PCT Day 71

Bushcamp to South Lake Tahoe

15.7 miles

Mile 1092.3

I had barely scored a wink of sleep as I reached for my water bottle only to find it frozen solid around 430am. I chucked it under my quilt in an attempt to melt it enough to make my morning cocktail of coffee and chocolate Breakfast Essential.

It had been one of the colder nights I’d experienced lately, having gotten well below freezing for the first time in weeks. I wish I’d pitched my tent rather than lazily cowboy camped. My shoes were also frozen solid, so I sat on them while I went about my morning chores in the dark.

My plan was to crush the 16 miles to Echo Lake by 10am, so I could hitch into town to meet Spikes’ friend Maddie, who we’d be staying with over the weekend, before she left for work.

This would require me to get moving before 5, and there would need to be no snow on the trail…neither of these things occurred, so needless to say, my plan didn’t quite pan out.

I accidentally fell back asleep while waiting for my water and shoes to defrost. When I woke again at 530 both had improved, but I was already behind schedule, whoops! I quickly packed up and hit the trail before 6.

I made great time the first few miles, jogging most of it. My pack was stupid light, as I’d given my food bag to Spikes to take into town the previous night.

Around 8 I began to encounter increasing amounts of snow, until it was all I could see. Trail hidden, my roll was slowed to a irritatingly sluggish pace.

As I climbed the snow became worse, and with it my ability to navigate. I did my best to follow a pair of footprints as I hustled up the trail.

Impossibly behind schedule, I crested the mountain around 10. As I began my descent, the trail conditions began to improve.

When I reached the bottom there was no snow in sight. It was a beautiful day, blue skies and new green growth all around me.

Two miles out from Echo Lake I crossed this trail marker with a list of South Lake Tahoe trail angels attached. I snapped a pic of the list for later use before banging out the final miles.

I arrived at the Chalet on Echo Lake around 1130. I grabbed a Diet Coke from the market before hitting up a few Trail Angels from the list I’d snapped a pic of.

Before long Peter pulled up and I hopped in. He was a super cool dude who used to run a gear shop in town. When he dropped me off at Spikes’ friends house I thanked him before heading inside.

Spikes welcomed me inside with an incredible lunch ready to go! She had journeyed to the grocery store that morning to pick up salad fixings, chips and salsa, beer and ice cream!

I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome! Maddie, Spikes’ friend whose house we were staying at had already left for the weekend, so it was just us two.

After crushing the delicious lunch Spikes had prepared, we relaxed for a bit before getting an Uber to Heavenly Village to grab dinner at Base Camp Pizza Co. A trail angel had mentioned that this joint hooks up PCT hikers with free pizza…which is totally the case.

After gobbling down pizza, wings and a couple IPAs we headed to the movie theatre to catch the new Star Wars movie, Solo. It was awesome, but I was exhausted by the time it finally ended.

It was late when we returned to Maddie’s house. Having hiked 16 miles that morning on no sleep, I passed out quick and hard.

Cheers!

P.s. Thank you so so much Maddie for letting us crash at your awesome house this weekend! I haven’t met you yet, but I sure hope I get to before leaving! You da bomb!

Cheers!