Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - July 28th
Day 103: Sunday 28th July Grider Creek – Devil’s Peaks
I left at 7.30am and reached Grider Creek Campground in an hour. The camp had
been taken over by the California Conservation Corps and even at this early hour only
the cook was left in camp with everyone else was already out working. There was now a
long road section, made more acceptable by the ripe wild blackberries, which bordered
the road. I had just passed a ranch with four lovely horses in a large paddock when I
heard a runner coming up behind me. It was “Buzz” from the ranch, offering to take me
on a shortcut across a neighbour’s property, saving a couple of miles of road walking. He
was on holiday before starting his final year at college and he was then entering the
army. He already knew that his first posting would be at Heidelberg in Germany. I
rejoined the road by the road bridge across the Klamath River and walked up the
highway to the Seiad Valley store and café. The valley was full of smoke from the forest
fires.
I had my second breakfast in the café. This café was the site of the infamous
“Pancake Challenge”. Rick, the owner, made pancakes ½ inch thick and the size of the
plate. When I had dropped my supply bag here I had managed 1½ of these pancakes. The
challenge, only taken up by hungry, young thru-hikers, was to eat 5 of his pancakes at
one sitting and you got the your money back! Only four hikers had ever succeeded on
the challenge! I learnt from a group of cyclists that Lance Armstrong had won the Tour
de France. The only time non-American sporting events get into the newspapers is when
the Americans win them! John and Julia were at the café. They had seen and videoed a
cougar (also called mountain lion, panther or puma) on the trail just after they left me
last night. These animals are not common in the mountains and usually keep well away
from people. They aren’t a danger to adults, but small children would make a tasty meal
for them if caught on their own. Also in “town” was “Mighty Mouse”, from San Diego.
When I first met him he was walking down the road with just a towel round his waist as
all his clothes were in the laundry. I’m quite happy with nudity in the wilderness, but I
don’t think I would wander around town with only a towel for cover. “Mighty Mouse” had
started from Campo in early May.
While at the café we heard that a fire-engine en route for the Titus Ridge fire had
turned over, killing two of the firemen.
I had lunch at the café and made sure I was well hydrated before setting out at 2.30
pm with the temperature over 105ºF in the shade. Ahead was a 6,000ft climb from the
store at 1,300ft up to the highpoint of the ridge. When I rested on the climb it was too
hot to eat, but I had a big supply of orange juice to keep me going. Lookout Spring was
dry so it was just as well I carried a full supply of water up the mountain. I went on until
it was getting dark at 8.30pm. I would have camped earlier, but there was no possibility
on the steep and rocky Lower and Middle Devil’s Peaks. I found a good spot on the
saddle between Middle and Upper Devil’s Peaks. I had met no-one since leaving Seiad
Valley.
Day 103: 16.3 miles 7.32 hours Camp: Saddle between Upper and Middle Devil’s Peak
I left at 7.30am and reached Grider Creek Campground in an hour. The camp had
been taken over by the California Conservation Corps and even at this early hour only
the cook was left in camp with everyone else was already out working. There was now a
long road section, made more acceptable by the ripe wild blackberries, which bordered
the road. I had just passed a ranch with four lovely horses in a large paddock when I
heard a runner coming up behind me. It was “Buzz” from the ranch, offering to take me
on a shortcut across a neighbour’s property, saving a couple of miles of road walking. He
was on holiday before starting his final year at college and he was then entering the
army. He already knew that his first posting would be at Heidelberg in Germany. I
rejoined the road by the road bridge across the Klamath River and walked up the
highway to the Seiad Valley store and café. The valley was full of smoke from the forest
fires.
I had my second breakfast in the café. This café was the site of the infamous
“Pancake Challenge”. Rick, the owner, made pancakes ½ inch thick and the size of the
plate. When I had dropped my supply bag here I had managed 1½ of these pancakes. The
challenge, only taken up by hungry, young thru-hikers, was to eat 5 of his pancakes at
one sitting and you got the your money back! Only four hikers had ever succeeded on
the challenge! I learnt from a group of cyclists that Lance Armstrong had won the Tour
de France. The only time non-American sporting events get into the newspapers is when
the Americans win them! John and Julia were at the café. They had seen and videoed a
cougar (also called mountain lion, panther or puma) on the trail just after they left me
last night. These animals are not common in the mountains and usually keep well away
from people. They aren’t a danger to adults, but small children would make a tasty meal
for them if caught on their own. Also in “town” was “Mighty Mouse”, from San Diego.
When I first met him he was walking down the road with just a towel round his waist as
all his clothes were in the laundry. I’m quite happy with nudity in the wilderness, but I
don’t think I would wander around town with only a towel for cover. “Mighty Mouse” had
started from Campo in early May.
While at the café we heard that a fire-engine en route for the Titus Ridge fire had
turned over, killing two of the firemen.
I had lunch at the café and made sure I was well hydrated before setting out at 2.30
pm with the temperature over 105ºF in the shade. Ahead was a 6,000ft climb from the
store at 1,300ft up to the highpoint of the ridge. When I rested on the climb it was too
hot to eat, but I had a big supply of orange juice to keep me going. Lookout Spring was
dry so it was just as well I carried a full supply of water up the mountain. I went on until
it was getting dark at 8.30pm. I would have camped earlier, but there was no possibility
on the steep and rocky Lower and Middle Devil’s Peaks. I found a good spot on the
saddle between Middle and Upper Devil’s Peaks. I had met no-one since leaving Seiad
Valley.
Day 103: 16.3 miles 7.32 hours Camp: Saddle between Upper and Middle Devil’s Peak
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Fern
Klamath River
Sign at Ranger Station
Mighty Mouse at
Seiad Valley Cafe
Seiad Valley Cafe
Middle Devil's Peak