Creek was the halfway point of the PCT in terms of distance, but well over
halfway in terms of time and effort.
Eventually I left for Highway 36, where I picked up the supply bag I had left
hanging in the trees, and I camped nearby at about 8pm.
Day 85: 20.6 miles 8.04 hours Camp: Highway 36
Lassen Peak from
Butt Mountain
Butt Mountain
West ridge,
Butt Mountain
Butt Mountain
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