Author: Courtney

Start: 1561.8

Stop: 1572.1

Today’s miles: 10.3

Total PCT miles: 1424.3

Well, today definitely did not go the way I thought it would.. at all.

We got up and packed around 7:30 and were ready to go, when the trail angel, Lisa got to our motel at 8:15. We rode to another part of town to pick up another hiker.. then made the trek to get us all back to the Echo Lake Chalet. We all thanked her profusely and then sat on the rock border to get ready for the day, ie: I had to put my shoes on.. and, then I went inside the now open store at the Chalet and got a sandwich to eat for breakfast, because, why not?

The morning was chilly and very windy. Actually, we were in a wind advisory.. I looked at my phone just to make sure, and we weren’t in for any rain except for 2 hours of light right late this evening. Cool, that’s no problem! So we set off, in the wind, Margot being cold, and me being quite content with the temperature since we were hiking uphill.

It was pretty trail, smooth dirt and lots of trees. We passed several homes on and off the grid, including a beautiful a-frame that Margot loved. We crossed the main highway and then started climbing a bit more, and with each step the terrain became more rocky and exposed. Then I saw the storm clouds headed our way. I pointed it out to Margot, then told her what my weather app said.. and not 5 minutes later it started to rain.

It was a cold rain, with the temps before the rain already being in the 40s.. this was not good. But I assumed it would still stop by this evening, so best to just keep moving through it, to keep warm, and then this evening once it stopped, set up camp and snuggle into our warm quilts. I put on my rain gear: jacket, pants, and pack cover, plus got out my umbrella. I love not having the cold rain smack into my face. Plus it’s always smart to keep your head as dry as possible in cold and wet conditions.

We stopped for lunch in an almost dry spot, with a huge rock blocking the wind. While we were eating, CliffJumper from the other day came by, and then gave me $10 for the Lyft we took out of Echo Chalet. It was very nice of him to do that, since neither of us mentioned asking him to pitch in.. at the time, all I was thinking about was food and a hot shower and a bed, I could have cared less about the cost to make it happen.

We started moving again and the rain just continued to dump more and more. Then, the wind started trying to blow us off the trail, with the rain coming down in sheets, sideways. With a little hail here and there, added in for funsies. Crap. We passed a couple around 3:30 that told us it might snow tonight above 9 thousand feet, just perfect. Could it get any better?

Since we were so cold, fingers and feet numb, we decided to camp at the next lake area, since it was under 9k feet of elevation, and the trail climbed up after it. We found spots, and started trying to set up our stuff, slow moving with numb fingers that wouldn’t cooperate at all. Once my tent was up, I took our water bags to fill at the lake while Margot worked on her tent..

Because of all the rain, I had to walk into ankle deep water to get out far enough to fill our bags. If my feet weren’t frozen before, they definitely were now. Back at the tents, I gave Margot her water bag and then looked for my town shirt to give her so she could try to dry out the inside of her tent, currently looking like it’s own little pond. She was not doing well.

I got into my tent, dried my few little puddles from setting up in the rain with my bandanas and headband, though not completely dry, dry enough. I blew up my sleeping pad and quickly changed out of my wet clothes and into my warm leggings and puffy jacket, my beanie and gloves, and my down booties for my feet. I decided I’d hunker down and get warm, then I’d venture out of my cocoon to cook dinner.

I waited over an hour and never got warm. Even with a dry head and warm layers on, in a 20 degree quilt and a liner as well. No bueno. So, I sucked it up and boiled my hot water to pour into my last Peak Refuel meal. Best. Idea. Ever. I sealed the bag and then placed it inside my quilt, around my hands and feet and core, rotating it every few minutes. I slowly started getting feeing back into my feet, finally.

After I was warmer than I had been, I ate. It made all the difference in the world. I carefully closed that bag, to save it for any other cold nights (to fill with boiling water like a hot water bottle). I laid down and thought I was about to type this out, as it was only 6pm-but my hands were still shaking, so instead I just curled up in my quilt and closed my eyes. I’m writing this all after the fact, because there was just no way I was going to be able to do it that night. I did sleep pretty good, considering. Once I was warm enough and could tune out the fierce, howling wind and rain. Really good, actually.

I tossed and turned and tossed and turned some more until at least 1:30am. I finally got up and took some ibuprofen and Tylenol together, and was eventually able to fall asleep. I feel like my pelvis needs an adjustment. Time to fly my brother, Zac out here to me and get this spine right! (He’s a chiropractor, so proud!)

Once I did fall asleep, I was out. And it was glorious. I woke up around 8 and started messing with my work stuff, I had to login to a meeting with my manager for my annual evaluation, and none of my login credentials worked. I blew her phone up with screen shots and my problems, and naturally-as management does, she was able to fix it for me and we had our meeting at 9am.

While I was on my phone “in” my meeting, Margot walked to a cafe to get coffee and breakfast. Everything went smoothly. My manager didn’t fire me or anything for not checking my emails like I’m supposed to, lol, which, honestly I’m just happy I’ve been able to pay my bills on time the way the service and WiFi has been out here! Ha.

After we wrapped up our meeting, I got dressed and walked to the cafe too. Margot and I missed each other in passing, because she found out the motel is already booked for tonight, so she headed back to pack before check out. She also found us another motel close by, like next door, so we’d just go there.

I got a breakfast burrito and worked on the blog while waiting for it. Then it burnt the heck out of my bottom lip since I was so eager to shove it in my mouth.. sooo.. I worked on the blog a little more before my next attempt to eat it. Eventually, I took the rest of it with me and ate it on the walk back, since it was getting really close to 11am. I packed and we walked over to the next motel: Paradice Motel (apparently spelled that way on purpose, but Margot isn’t so sure).

The lady wasn’t in the office when we got there, but another hiker was. I assumed she’d already been helped and was waiting on her to return. I was wrong. After a few minutes I asked her if the hotel person had already started helping her-when she said no I called the number on the door-no answer. Weird. So, naturally, I just started walking around. I made it to the upstairs balcony area before a cute lady in a blue dress saw me and asked if I needed help-perfect!

The sweet lady is the owner I think. She started helping the other hiker, and then Margot and I had to help translate their conversations.. because the motel owner is Asian American with a thick accent and the hiker was Swiss with a thick accent as well and everyone just kept saying, “excuse me?” Or “what was that?” Ha. It was all quite comical really.

Then it was our turn. The motel lady got the microspikes I sent here from Amazon, and then checked in Margot.. she already had a room ready for us and let us have the keys! No way! She also let us do our laundry (with detergent) for free! She is seriously so kind, even if she is never in that office.. haha!

We laid around a while, resting, and waiting for the load of laundry in the washer to be done. Then we did our laundry while laying around. Once everything was clean, we went exploring the local Lake Tahoe shops, in search of a new pair of socks for Margot. She found some pretty dang quick. We also stepped on a scale that was in a kiddie trampoline area, used to make sure they use the right bungie cables or whatever..

YALL. I have lost 38 pounds. THIRTY-EIGHT FLIPPING POUNDS. I know the scale is just a number and yada yada-but when I was so damn miserable after all of my thyroid failing business, it feels very gratifying for the number to reflect how I feel. I mean, I know my hip hurts, but I’ve been breathing better and moving easier (typically), so I knew I’d dropped some pounds..I thought maybe 15-20, but 38, after demolishing a breakfast burrito.. hell yeah.

Anywho. We ate lunch at a Poke place. It was delicious. We walked by the marina and saw the gorgeous Lake Tahoe. Then made our way to Safeway to get our resupply. The walk back was a long one carrying two bags of groceries each. I’ve got to be real particular about how I pack my stupid bear can later. We also stopped in Whole Foods. Margot is officially in love, and found a few extra things she needed.

Back in the room, I chatted with mom for awhile, then while I worked on the blog, Margot took a nap. Now it’s close to 7pm and we’re going to go eat dinner. I think I’m going to just end this here, because we’ll eat and organize our crap and hopefully sleep.. and tomorrow is an 8:30 leave time to get back up to Echo Lake and Chalet to start hiking towards Kennedy Meadows North. It’ll take us 3.25 days to get there and then we’ll be in the Sierras! I can’t believe it!

Start: 1536

Stop: 1561.8

Today’s miles: 25.8

Total PCT miles: 1414

I couldnt sleep for the life of me last night. And it wasn’t because of bears, either. My right hip started hurting and just would not let up, no matter which way I turned. It sucked.

Around 5:30, Margot did hear a bear though. I didn’t, and kept trying to sleep until 6, when I relented and started packing. We were hiking by 6:30 and I was hurting. My right hip didn’t feel right, although my pack finally felt manageable with only todays food in it.

The trail was stunning as we hiked into Desolation Wilderness, an area known for its lakes and views. We had a pretty hefty climb up to Dick’s Pass, but we passed by so many little creeks on the way, and then were gobsmacked when we first came across Fontanillis Lake. It was just so pristine! The water was beyond clear, the mountains jutting up around it felt completely unreal.

We kept moving, knowing we had to get to Echo Chalet before nightfall, so we could hope for a ride into South Lake Tahoe tonight, where Margot had already booked us a room. It got pretty hot, and the trail was exposed, going around these beautiful mountains. I started to have some tummy issues early on in the day, and they definitely did not improve as I walked. In total I dug 5 catholes.. in very open areas because when you have to poop, you have to poop. I couldn’t exactly wait for a forest to appear.

That being said, as absolutely beautiful as today was, I was grouchy. My stomach hurt, constantly sounding like cartoon lava, my hip hurt, making me limp some, I was hot.. it just wasn’t fair. I tried so hard to just love the moment, but besides what I could actually see, I was miserable.

As the day progressed, we only passed more and more beautiful lakes. Margot stopped to swim in one, because OF COURSE you should-but y’all, TMI but here we are: my butt was too raw for me to want to get in water and then hike 7 more miles. I was so jealous of how much she was enjoying the water, and I don’t blame her for a second for soaking up every bit she could. I almost just went for it anyway, but with the bubbles my stomach was roiling with-I didn’t want to take the chance.

So, after hanging out with her while she swam awhile, I carried on. I was moving so slow anyway, I knew she’d catch me after she had time to dry out a bit and start hiking again. The descent from Aloha Lake where she swam down to Echo Lakes was a rough one. It was very rock filled, almost like trying to walk through a dump truck of gravel-just sometimes the rocks were the size of small dogs.

Eventually I made it to an area with a phone and a water taxi sign. No one answered the phone, and I’m here to tell you, if they did-I would have 100% rode in a boat to the Chalet instead of walking the last 2.6 miles to get there. When Margot caught up to me, she agreed she’d take the taxi, too. Alas, we had to walk.

It ended up being fine, the trail was gorgeous and Echo lake is apparently a pretty popular place to own property. I didn’t realize it was a lake people lived on. I got great service a mile from the Chalet, so I messaged a few friends, chatted with my buddy Brittany-who lifted my spirits tremendously.

When we made it to the Chalet (a general store basically for the lake, and the parking lot for the people who live and play on the lake too), it was just after 7:30 and already getting dark. We knew our hitch hiking chances were getting slimmer by the second. We looked for the numbers for trail angels, found 2-but no dice. Margot tried Uber. A lady paddle boarding said if we were still here when she got back, she’d take us-but she was just getting started and “would be awhile” because of the super moon.

I tried Lyft and after 20 or so minutes, I got our ride accepted, but the time for pick up just kept getting longer, so it wasn’t looking too good. Another hiker appeared, CliffJumper from the Netherlands, and asked if he could catch the same ride we get if it worked out. We said of course and we all sat around in the dark, getting cold, waiting for either my Lyft lady to appear or the paddle board lady to come back.

I was getting hangry, my stomach finally agreeing it was done being a brat and wanted some food now. Cool. Our Lyft lady ended up getting to us first. She was so nice and even dropped off CliffJumper at a trail angel’s house on the way to our motel. Once at the motel, now 9:30, we were exhausted, but the room was gorgeous! I ordered us McDonald’s (the fastest option) on DoorDash, Margot showered.

The food came before I could shower, so I ate and then showered, finally getting into the cushy bed by 10:30. Y’all. I am Worn. Out. I told Margot I’d be ok with taking a zero day tomorrow if she was. My hip really hurts. So we’ll see if this room is available in the morning. Sweet dreams.