cyberhobo

Month: June 1996

  • Day 66 (Pete)

    The morning we went from Showers lake to Echo lake the snow was icy hard and pitted out with sun cups. The lower elevations make route finding extremely difficult. Before, we were above tree line a great deal of the time. Peaks could be used as references and the topography of the land was much…

  • Day 66

    Maybe it’s the thicker trees, or the mosquitos. Or the amount of time on the trail. I start shutting the world out, falling into routines, poring over the guidebook calculating mileages. Maybe Pete & I have reached an impasse. Although I still love the life, my attitude toward the trail is changing, taking on more…

  • Day 65 (Pete)

    I’m writing this on little line notepad paper because the usual unlined 8.5 X 11 sheets in the resupply box never arrived. Along with the guide book, film, all our FOOD. Really, if it had to happen anywhere, this was the place. My Uncle Keith and Aunt Jan have a cabin right near Echo Lake…

  • Day 65

    After a suitable raid on a nearby grocery store, we’re heading into the snowy Desolation Wilderness. Just over Poop Out Ridge we poop out, next to a peaceful little lake. One of our three water bottles has a leak.

  • Day 64

    The goal for the day is Echo Lake Resort, where Pete’s Uncle Keith and Aunt Jan will feed us and put us up for the night. To get there we have to negotiate several miles of crusty snow in low, thickly forested hills. With not much more of a plan than “head north”, we somehow…

  • Day 63 (Pete)

    Out of paper. Writing on envelope back. Commando raid worked well. Ate breakfast at 10 or 11 trail miles. Walked 4 or 5. Ended up 33 some odd miles from where we started. Good position to hit Echo Lake for lunch and meet Uncle Keith and Aunt Jan. Can’t make Sierra City by closing Friday,…

  • Day 63

    Our meandering route through Indian Meadows is just what we needed – a snowless exploration of hills, marshes, and fields. It’s enough of a respite that we don’t take it too hard when we finally get lost in the snow again. The day gives us some beautiful moments of light and color, and enough of…

  • day 62 (Pete)

    So, maybe I was being overly optimistic. We began to climb quickly upon waking. It was a mellow 900 ft. ascent. Maybe half way up I began to meditate for the first time in a very long time. I had entertained the notion that the high mountains precluded our inner desire to do so. Part…

  • Day 62

    At this point we are sick of the snow. Really sick. We keep convincing ourselves that around the bend the trail drops out of the snow forever, only to be sorely disappointed again and again. Our feet look like they’ve been soaking in the bath for two weeks straight. In the morning we get lost,…

  • Day 61 (Pete)

    If old habits die hard, as the saying goes, then new ones are still lounging pool side sipping Bloody Marys. The snow is gradually abating. We are consistently traveling toward lower elevations. The trail has led us out onto the northern Sierra Crest. Its the opposite end equivalent of those windy desert hills east of…