Today’s hike was what I call “The Big Walk Around Ruffa Ranch.” The ranch is down in a valley below(you can see the buildings and the green pastures), and the trail circles it, following crests and ridges. There was no ontrail water for most of the day, but because we were up high, the views were splendiferous– Mt. Lassen, Lake Almanor, even the Sacramento Valley.  We stopped for breakfast at Cold Spring Campground, which does have a wonderful piped spring, and even a bench to sit on.  Several fat, glossy, contented cows were grazing in a meadow nearby.  Once we finished eating, we really loaded up on water, for the 24 waterless miles ahead.  I must say that though water may be scarce in this section, when you DO come to water, it’s wonderful–very cold, very clear and tastes great!

Wildflowers were abundant on the trail this morning– all growing in rock garden style among the lava boulders and formations.  Overhead were pretty clouds.  A few NOBO  hikers passed us this morning, all going as fast as they could so they could hitch into Chester!  We also met several SOBO section hikers. One was a little old whitehaired lady whose trail name was “Noisemaker”; she was carrying an enormous pack.  It made me ache just looking at it!  She must be pretty tough.  We stopped for lunch at a side trail (supposedly there was water a half mile down, but we had enough, so didn’t bother with it).  A very bold deer came out of the woods and came right up to beg from us!  No way would we give it any of our precious food!  It was getting rather annoying, when all of a sudden, another deer came along and chased the beggar deer away! 

 Then came the big climb of Butt Mountain. When we did this part in 2005, hunting season had started, and the trail hadn’t been brushed in quite a while.  We were pushing through bushes, listening to gunshots in the woods, and hoping and praying most fervently that nobody would think we were deer trying to get away!  This time, the trail was nicely trimmed and a very pleasant walk.  At 3 pm, we reached the post that marks the official HALFWAY POINT of the PCT and stopped to celebrate with bug juice, a Snickers, and signing the trail register!  Yee-hah!  We were amused to see how many hikers had already signed in today.

Then came the long, long, mostly viewless downhill to Highway 36.  By 5 pm, we’d reached Soldier Creek, the first ontrail water since Cold Spring.  We were just about out of water, so it was a welcome sight, and we stopped for supper, plus washing ourselves up a bit in the creek.  We were filthy dirty from dusty trail plus sweat from the heat.  We even rinsed our socks!  Once we were down “on the flat” again, the PCT winds in and out of private property; seemed like every few yards there’d be another sign on a tree that said we were either entering or exiting such-and-so property.  Just before Hwy. 36, there was a sign telling of a hiker cache on the other side of the road. 

When we got there– wow! Hidden behind a huge log was a wonderful hiker cache with cold soda, water, fruit– even bagels!  While we were eating, I noticed that one of the thruhiker gals (last saw her pouring water over herself coming out of Belden) was trying unsuccessfully to hitch a ride into town.  The cars were just flying past her.  Since it was late in the day and we were going to stop and camp soon, anyway,  I went across the road, carrying my Ridgerest, to try to help her out.  (Yogi’s guide to the PCT mentioned that it really helps to write “Pacific Crest Trail Hiker” in large letters on your sleeping pad, to use when trying to hitchhike.  So I’d done that to my Ridgerest.)  Ann, who’d been trying and trying to get a ride, was very discouraged.

She was glad of my company, and we hoped that with two of us plus the sign, maybe she’d get a ride…but no luck.   Car after car just roared on by.  I must say I was surprised.  You would think that folks in the Chester area would be clued in to thruhikers by now!  Ann finally decided to just give up and go camp in the woods, so Bill and I did the same.  We walked a bit further on, away from the highway, then found a nice comfortable spot in the trees.   We set up the net tent, because the mosquitoes were pretty bad, and talked about “Drakesbad tomorrow!”  The Drakesbad people had posted an “ad” by the hiker cache, inviting everybody to stop by.   I started having the crazy thought, “Maybe we could get there for lunch!”   We’ll see! 

Walk with Aragorn to Isengard: East Wall of Rohan

Tags: Chester, Cold Springs, Highway 36, Lake Almanor, Mt. Lassen, Ruffa Ranch, Sacramento Valley