MTA (Mobile Trail Angel)

Sierra City (Tahoe Natl’ Forest) – Buck Lake (Plumas Natl’ Forest) -­‐ Chester (Lassen Natl’ Forest) mile 1197 to mile 1310

This weeks email is from Maureen, aka Chief’s wife.

My lifesaver.  Half mile App.

At my last “goodbye” at Red’s Meadow, outside of Mammoth, I realized I wouldn’t see Kevin again until I flew to Portland on Aug. 19 to drive out to Timberline Lodge, where I am to meet him for 2 zero days at the Lodge. This was a rather emotional goodbye. Until....Kevin suggested that I do a “road trip” through the Northern Sierra and Southern Oregon section of the trail. I’m off work for the summer and had a dear friend lend me her truck/camper combo, it seemed the right thing to do. It sure is!

Great Mtn. Highways

The boys in a BED!

Reunited with Bodie!

Trail Magic from Grandma Pat

Red Moose Inn

Enjoying Pat's Trail Magic

Having mimosa's for breakfast, Day 1!

NEEDS NEW SHOES

NEEDS FOOD

NEEDS UPPERBODY muscles

Hello PCT!

MTA

Wild Plum Campground – Tahoe Natl’ Forest
Met Chief first night at Sierra City at the Red Moose Inn (trail Angels in Sierra City). It was a great start to my road trip. Got to meet up with about 8 of the thru-­‐hikers and had a wonderful evening eating, drinking and chatting with all these amazing people that Kevin has been telling me about for so many miles now. Bill and Margaret, owners of the Inn and Trail Angels extraordinaire were wonderful hosts. Shared some great trail magic from Grandma Pat and Dana at the Inn for all the hikers. They are so grateful for all these “care” packages. We stayed at a FS campground about 1 mile from the Inn along a fork of the Yuba River. It was pristine. Kevin has a zero day the following day and we swam, relaxed, told stories and I continued to feed him lots of food.

Red Moose

Closed the Cafe for our Private Party!

All the ribs you can eat - Bill and Margaret

The party

Dropped him off at the PCT trailhead from Sierra City along with a couple of other hikers, Roger Dodger and Dora. Plan was to meet him in 2 days later at Bucks Lake, outside of Quincy. This is when I heard the news (through cell phone coverage) regarding the Granite Mtn. Hotshot Crew out of Prescott, AZ. It is horrific, awful and unimaginable how something like this could happen. I wasn’t sure where Shane’s crew (Los Padres Hotshots) was and was worried sick for him also. Not to mention our close connection with a member of the Granite Mtn. Crew, Sean Misner. He is a part of our Montecito Fire Department Family, as he is the nephew of Terry McElwee, Division Chief MFD and grandson of former Chief Herb McElwee. We have known this family for over 20 years. I can’t remember when I’ve cried as much as I did that day. I decided to contact Kevin via his satellite locater and tell him the news. I felt it was important for him to know. We somehow were able to communicate that he would meet me on a forest service road that intersects with the PCT in the mtns beyond Quincy. I got there about 2 hours early and hiked the trail with Bodie. It was wonderful to see hikers coming down and letting me know that Chief was not far behind them. Most of them know Bodie now and he is the greatest greeter when he sees a hiker! When we met it was very emotional. He had heard some of the news from Whistler, who carries a portable radio, but was not aware that Sean was part of the crew. After hiking together for a few more miles, we decided it was best for Kevin to stay on the trail and continue his hike. The trail is a magical place and very suited for mourning this loss in one’s own space. Our hearts go out to the McElwee/Misner family and especially his wife and unborn child. Words are not enough to convey our heavy hearts.

Saying goodbye after a couple of hours, he was back on the trail and put in a 31-­‐mile day. Walking seemed the only way to manage his emotions. When he arrived at the Feather River that evening he was exhausted, but greeted by his fellow hikers, they all sat and talked about what had happened. Somehow this was the right place to be. 

Whitehorse Campground – Buck’s Lake, Plumas Natl’ Forest

Bucks Summit

Picked up Kevin in the late afternoon at the trailhead near Buck’s Lake. Made lots of food and had lots of beer, snickers, cookies, ice cream, chips, hotdogs !!! Things we would not eat at home!! JULY 4! Drove to the summit to get cell coverage so Kevin could talk to Shane. That is what he really needed at this time. Shane told us about MFD donation at the Pancake Breakfast for the Arizona Crew and how they made the front page of the New’s Press. I’m so proud to be a part of such a great Fire family. Thank you Montecito Fire.
Belden Town – Caribou crossing campground/RV park, Plumas Natl’ Forest
Wow. Let me tell you about Belden Town! RAVE party every weekend along the little 1⁄2 block that is Belden Town. It runs along the north fork of the Feather River. Many years ago Kevin was on a fire here and remembered it as a Resort. Well, no more. It’s a RAVE party weekend getaway. The PCT drops right down into the little haven of craziness. I was lucky enough to see naked, hula-­‐hoop dancers along with music at 5am this morning as I dropped Kevin back off on the trail. Interesting. Wow. Love the mountains, but there are some interesting things going on up here?

Chester – Hwy 36, Child’s Meadow RV park, Lassen Natl’ Forest
Left Belden after dropping Kevin off at 5am to start his BIG climb out of Belden. It is a 5000 ft climb with no shade, due to a recent fire. For all you locals, that’s like doing Little Pine twice in the heat! Or climbing out of the Grand Canyon... And it’s hot here. High 90’s, dropped about 10 degrees from a few days ago. He’s hoping to do a regular 24-­‐mile day and then a second 24-­‐mile day tomorrow where I will pick him up at Hwy 36, where the PCT crosses. I’m staying about 18 miles south of Lassen in a beautiful meadow RV/campground. Took Bodie on a 6-­‐mile hike today where we were in the constant “WOW” factor. Huge meadows with thousands of Shasta daisy’s, waterfalls, creeks, big forests, just gorgeous. This is definitely riding country and I so miss my horse. There are public pastures all around with very few riders to be seen.
Will stay here for a couple of days until I am able to pick up Kevin again. He will spend the night and then off to Drakesbad, mile 1353....the unofficial HALFWAY point. Rumor has it there is a great party there for just that reason!

The Belden Bridge

Our happy little mobile home

A proper meal with a soft cushion to sit on

Leaving for a few days of walking

I am so grateful to be able to do this. I love the PCT community. The hikers are more than amazing. It is so great to be able to pick up hitchhikers that I have met

along the way. It’s so hard for them to get into towns to pick up their resupply boxes at the Post Offices. Most of the time, people tend to believe they are homeless bums, or vagabonds, etc. That is the hardest thing about the PCT. The idea’s one makes about the hikers. Truthfully, I have to say that I would never pick up a hitchhiker around SB carrying a backpack and looking like they’ve lived on the trail a bit too long. This time of the year, most of the local folks in trail towns are familiar with the thru hikers and will help out in many ways, but still not easy. I need to live near the PCT so I can be a Trail Angel for a couple of months every year.
This trip is like a huge scavenger hunt. I love trying to find him along the way. Where will that, oh so familiar, PCT placard be? Thank goodness for my iphone and my handy, Half Mile App. It just gets you right where you need to be. My life has slowed way down. Very simple...find Chief, feed Chief. And the bonus is I get to see a beautiful part of our country and get to see my walking man every few days!

Many, many thanks to Jeanette for trusting us with her camper. We are ever so grateful and I so wish you could hear Kevin say, “Thank You Jeanette,” every time he gets to sit on a soft bench or sleep in a bed or shower with warm water and soap.

Maureen
Aka “Chief’s wife” 

Some little critter had a good time with Chief's hat

Sierra Zephyr

 mile 907 to mile 1197 (almost 1200!!!)

Having a nice breakfast with Maureen and Casey

Seeing PUMA again!

Backup, Puma and Chief

Leaving Red’s Meadow was a bit of a challenge as it is always hard to say goodbye. As Casey and Maureen left, I was off on the wrong trail for a good 2 miles. Once I got on the PCT, walked through all the tree damage from Red’s Meadow and Agnew Meadow before going over the beautiful High Sierra Trail. Coming into Tuolumne was a shock. It’s amazing how when you leave Tuolumne you enter complete wilderness. Go beyond Yosemite 5 miles in either direction and you see no one. 

Red's Meadow

Beer Tasting with Casey

From Glen Aulin I walked 27 miles that day. I saw one bear that was eating breakfast and I nicely asked him to please go away. Saw 1 backpacker. The PCT trail is not very well marked nor maintained through Yosemite National Park. Apparently, Yosemite is not so keen on the PCT going through its park. Stopped at the Tuolumne store, but there was way too much civilization for me to stay. Some crazy lady slammed the door on my foot and ripped the top of my shoes. I left.

Early on in the year when I sent my first email out regarding my Re-­‐Supply, Rich Phelps noticed I made a big mistake. Somehow I got my mileage wacked out from Sonora Pass to Echo Lake. Had only a few days of food for a big stretch of miles. Fortunately for me, the Phelps’ volunteered to resupply me at Sonora Pass and Echo Lake. They were on for a road-­‐trip! Sure enough they were there waiting for me at Sonora Pass and provided Trail Magic for other thru-­‐hikers. It was a nice visit with a hot shower and sandwiches and charges for all my electrical needs. All I did for them was provided a couple of sprigs of “Sky Pilot.” Cowboy had his 30th birthday on Sonora Pass and they were singing right along with all of us. Then the weather changed. Leaving Sonora Pass there were rumors of a storm. The first day out it started to drizzle and get a bit cold. Then came the Sierra Zephyr! (Terminology that the Nat’l’ Weather service uses for a strong High Sierra Wind, resulting from an unusual summer storm). When they built the PCT, they took it seriously and put the trail on the CREST of the ridge...so when the Sierra Zephyr blows at 70 – 100 mph on the ridge tops it completely hammers you on the trail. There is NO way to get off the ridge. You have to walk, crawl, struggle or lean into it. The first day I felt confident that I was ready for the upcoming Washington weather. It wasn’t until the second day that my confidence got beat down. I should have stayed in my tent all day, but...along with 2 other couples, we decided to go to Carson Pass and beyond. BAD IDEA.

Dinner with the Phelps after my RESCUE

By the time I was on a ridge about 8 miles from Carson Pass, I received a text from Rich asking if I needed anything (as they were camping through this crazy weather event), I said, NO. Mountain Man, Bad ASS only lasted 1 mile. Texted Rich, “Please Mr. Phelps, come and get me!” I was hypothermic, my hands weren’t operating right and I really needed some serious moral support to get through. By the time I got to the Pass and the Phelps picked me up, my spirits picked up. And for all of you that are following my map, that is why I was in Gardnerville. Never so happy to see a Nevada town in my life! No zero day, just a warm shower, Italian dinner with the Phelps and a really nice bed! That was the Sierra Zephyr. It was the closest I have ever felt to being mentally broke. Thank you Rich and Kathleen.

Good Morning PCT! The next day was stunning. Lots of water, hiked down to Echo Lake. Camped above the lake and was able to see Lake Tahoe. I now have a customized PCT hat, as some little critter chewed up my brim! All the girls think I need to keep wearing it. They explained that people pay lots of money for clothing with holes in it. Then walked 120 miles through a super thick forest. Big trees becoming more and more dense as you walk on. Early on mosquitoes were bad. No more bears, but did hear some deer munching near my tent one evening.

Getting excited to see my PCT groupie wife in Sierra City, I did 24 miles in 8 hours with a long lunch break. Got in early afternoon to the Red Moose Inn and Café, a small 100-­‐year-­‐old tavern (Dad you would have LOVED the bar!) run by Bill and Margaret. We began our PRIVATE party with Cowgirl, Midnight Chocolate, Julian (the flying Swiss kid), Lodge Pole and Maverick, the father/son team from Santa Cruz. They were so cool and exactly the same ages as Shane and I. Such a nice time I had with them, made me miss Shane a lot. Grandma Pat’s Trail Magic was a hit! Everyone enjoyed the cookies and thought that she should open “Grandma Pat’s Cookie House!” We had a private party and Bodie was able to join us in the café. Bill BBQ’s all you can eat ribs and Margaret is as sweet as ever, continuing to feed us all. All the girls LOVED him and remembered him from Lake Moreno. We had a weigh off at the bar to see how much weight we all had lost. The girls didn’t seem to be loosing as much weight as the men. I’m at my high school weight and not looking too good. I keep eating everything and anything, but not seeming to catch up to my daily caloric needs. Hopefully the next 2 weeks with Maureen’s cooking, I will do better?

Doing about an average of 24 miles per day. For the next 500 or so miles, Maureen and Bodie are my little honey wagon. This Northern California section works a bit better as I can see her along some little roads and she can pick me up for the night. No big zero days, but excited to have a nice dinner every few days with her. Thanks to Jeanette, she is driving her truck with camper. My personal 5 star HOTEL! Thank you, thank you Jeanette. Lot less anxiety for Maureen than pulling the Airstream on these roads and small Forest Service campgrounds. The campgrounds are pristine here in Northern California. As I sign off for the week, I am at the Wild Plum campground, along the side of the Haypress creek, sitting in a CHAIR (doesn’t happen much) eating Dana’s Trail Magic cookie bars (sorry Dana, they are way too good to share!), my trusty dog laying on my side and looking up at the Sierra Buttes, which I have to climb tomorrow morning on my 93 miles to Belden, where I hope to see Maureen again.

Chief