Bushcamp to Bushcamp
30.7 miles
Mile 1365.5
I slept in a bit, not stirring until after 5. I’d slept well, so my body felt prime as I hit the trail by 6 just behind Spikes.
The trail led up for an hour or so, before beginning it’s descent down to the North Fork Feather River.
Just before the river I caught up to Spikes, and after crossing a large wooden bridge we rested by the river bank.
From there we entered into Lassen Volcanic National Park. Bear canisters are required for overnight camping inside the park, so we planned to hike the 19.3 miles to a campsite just outside the northern boundary.
Spikes and I decided to swing by a lodge located on trail called the Drakesbad Guest Ranch for a beer. Just before arriving there I turned a corner to find a young fawn with it’s mom standing guard.
They looked at me for a moment, before moving off into the forest. From there I swung by Boiling Springs Lake, crossed a series of bridges and a meadow until finally meeting Spikes at the lodge.
They had a double IPA and a blonde on draft. Normally I’d get the IPA, but with 15 miles still left to hike, I went with the blonde. I was glad I did, because it was absolutely delicious!
It felt great to kick back on the shaded patio while enjoying a cold beer.
By noon Spikes and I were back at it. The trail took us up a short climb before meandering through a lush green forest.
I was ahead of Spikes, zoned out to an audio book when I turned a corner to find a bear booking it away from me! After running halfway up a small hill, he stopped, forgetting about me as he began digging at the trunk of a dead tree.
I snapped a few photos, but when I tried getting closer he became aware of my presence and ran off into the distance.
I pushed on, pumped to have finally seen a bear! I now understand why bear canisters are required while in the park…
The rest of the day was spent walking through a flat burn area. The lack of shade and hot afternoon sun made the section a bit grueling, but at least there were epic views of Lassen Peak off to our left.
Around 6 we reached the park boundary line. We setup camp just feet from National Park, but hey, it’s legal!
After dinner we watched a bit of Netflix’s, but exhausted as we were, we only lasted about 15 minutes before calling it quits and crashing.
Around dusk the mosquitos came out in droves, driving me absolutely bonkers. I’ll be setting up my tent from here on out…
P.s. Hey Rodney! Thanks for supporting the journey! I’m stoked to hear you’ve been enjoying the blog, and hope you find an adventure of your own soon!
Cheers!