Agua Dulce to Kennedy Meadows

     There lie two trail angels within 24 miles of each other.  One in Agua Dulce, the well run, organized and functional Hiker Haven.  There L Rod Saufley cranks out laundry in a way that no normal human experience can relate to. The rotten, funky smells of hiker laundry get channeled through the Saufley machine and arrive with name tags on the porch of the hiker hangout.  It is amazing the kind of organization and work that goes into keeping that place running smoothly.  Twenty four miles down the trail is the Anderson's.  A wild, dishevealed party that has no end.  Drunk Doug gives you the tour, shows you where the hawaiian shirts and the beers are kept, and sets you loose.  Terri and Joe Anderson hold it down with huge dinners and breakfasts, hooking up hikers like no reasonable person should.
     In between are 24 miles, and therein lies the challenge.  24 miles in between hostels, 24 beers in a case.  Smokey the Beard and I took on the challenge, picking up a case each of Coors lite in Agua Dulce and setting out through the desert at 130pm, hottest time of the day.  About two hours later we were too drunk to be held responsible for our actions.  I airplaned a dip into Smokey's lip, causing him to puke.  Then, falling behind I fell off the trail and bloodied up my knee pretty good.  By the time we arrived at the Andersons, we were in good form and ready to keep the good times rolling.  Managing to squeek by with only one zero day we set out on a few hundred miles of serious desert hiking.
     Basically we crossed the whole mojave section without battin an eye.  The weather was nice.  The hiking was great.  The scenery was beautiful.  We ran into Patchwork, accosted first by his dog; a huge pit.  Turns out it wasn't his dog.  It had followed a few hikers previously, then latched on to ol' Patchwork.  We talked to him about how he'd found an awesome dog then kept walking, not thinking anything of it.  20 minutes later we hear the jingling of his collar in the bushes and knew we'd picked up a straggler.  We named him Rocket after his defining attribute and hiked with him for the rest of the night and through the next day.  The humane society came and picked him up at  a road crossing and hopefully took good care of him.  Smokey wanted to keep him but he was in too poor of shape to make the miles that we're hikin'.

     We dropped off Rocket then went into Mojave.  At the grocery store we did our resupply then headed over to KFC to get some food.  I plugged my phone into an outlet to charge up for the coming weeks on the trail and alas, some tweaker broad stole it right out of the wall.  Goodbye world.  I have no phone.  I am alone in the wilderness.  (i'm writing this in a trailor, hooked up to a genertor with satellite phone. basically off the grid.)  In the distance we've seen the snow covered sierras drawing closer and closer... it's like watching an oncoming army come over the horizon.  From here, we can see where the battle will happen, it's just a matter of time before we get there.  Right now, we're in Kennedy Meadows at the foot of the southern Sierras.  From here we have about 200 miles of trail that sits about 9000-13000 feet including a climb of mt Whitney.  This is the roughest section of the trail and we are excited to get at it!  Everything we have been doing so far as been leading up to this: from Mojave, we pulled a 25, 26, then 3 back to back 28 mile days.  Basically we've been flying.  Time to slow it down, be careful, and make it through these crazy mountains.

Updates to come on how it all goes.

Be goodness!

Clay

Idyllwild, CA to Agua Dulce, CA

     Well, here we are sitting pretty at 450 miles.  We're in the tiny desert town of Agua Dulce, CA right on the edge of the Mojave Desert.  Fuller Ridge and San Jacinto turned out to be a lot of fun.  The trail was completely buried in snow so there was a lot of map-and-compass routefinding going on, but we made our way up and over.  It was a thrill to see that mountain rise up on the horizon then sink into the southern skies as we left it in the dust.  Another challenge down.  After Jacinto we hit some awesome trail magic down under I-15.  Some past hikers were cooking up grilled cheese sandwhiches and passing out beers so we had to stay to toast to our successful journey over the mountain, listening to the familiar sounds of cars passing on the bridge overhead and the occasional freight train. 
     We crossed a few desert ridges, did a lot of water crossing on Mission Creek, then up into the mountains towards the ski resort town of Big Bear, CA (mile 175). 
     Big Bear marked the end of our 'getting in shape' period.  Basically, at this point, the ridiculous charge towards Canada starts in a big way.  We bought food for 7 days, with a 25 mile per day schudele.  This stretch of hiking was refered to several times as the death march.  We cruised out of Big Bear and kept our momentum going strong, even though we ran into a few fire detours that had has walking down the highway for 3 days.  Oh well, you take what comes to you out here on the PCT, that's kind of the beauty of it.
     We've met a bunch of really great guys; a few from Portland, a couple from northern Cali.  We had a strong hiking crew of 7 going for awhile which was a nice change of pace.  Its amazing how much things change when there are a few new people to talk to while you're hiking hour after hour.  We left them behind at Wrightwood, which we decided to skip, but they should be catching back up to us soon.
     This section has been a lot of fun.  Adam and Aaron really seem to be getting into the thru-hiker groove and we're all just enjoying the miles and having the best time possible.  Things are changing; our bodies and minds are adapting and getting ready to knock out the next 2200 miles!  whooweee!

Mexican Border to Idyllwild, CA

     After a week of ridiculousness riding trains and hitchhiking from the sweet ol' land of Boise down to the Mexican Border, our hike has begun!  Years of dreaming, months of hard planning and preparation and here we are, finally, walkin' it out.  I can't even describe how stoked I am to be out here getting it done.
     We left the border monument (mile 0) on April 25th.  It was like a force that has been building, dammed up by time and waiting, was finally released.  A four month journey had begun and we were now riding out the course, trapped by time but freed from our normal lives.  Feeling unstoppable, we knocked out the first 100 miles by day 5.  We crossed a bit of desert in mild temps but high winds.  Getting blown off the trail into all kinds of prickly plants as we walked.  One night, high up in a box canyon, we couldn't even get our tent up so we wrapped up in it and weathered the elements.  No big deal.
     By the time we hit Warner Springs, CA (mile 109), Adam and Aaron were suffering pretty bad from over use injuries.  I had been walking my dog Katy every day for 3 months prior to leaving so I was ready to do some walking, but the other boys got the crash course as we hiked 21-25 miles per day.  Adam's knee had a good case of tendinitis and Aaron was dealing with some shin splints.  This really took the wind out of our sails and we had to take 2 days off at Trail Angel Mike Herrera's house.  Not exactly a curse, as he cooked up about 120 lbs of smoked chicken and ribs and brought out cooler after cooler of beer.  We got a little spoiled but remained anxious to do what we came out here to do: hike on!  We got a lot of good advice from hikers that were coming through about taking care of their injuries and on day 3 of resting up, we headed out on a short 9 mile hike to Tule Spring.  This short hike helped to strengthen up their ailing limbs and the next two days we were moving again.
     We covered 50 miles in 3 days after Casa Hererra to the town of Idyllwild, CA (mile 178).  This is a true trail town with all the things hikers need to continue down the trail: grocery stores, cold beer, a quick pizza stop, and a cheap camp ground.  As I write this, we're doing laundry for the first time since we left the Mexico border and getting some showers in before we head back out towards Big Bear.  We were trying to make it to town last night, hiking hard for 22 miles up the San Jacinto crest around Apache Mountain and Taquitz Peak.  As we got up to 8000 feet we started hitting little patches of snow, nothing serious but a wrong step could send you sliding down a little snow chute 20-30 feet into the trees below.  As we neared Saddle junction and the trail down to town, we hit solid snow.  Losing the trail around 7pm we hiked into the twilight using our compasses and maps, cutting sidehill towards the saddle.  The sun dropped quick and we ended up cowboy camping on a bare spot, watching the stars go from sparse twinkling to bright shining glory.  It seems like every night I look around, my eyes peering through the tiny face-hole in my mummy bag, and wonder at the fact that I am finally out here hiking the PCT with some of my best friends, having the best times, and truly testing myself as a man and a human being.  What more could you ask for then to fall asleep in a warm sleeping bag after a day of trekking through the snow?
     Come morning, we hiked the last mile towards the saddle and descended down the south face of the saddle eventually hitting the Devil's Slide trail switchbacking down to town.  Now, here we are.  Resting up quick and preparing to head out.  Apparently some hikers had an illegal camp fire which they let get out of control, now the climb over snow-capped San Jacinto peak and Fuller Ridge (touching 9000 ft) is blocked for the next day or so.  We are trying to push hard and can't really afford to wait around, so hopefully we can get back up into the pass and hike through once we get word from the fire marshall that the trail is open again.  San Jacinto has been looming in the distance for the last 80 miles or so, lingering on the sky line and presenting the first real challenge of the trail.  I'd really hate to have to skip it because of this fire but it is a possibility.  Best case scenario is that I'll be picking up some ice cramp-on's to wear over my sandals and tomorrow we'll be charging through the snowpack over looking Idyllwild to the west and Palm Springs to the East.
     We're all feeling really strong and ready to take on this trail.  There are many challenges ahead: we'll be hitting the waterless Mojave desert on the other side of Mt San Jacinto and then after that up into the snowbound Sierras, climbing up to 14,000 feet.  So far though, things have been going well and the things we have seen and done will never fit onto a simple blog... and we're only 178 miles in, 2475 left to go.  Pictures will be coming when we get a chance to sit at a computer (right now I'm in a library with a 30 minute time limit) but we have some awesome footage of the mountains we have crossed, a couple huge rattle snakes (one of which Adam got into a staredown with and scared off the trail), and the icy slopes we have been traversing.
     I hope everyone at home is well and that you are as blessed to be there as we are to be out here, living a life that seems like a dream.  Much love to you all and take care!

3 Weeks Until the PCT!

Only a short few weeks until we put our first foot prints on the PCT.  It is a strange feeling, knowing that the routine that I have gotten into over the past winter, everything I have been doing, will all be flipped over on its head and life will be completely, utterly, unimaginably different.  All this planning and dreaming and finally, the time is right around the corner!  We are all extremely excited.

The picture to the right is of myself, Aaron Matsko, and Adam Winkler.  All of us fight fire together in John Day, Oregon and have been good friends for a long time.  We took this picture on a training hike along the Snake River out here in Southwestern Idaho.  We started from the Swan Falls Dam and hiked to Celebration park.  This is within the Birds of Prey National Conservation area and follows a deep canyon along the Snake River.  I was intending to go mostly for the exercise but, as with most hikes, there were constant surprises along the way that enriched the entire experience.

The canyon itself is beautiful.  It makes quite an impression as you drive along the flat valley floor to the South of Kuna and all of a sudden find yourself on the rim of a deep, expansive cliff face.  The birds of prey follow the currents along the cliffs walls as they hunt the canyon floor and we got to see Osprey, Eagles, and Hawks.  We also had to stop a few times to listen to the eerie cooing of doves who sat in droves along the cliff walls, letting their songs reverberate in the canyon.  It was funny to hear them, cooing louder and louder and then immediately silent as a predatory bird soared by.

Next, along the North bank of the river, we began to find ruins of old homesteaders.  Mostly these were just the fallen walls and foundations of old stone cabins but we found one which was still in great condition.  It stood strong enough that I would still feel comfortable spending a night in it.  It looked right out across the water into a copse of alder that were completely saturated with red-winged black birds.  Who ever built the cabin did a damn good job, and picked a great spot to put it.  I wouldn't mind spending a little time there myself.

We reached Celebration park and looked in vain for the Indian petroglyphs that I'd heard were there.  The Paiute Indians spent their winters in this area but we found no trace of them in the park.  We crossed the old Guffey railroad trestle and set up camp on a butte overlooking the Snake.  We sat down for a nice hot meal only to realize the fuel canister which I'd assumed to be fuel and leaked since the last time I'd used it and was now empty.  Ooops, my bad guys.  Enjoy your cold, tasteless dinners.  What an amateur mistake--been awhile since I've pulled something that dumb when it comes to hiking.  Don't get my wrong, I've been doing plenty of dumb things, but not when it comes to hiking.

In the morning we headed back along the South side of the river.  After walking for an hour or so, we came to some open fields with scattered boulders.  To our surprise, the boulders were covered in petroglyphs.  There were pictures of men, antlered animals, insects, the river, and plenty of things we couldn't distinguish.  It is such an incredible experience to be transported into the past.  The ramifications of such an encounter are limited only by the imagination.  The people who carved this drawings spoke a different language, thought in completely different ways, and in many ways, lived in a totally different world.  And here we are, bringing with us the changing of times and a new culture, standing in the same spot and sharing the same experience.  It is a beautiful thing to try to wrap your mind around.

There were hundreds and hundreds of petroglyphs as we continued hiking.  After a few solid hours, we were back at the dam, scaling across some scaffolding because the walk way was under construction and there was no other way across.  This hike was a great chance to explore parts of the canyon I'd never seen.  I was grateful for the opportunity and had a blast hanging with my buddies, getting ready for the PCT and shootin' the bull all the while.  It was a great day to be alive.  Fortunately, we have many, many more days like this to come as we make our way along the PCT.

Gear list

Alright, here's the post for all you gear heads and tech wizards.  This is my list of gear for the PCT.  I've got some new additions plus a few old friends from the Appalachian Trail (sobo 07).

Pack: Osprey Stratus 40, 2400 cubic inches, 3lbs 4oz.
Shelter: GoLite Shangri La 3, 2lbs 15oz.
Sleeping Bags: EMS velocity 35, 1lb 10oz.  GoLite Adrenaline 20, 1lb 14oz.

Pad: Thermarest Pro Lite 4 Small

Clothes: North Face fleece, Patagonia quarter zip long sleeve, Underarmor base layer, GoLite Paradigm Jacket, Marmot vest, Granite Gear insulated stretch pants

Cooking: JetBoil stove

Water: Aqua Mira treatment drops,  Platypus 3 liter water bag, 2 1 liter SmartWater bottles

Guitar: 1/2 scale Greg Bennett ST6-1BK

So, that covers all the main items in my gear list.  For some of you, thats way to much info.  For some, not nearly enough.  Only 2 months until the kick off and then it's trail time!  Ah man, I cannot wait!

An Introduction

    Hike for the Fallen was conceived on the McGinnis Creek fire in eastern Oregon. As we gridded back and forth on a shadeless slope, digging smoldering embers from burned out stump holes, our minds began to wander. Perhaps it was the blistering sun and the hundred degree drinking water that fed the delirium from which this idea, and many others, emerged.  Whatever it was, here we are, a mere 3 months away from taking those first steps from the Mexican border towards Canada and the dream is beginning to take shape.   Through the course of our years fighting fire, we have learned how to push through physical challenges and begun developing our strength of character. The idea of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail seemed to us like a great way to test ourselves and push on to the next level of our growth as young men. We know we can handle this trail. We know it will be grueling. But we know we can do it.
    We have decided to hike it fast to up the ante on the physical and mental stress that we are willingly setting out to endure. The greater the adversity, the greater the growth. The average time for a PCT thru-hike is 5 and a half to 6 months. We are going to do it in 4.  That means we will have to maintain an average of 25 miles of hiking per day. It may seem crazy to some, but it is somehow feasible to us.
    Beyond the physical and mental challenges of the trail, we have also committed ourselves to raising some money and generating awareness for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. We feel like, though the hike will be difficult, we can do more than just walk for 4 months. We will attempt to expand the scope of our lives beyond ourselves and do what we can to help out this great foundation.
    We got to see first hand the amazing work the WFF does after the Iron 44 tragedy. The two pilots and seven firefighters were killed when their helicopter crashed in northern California. The WFF was there, helping families to deal with the grief of losing their loved ones. The seven fallen firefighters worked for our company and I remember the day of the crash, when we received the news.  It was a very eerie feeling knowing that could have easily been you, and thinking about the impact on the families and friends of so many lives lost in an instant. We are honored to do what we can to help the foundation in their work supporting people at a time when they need it most.