Day 90, July 16: Mile 1280 to Belden to Mile 1300
Start: Mile 1280.3
End: Mile 1300.2
Miles: 19.9
Ascent: 5838 | Descent: 4963
I didn’t sleep well so I turned off my alarm at one point in the night so I could sleep in a bit. I finally got myself up and started hiking at 7am, much later than usual for me. I cruised along a ridgeline for a bit before starting a big descent into Belden. I was treated to some pretty views of the Feather River that runs through the town.
I got to the part of the town that the PCT crosses through, but soon caught a ride with two other hikers to Caribou Crossroads, a small RV park, cafe and store a few miles away. Famished from my poor dinner the night before, I ordered a burger and fries and drank two sodas. I finally felt like I was making up the lack of calories from the day before. I also tracked down a toothbrush, huzzah! There was a cute and chubby tuxedo cat hanging around outside, eating directly from a bag of cat food and meowing for pets.
I got a ride from one of the employees of Caribou Crossroads back to the trail. I didn’t work my timing for the day out well and was about to start an apparently brutal, exposed 11 mile climb at 12pm. My weather app said it was 88° but it felt much hotter. Excellent.
I ascended a gentle climb to start and came to the small Indian Creek. I filled up on water and soaked in the creek for a bit. Trousers passed me and we chatted for a bit as I was drying off.
Then the real climb started. It was indeed brutal. I tried to meditate through the worst of it but I had to take a hundred breaks in every bit of shade I could find. Despite the challenge, I was feeling pretty happy as I told myself it felt like running in the San Gabriel mountains by my parents’ old house in Altadena in the middle of summer.
I continued climbing and climbing and weaved in and out of burned forest and live forest. The most redeeming thing about the burned sections was that there were pretty wildflowers, even fields of them at times. I also officially left the Sierra Nevada mountain range and entered into the Cascade mountain range, as a sign told me. I didn’t know this is where they split and it was cool to see with my own eyes!
After a day of a million breaks, I finally found a great little campsite on a ridge away from any burned trees. I cooked and ate dinner while enjoying the beautiful sunset and view. I had enough cell service to talk to my sister on the phone for a bit before going to bed. Night!