Trail Day 79: Tentsite (mile 1146.6) to Meadow Lake Rd (mile 1172.3)

25.7 PCT miles

I was camped on the ridge below Tinker Knob with one other woman (named Farrah) last night. Luckily, we both had decided to get up before sunrise so and we didn't disturb each other by noisily packing up in the dark.

I headed down the trail first, carefully picking my way across the rocks. It was going fine until I came across a snow/ice chute covering the trail. During the day you can see how other people had tackled a snow obstacle,  either by the footsteps through the snow or the path beaten around it.

First light was just starting to appear and there wasn't enough light to examine the snow field. It looked like people were not crossing directly at the trail. I could have taken the steep slope down to scout out the lower part of the chute, which looked to be flatter, but, with the sutures still in my knee, I didn't want to have to go down the slope, just to potentially come backtrack back up it.

I decided to wait. I figured one of two things could happen. First, I could wait for the sun to rise, so I could see the chute more clearly. Second, Farrah might come by and we could figure it out together.

I waited a couple minutes and Farrah came along. She knew about the issue with my knee,  and volunteered to scout out the slope. When I saw her headlamp bobbing on the other side of the chute,  I realized it was probably pretty easy just to walk around it.

I carefully picked my way down the slope and around to the other side. Farrah was generously waiting for me where the trail spilled out from under the ice chute to show me where to go. There was a small area of loose boulders I had to scramble to get back on the trail.  Once I was safely back up we both went on our way.

I walked along the ridgeline as the sun started to come up. I got a great view of cool, low lying clouds on the north shore of the Lake Tahoe area. I passed a couple more snow patches without issue before heading down towards Donner Pass.

Sunrise over a sea of clouds.

As I got closer to Donner Pass, I started seeing a lot of day hikers. The first big group I saw gave me two orange slices,  which I scarfed down without civility. I passed some ski lifts,  then got a view of the infamous Donner Pass where the Donner Party became stuck in the 1800s. It looked so innocent in the summer. Modern day Donner Pass is accessible by road and has a ski resort, a road, and several businesses.

Modern day Donner Pass.

Dinner Pass Ski Resort.

I carefully worked my way down some switchbacks to the pass and was suprised to find Sage packing up his camp near the road. He had gotten there the previous night to get his free beer offered by Donner Pass Ski Lodge, a treat for passing PTC hikers.

The Ski Lodge also had a restaurant,  bunks, a shower and laundry. I had originally wanted to stay there the previous night,  but I was way behind schedule. Since I had gotten there in the morning, I was going to have to skip my beer, food, and shower.

I continued to the crossing of Highway 40 at Donner Pass. I saw several more people getting ready for their day hikes. One of them looked at me and asked if I wanted a soda or beer.

Trail magic! It had been a long time. There had been a couple instances of trail magic since I entered the Northern California section of the PCT, but I always seemed to miss them. The man who offeres me a beverage was Reno Dave, the most active trail angel in the area. As I had come down the switchbacks to Donner Pass I had seen a sign he posted for hikers detailing everything we needed to know for the area from food/lodging to the nearest medical facilities.

After chatting with Reno Dave and finishing my soda, I started down the trail again, passing cool rock formations and groups of rock climbers. My next destination was the underpass of I-80.

I was excited for I-80 because the underpass is near an interstate rest stop with real bathrooms. With the sutures in my knee, I  was not able to squat,  making “using the bathroom” a lesson in creativity each time. I was excited for a real bathroom.

I-80 from a couple miles out.

Most places I cross along the PCT, I feel like people know about thru hiking and are not suprised to see hiker trash moving through. I did not get the same feeling from the rest spot. Most people were traveling families in their comfortable travel/vacation clothes. Some teenagers were in the sports uniforms. I litterally emerged from the woods behind the rest stop dirty and smelly,  carrying a huge backpack. I didn't see anyone else like me. I used to facilities, then slunk back into the woods again.

Interstate rest stop.

Plaque at the rest stop.

For the next few miles I wove up and down the wooded hills of the trail until I reached a backcountry ski hut. I filled up with water from the nearby stream, bumping into another PCT thru-hiker,  then went to the hut for lunch.

View from the trail.

Another view from the trail.

The hut was not what I expected. I expected a bare room, but found a mini house with two rooms,  a loft, and several tables. There were also other amenities scattered about. Some other PCT hikers had discovered a guitar in the loft and were having an extended jam session. I was happy to be eating at a table for once and stayed there much longer than I had planned.

The ski hut.

The main room of the ski hut.

The rest of the afternoon I spent hikiing up and down the trail, through the forest,  then back up to ridgrcrests. Late in the day I bumped into the hiker I had seen at the stream by the hut. He had found a nice campsite and was going to build a fire.

Going up again.

He invited me to camp with him for the night. He was hoping the other guys from the hut would be joining him too and we would all have a nice campfire party. I still wanted to go a few more miles for the day, but I stopped for a snack and chatted for a while. His name was Catch ‘Em and he had also started in early April. He had gotten injured in the Sierra and spent some time off trail to recover.

After I left Catch ‘Em I headed downhill in the setting sun to a campsite I saw listed that was by a road and a creek. The light was almost completely gone by the time I got there, but it was a very popular tenting site. I saw at least a dozen tents already set up. Luckily, I found a patch for myself and noisily set up my tent in the dark, probably angering everyone around me.

Heading downhill in the setting sun.