Day 92 – The Poison Oak Gauntlet

7/15/18

Miles: 1460.6 to 1489.4

Trail Miles: 28.8

Early this morning I was aware there was thunder in the distance. It wasn’t until I started seeing flashes of light that I woke up. It was 4:50 AM. It was definitely lightning, I could tell that it was at least 30 miles south, but it was too dark to tell the direction the storm was moving. I had cell service and checked the radar picture – a couple cells were moving north. I wasn’t exactly sure where I was relative to the cities that were depicted, but now seemed like a good time to start packing up. By the time the sun came up I could tell that the storm was not going to hit me but I was mostly packed. I got on the trail at 6:05.

The trail descended 2000 ft to McLeod River, going through a forest. Shade! A welcome escape from the sun.

McLeod River

The climb back up from the river valley was hot and humid, but still in the shade. Unfortunately some of the shade was poison oak. For nearly 14 miles, the trail was lined with poison oak. Literally lined with it. It became very tiresome trying to avoid it, but I reminded myself not avoiding it would be magnitudes worse.

Vile plant – poison oak

The poison oak gauntlet

Most of the day I was leapfrogging with Bandit, Fish and Sonic, Phoenix and Stripes. I’d camped 2 miles ahead of them, but they’d caught me by 11:30 and we played tag the rest of the day. I was still trying to make Castella’s PO by 1:00 tomorrow, so my goal was at least 28 Miles for the day.

I heard more thunder around 3 o’clock as the sky started to cloud up. Once again being in the forest, I couldn’t tell where or what track any storm might have. Ignorance was not bliss in this case. I wanted the relief from humidity a storm might bring, but lightning was the bigger danger. Forest fires caused by lightning were already closing parts of the PCT in Oregon.

I stopped at Squaw Valley Creek to tank up on water and eat dinner I’d been cold soaking. It was about 5 miles more to my goal, all uphill. Ending the day with a big climb seems to be a recurring theme in NorCal.

Squaw Valley Creek

I eventually made it to my goal campsite, at 28.8 miles for the day. NoNo was there, as was Peanut Feet, the German hiker I’d seen several times today. Three other hikers arrived right after me. The views of Mt Shasta during the final climb meant Castella was in reach!

Mt Shasta