Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - July 20th
Day 95: Saturday 20th July
Kettlebelly Ridge – NW slopes of Castle Crags
Camping was not allowed in Castle Crags State Park, except at the main
campground by the Highway, so I thought I had better make an early start before the
Rangers appeared. For about three days I had been meeting mysterious numbered posts
along the trail and now I found signposts giving distances in kilometres. I realised that
the posts were kilometre posts, dating back to the 1970’s when the USA had a brief
flirtation with metrication, before the powers of conservatism forced the return to the
British Imperial System of Units.
My pack was heavy again, nominally with four days food, but I could see myself
getting hungry before the next supply bag. I was eating so much now that I could eat a 4-
day supply in 3 days, but I was going further each day than planned so I was just about
keeping a balance between energy intake and energy requirements. I couldn’t afford to
under eat since I was only about 7lbs overweight when I started the hike and I was now
down to my “fighting weight”.
Traversing below Castle Crags I was passed by a runner, the first person I had seen
on the trail for 48 hours. I stopped for a very early lunch at Sulphur Creek, and had a
bath and washed most of my clothes. This was to be the last water for 15 miles and
4000ft of ascent, so I made sure I was fully hydrated.
At this low altitude we were back to the conditions of Southern California climbing
up, through chaparral in the full glare of the sun, with rattlesnakes, plenty of lizards
and even some Poison Oak. On leaving the State Park I came upon a “Dog-trail”. Since
dogs weren’t allowed in the State Park a trail outside the park had been designated for
dogs! I met a group of day-hikers looking on their way down looking extremely
dehydrated and also Paul, who was section-hiking south from Ashland at 200
miles/week. When I camped at 7.30pm I had only got 2½ litres of water left, and I had
only got that much because I had rationed water on the climb.
Day 95: 12.4 miles 6.44 hour Camp: NW slopes of Castle Crags
Kettlebelly Ridge – NW slopes of Castle Crags
Camping was not allowed in Castle Crags State Park, except at the main
campground by the Highway, so I thought I had better make an early start before the
Rangers appeared. For about three days I had been meeting mysterious numbered posts
along the trail and now I found signposts giving distances in kilometres. I realised that
the posts were kilometre posts, dating back to the 1970’s when the USA had a brief
flirtation with metrication, before the powers of conservatism forced the return to the
British Imperial System of Units.
My pack was heavy again, nominally with four days food, but I could see myself
getting hungry before the next supply bag. I was eating so much now that I could eat a 4-
day supply in 3 days, but I was going further each day than planned so I was just about
keeping a balance between energy intake and energy requirements. I couldn’t afford to
under eat since I was only about 7lbs overweight when I started the hike and I was now
down to my “fighting weight”.
Traversing below Castle Crags I was passed by a runner, the first person I had seen
on the trail for 48 hours. I stopped for a very early lunch at Sulphur Creek, and had a
bath and washed most of my clothes. This was to be the last water for 15 miles and
4000ft of ascent, so I made sure I was fully hydrated.
At this low altitude we were back to the conditions of Southern California climbing
up, through chaparral in the full glare of the sun, with rattlesnakes, plenty of lizards
and even some Poison Oak. On leaving the State Park I came upon a “Dog-trail”. Since
dogs weren’t allowed in the State Park a trail outside the park had been designated for
dogs! I met a group of day-hikers looking on their way down looking extremely
dehydrated and also Paul, who was section-hiking south from Ashland at 200
miles/week. When I camped at 7.30pm I had only got 2½ litres of water left, and I had
only got that much because I had rationed water on the climb.
Day 95: 12.4 miles 6.44 hour Camp: NW slopes of Castle Crags
Castle Crags
Sulphur Creek
Slopes below Castle Crag
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