August 19-20, 2022 August 19: 7.3 non-PCT miles, 0 PCT miles August 20: 0 miles Tribute is abnormally energetic this morning. “It’s TOWN DAY!” he roars, packed up long before Jumbo or I are even out of our tents. It takes us a minute to get moving, and we’re slow when we do. It feels …
August 18, 2022 Campsite at Lolo Pass, mile 2115.2 to Eagle Creek alternate to campsite 7.5 miles from junction 13.4 PCT miles 7.5 non-PCT miles In the middle of the night, Jumbo gently shakes me awake. “It’s raining a little,” he says. “I’m going to get in my tent just in case.” I sleepily hammer …
August 17, 2022 Timberline to campsite at Lolo Pass, mile 2115.2 Technically, 17.3 PCT miles, but with my detour, who knows I think I do a pretty good job of being honest about the thru-hike experience, its highs and lows and positives and negatives. But in case I haven’t made it clear enough, sometimes this …
Continue reading PCT Day 121: Timberline Breakfast and the Accidental Detour
August 16, 2022 Campsite at mile 2079.1 to Timberline Lodge 18.8 miles I really like this sleeping in thing. Like, really like it. I hear Tribute moving around before I open my eyes, but he’s not moving with any real conviction. When I finally look at my phone, it’s nearly 6:45. We have a whopping …
August 15, 2022 Campsite at mile 2055.6 to campsite at mile 2079.1 23.5 miles Jumbo is so motionless when I wake up that I start to worry he’s dead. What do I do? Is he breathing? Normally he’s the first one to start rustling, but today it’s Tribute. Even when I sit up and start …
August 14, 2022 Bend to Oallie Lake at mile 2046.7, then to campsite at mile 2055.6 8.9 miles (45.8 PCT miles skipped due to the Lionshead Fire Closure) The morning of back-on-trail days are always chaotic. I will myself out of bed and organize my pack explosion down to a somewhat manageable pile, make coffee, …
Continue reading PCT Day 118: A Headache Turned into an Adventure
August 13, 2022 0 miles The day begins when I wake up at 7:30 and find myself with a surprising amount of energy. Jumbo is still sleeping and Tribute is taking a bath, and after I make coffee, I slip outside and call my mom before the day gets away from me. It’s nice to …
August 12, 2022 Big Lake Youth Camp to Bend via Santiam Pass at mile 2000.9 ~0.9 non-PCT miles ~3.7 PCT miles I did not love getting up to pee twice last night, mostly because the moon was so bright that anyone even mildly awake would see me and I therefore had to trundle back down …
August 11, 2022 Mile 1974 to Big Lake Youth Camp 21.1 miles I wake to the sound of Jumbo opening his oatmeal packets. He always tries to do this quietly so that Tribute and I don’t wake up and he has more time. So I go back to sleep. The next time I wake, I …
August 10, 2022 Elk Lake Junction at mile 1952.6 to mile 1974 21.4 miles It’s cold and my tent is covered in condensation. This is not going to be an early morning for me. I sit up and do all my tasks, but I can’t bring myself to get out of my tent. Tribute and …
Sarahmarie Specht-Bird 