Scanning film with the CREO IQ Smart 3
Film scanning is complex, with many different methods to convert analog film into a digital file. Being disappointed with many of the most common options, I jumped on the Creo IQ Smart 3 when one went up for sale. In the world of high-end film scanners, the IQ Smart series is well regarded and supposedly gives results that are not far off from a drum scanner. It was a hefty purchase but I have been extremely happy with the results. When looking online, I didn’t find a lot of documentation other than the official spec sheets and manual that were provided by the manufacturer, so I want to provide my experience and workflow with it.
What brought me to the IQ Smart
I have tried various methods to scan my film, having bought and sold a few different systems. All had significant drawbacks. Lab scans are a popular option but generally low resolution, expensive, and have most of the “look” baked in even if you have the lab deliver .tiff files. I then worked with an Epson v750 flatbed scanner and Silverfast software. I found Silverfast to be slow, antiquated, and frustrating to use. I then purchased Negative Lab Pro software which I found gave far better and more flexible results. The Epson scanner gave decent results with larger film formats but the resolution it could pull out of 35 mm negatives was lacking and it was generally a slow workflow.
Working with a camera scanning setup, the workflow was extremely fast and the scans of 35mm film were incredible but the resolution was limited by your camera. Other than doing various methods such as panorama stitching or pixel shift, more resolution was being left on the table with each larger format.
Benefits
There are several benefits to this scanner that address most of my complaints about the other methods.
A large area to scan a lot of film at once.
The large 12”x18” scan area allows for scanning many images at the same time. Two rolls of 135 or 120 film will fit in the scan area.
A high optical resolution of 5500 dpi which gives the following megapixels for each film size.
135 - 40 megapixels
645 - 105 megapixels
6x9 – 213 Megapixels
4x5 – Over 500 Megapixels (Lightroom only supports up to 512 megapixels)
Wet mounting station to keep the film flat and help control dust.
Format masks that speed up the selection and preview of film.
Difficulties
This scanner isn’t perfect and there are a few drawbacks.
Dust - There is no IR scan to help clone out dust so careful attention must be paid to cleaning both the glass and film.
Size – The scanner is huge, heavy, and requires an older Mac. I have an entire desk dedicated to this setup.
Time – Scanning at the highest resolution is a slow process with a single 4x5 taking a little more than an hour.
135 film – The results for 135 are not that much better than using a camera scanning setup but take far longer. If you are only scanning 135, I would not recommend this scanner.
Bad scans – Occasionally the scan for a frame will not complete and will need to be redone.
Cost – This is a very expensive scanner out of reach for most people.
Software – This scanner uses Oxygen scanning software that only runs on old Macs and is incompatible with any modern software.
Workflow
Clean the glass thoroughly to remove as much dust as possible from both sides.
The top glass of the scanner may need to be dismounted and cleaned as well.
Place the glass base in the wet mounting station
Prepare film, roller, paper towel, dust-free wipes, scanning fluid, and acetate sheets
The sheet should be significantly larger than the film to reduce the chance of bubbles forming or fluid that exits the sides making its way on top of the sheet over the film.
Spray scanning fluid onto the wet mounting glass
Add the film, using the guides of the mounting station to line them up
Spray another layer of scanning fluid
Add the acetate sheet on top, starting from the center
Using a roller and paper towel, push excess fluid towards the edge of the acetate sheet and use the paper towel to absorb the fluid.
Use the lint-free wipe to remove any remaining bubbles from the film.
Use a flashlight to reveal any dust particles and use the dust-free wipe and blower to remove them.
Carefully remove the mounting glass and place it in the scanner.
Start the scanner and Oxygen software
Auto Naming settings
Prefix – Descriptor and film type
Automatic Indexing – on
File Format Setup
Tiff Setting
Intel Byte Order (I edit on Windows)
Setup Dialog
Mode – Color RGB 16-bit
Format – Custom
Media – Positive
Smooth – None
Resolution – Up to 5500 dpi
Input Profile - @ES_Transparency
Output Profile – AdobeRGB
End Points – AutoNormal@
Sharpness – No Sharp
Preview
Use the crop tool to first define the area of the first image and then each subsequent image.
Scan all
Transfer to an external drive once scanning is complete
Process using preferred software.
Alternatives
Is there a need to purchase one of these scanners? No. You can get most of the performance for a much lower price. Epson flatbeds provide a great value for the prices they go for used. While they don’t produce acceptable results for 135 film, a dedicated 135 scanner isn’t expensive and would make a great pairing with the flatbed scanner.
Camera scanning looks like it will be the preferred method as time goes on. Many of the options we use are not manufactured anymore and will become unusable as parts break and repairs are unavailable. Camera scanning already produces great results for 135 but, as more cameras implement pixel shift features, will produce much better results for larger formats soon. A Sony A7RIV can produce a 250-megapixel file which is more than the Creo IQ Smart 3 can produce from a 6x9 negative. While there won’t be that much detail that can be extracted from smaller formats, it’s always nice to have it available for downsizing.
Results
One thing I tend to hate when people post reviews on scanners or specific films is that they ignore providing the base scan to play with. The scanner does a lot but the most obvious property that you can see is the resolution the scanner provides (if they post full-resolution sample files). The color, contrast, and other aspects of the images are primarily influenced by the conversion of the negative. In the Google folder linked below, I have posted sample images in both a final conversion and a positive so you can convert yourself.
More thoughts
I have started to experiment with more dry scanning since I sometimes have bubbles appear and ruin wet scans. It’s not the end of the world but it can often mean having to rerun a 2 hour long scan. Dry scanning has been working out well so far as I have not seen any Newton Rings while using the AR glass base. I have to pay careful attention in the preparation though as removing as much dust as possible is very important in saving time cloning out spots later. Even more important than getting dust off the film itself is making sure the bottom of the base glass and the top of the top glass are completely dust-free. Any dust on those sides appears in scans as an out-of-focus blob. Not as defined as regular dust but still noticeable and more difficult to remove.
Spectacle Lave via Pete Lake Trail
A short 20 mile round trip overnight hike to Spectacle Lake via the Pete Lake Trailhead and the PCT.
Date: 7/11/2020 - 7/12/2020
Miles: 20.4
Elevation Gain: 2900ft
I have wanted to get back to this gem of a destination since camping on the ridge-line just south of the lake. Being such a short trail, I thought it would make a nice relaxing weekend before hitting some longer hikes in the coming weeks.
A late start had me leaving my apartment at around 5:40am with a 2 hour drive to the Pete Lake Trailhead. There was no traffic on the way out of Seattle so early on a Saturday. I preemptively treated myself to some McDonald’s on the way which made me feel a bit naughty. The road was fine and didn’t give my Toyota Camry any issues.
What looked to be an issue was the number of cars at the trailhead. I got lucky and was able to grab a spot close to the trail. I was pretty happy that I didn’t take the first spot after I started seeing cars because that would have been quite the walk. Yeah, I’ll complain about any steps that are not on a trail.
The first 6 or so miles of the trail are under tree cover with the only views being a bend in the river and Pete Lake. I didn’t feel lonely because all of my mosquito friends came out to greet me. Pete lake looked like a tent city which is to be expected with how short and gentle the trail to it is. I swear I’ve seen car camping spots that are harder to get to. The lake does provide a great value for effort because it is nice to look at and if you keep going along the trail there are more spots to camp at.
While hiking, I didn’t actually see that many people on trail. I did ask one couple on their way back what the situation at Spectacle Lake was like. They told me that it was busy when they hiked in early on Friday and people funneled in into the evening.
Past Pete Lake is the only real stream crossing on the hike. As I will do anything to avoid wet feet, I looked for a log. Not far north from the crossing a small social trail goes straight to a perfect down tree that I used to cross. A little bushwhacking brought me back to the trail.
Washington is very green,
As the forest transitions to an old burn area, the trail joins the PCT and begins its climb to Spectacle Lake. There is no shade in this area and the elbow high ferns make the walk hot and humid. This is also when you get your first real views of the peaks around the area. There is a gentle grade that take you up about a1000 ft and blow downs added some variety.
There are streams along most of the trail so water isn’t a concern. I only drank a liter on the entire trail.
Outside of the lake, the waterfall where the trail crosses Delate Creek is spectacular. I would say that it has good flow and is a good place to cool off. By this point the trail is back under tree cover and stays under it for the remainder. There was a lot of water on the trail so I had to be a bit careful with my steps.
The turn off from the PCT has its own sign and the trail decends to the lake. There is a huge rock outcrop with the best view of the lake unless you are willing to continue south on the PCT until you get on the overlooking ridgeline.
Clouds moved in around 1 pm and the wind picked up which helped keep the mosquitoes at bay. There were already a lot of tents set up but being a single I had a lot of options and settled on a spot under a tree that blocked a lot of wind and would help with condensation. If I was with a group, I would get there on Friday or try to be there before noon on Saturday if I want to get a good spot.
The lake is gorgeous but a bit too cold to actually get into. The view looking up at Lemah mountain is one I look forward to getting back to.
How to Take Pictures of People on a Thru Hike
Some of my favorite photos from my thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail were of people. Going into the hike I would not have considered myself very experienced in shooting people, especially strangers. Over my months on trail I learned a lot on how to get interesting photos of people. In this post I will go through advice I wish to pass on to those hiking in the future and looking to capture better photos.
Some of my favorite photos from my thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail were of people. Going into the hike I would not have considered myself very experienced in shooting people, especially strangers. Over my months on trail I learned a lot on how to get interesting photos of people. In this post I will go through advice I wish to pass on to those hiking in the future and looking to capture better photos.
Clothes
My first bit of advice would pertain to getting better photos of yourself. Wear colors other than black. Any other color is better than black. The problem with wearing a lot of black is that you will look like a floating head with an amorphous blob for a body. The hike is a great time to go crazy with bold and bright colors and patterns. Pineapple prints were popular on trail in 2019. Lighter colors are also easier for a camera to expose for. When a camera sees a large area that is dark, it brightens the exposure to compensate but that often overexposes the rest of the image making the background and face looking washed out.
Take a Lot
My next overarching piece of advice would be to take a lot of photos of a lot of different people. While its natural to have albums worth of photos of your trail family, it is good to make a point of grabbing photos of strangers when they peak your interest. A short conversation, camping together, or simply thinking they look interesting are all great reasons to snap a quick picture. I realize that it can be intimidating or uncomfortable to ask strangers for a picture and felt it a lot at the beginning. Over the hike, I asked hundreds of strangers for their picture and the vast majority were happy to oblige. I can count on one hand the number of times someone said they would prefer I didn’t take their picture. No big deal.
Take photos in a variety of situations. One area that I personally wish I had done better was getting people while we were in town. Town is such an important part of the experience and its a great opportunity to capture people as they kick back, relax, and chow down. Camp is a great place to grab people interacting with their gear or sitting around a fire. Trail is great to take advantage of great light, big accomplishments, and give scale to features that you are hiking through.
Look for the Light
Open Shade
One of my favorite photographers is Steve McCurry. I have admired the look that his photos of people have with soft light on the face and nice subtle colors. After some research, I found that the lighting he uses in many of his photos is called “open shade”. Open shade is when light is blocked from directly above while coming in and illuminating from the side. I loved this light for close portraits and tried to emulate it with a reflector. This lighting gives the most dramatic results when the person is as close to the light as possible without having direct light hitting them. I really like this light because it allows me to get nice photos of people at any time of day. It avoids harsh shadows and tends to make people look better in general, it even adds a catch light in the eye.
Back-light
Back-light is another great options and adds a lot of drama. This is when the light (the sun) is behind what you are shooting and works better when the sun is lower. This kind of light also accentuates colors of foliage and can be used to great effect. It is important to figure out what you want to have detail in the photo and exposing for that. So it there is nothing interesting behind the person you are shooting you would expose the person correctly with the background blown out. I liked what another photographer did where he used back-light to have the silhouettes of people against beautiful lakes and mountains. Exposing in back-light is hard and I find it easier to put my camera in manual so that I dont have to fight the cameras auto exposure.
Magic Hour
Magic hour is that time where everything just looks good. That hour around sunrise and sunset casts soft light with a warm glow and colors appear more saturated. It doesn’t really help you in the long sections of forest but when you are in a great spot it really is special. If you can, plan on being in an open spot during this time (hopefully still hiking). It is worth stopping early or pushing to make it to a spot where you can enjoy this light.
How Big Should They Be
Know the difference between a close, mid, and wide shot. Each give a different amount of emphasis to the people you are shooting. Knowing what each of them looks like and what they do can help you quickly decide what do do and take more keeper photos.
Close
The close shot is just as it sounds, up close and personal with a person. Their face take up most of the frame and doesn’t include much more than head and shoulders. This kind of shot puts all of the attention on the person, their eyes, and expression. It is a way to capture an intimate portrait of a person. Play with angles to see what looks good to you. Have them stand at a slight angle away from you and turn their head from looking straight at you to where the tip of their nose meets the edge of the cheek. Any position between the two makes for a good portrait and is up to personal preference.
Mid
The mid shot is where you add a bit more of their body into the frame. I tend to cut them off just above the waist or halfway down the thigh. It is important not to cut a person off on the joint as it looks awkward. Using a mid shot is useful for adding a bit of context into the frame whether it be the environment, gear they use, cloths they wear, etc. It puts a little less emphasis on the person as compared to the close shot but a lot more than a wide shot. The same suggestions I had for the close shots would apply here as well but I would add that it is more important to shoot while their body is at an angle as it gives the body a bit more depth and shape.
Wide
I consider a wide shot to be anything that includes the entire body of a person. For me, a wide shot can be anything from just being able to fit in their whole body to having the person be small in the frame. The size of the person depends of how you want the balance between person and environment to be. The larger the person in the frame the more emphasis is on them and what they are doing while the smaller they are the more emphasis is on the environment. I found that these were my most varied photos as their is so much variety in the scenery on trail. I found that pictures were more interesting when the people were doing something like walking, climbing, or talking to someone.
Eyes
Eyes are incredibly important when taking pictures of people. They give the most insight into what a person is thinking and what they are like. The eyes can draw you straight into the image or direct you to what is happening in the photograph. When the person looks straight into the camera it demands attention and you are naturally drawn to look them in the eye. This can feel direct and even intimidating in comparison to when the eyes are looking into the distance or at something else in the frame.
A time when it is better to not have the person looking into the camera is when they are doing something. When one of the boys was teaching the other how to tie a certain knot I tried to capture the moments where they were looking at the knots.
Shutter Speed
Using a fast shutter speed is crucial when shooting people if you want to be sure that the photo will turn out. I’m talking about using at least 1/400th of a second to freeze the action whenever possible. You might wonder why you need a fast shutter speed when you can get sharp photos with much slower shutter speeds, even down to 1 or 2 seconds with some gear. The reason that you can get those shots in focus is because the camera is stabilizing itself and when what you are taking a picture of isn’t moving that works great but the stabilazation does nothing to stop the people in front of you from moving.
Even if you have someone pose and stand still, they may laugh or move their head and using a fast shutter speed increases the chance that you get those wonderful moments in sharp photos.
Mammoth Lakes to Kennedy Meadows
The later half of the Sierra held some of the coldest conditions and most spectacular views on the entire trail. I had some incredible moments and felt accomplished walking into Kennedy Meadows. There aren’t too many other hikers around so it’s really nice to be hiking with Wonka and Sour Patch.
Day 86 Mile 1746.4 - 1761.9
Well, we didnt get out early but not particularly late. We shared a cab with some other hikers heading back out. The cab was turned around at the entrance to Devil's Postpile National Monument because the the road had too much ice. Instead, we were dropped off at Horseshoe Lake for 3.5 miles back to the trail.
There was still snow on the ground and the air was crisp. The plan was to do an easy 15.
We camped at Lake Virginia and little did I know that I was in for the coldest night on trail yet. Everything froze. The condensation from my breath permeated my sleeping bag and iced the outside.
Approaching Lake Virginia
Day 87 Mile 1761.9 - 1783.7
From Silver Pass
Froze my tits off last night. Dipped into the single digits and I was wearing all of my clothes. Getting up was hard and packing up harder as my fingers didnt work.
Eventually, I did get things packed up and was moving. The first climb of the day was up and over Silver Pass. I was impressed by Chief Lake on the way up. I love when there are massive cliffs rising around water.
After the pass the day was leisurely, making it to Bear Creek to hunker down for another cold night. On the way the day warmed up a bit but I never did take my fleece off.
Day 88 Mile 1784 - 1807.1
Friggin cold in the morning. Solar and Lunar have a little thermometer that pegged the morning air at 15f. My gloves are not up to the task.
There was a rock hop just after leaving camp and if my foot had touched that icy water, I would have been very upset.
Crossing Bear Creek
Selden was the pass for today. Easy peasy considering we camped part way up the climb. Marie Lake was another stunner.
It looked like it would be easy after that and the day mostly was. There was just one mile where the trail shot up 800ft. I realize that I can't keep up with Sour Patch and Willy Wonka during the day. The elevation is limiting how I push.
Evolution Creek
At Evolution Creek, I took my shoes off for the first time in ages to cross a stream. I cursed at the water for being so cold. The trail made up for it with Colby Meadow, a top 5 view in the Sierra for me.
At camp, we enjoyed a campfire that kept us out of our sleeping bags until 8 instead of 7!
Day 89 Mile 1807.1 - 1829.6
Muir Hut
One of my great regrets of this hike will be not camping at Muir Hut at the top of the pass. The views going up have been the best so far and being there for sunrise/set would have been special. Everyone that I have met that stayed hasn't regretted it.
On the way up Wonka and I went super slow because we stopped for so many photos. I didnt make it to the top until 11 and stayed for lunch.
The way down was hard on the knees with a lot of large rocks and steps but eventually became easier. It stayed easy all the way into camp just before the "Golden Staircase".
Day 90 Mile 1829.6 - 1853.4
The Golden Staircase really needs direct sunlight to get the most out of it. Still, it was beautiful going up.
I came upon Wonka as the trail went around the first of the Palisade Lakes. He was excited about something. While chatting up some JMT hikers, they said they had way too much food and asked if he wanted some. He was hesitant but when the food turned out to be 6 Mountain House meals he just couldn't pass the opportunity.
The rest of the way up Mather Pass was pretty easy. Rocky steadily graded trail and a consistent pace of movement. I felt pretty fast when I flew past a few groups of section hikers.
The top was cold, windy, and held incredible views. Kept moving shorty after arriving. Still have another pass to climb over.
The way down was a dizzying number of switchbacks. I imagine that glissading down would be fun and a lot faster if the mountainside were covered with feet of snow instead of these hard rocks.
Going up Pinchot Pass was really really easy. The north side was amazing and I kept stopping to look back and take in the view. The south side was beautiful as well but the trail was a bit harder on the knees. The decent to camp was long and rocky with many large stone steps.
At camp, a fire and the mountain house Wonka shared lifted my mood.
Day 91 Mile 1853.4 - 1864.1
The moment I felt I was in the “real” Sierra
Yet another cold morning in the Sierra. On the menu today is Glen and Kearsarge. Glen was 3500 ft of gain to the top and went quickly. The scenery made me stop and appreciate that these are the views you expect from the Sierra.
At the top, we finally got some pictures of the three of us before heading back down.
I thought Kearsarge would be easier but it got significantly steep towards the end. We planned on having lunch at the top because there was supposed to be signal. Only Wonka had signal but we still had lunch before deciding we could try to make it to Bishop for the night.
Day 92 Zero
Day 93 Zero
Day 94 Zero
Day 95 Mile 1864.1 - 1886.1
Field Trip going down Forester Pass
A big day today, the last big pass of the trail. I tried to get up at 3 to be at the top for sunrise but at 3 I decided sleeping in my bag was more pressing.
We had a little drop to 9600ft before we started our climb to 13,200. Nice and gradual. The trail never got very steep. I didn’t want it to end as once it did there were no more. Eventually, I did make it to the pass around 11 and it was fairly crowded. 15 hikers were counted at the top. Looking south, I could see the trail stretching for miles. I would not want to be doing this in the snow. I would definitely have loose bowels.
On the way down I talked about camera gear with Sprinkles.
Got the first view of Whitney 7ish miles out from camp. We made camp across the creek from the ranger station, the farthest we could legally camp. We will get up in the morning and slack pack to the top.
Day 96 Mile 1886.1 - 1948.5
A cold and windy Mt Whitney summit
To make it to the top for sunrise, we started hiking at 3am. In retrospect, I would have liked another 30 minutes so I didn’t feel so rushed on the way up.
The trail up Whitney wasn’t so bad. It never got very steep. It was about 4000 feet up over 7 miles with a lot of switchbacks. From the comments on Guthooks I expected it to be far rockier.
The trouble started just before the switchbacks. Wind pummeled us from there till after leaving the summit. It wasn’t a little wind either. A constant forty gusting higher to the point I was having to catch myself falling over. Did I mention it was cold? It was definitely in the teens or twenties as I was wearing everything but couldn't feel my face, my hands hurt from cold, and my feet were going numb. I could see how far we had come in the darkness based off of the headlamps moving far far below. Willy Wonka nearly turned around a mile from the top. We persevered and made it to the emergency shelter on the summit where we all huddled trying to get warm.
I tried venturing out a few times for pictures but it was hard with the howling wind and numb hands. I couldn't stand up straight and could hold the camera steady. I did see sunrise and had my picture taken. The only one that isn't blurry is a half smile with snot covering my entire top lip.
Inside the hut I got my sleeping bag out to warm up. It was then that I realized that I was feeling worse the longer I was at the top, an increasing headache and nausea. Wonka and Sour were freezing and we all made a break out of the shelter and down the mountain. I felt better the further down I got and the more the sun warmed the air but I didn’t feel good until I got below 12000. The headache persisted throughout the day.
Back at base camp, Wonka and Sour Patch enjoyed a celebratory joint while I put myself down for a nap. The cold and altitude took a lot out of me.
When I got up i got to hear the story of the grey plastic bag. Apparently, on the way up the climb Wonka spotted a grey heavy duty sealed bag. Thinking he had found a Mountain House or trail magic someone had left, he investigated. Upon opening it, he learned that it was a human waste bag someone didn’t pack out. Wonka was a little more than disappointed.
From nap time, we went 6 miles to Rock Creek where we could enjoy a fire.
Day 97 Mile 1892.5 - 1948.5
The day was easy but not much else to note. The terrain is quickly changing. The ground was a fine gravel for most of the day with juniper trees emerging from what reminded me of a zen garden. The garden maintained and groomed by the flow of snow melt.
I picked the campsite here because it was supposed to have a good view according to Guthooks. The view didn’t disappoint. As the day grew long, I watched the shadow of the mountain range I was on crawl towards the other side of the valley and eventually engulf it. Wonka and Sour Patch camped a bit further on because my site was too windy. Inside the tent, the wind wasn’t a bother.
Day 98 Mile 1917.7 - 1948.5
As I had wanted, I got to enjoy a nice sunrise over Owens Valley. The salt farms at the bottom reflected light from the sky and looked really interesting before the sun light hit them.
Today was so easy. From camp, the trail descended for miles on nice terrain. I put my poles away early on and just walked. The only noteworthy climb of the day was 1600ft to 10500, the highest the trail will go until the border. On the way up it felt so easy and I reflected on just how hard gains used to be at the start of Washington even though they were much lower.
After that little hill, it was a gradual decent to 6000ft. There is so much oxygen that I can feel the pep in my step again.
We are clearly out of the Sierra now. The craggy peaks and walls of granite have been replaced with rolling hills. There were even cactus towards the end of the day.
Day 99 Mile 1948.5 - 1955.3
Even though we were down low last night the temp kept itself cold. Really cold.
We three walked into Kennedy Meadows, hiking mecca, early in the morning. The general store wasnt open yet and we planned on going to Triple Crown Outfitters so we caught a hitch with a friendly local to Grumpy Bear's Retreat. While the breakfast was alright and cheap, my overall impression of the town was a great disappointment. Grumpy Bear's was a filthy mess, the shower was disgusting, and the employees were jaded. There is nothing here that I felt raised it to the level of most other towns on trail.
A bright spot was the outfitter. Yogis and Worldwide were informative and helpful. I ended up caving to the cold nights and bought a 10° Western Mountaineering bag.
We got out a bit later in the day and made it a few miles before hunkering down.
Camera Gear on a Thru Hike
So, you have decided to make the jump and commit to a long distance hike. This is going to be an experience to remember for life and its only natural to want to capture it in some way. Some like to write, others paint, many love videos, but I love photos and I imagine you do too. Photos capture moments in a way that no other medium can. Nothing else can capture a moment so quickly, in such detail, and be able to hang it on a wall. What to take though? There are a dizzying number of options in regards to not only cameras but lenses and accessories. I hope I can help you get a better idea of what would do well for you.
So, you have decided to make the jump and commit to a long-distance hike. This is going to be an experience to remember for life and it’s only natural to want to capture it in some way. Some like to write, others paint, many love videos, but I love photos and I imagine you do too. Photos capture moments in a way that no other medium can. Nothing else can capture a moment so quickly, in such detail, and be able to hang it on a wall. What to take though? There are a dizzying number of options regarding not only cameras but lenses and accessories. I hope I can help you get a better idea of what would do well for you. Before you can go further there are some considerations to think about.
To the Point
2023 Update: I find myself preparing for a 30-day thru of the Arizona Trail. Even though this is my third long-distance hike, I still find myself torn on the gear to bring. I have a lot of ground to cover and a short amount of time. I’m still firm that a phone camera is not nearly good enough but a point-and-shoot is tempting. More accurately, dropping 2 lbs off my base weight is tempting. Ultimately though, I am confident that I’ll end up taking my Canon R5 and 24-105 F4 lens. I believe that this would be the most versatile combo available and I’ll update after the hike with my thoughts.
Before I ramble on for thousands of words, I would like to give my recommendation for what I imagine is the average hiker on trail. The average hiker being at best a novice at photography that wants some nice snapshots of their hike that they can look back on fondly for decades to come and will look good if printed.
In this case, I would recommend just getting a solid point and shoot camera with a nice zoom range. A camera like that would be light, easy to use, and give solid results in most situations. I wouldn’t fret over each and every feature as any midrange camera can make nice images. Some examples below.
Considerations
Your Experience Level
How well do you know your way around a camera? I would never recommend a person to take a piece of equipment beyond their experience because they would be spending more money and carrying more weight without enjoying the benefits of a more complex camera. The opposite is not true, however. A small and light camera that is missing some higher end features may be the best option for a more experienced photographer depending on some other factors.
A few specific things I would ask would be:
Do you understand the basics of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO?
Do you know how to read a histogram?
Do you know the different focus modes?
Do you use modes such as aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual?
Will you edit the photos in a program like Lightroom or Capture One?
If you answered no to most of these questions the more basic a camera I would recommend. You’ll get a lot better taking photos the more you do it, but the trail is not the place to learn how to use a camera.
What You Will Shoot
Another important factor is what you plan on taking pictures of. I would ask if you mainly planned on focusing on the landscape or people and if you want to shoot people, do you want the background to be blurry?
Landscapes require a bit more flexibility than shooting people and I personally found myself wanting a long zoom lens to bring the far away mountains close. Focusing on landscapes means you dont need a fast lens which help keep weight and size down.
People are both easier and more difficult. A prime lens or two would be all you need to get fantastic photos of people and the fixed perspective does help add some consistency to photos. If you like blurry backgrounds, a fast prime is important. If the blurry background doesn’t matter, there are some fantastic lenses that are cheap, small, and light. You can see an example of a non blurry vs a blurry background below.
How Will You Use the Photos
What you will do with the photos may eliminate some of the smaller cameras. It basically comes down to how big the images will be displayed. The bigger the canvas or screen, the more detail you will want in the picture. The smaller the canvas or screen, the less detail that is needed to look acceptable. I would say that a photo from any camera available would look good on Instagram, Facebook, or a small print. However, most people would not find a cell phone picture printed at larger than 8” x 10” to be ok. When you know what you are doing and capture that amazing moment whether it be a fire red sunset or a friend reaching the summit off Mt. Whitney you don’t want to be limited in what you can do with it because of camera limitations,
Are You A Pixel Peeper
The main reason that I personally can’t seem to move to a smaller and lighter system is that I am what is called a “pixel peeper”. I love zooming in to see all the details and am disappointed when they are not there. If you too like to zoom in a lot, you will want a higher quality setup.
Below are 3x crops. On the left is an image from a point and shoot and on the right is from a full frame camera and prime lens.
What Is Your Budget
One of the overriding factors is your budget. Do you have a few hundred dollars or are you willing to take thousands of dollars of camera gear with you into the wilderness for months? It’s important to state that you must be ok with whatever you take breaking along the hike. Look at the used market because you can save a lot of money on a camera that is used or a few years old.
Weight
This is completely personal. Every person has a different tolerance as to how much they want to carry. I knew a lot of hikers that took a tiny point and shoot but sent it home because they thought it was too heavy. I carried between 7-10 lbs. of camera gear for the entire hike and thought little of it. Many fall somewhere in between.
Useful Features
EVF
I found an electronic view finder to be extremely useful when I had access to one. They have many benefits over an optical viewfinder. For one, you see what your exposure is going to be before you take the picture. There were several times where I would quickly bring my camera up to capture a fast moment, snap a few frames, only to look at the screen and see that the exposure was way off. I would have known that the exposure was off and adjusted if my main camera had an EVF.
Weather Sealing
I highly recommend that you look for a camera with some weather sealing. Over the trail, I saw multiple hikers that had their cameras damaged or ruined. I had water get into my camera and keep it from working. It was only saved by six hours in an oven. While weather sealing will not save your camera from torrential downpours or falling in a river, it will give a little more protection from light showers and keep dirt from getting on the sensor and showing up in photos.
Image Stabilization
While it is not actually necessary, I would count some form of image stabilization as a must have feature. The stabilization will help you capture sharp photos at slower shutter speed. Many of my best photos were taken when there wasn’t much light and the stabilization help me get photos that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise and improve the quality of many other shots. For example, using my 85mm I have taken shots at 0.1 seconds that would have needed to be at least 1/100th sec without stabilization. This difference in shutter speed is the difference between 800 iso and 8000 iso.
Two Card Slots
Having two card slots while not completely necessary is important if your photos are important to you. The memory that cameras use like SD cards are reliable but eventually they will fail. This risk is negligible when you can transfer photos to a computer or hard drive but on a multi month hike the risk increases a lot. Writing photos to two cards gives peace of mind that even if a card fails you still have all the moments you captured.
Main Options
Cell Phone
A cell phone is the most common camera on trail. I can see why it has appeal for thru hikers. The device is small, lightweight, and is something you will be carrying anyway so you can save at least a pound by just using your cell phone. They have many features that help the photo look nice as soon as you take it such as HDR and simulated blur. I’ve heard many people say the pictures look good enough.
Personally, I would not recommend just using your cell phone. The main reason is that while the pictures look nice on a phone screen, even with perfect conditions they won’t look good on most things bigger than that with many of the adjustments the phone make do not look good to a discerning eye. The second is still related to the image, the camera is extremely poor in low light. Then the autofocus is not able to keep up with moving subjects in changing light. The final aspect that I will point out is that it’s just not fun to use or easy to hold as a camera.
Point and Shoot
One step up from a cell phone is the category of point and shoot cameras. For most people, this is what should be taken on a long-distance hike. They are small, light, and the image quality is good enough. The popular Sony RX100 series runs about 8.5 oz while the Canon G1X iii I carried for a long time was 14.1 oz. Keep in mind that those weights are less than half a liter of water.
These cameras are versatile. Most of them have a good zoom range and decent autofocus. A major benefit to these cameras is that you can get more out of them the more advanced you become or just use auto to enjoy the better image quality. The G1X iii I used to have had a load of advanced features such as custom buttons, luminosity or RGB histograms, an ND filter, and high frame rates.
APSC Interchangeable Lens Camera
Someone who is more of an enthusiast may want the more flexibility of a camera that can use different lenses. It would be important for someone taking this kind of camera to have a better idea of what they want to shoot and how to do it. If you are still using auto mode, I would recommend a point and shoot more. If you use Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority then this may be a good option.
As with the pattern, the larger sensor in these cameras offer better image quality and better autofocus. The larger bodies allow for more buttons that help access functions faster without diving into menus. Being able to change from single shot to continuous autofocus, iso, or the frame rate quickly can make the difference in capturing that moment without having to ask to do it again.
I decided to try the Fuji XT-3 for a few weeks on my thru hike and the body was really fun to use and very advanced. The tilt screen and many physical dials made for a very functional piece of kit.
Full Frame Interchangeable Lens Camera
This is the biggest, heaviest, and generally most expensive option to take but is the option that can give the best results for those who know how to use it. Again, the larger sensor gives more detail, better noise performance, greater dynamic range, and better autofocus. This format also has the best selection of lenses available.
Unless you really know what you are doing and like to look at all the tiny details in a photo, I doubt taking something like this would be worth the weight and cost.
I personally took a Canon 5D IV for the entirety of the PCT. My Canon is a work horse and took quite a beating over the past months but keeps on ticking. I would not, however, recommend taking this body on the trail. I believe most of the newer mirror-less options offer features that I would consider must haves that my body doesn’t provide such as in body image stabilization and an EVF.
Lenses
Prime
Using a fixed focal length prime lens is a great choice if you are looking for simplicity, quality, and a certain “look”. Generally, you can buy a zoom lens that is smaller and lighter than a zoom lens. The 85mm and 35 mm that I took for a long time weighed about the 24-70 2.8 lens that I used in the Sierra while letting in twice as much light.
What most will appreciate about fast prime lenses is the ability to blur the background and isolate a subject more. While a stop or two may not sound like much of a difference, getting something faster than f2.8 does make a visible difference. The other benefit of a fast lens that gathers a lot of light is that you can use a lower iso in low light when shooting people or animals. Image stabilization does not help when the thing you are trying to shoot is moving. I found that I always wanted at least 1/250th sec shutter speed when shooting people and going from f4 (a common zoom range speed) to f1.4 (a common prime speed) lets you reduce the iso 25,600 to 3,200.
Some downsides to using prime lenses are that you can’t zoom and, if using more than one, changing lenses. When using a two prime lens setup I was constantly switching lenses which not only gets annoying but opens the camera and lens to the elements potentially letting dust, dirt, or water in. There were a few times where I just couldn’t switch my lens because of rain coming down causing me to miss some shots.
Below are a few shots take with one prime lens.
Zoom
Zoom lenses are easy. They allow you to just shoot and not worry about whether it fits the perspective. There is no need to change lenses if you are only carrying a single zoom lens.
While these lenses are generally not as sharp as prime lenses, most won’t notice unless you are zooming in a lot or looking in the corners. More zoom lenses offer image stabilization which lets you shoot as slower shutter speeds especially when your camera doesn’t have in body stabilization but even when you do
Generally, I think zoom lenses are the way to go on a long-distance hike unless you have a specific purpose or project that requires something special.
All the images below were taken on the zoom lens of a point and shoot.
Carrying the Gear
How you carry your gear is arguably just as important as the gear you take. It is critical that it is both convenient and comfortable. The more comfortable the carrying system the more likely you are to keep carrying. The more convenient your camera is to access the more you will use it.
When I started out, I had my camera on the front and one extra lens in the brain of my backpack. You can imagine how infrequently I switched lenses even when I should have. Taking off my backpack was too much to do every time I wanted to switch. So, lets look at a few options.
Hip Belt Pockets
Using the pockets on your backpacks hip belt would be the ideal option. Your camera is accessible and there is nothing interfering with the front of your body or weighing on a shoulder strap Some downsides for this option are that it only works for a small point-and-shoot and doesn’t add a lot of protection. Most hip belt pockets are not waterproof which means that you will need to keep a zip lock in good condition handy to slip your camera in when a downpour looks likely. The pockets don’t offer any impact protection so anything that bumps the pocket is bumping the camera.
Fanny Pack
I saw a decent number of fanny packs on trail, and they looked like a nice option for carrying a smaller camera. An advantage of this option is having more room for other things like your phone or battery pack. It has some of the same disadvantages as hip belt pockets. While it can accommodate a slightly bigger camera it can’t accommodate a big camera. A fanny pack won’t offer any more rain or impact protection. However, sitting on the front of your body will make it less likely to be hit against something as compare to the side of your hip.
Peak Design Capture Clip
(2021 Update) I am currently using the capture clip with a separate utility pouch connected near my hip belt for my second lens. The shoulder issue in 2019 that made the clip unbearably uncomfortable isn’t an issue anymore.
This was the most popular option I saw on trail and was what I used at first. Having your camera clipped on to a shoulder strap is super convenient but does require two hands; one to hold the camera and another to release the push lock. This is a secure option if you check the screws daily as they tend to slowly work their way loose. This option can accommodate any camera size though I found the weight of my larger camera to make the shoulder strap uncomfortable over long days. It would require taking a camera rain cover as the camera is completely exposed. There are dedicated rain covers for cameras but I have heard shower caps work just as well at a much lower weight.
Using a capture clip is probably the best option for someone carrying an APSC or full frame camera with a single lens. The only functional downside is that there is no place to carry a second lens.
Front Camera Bag
This is what I used on my entire Southbound hike. I will start out by saying that this is a bit overkill for most. The ability to carry two lenses and easily change them was paramount to me. I imagine that this ability will be attractive to anyone carrying more than one lens. Using a camera bag secured to both shoulder straps divides the weight in half making it easier on the shoulders. I also used a clip on the bottom connected to a hip belt kept the bag from bouncing against my chest. There was also a lot of extra room for gum, phone, battery, filters, etc. The bags are usually padded and include a rain cover.
This option does have some major downsides. For one, this is the heaviest option with my bag weighing 10 or 12 ounces. It covers a large portion of your chest limiting breathability. Finally, there were always a few extra clips to work on whenever I put my pack on or took it off.
Some options are:
Lowepro Toploader
F-stop Navin
My Gear
So, in this section I’ll be going over all of the gear that I used on trail and my thoughts on them. Keep in mind that I used various gear at different points on the hike trying to figure out what worked.
2021
Canon R5
My camera at the moment is the Canon EOS R5. My R5 may not be the best camera on the market but is close to it. For most uses, there is no reason to complain about its 45 megapixels which can comfortably print up to 24" by 36" and larger.
Compared to the Canon 5D Mark IV I took on my PCT thru hike, the R5 is a vast improvement in almost all areas. First and most importantly, the autofocus is faster and much more accurate. I feel a lot more confident in getting a sharp image shooting at f1.4 or f2. I found myself missing focus on a lot of shots on my previous camera. Another improvement is the EVF. I was reluctant to use one but the ability to see your exposure and preview color profiles in the viewfinder is too useful to ignore. No longer do I shoot what I think is a great shot only to look down and see that I blew out (overexposed beyond recovery) half the image.
On the video side, the options are rather good for me. The 4K HQ video is sharp and the CLOG3 profile makes a beautiful image. I have not found myself using it that much, but I like the option if I want to take a few clips here and there.
Tamron 35mm 1.4
The Tamron 35 1.4 is the lens I find myself leaning more towards the more I think about my next hike. The images that come out of this lens are gorgeous and you will have a hard time finding something sharper. The main reason to take this lens over the other I'll go over comes down to that 1.4 aperture.
The fast aperture will allow me to do two things better. It will open the option to blur the background far more which can be useful when the background is busy with leaves and branches. It will also allow me to shoot when there is less light. This point is specific to shooting a moving subject. A lot of lenses have impressive image stabilization that lets you shoot with the shutter open for a long time, but this doesn't apply to anything that moves. I find that when shooting people, I need at least a 1/250th sec shutter speed to avoid motion blur. An f1.4 lens will let you shoot in 1/8th the light of an f4 lens. Put in another way, it is the difference between iso 3200 and iso 25600. Take some test shots and see which looks better to you. Now, I know that may sound hypothetical but those early mornings and late nights when the sun is below the horizon or in thick forest will push your camera.
Canon RF 24-105 f4 IS
The new Canon 24-105 is an excellent overall option and would be my choice if I weren't so particular about shooting people. In fact, it is my primary hiking lens. The 4x zoom covers most focal lengths needed on trails. The wide 24mm lets you take in the vastness of the mountains while 105mm can zoom in on details and far off subjects.
The image stabilization on this lens works well especially when you can brace yourself against a tree or rock. If you are really pushing it and take 5 to 10 shots, you can get something useable at 1 second of exposure or more. When shooting video, the IS will do wonders to give you reasonably smooth footage. It’s important to temper expectations though. The stabilization will do great if you are trying to be steady and stay still. The footage will be a mess if you try to walk and shoot at the same time.
Canon RF 70-200 f4 IS
This is a brand-new addition to my kit and was a huge expense. There are similar lenses on the market for a lower cost, but none offer all the features of this lens. The primary benefits of this lens are that it is light and very small compared to its counterparts. It is basically the same size and weight of the 24-105 lens which means that it does not need to be stored in your pack when not in use. That last point is critical because if I have to take your pack off to use a lens, I am not likely to use it enough to justify carrying it.
Why take a telephoto lens? The perspective it gives is different from most of the other images you will see. It allows me to show the scale of the scenery that I walk through. What I found on my hike of the PCT was that I found myself wanting to be able to zoom in far more often than I wanted to zoom out and get a super-wide view.
2019
Canon 5D IV
This camera is a workhorse. It took all the beatings that the trail had to give in stride. The body isn’t pretty after the hike but still works fairly well. The image quality is great but doesn’t quite match the level of some of the other brands top cameras. Something that was important for me was the plethora of buttons that let me quickly access functions. The single best feature was being able to assign two buttons on the back to focusing, one single shot and the other continuous focus.
The live view on this camera was good as well. The auto focus in live view was accurate but not as fully featured as most mirror less cameras. A major gripe of mine was the lack of a live highlight alert letting me know something was blown out without taking a picture and reviewing. A feature that I learned to love on the Fuji XT-3 was called “natural live view” which showed an image closer to what the sensor sees allowing me to get a much better idea for exposure and I wish the Canon had a similar feature.
I ended up using live view a lot because I found the autofocus to be more accurate (but slower) and knowing what my exposure was invaluable. Because of this, I know my next camera will have an EVF.
I could shoot up to 7 frames per second which was sufficient, but I did find the buffer to be small causing the camera to slow down a lot after a 2 second burst.
Having 1 SD slot and 1 CF slot was less than ideal. Two SD slots would have been ideal for simplicity and cost. Buying two 256GB SD cards is only $140 and easily available while a single 256GB CF card is over $200.
Tamron 24-70 f2.8 G2 VC
I used this lens by itself for many miles and it did an admirable job. I found 24mm on the wide end to be more than enough and I took panoramas when I needed more. At 70mm, the lens was a bit softer, and I found myself wanting a bit more reach.
It was able to cover most every situation that I could want but not as well as a more specialized lens.
The 82mm front element is big and collects a lot of dust. Combined with the shallow lens hood it was vulnerable to sun glare and artifacts.
The autofocus on this lens was fast but it did miss a decent amount in continuous focus mode. It tended to back focus but that is dependent on the copy and is more of a problem on a dslr instead of a mirrorless camera.
Tamron 35 f1.8 VC
I took this in conjunction with an 85 mm. I found the 35mm focal length to be as close to ideal as I could find. It was well suited to shooting environmental portraits and many landscapes. The autofocus wasn’t the fastest but I found it to be pretty accurate. A special feature of this lens is the ability to close focus with a 0.5x magnification which was lovely when shooting flowers, butterflies, and the like.
In terms of sharpness, I found it to be about as good as the Tamron 24-70 but not up to the standards of the better 35mm lenses I have used. I didn’t like to use it at f1.8 preferring f2 for the little boost in sharpness and contrast.
The Achilles heel of this lens was chromatic aberration. At faster apertures, these flaws were very noticeable and found them to be distracting.
The IS in this lens was rather good and with a small burst of shots I was confident in getting a sharp result down to 1/6th of a second.
This lens is the only one of its kind on a DSLR system. It’s the only one to offer a fast aperture, weather sealing, and image stabilization all in one. A side benefit is that it is small and light.
Tamron 85 f1.8 VC
I’ll start by saying that this lens sparked joy. The images that it produced seemed to jump off the screen. Most of the headshots I took going southbound were taken with this lens and I loved it. It’s probably the sharpest lens I own and punches well above its price. The autofocus was fast and accurate. I always had confidence in it.
The IS on this lens was useful as well, allowing me to get shots down to 1/8th sec.
If I had to find a con it would be that it loses a lot of contrast when shooting directly toward the sun.
Canon G1X III -
For the first 1700 miles south, I carried this little guy in conjunction with my larger setup trying to see if it would be good enough to be a main camera.
I will say that it is good enough for most people. The 24-70 equivalent lens covers most everything I wanted to shoot. The Image quality was surprisingly good regarding sharpness and how flexible the RAW file is. This camera does have an APSC size sensor which is bigger than most other point and shoots. The downsides of the image quality are chromatic aberrations and distortion, though the distortion is corrected automatically in Lightroom but not Capture One.
The EVF was big, bright, and displayed a lot of information. The back screen was fully articulating and touch sensitive.
As I always like, there were a lot of buttons and dials compared to other point and shoots. It has a dedicated exposure compensation dial on top as well as three other dials that could be customized. I had them set to shutter speed, aperture, and iso. These dials made it a fast camera to use. Another useful physical feature was the built in three stop ND filter. It made shooting silky water possible. It has a big grip compared to other point and shoots making it comfortable to hold for a longer time. The body is exceptionally light at less than a pound.
I did have a few gripes about the camera. I would have been willing to trade the tiny lens for a faster f stop or a longer zoom range. It is also missing some advanced features that I would have expected such as a bulb mode that is programmable in camera for exposures longer than 30s. It doesn’t have a highlight alert feature for the live image. The buttons on the back are a bit flimsy.
Fujifilm XT-3
This little guy is a joy to use. It has so many advanced features and the build quality is outstanding. The buttons are nicely customizable, and it has a tilting screen. The focus was snappy, but I found the eye-detect to be unreliable.
The files coming out of the camera were fantastic. At 26Mp, there is a lot of resolution to work with and the files had wonderful dynamic range. I do with the base iso was 100 instead of 160. Two big features for me were the “natural live view” and live highlight alerts giving me a much better idea of my exposure.
The film simulations were nice, but I imagine they are far more appealing to those who don’t post-process their images.
Fujinon 23 f2
Oh, how I wanted to love this lens! The equivalent to a 35mm on full frame. It is tiny, weighs next to nothing, and is built very well. The image quality was a letdown for me. Having a sharp image at fast apertures is important for me and this lens left me wanting more detail at f2. It’s also susceptible to a lot of chromatic aberration and, I know I sound like a prude, I found the bokeh to be busy.
I do think that it could be an attractive option for people who don’t zoom in a lot on photos. Its amazingly small.
Fujinon 80 f2.8 IS
This lens gave a better showing of what the Fuji system is capable of. It is sharp even at f2.8 though not bitingly sharp. The IS made it a very stable lens and being a macro lens was a nice touch. I wanted to see if this lens would be comparable to a full frame portrait lens and while it is exceedingly capable it can’t compare to a full frame lens even at f2.8. I also found it to be overpriced for what you get as an APSC lens.
Leofoto MT-01 Table Tripod
This little guy is something I like to use a lot in landscape photography. At close to a pound, it’s a lot heavier than something like an Ultrapod but it’s far more stable. The tripod can handle a full framer camera and a 100-400mm lens, a far bigger lens than would be taken on a long-distance hike.
I did get rid of it earlier on in the hike and wouldn’t take it again. It’s a lot lighter and more convenient to rely on image stabilization to get a sharp image. If you are trying to get a shot of yourself, there are generally a lot of rocks to prop a camera on.
Lowepro Toploader Zoom 55 AW
This is what I carried everything in along my hike. It was a great option for me though I would take a slightly smaller one if I did another long-distance hike. I used three generic S clips to secure the bag. One for each shoulder strap and one to a hip pocket. It was easy to get off even with the extra clips and just became part of my routine. The rain cover lost its waterproofness and needed to be retreated with DWR.
Recommended Kits
Point & Shoot
Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
Honestly, a nice option. They are not terribly expensive, and you can find a great deal on one used. The Canon cameras are intuitive to use, and the touch screens are great. Image quality isn’t a great as the Sony, but this is quite a bit cheaper. The zoom range of a full frame equivalent 24-100 covers everything you need.
Sony RX100 VII
The Mercedes of the point and shoot world. It’s an expensive piece of kit but provides all of the bells and whistles available. It offers a huge zoom range of 24-200mm full frame equivalent. The image quality is the best of any 1” sensor. The autofocus is blazing fast and uses Sony’s real time tracking making focus on moving subjects a lot easier. It can shoot 20 frames per second which is overkill on a hike.
APSC
Fujifilm XT4 with 16-80mm F4 OIS
(2021 update) The XT4 has all the same benefits as the XT3 but adds IBIS which is valuable if you have one of Fuji’s un-stabilized prime lenses.
In my time with the XT3, I fell in love with how fun it is to use. All the buttons and dials give great tactile feedback to what you are doing. The camera offers some of the best performance you can find in its category. The EVF gives an accurate view of what your photo is going to look like with a live histogram and preview of whichever film simulation is selected. The 16-80mm lens is weather sealed and offers the best image stabilization of any lens on the Fuji system. The focal range and aperture are a great for covering anything but the most demanding situations.
Full Frame
Canon R6 with Canon RF 24-105 F4
Canon has released great cameras recently. While not a budget option by any means, the R6 has all the bells and whistles a hiker would want outside of high resolution. Paired with the 24-105, this kit is a good general purpose option that can cover basically anything you would want to capture. Even the video options are usable with how effective the image stabilization is.
Sony a7iii/a7Riii with Sony 24-105 f4 or Tamron 28-75 f2.8 (2021 Update - Still a good option)
Sony has the best technology in their full frame cameras. This tech really shows itself in its autofocus and In Body Image Stabilization or IBIS. The autofocus uses their real time tracking where you start focusing with a subject in the center and then recompose as the camera continues to track in focus. The IBIS gives you that extra confidence in getting a sharp shot. The big difference between the a7iii and the a7Riii is resolution with the former offering 24mp and the latter 42mp. I don’t think most people will appreciate the extra megapixels and unless you know you need them, I would push towards the a7iii. The Sony 24-105 f4 lens is practical general-purpose lens with a bit of extra reach compared to the Tamron but the Tamron gathers twice as much light making low light situations easier to photograph in exchange for a little less reach.
South Lake Tahoe to Mammoth Lakes
Finally entering the High Sierra and enjoying most of it. Pushing near 30 a day is exhausting. The views make it all worth the effort.
Day 77 1560.8 - 1565.9
It’s a new day and I feel a lot better. There was a good bit to do today. First up was a trip to the post office again to ship off things I had forgotten followed by an omelet and cinnamon roll pancakes at the Denny's nearby. Went to the grocery store for a top up of the bear can then I went to McDonalds to charge up my phone before hitching to Echo Lake.
I dont know where the day went. It was already 5 when I got back on trail. I had planned on making it a few more miles than I ended up doing because there was a rock outcrop that had a flat spot to camp and a good view of SLT.
Day 78 1565.9 - 1598.1
Boy it's cold in the morning up here. I got moving with the morning light around 7. The uphill are quite steep.
Showers lake was gorgeous but a careless dog owner let the nut grab my water bladder.
Made my way up to the visitor center at Carson Pass and talked to the friendly volunteers for a while.
The views are great but the altitude will take some getting used to.
Day 79 1598.1 - 1625.8
Today kicked the crap put of me. I huffed and puffed the entire time. Were getting higher and the landscape is changing again. I’m getting a nice mix of craggy peaks, juniper trees, and cows.
I wanted to get within 8 miles of Sanora Pass to be in range of the top for sunrise but I only made it 12 miles out. The site was fantastic though. On a cliff looking east towards a wall of rock that caught the last light of the day as the sun dipped between the clouds and horizon.
Day 80 1625.8 - 1656.7
Oh boy did I struggle in the morning. It felt like ages before I reached the top of the trail. I was well behind schedule and stopping often to lean on the rocks. As I walked down towards the highway, I could feel a sunburn coming on even though the sun was still low. At the trailhead I took a decent break to snack and rest before hitting the next 1000 ft gain. Again, it took me ages to get to the top but when I did everything was worth the effort. It's the first time that I felt like I was truly in the high country with peaks and barren rock all around.
I actually felt as though I was moving at that point. I might of helped that the trail was basically flat at that point.
After a while the trail drops back down into the trees and granite starts showing up a lot. The granite makes sense considering what i’m approaching. As dusk fell I walked over Dorothy Pass and into Yosemite National Park. A little ways later I was pitching my tent near Dorothy Lake.
Day 81 1656.7 - 1684.7
I’m starting to get used to the altitude. There were a lot of climbs today but they are getting easier. Having some physical challenge on the trail again is nice.
Another dramatic chance in the landscape. Walls of granite thousands of feet high rise all around and the trail mosseys up and down them showing a low of beautiful alpine lakes that I doubt many visitors have seen.
A curious note was when I noticed a string of web floating in the air with a spider at the bottom. I didnt think much of it until later in the day when the sun backlit and made 100s of the little glimmers visible high in the air as I climbed up the next wall of rock.
I didnt make it in to Smedburg Lake until 7:30. It was pitch black and the other hikers were already quiet in their tents. I never did get a good look at the lake.
Day 82 1684.7 - 1710.6
I got up early and was walking before 6am. I wanted to be at the top of Benson Pass for sunrise. I didnt know if their would be a view but it’s good to be ready. I would have made it if an emergency bowel movement hadn’t stopped me in my tracks half a mile before the pass.
There were so many good spots to stop today but after these days of hiking I want the hot food at Tuolumne. Also, these granite mountains reflect a lot of sunlight and has been the only time I felt that I needed sunscreen with my big hat on.
Tuolumne Meadows was gorgeous. The grass has turned golden and there is still a lot of water. Lots of tourists though. Just before the highway i filled up my bottle at the Soda Spring. The spring is supposed to have tasty carbonated water but to me it just tasted like blood.
Ate way too much at the grill. A double cheese burger, chili dog, fries, and over a liter of soda. I was tired so I didnt push on and camped in the backpacker area of the campground for $6.
Day 83 1710.6 - 1741.0
I didnt get walking until late maybe 9:30. The grill didnt open until 8am and I always want breakfast. I also needed to grab the power bank that I left charging over night. Turns out their breakfast plate and pancakes are too much. The first 10 miles were painful. I felt like vomiting and would walk a mile before stopping for 10-15 minutes. I was grateful when it passed and I was able to work my way up to Donahue Pass. I love getting to the top and being able to see for dozens of miles. I even had signal and was able to Skype my family before heading down. The miles after the pass were amazing. A highlight was Thousand Island Lake. I even asked a random hiker to take my picture there and was reminded that any rock that I can place a camera on is probably goi g ti do a better job than a random hiker.
Ended up hiking until 10:30 getting me only 4 miles out from Reds Meadow.
Day 84 1741 - 1746.5
Blasted through the few miles to Reds Meadow in the morning to be in for breakfast. Overpriced and small, it was still worth it. Was able to reunite with Wonka and Sour Patch as the camped right across the river from me and walked in a few minutes after. We are all going in to Mammoth Lakes to wait out the weather coming in tomorrow.
As with any town day, lots of money spent and food devoured. The gear shop, Mammoth Mountaineering, was surprisingly well stocked and I was able to grab gloves, a new shirt, base layer, and baseball cap. I love my big Tilley hat but with my pack so big the brim is always bumping up against the pack and is pretty annoying.
Day 85 Zero
Lots of weather coming through. It wasnt bad in the town, just a lot of wind and rain but I could imagine a less pleasant experience a few thousand feet up.
Etna to South Lake Tahoe
A long section through Norther California. Lots of miles and growing mental fatigue. Ended up skipping 60 miles after walking 17 miles in very cold rain on my birthday.
Day 58 1092.9 - 1108.9
Breakfast was something to behold. Stuffed French toast, bacon, and 4 eggs graced my plate and promptly disappeared. This turned out to just be first breakfast as when we went into the bakery next door I got a latte, apple fritter, breakfast burrito, and brick of sourdough to pack out.
Getting back to the trailhead, the climb out went by in an instant. After that, it was cruising to camp. I went off trail a hundred feet to overlook Kangaroo lake. I didnt see the animal, just a developed campground.
Camp was on some pretty hard ground but there was a lot of space. There were around 8 people people that showed up to sleep. Before anyone else got in, someone camping below startled me when they shot off a gun 10 times.
Day 59 1108.9 - 1134.2
Another hole in my pad made for a poor night's sleep. I can't wait for the replacement in Burney.
Not much to today beside good views of Shasta. The goal was to get to a site that comments on guthooks raved about. I was taking a break at a road crossing since I didnt have that many miles and it was early. I was lucky that a jeep driving by stopped and offered me a beer. They were kind and gave me a liter of powerade instead.
This campsite is no joke. Shasta is so close that is dominated the view in one direction while the Castle Crags is off to the side. Sunset was lackluster but I really hoped for some clouds to form in time for sunrise. I was productive and booked a room in Dunsmuir for tomorrow night. Eric, who runs the Dunsmuir Lodge, is the friendliest person on the phone.
Day 60 1134.2 - 1151.9
Oh my! Sunrise was amazing. This is one of the few times I wish that I had more of my gear. At least a better tripod.
After getting a good dose of color, it was time to boogey down the trail towards the highway. In the excitement of sunrise and prospect of town food, I didnt have breakfast.
The gnats were intolerable and I was quick to bring out the head net. It was scary to see how many there were when the sunlight lit them against a dark background. Before I knew it I was at the road. No traffic meant no hitch. I called Eric and for $10 got a ride into town.
I hoped the Cornerstone Cafe would still have breakfast but had to settle for a mediocre burger. Looking ahead, I order a pizza that I picked up on the way back from resupplying so I didnt have to leave the room for the rest of the night. The room was basic but more than acceptable. I slept like a baby on the bed and the bathtub let me find yet another leak in my sleeping pad.
Day 61 1151.9 - 1175.7
The Wheelhouse was talked up a lot on guthooks so we went for breakfast there. The food was great! The pancakes were something special. I doubt I would go again though, because it was just so expensive and the portions weren't that large.
Back on trail with a moderate climb. There is a shortcut that I took to cut off a few miles by taking a logging road straight up the hill instead of the light grade of the trail. The road was exposed and hot so I went through my water quickly.
I had a thought about picking up my new pad at the post office in Burney Nd checked their hours. Not open on the weekend. I thought I was going to have to push out 40 mile days to get there before they closed for the weekend. I called and it turns out they have pickup hours on Saturday. Praise the maker!
Before I knew it i had crested the top and was going down again. There was a nice creek that I rested at before crossing the bridge there.
I made it to camp around 6 and watched the YouTube videos that I downloaded in town.
Day 63 1175.7 - 1205.4
Easy day. Hot. Camped at a creek.
Day 64 1205.4 - 1241.8
Looking at Burney, the town has both a McDonalds and a Chinese restaurant. There is also a church that let's hiker sleep inside with showers available. It's only 37 miles. With my pad being useless now I really want to be in town.
I boogied real quick.
There was a distinct change in the landscape halfway through the day. The big pines disappeared and made way for dry grass. It was HOT.
Burney falls lived up to the hype. It was a shame that I got there in the afternoon as the sun backlit all of the mist in the air ruining any shot I wanted. The store had soft serve ice cream though.
Leaving towards the highway I took a logging road to cut a mile off. I got there the same time as Nick and the first car to pass stopped. Turned out to be a fishing guide heading home for the weekend. He dropped us off at the Chinese place which was right next to the church.
The gym in the back was where the hikers could sleep. It was a wonderful arrangement.
The Chinese was good and the McDonalds after was tasty.
Day 65 1241.8 - 1250
The situation was so comfortable that no one was on their way out early.
We didn't leave until 4pm. Archive and I had trouble hitching so she posted on the trail angel Facebook page and a nice lady was there in no time.
A pleasant 8 mile walk brought us to camp. The lighting was fantastic as the sun set with magenta tones saturating everything.
Day 66 1250 - 1277.3
The trail went over Hat Creek Rim today and had some really amazing views of Lassen and some bomb campsite.
Only a few miles in there was trail magic. The same woman who was doing magic near Fish Lake in Oregon was now down here with here son giving out good food. I forgot my water filter there but she was amazing and dropped it off in Old Station for me.
I just kept walking to get to Old Station. The gas station was well stocked and I got a lot of food as well as my water filter.
A few of us camped behind the station. I cowboy camped on top of table. It's getting cold now.
Day 67 1277.3 - 1302.8
Woke up just in time to be in JJs cafe for the opening of breakfast. Oh, it hit the spot. The waitress was super friendly and the man who maintains the water cache at forest road 22. Turns out that someone broke into his donation box and made off with what he assumed was a couple hundred bucks. He had a lot of good info about the trail and encouraged everyone to join a trail maintenance team.
I'll be honest. Going through Lassen National Park was a bit of a disappointment. Their were great views of Mt Lassen on the approach to the park but once inside the mountain was always obscured. Having been to the park before I know that the west side has spectacular lakes and thermal features.
Ended the day at Warner Valley Campground. I walked down to Drakesbad Guest Ranch hoping to get dinner. The employee said there were no openings for dinner but the showers and hot spring fed pool. I may have used the outdoor chair in the bathroom stall to sit in the shower for a while. On the way out I dipped my toes in the pool. The water felt amazing so i went all the way into the 100° pool.
Day 68 1302.8 - 1321.8
I cowboyed and according to the others it rained last night. I didnt notice.
The trail went by two thermal features on the few miles left in the park. Before I knew it, the nice overcast clouds turned angry and dropped rain and hail. Holy hell it was cold. The highway couldn't come soon enough. I got to the road just in time to grab a hitch with 4 other hikers. Nick was looking a bit chilled and kept shivering well after getting into town.
First stop was the post office to pick up my beautiful new shoes. I got the pair with a bit of blue on it. Then it was time for breakfast. The Kopper Kettle Cafe is a Denny's clone but I liked it all the more for it.
Camping was at the church. They had a charging strip but there was a less fortunate homeless man getting high in the hiker tent so no one felt comfortable leaving electronics out.
Day 69 1321.8 - 1338.6
There was a lot of condensation buildup last night. Spent an hour after breakfast at the coffee shop letting the tent dry in the parking lot.
Hit the halfway point today. It feels as though it took so long but as the same time likening just started. The monument should really be bigger. Maybe a 20 foot tall pyramid made of platinum. Took some pics and kept on.
The light near the end of the day was gorgeous. The wildfire smoke in the distance diffused the light into a brilliant orange. Pretty windy at camp but good views. The moon is bright and annoyed me enough to get my buff over my eyes.
Day 70 1338.6 - 1366.2
The winds have blown some of the smoke into the area. It gave me some trouble breathing over the day.
Going down towards Belden, it got very hot. I had two liters of water spiked with caffeinated Mio and that did not make me feel good on the exposed portion.
Couldn't get a hitch but Eric, the owner of Caribou Crossroads, picked us up. Even though it was passed closing time he still let us order and heated up the grill to make a few burgers. The store was small but it had enough, even a Starbucks frappuccino. The blackberry milkshake hit the spot. He is a really nice guy and deserves business.
Day 71 1366.2 - 1393.2
Oh the climb out of Belden. How people have build it up. It is but a small hill. The grade was nice and trail well groomed. I feared that it would be too easy but I had nothing to fear as the trail would provide. Thick smoke had blown in and filled the valley making it a bit hard to breath. Still, before I knew it I was at the top and over the smoke.
I was up far earlier than I had imagined. In the end, I still got in close to 27 miles, stopping at Lookout Rock where I could see a plume of smoke rising far on the horizon.
Day 72 1393.2 - 1447.8
Wow, the winds sweeping across the trail as I walked along the ridges were intense. Even with a 40lb pack driving me into the ground I had to use my poles to keep my balance.
Later in the day I could see the South Sierra Buttes.
The weather is forecast to rain a lot tomorrow so camping at Tamarack Lake puts me 10 miles out from Sierra City. The night was windy and kept my rain fly dry which I really appreciated.
Day 73 1147.8 - 1457.7
As I woke up and rose towards the crest of the trail, it was misty with a light drizzle. Nothing much to see but it could have been much worse. On the other side heading down towards the town, there were breaks in the clouds with beams of light cascading across the mountains. For a minute, I thought that the weather might not be so bad. I could see it in the distance. The valley was so dark that it could have been night. Those clouds were coming quickly.
I at least made it past the scree field and to the top of the switchbacks before the sheets of rain fell. Mixed in with the drops were small hail. Thunder cracked overhead just an instant after I saw the flash.
My rain jacket was wetted out and my shirt was wet. Gods I felt cold. My hands weren't working and there was no mercy from the trail. No miracle hitch for the two miles into town.
As it was Monday, nothing was open in town except for The Sierra Pines Resort restaurant. The owners are so accommodating and made breakfast after they had closed up. The rooms available weren't that expensive so Archive and I split one.
Both Archive and Yahtzee had their phones wrecked by the rain.
Saw Dave at dinner. He only has 5 more days before he is in Chester having completed his hike.
Day 74 1457.7 - 1478.2
Was able to pick up my package from the general store. Down pants and booties to keep me warm at night.
Leaving just before noon. I took Wild Plum Rd to reconnect with the trail. As I left, I knew that I should have taken a zero. I was so mentally exhausted. The thought of skipping from Truckee to SLT was looking likely as the forecast has rain all day tomorrow and up here it can be sleet.
Day 75 1478.2 - 1495.5
I got up early to break camp before it started raining. Having my puffy pants on while I packed up was so comfortable. There was nice light slipping in under the clouds at sunrise but it didnt last. Soon there was rain which turned to snow for an hour. Once again, I was cold and wet. Happy birthday to me.
At least the rest stop at Interstate 80 had heated floors. The Uber I called took 50 minutes to traverse the 10 miles from Truckee because of a bad wreck on the way up.
The hitch to SLT wasnt much better. While the owners of the camper van were nice, spending an hour sitting on the floor bracing myself on every turn made me car sick.
At least Motel 6 was cheap. Having trouble trying to cross the road to the grocery store was the last straw. I shut down and didnt do anything for the rest of the night.
Day 76 Zero
I feel better today. Went to Denny's and caught up with Wonka and Sour Patch. I should be able to catch up to them in a few days.
Resupplied at the grocery store, enjoyed a wonderful hour massage to loosen up my back, grabbed my packages with a new lens and rain jacket, and got a hair cut.
Ashland to Etna
After some good rest in Ashland, i’ve got my mojo back and enjoying the miles in Northern California towards Etna.
Day 52 935.4 - 952.3
To be honest, I wanted to stay in the great comfort of the Holiday Inn. There was a comfy bed, decent breakfast, and marathon of The Office on. There was no surprise that our group wasnt at the trailhead until noon.
The zeros were well spent as I didnt dislike being on trail today. The 2500 foot climb out of Callahan's went like a breeze. The bugs are gone which is the greatest change in conditions.
I'm trying to average 25 miles a day through the NorCal section without taking any zeros. Leaving more in the tank at the end of each day should make being more consistent possible.
Day 53 952.3 - 977.9
Made it into California today. Only 1700 miles left but it's easier to think of it as only one state left.
The trail is high and held some solid views today. Mt Shasta sits in the distance and should be visible for another 400 miles as the trail makes a large C shape around it.
My mood is much better than before Ashland. I switched up my resupply, too. While poptarts remain for breakfast, I grabbed so many Probar Meals for lunches and am trying the meal replacement, Soylent, for dinner. My hope is that because the Soylent is neutral it can be a staple that I won't get tired of. Time will tell.
Made it 25 miles at a leisurely pace over the day. Not feeling rushed all day is nice. Camp was in a nice open area with a view of mountains in the distance.
Day 53 977.9 - 1003.6
When I woke up in the morning the air was already warm. I took it as a bad sign for the day. A few miles in, I took the forest service road instead of the trail. The road cut off two miles and was a consistent gentle gradient all the way down into Saeid Valley. A nice benefit to the shortcut meant that I was in town by 1:15, 45 minutes before the cafe closed. I enjoyed a wrap and wonderful raspberry milkshake. When the cafe closed all of the hikers migrated to the tavern a few thousand feet down the road. It was sweltering and with the heat coming off of the asphalt I felt a little woozy.
Stayed at that tavern for hours drinking ice water. The Ice was essential because the AC in the building wasnt working. One hiker's thermometer pegged the temp at 90f. It was still better than the 106f just outside.
At 6 we slowly made our way down the road 7 miles towards the campsite just before the climb out of the valley started. The walk could have been 3 miles but the land owners don’t want hikers crossing their land so instead of fording the river we had the road walk.
Day 54 1003.6 - 1029.4
The alarms went off at 5am. The idea was to get up most of this 4000 foot climb before the heat became oppressive. It’s the first time i’ve gotten up before the sun in almost a week. I like sleeping in.
Turned out that there was no need to get up early as there were scattered thunderstorms all morning and the sun was shy. The climb itself wasnt anywhere near as bad as described on guthooks. It looked like the forest service had cleared most of the downed trees so the only nuisance was a little bushwacking.
I was at the top for lunch and even had time for a nap.
Past that, I entered the Marble Mountain Wilderness which I really enjoyed. The trail held some dramatic views and the mountains were diverse.
I stayed at the Marble Valley Tentsite which is where an old boarded up ranger station sits. I later learned that it was used by backcountry rangers in the 50s and that just up the mountain were vast natural caves.
Day 55 1029.4 - 1055
There were some nice little climbs out of camp today. The trail kept up with the views and a few miles outside of camp I looked back and understood how Marble Mountain got its name.
The air got hot today and there were a number of exposed sections where the sun beat down. Someone wrote in the trail register that more trees should be installed.
I passed the road where most hikers hitch into Etna because Archive's boyfriend is giving us a ride from the highway in a few days. In the last mile the trail entered the Russian Wilderness. I camped at a saddle overlooking Ruffey Lake and enjoyed a colorful sunset as clouds had developed in the afternoon.
Day 56 1055 - 1080.8
What a beautiful day! The trail followed steep cliffs in the morning looking down into the valley with Shasta looming in the distance.
I went at a laggard pace for the day. It wasnt that I didnt want to walk I just could summon the energy to go very fast. There were some substantial climbs and. with the heat, it took a lot out of me. Still, my mood is better than all of southern Oregon.
I called Big Agnes about a leak in my pad at one of the points that I had signal. I was just asking if there was a special way to patch a leak in the baffle. The rep on the line said I could send it in for repair but when I said I was on the trail he told me the would just send a new one up trail. That made me very pleased.
Treated to another wonderful sunset. The clouds looked as though they were painted on the sky.
Day 57 1080.8 - 1092.9
Only 12 miles into town. I was so excited for town food. I’ve been living on Soylent, Probars, and Poptarts.
The miles went so fast and we got to highway 3 a while before our ride. There were some locals camping out and we got to talking with them. They were so nice and had an extensive knowledge of the area. I wish that I knew what they did about the plants and birds I’m seeing on the trail.
Etna held some great disappointment. We rushed to the bakery to get in before they closed at 2 but when we got there they were sold out of almost everything including the sourdough bread I was excited about. Thinking that a burrito at the cafe down the street would be a good option we walked up only to see they had taken a long weekend. The motel was booked so I went to the R & R Bunkhouse. It’s a nice setup in the garage of a trail angel and the shower is nice. I got on the scale and saw that I’ve lost 30lbs.
Got a very small 1.5 day resupply at the grocery store. Ate at Bob's Ranch House for dinner. Last productive part of the day was using a bath tub to find the new hold in my pad.
Big Lake Youth Camp to Ashland, OR
I’ll be honest. This was a troublesome section that while physically easy had a big mental aspect. I’m happy to be at the end of Oregon.
Day 39 Mile 658 - 678.3
Three days and 88 miles. Waking up at Big Lake to all of my gear being soaked made me a sloth at getting up. It didn't rain but the condensation was almighty. I spent too much time in the hiker hut editing photos and letting my tent "dry" before I started walking at 9.
I regretted staying in because it was a hot sunny day through 6 miles of lava fields. The lava fields were an interesting and alien landscape but they were tough on the feet and completely exposed. There were islands where older earth had lava flow around it and now were the only spots in the landscape with green. I was off today. Really off. I didn't want to hike. I wasn't tired, too hot, or injured. Just wasnt feeling it. Only made it a shameful 20 miles.
The trail entered the Three Sisters Wilderness and, while it is pretty, I wasnt blown away. At last there was a nice sunset and the terrain for tomorrow looks good for a big day.
Day 40 Mile 678.3 - 718.8
As a sort of punishment for that short day and losing my phone, I set out to do 40 miles the next day. Up at 5:30 and walking soon after. The terrain was easy today, even luxurious. The trail was even lined with obsidian for a few miles. I walked without my poles for most of the day and realized the pain in my shoulder subsides when not using the poles. So many lakes and with those lakes, mosquitoes. Not the biblical amounts that were in Washington but they were many and aggressive. Walking for that amount of time did not spark joy and I won't be doing that again.
Day 41 Mile 718.8 - 746.5
My feet hurt a little today but what did I expect? Only 28 miles to Shelter Cove Resort. I was supposed to be on a mission but I still ended up taking 15 portraits today. By 5:30 PM, I had boogied my way into the resort and ordered a huge burger with egg and bacon. My eyes are a lot bigger than my stomach. I can't seem to eat as much in one sitting as I used to.the porch of the store is the only place with Wifi and is where every hiker congregates. I'm realizing how obnoxious and oblivious groups of drunk hikers can be. The store closed before I could get quarters for a shower and laundry so I guess that'll wait until Crater Lake.
Day 42 Mile 746.5 - 762.6
Woke up excited for a big breakfast and was thoroughly saddened to hear they weren't serving breakfast due to being short staffed. I had to settle for a couple of danishes from Costco.
Wanting any excuse to stay, I did laundry and took a shower before sorting out my resupply. I still have two days of food and my box has three more. Way too much for a 90 mile section. I'm also finding that I'm not that hungry and putting food down is a chore.
Looking ahead, there is a campsite just before the rim walk of Crater Lake in 67 miles so I'll try to be there at the end of the third day so I can walk the rim at sunrise.
Didn't feel like walking today. The blister on the ball of my foot is still strong under the thick callus. I've tried to pop it tonight but I'm afraid of sharp objects and its deep. The blister on the side of my heel that I drained has another blister inside of it. I'll spare you the gross details and just say I drained that one, too.
Made it 16 miles to summit lake were a bunch of people are car camping. I'm by the pit toilet but I can't smell it in my tent.
Lastly, I was hoping my shorts would make it to Ashland but that looks to be a pipe dream. I'm hoping my mom can expedite some new shorts to Crater Lake. If I didn't have underwear this would be immodest.
Day 43 Mile 762.6 - 791.3
The lake had a lot of mist coming off of it in the morning. Going further along the coast, I wish I had pushed on a little more last night. Some of the sites have a great view of Diamond Peak.
Today is the first of the longer water Carrys. The Carrys would be a lot longer if it weren't for the three wanted caches between Summit Lake and Crater Lake. The first cache was at Windigo Pass, a dirt road that crosses the trail. This is the last water for 20 miles unless you go a bit off trail. There were over 100 gallons clumped up together in the sun as well as assorted supplies for those in need. I had lunch here but was under constant attack from the hoard of yellowjackets looking for water and chipmunks trying to grab any unattended or attended food. Little terrorists.
I had signal for most of the day and the green tunnel was strong so I ended up watching YouTube as I walked for most of the day. Ended up making it to a campsite a mile before the high point for Oregon and Washington.
Day 44 Mile 791.3 - 813.9
There were just over 20 miles to the campsite before Crater Lake's rim so I was in no rush to get out of camp.
I've been a bit unmotivated for the past few days. The views have been absent and I feel like I'm in a tunnel going no where. Once again, spent a lot of the day on my phone.
There were a few views today. Six miles in the creek looked wonderful below Mt Thielsen and it held some tasty water. There was a curve in the trail that would have made a great photo so I waited for someone to walk by to no avail.
When I made it to the junction where the trail splits to head to the rim there was a man handing out some delicious juicy peaches. I devoured three of the fresh fruit and was in camp shortly after.
Day 45 Mile 813.9 - 832.2
I want to say that I am so thankful that my will was strong enough to force me out of camp before 4:30am. Getting up to the rim for sunrise was special. The band of vivid colors on the horizon as the sun prepared to crest the mountains was serene.
The rim walk was a huge highlight and there being breakfast at the end of it was icing. The hiker omelet I ordered tasted wonderful and because the waitress made a mistake I got extra bacon and some fruit. Too bad the karma has to be balanced out. I felt like vomiting the entire was down to Mazama Village and stayed the night there.
Day 46 Mile 832.2 - 858.2
I almost got out of camp early but the lure of coffee and breakfast were too strong. Around 8 I was on the road walking back to the trail.
A fire scared about ten miles of today’s trail. The sun beats down and it’s a fun 20 miles to water.
Unmotivated. At least the water is just before a big elevation gain.
I didn’t make it as far as I wanted but the plan was to get up early so I cowboy camped in the hope that packing up would be faster.
Good color in the sunset tonight.
Day 47 Mile 858.2 - 889.8
I didn’t notice there were ants at my campsite and they crawled on me all night. At 4am, I was fed up and started walking. Was a bit frustrated at the amount of downed trees in this section but things were better when the sun came up.
I was on track to have my longest day and had completed 21 by noon when I reached the highway with access to Fish Lake. Wanting a soda and burger, I tried to hitch but ended up walking the 4 miles round trip. I was happy that I went in until I got back to the trail and saw that there was a wonderful trail angel giving out what I spent 1.5 hours walking to get. I lost my mind. Super low morale.
Only made it 10 more miles to the South Brown Mountain shelter. The shelter had a broken water pump that requires to people to work now and is surrounded by yellowjackets. I camped a hundred feet from the shelter on flat ground away from the bugs.
XblDay 48 Mile 889.8 - 923
Today was unremarkable. The only thing in my mind was getting to Ashland and having a break. I was zombie walking until 3 when it started to mist. Soon, the mist turned into proper rain and while the forecast had it stopping after two hours it poured all night. This part of the trail is also one of the few section of Oregon that is overgrown so I got a carwash.
Day 49 Mile 923 - 935.4
Because the camp was in a cloud there was so much condensation and everything was wet. I was out of camp soon after 5 and was into the mist. There was so much water in the air that I couldn’t see more than 15 ft with my headlamp on.
I got to Callahan's Lodge just before 10am and had a hiker breakfast that cured a lot of my sadness. Caught up with Willy Wonka before he headed out and then caught a hitch into town.
Picked up my package from the post office with new shorts, went to the hotel, chugged 2 liters of chocolate milk, did laundry, and watched The Office.
Day 50 ZERO
Got the errands out of the way like eating two breakfast burritos at Ruby's and resupplying at Shop N Cart.
Vegetated in bed and stuffed myself with food all day long.
Day 51 ZERO
I really didnt feel like walking.
Cascade Locks to Big Lake Youth Camp
Getting my feet dusty in Oregon passing Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson.
Day 31 ZERO
Woke up pretty early after a very restful sleep. I have never been so happy to have earplugs. Trains went by all night but none woke me.
Tent city.
The bus to Portland was at 10:30 so I was able to grab breakfast at Bridgeside Family Dining before heading out. The bus dropped us off at “city center” but i’ll say that was a stretch. Uber's to the Airbnb to drop off bags before heading to a hip brunch spot. The hip brunch spot had an hour wait so our group headed to REI to hear up. New shoes, water filter, and other assorted wants.
Then chipotle for a huge double wrapped burrito with all the accoutrements. Wonka and I walked around the downtown for a bit before heading back to the house and taking the opportunity to buy all of our food for Oregon at Safeway. I could tell other hikers had been through as all the pro meals were gone.
While this house was nice, no air conditioning made for poor sleep.
Day 32 505.6 - 514.5
There was a flurry of activity in the morning as everyone organized there food by where it was being sent. I'm sending food to Big Lake Youth Camp, Shelter Cove, and Crater Lake. Timberline Lodge would have been a good place to send a resupply but I wasn’t sure if it would make it in time.
Went to the post office to send the boxes off before realizing that the Shelter Cove resupply had to be sent via UPS. Off to the UPS store in the city. Chipotle was right night to that store and I grabbed two burritos. One for then and one to pack out for dinner.
The air was boiling when we got back to Cascade Locks. Enjoyed way too much soda while waiting for the sun to lower. When I did start heading up the trail it was almost 6 and I quickly became soaked. The 3700 ft of gain were no joke and I didn’t get into camp until 10.
Day 33 514.5 - 550.6
Up at 5am and walking by 5:30. I wanted to make today a big one because if I did breakfast at Timberline Lodge would be in range.
The green tunnel was in full effect today and I don’t remember too much of the day. It was hot and I walked for a long time.
Wonka and I took an alternate up to Ramona Falls which is quite nice and popular with day hikers. When we got back on the regular trail, we went the wrong way and lost half a mile.
The trail is going around Mt Hood. I never bore of these massive volcanic mountains that stand tall above everything.
The last 3 miles of the day were a grueling 2000 ft climb up to Lost Creek. Just before this climb was a stream crossing that got all of our feet soaked and primed for blisters.
When we finally got to the top, Wonka got a few pictures of me walking and that leg was on point. Very proud.
Day 34 550.6 - 574.8
Up early again. Only 5 miles to the lodge and 1400 ft up. While I was excited for breakfast, I was really happy to get into signal to video call my girlfriend on her birthday.
Was the first man in and last man out at the buffet. While it’s been talked up a lot on trail, I though my breakfasts in Idyllwild and Wrightwood were better. The buffet was missing bacon and juice!
Unable to roll up the hill, we sat around for 5 hours. Only 17 miles to camp and mostly downhill too. Before I know it, Mt Hood is getting small in the distance. I’m also noticing my new Salomon shoes aren’t working out. The soles of my feet ache, a lot.
At RD 58 was a great surprise, trail magic from Mad Baker. After that good rest I had another surprise, terrible butt chafe. That and my sore feet made me a bit grumpy.
Day 35 574.8 - 607.1
The goal today was 40. I wanted to do it to just say that I did. Looking back, I could have too if my feet weren’t in agony.
Ended the day at Olallie Lake resort where there is a small store stocked with delicious sodas. I’ve switched to cold soaking and don’t like the options I picked so soda and candy were my preferred dinner.
Day 36 607.1 - 631.8
Woke up in a cloud. Condensation had soaked my rain fly. I was tired and didn’t start walking till 6:30.
Again, I don’t remember too much of the walking besides the pain. What I do remember is the amazing trail magic from Psycho, Apricots, and OG. I sat for two hours and devoured soda, cheetos, and breakfast sandwiches.
Mt Jefferson is the volcano of the day and it wilderness is the first place I’ve been checked for my permit. I need to update mine. It’s still northbound.
Big storms started rolling in near sunset and I boogied up the 5 miles of incline real quick when I heard thunder. I knew I was punishing my luck so I set up camp a mile earlier than planned.
Day 37 631.8 - 658
A beautiful sunrise over Mt Jefferson. The weather turned quickly and soon dark clouds were pouring rain and the air was freezing. Keep walking. The sun peaked out and I was suddenly boiling.
My feet were killing me by the time I made it to highway 20.
There is an REI in Bend so I can return my shoes and grab something different and Wonka can replace his worn out Altras. Starting to hitch at 1:30, we didn’t make it back to the trail until 8. Beside REI, we grabbed a quick bite to eat. Took us an hour and a half to get a hitch from Sisters to the trail. Left my phone in the hitch. Gone forever. Low key tantrum. Walked the 5 miles to the Youth Camp muttering curses at myself.
Day 38 ZERO
Back to Bend to get a new phone. I must have good karma because my hitched were quick and safe today. The karma did not apply to getting my phone activated. Spent 6 hours trying to get my new phone activated at Best Buy.
Made it back to camp at 6 and decided not to jike out. It was a good choice because the camp had pizza for dinner. They let hikers eat with the staff. An awesome place with a dedicated hiker hut to church, shower, do laundry, and just hang out.
Snoqualmie to White Pass
100 miles from Snoqualmie to White Pass. The trail passes through Mt Rainier National Park with fantastic views and a gentle grade. My biggest day on trail so far.
Day 19 259.5 - 268.3
Waking up around 6, I didn't feel great but was better than yesterday. I packed up and headed over to the Pancake House for a big american breakfast. Maverick was there with two hikers he shared his hotel room with and I ate with them. Nothing makes me quite so happy as breakfast food in town.
Looking at Snoqualmie from the ski slopes.
I picked up my resupply from the Chevron station and my mom was nice enough to pack it with extra food. I’m going faster than I had planned for so I needed to ship a lot of the food forward to Cascade Locks. I waited for a few hours only to be told that I had to ship from the Snoqualmie Inn. The lady at the inn was helpful and I got my package off. Maverick let me charge up my phone in his room before I headed off.
Finally got off my butt around 3 and plowed through the miles for a few hours before making it to Mirror Lake for camp.
Day 20 268.3 - 293.2
The clouds were gorgeous in the morning. There was even a cloud inversion in the valley south of Mirror Lake. The lake itself was calm and reflected the mountain above it. After packing up camp and walking a few hundred feet, thunder rolled through the valley followed immediately by rain for 10 minutes. As soon as I bothered to put my pack cover on the rain stopped.
The trail winded through hills that have been logged in the past few years and it seemed like the trail wanted to get through the terrain as fast as possible. The elevation gains were modest but the grades were aggressive, going straight up. Whatever the gain, the trail wanted it done in a mile or less.
There was an 11 mile stretch without water and I didnt make it to the far end for camp. I still had 8 miles till water in the morning but I drank the last of mine during the night.
Day 21 293.2 - 326.9
Lucky for me that the weather was chilly and overcast so I wasnt sweating too much.
By lunchtime, the skies were clear and, being a princess, I was complaining that it was too hot. Along with a few other hikers, I enjoyed a nice long break in the sun at the Mike Urich cabin before heading out again after a big group of guys drove in to make camp.
The trail winds through a burn area for a few miles and these miles were stunning. While the burned trees stood casting long thin shadows in the afternoon light, blue Broadleaf Lupine blanketed the ground.
I made it my 25 miles for the day but I still had a lot of energy because I stuffed my face all day with Nutella and cookies. Tipsoo lake was only 14 miles away and with a big push I could make it there for sunrise.
I’m so glad I decided to push on. The trail jumps to the west side of the mountain two miles out of camp and treated me to a great sunset over Mt Rainier with wildflowers all around.
Night hiking till midnight put me within a few miles of Tipsoo. I dont think i’ll do much night hiking unless I have somewhere to be for sunrise, you can’t see anything and might as well be on a treadmill.
Decided to cowboy camp since I would be up in a few hours. I tried to sleep on my foam pad instead of the air pad. Never. Again.
Day 21 326.9 - 344
Sunrise over the lake was nice. There were no clouds but it was a peaceful experience. I tried one of the vegan, plant based, gluten free cookies in my food bag. I nearly gagged. At t
Least there was a trashcan nearby so I didnt have to eat of carry it.
The views were great today. Rainier looming close with Mt Adam’s and Mt St Hellens in the distance.
As I was getting water and battling my best friends, the mosquitoes, Bunny and Curtis passed me. We had a little catching up but our mutual friends insisted we keep moving in our separate directions.
With last nights poor sleep, I dragged my feet all day and would have felt unproductive but my average was still 25 miles. Only 14 into town tomorrow.
Day 22 344 - 357.7
New day. Fresh legs.
I didnt stop, couldn’t stop, the whole way into town. The mosquitoes here have been the most aggressive so far on trail, with a cloud following close behind me at all times. A few tried to bite my hands and face as I was walking. I was so happy to get to the pass and an area without trees and a breeze to keep my devoted friends at a distance.
At the car show.
The Kracker Barrel was packed with hikers. I picked up my box and got a ride into town. I needed to get new places for my boots and new tips for my trekking poles. I could find either and all of the hotels are full because of a car show this weekend. One was kind enough to let me camp behind the building and I was able to buy a shower and laundry. Almost as good as having my own room.
Day 23 ZERO
I’m taking a day in Packwood. The next section is supposed to be gorgeous but its cloudy and supposed to rain. I’d like to be able to see the views. It’s also 6 days to Cascade Locks and I could use the rest.
Stephen’s Pass to Snoqualmie
An easy peasy 70 miles from Skykomish to Snoqualmie with amazing views and one of my biggest days on trail.
Camp with a view of Spectacle Lake.
Day 14 ZERO
I woke up to frigid 40 degree air and fog. Cruise checked the radar and rain was coming. Last night was the worst night of sleep I’d had in a while. Lights came on at 11pm and stayed on all night. There was no way I was putting in miles today. So. I packed up my stuff and stood out in the light rain for a hitch. Not much traffic going east but I got lucky and the pickup that stopped was going close to Seattle.
Traffic was nuts but after some time and an Uber I was at the promised land, REI. Replaced my pack with a new one of the same model, a bigger sleeping pad, and a new butt pad. I envied after a lot of gear on the shelves.
Spent the evening with my family.
Day 15 188.5 - 195.9
In the morning, I caught a Greyhound bus back up to Skykomish but the bus driver was kind enough to drop me off at the pass.
Grabbed a breakfast burrito before heading up the mountain. At the top it was pretty cold. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice so I didn’t feel like going too far and ended up at Mig Lake around 3:30. Other hikers started Othertrickling in until there were tents popping up all around the small lake. Rain made everyone retreat into their tents pretty early.
Day 16 195.9 - 214.8
I woke up to rain tapping on my tent and didn't want to get up. I took a peak outside and saw that almost no one was up and I didn’t feel so bad. Eventually, I did have to get up to grab my food bag from a nearby branch and realized that it wasnt raining anymore, the drops falling were from the trees above my site.
Heading out of camp around 10 did feel a little shameful but I got my miles in. The trail had turned into a sludge of twigs, leaves, pine needles, and mud. I didn’t enjoy sliding downhill.
The view from Suprise Gap.
The last box toilet I’ve seen. You shall be remembered fondly.
At mile 203, I took the Suprise Gap alternate trail because it looked fun. The alt went straight up and over this gap and is an abandoned trail. For being abandoned, it was in darn good shape and had a nice view.
Later in the day the skies cleared up an I was treated to beating sun and super saturated blue above. It felt so nice. I had planned on making it down to Deep Lake but the views at Cathedral Pass were good enough to keep me for the night.
Day 17 214.8 - 243.9
I’ve been feeling good these past few days on trail and decided to make today a big one. Two big up hills were all I had to pass over. Getting up for sunrise meant that I was out of camp and hiking early. I did have a hiccup when one of my poles caught a shrub and hut me right in the crotch. Nearly lost my footing.
The lakes that were under the trail today all looked so tempting but I also wanted to avoid them. The mosquitoes are so thick around water at the moment.
Two F-18s were flying around the valleys giving all of the hikers a free air show. They scared the crap out of me at one point when they flew low overhead and I didnt’t hear them until they were on top of me.
The plan was to make it to a small pond a mile further than I went for camp but the views over spectacle lake were so good that I backtracked half a mile to enjoy it.
So I did end up getting the ol' boys (slaps thighs) to put out some big miles today making me proud.
I felt a bit sick like I would vomit if I ate anything so I went without dinner. Big mistake. At 1 am, I woke up as moonlight flooded my tent and I went to sit on a ledge for a while taking a few photos.
Day 18 243.9 - 259.5
Oh man. Sunrise was beautiful but today was terrible. Not eating dinner really bit me in the ass. I felt like I was running on fumes all day and along with the day hikers, trail runners, and rocky/rooty trail it put me in a foul mood. I just wanted to be in town.
I ended up staying at the Washington Alpine Club for $20. The club is a cabin built in 1932 that is generous enough to host hikers for cheap. The cabin was filled with old photos that I would have liked to study if I didn’t feel so bad. Even after a lot of food and drinks I felt dead. Just going up the stairs was exhausting.
Hoping I feel more energetic tomorrow so I can hike out.
Hart's Pass to Steven's Pass
The 127 miles from Hart's Pass to Stephen's Pass are hard and either harden or break hikers. These were hard days that held some amazing views.
Early morning in Stehekin.
Miles 30.6 - 188.4
This section was tough, really tough. The elevation profile looked like it was stamped with a W and a couple of Vs.
Day 3 ZERO
My ankles are tender and I'm a princess so I took the day off. Pretty uneventful day but it was funny that most of the people there had ice packs on their ankles. Ravensong's Roost or the Hiker Hut was a welcome surprise. A full kitchen, couches, and mattresses to sleep on in the loft.
My legs felt so tight that I ended up going to a morning yoga class to try to stretch. I'll admit, some of those moves were “spicy".
Day 4 Mile 30.6 - 46.8
In the morning, a few guys went to the General Store in Mazama to get breakfast. The breakfast sandwich was good but I wish I had gotten the tomato and pesto instead of the sausage. The hitch back up was a bit crowded as these two women fit three hikers and gear into a 30 year old forerunner.
Up at Hart's Pass, it was cold and foggy. There were maybe 15 hikers at the pass when I got up. Most were enjoying some trail magic and fire by Broken Toe.
Hiking from the pass was easy. With the cool air and overcast sky, I was making good time. There was a big decent from Grasshopper Pass losing 2600 feet.
Wanting to take it easy, I stopped at Willis Camp, near Golden Creek for an easy 16 mile day. Camping next to a creek gave me the bright idea to soak my feet and dear lord it was painfully cold.
Day 5 46.8 - 61.5
The weather was clear. The vistas were gorgeous. I was kicking myself for not pushing the extra 4 miles up to the top of Methow Pass. When I did manage to get to the top, my jaw dropped as I looked into the next valley. There were low clouds hugging the middle of the mountains while sunlight was breaking through holes in the higher cloud cover to brighten parts of the landscape. I could only imagine how good the whole place would have looked and hour or two earlier.
I couldn't keep my eyes on the trail as it crossed towards Cutthroat Pass and almost walked right off the trail a few times. This little section between Methow and Cutthroat is something special.
Going up Cutthroat Pass was a tough mile. A lot of switchbacks and 650 ft up. At the pass, I took a wrong turn and went about half a mile down the wrong path. Oh well. Back up.
After the pass, there were only a few short miles downhill to Rainy pass where I got a hitch back to Mazama to pick up my snow gear and then to Winthrop to mail it home.
By this point in the afternoon the weather had turned for the worse and I got back to the Hiker Hut not long before it started raining. I was planning of getting one last ride up to Rainy Pass and camping there but when a hiker came in and said it was hailing at the pass I decided a roof and shower sounded better.
Day 6 61.5 - 80.7
I caught an easy ride up to the pass in the morning and was on the trail early. Today was all downhill towards Stehekin.
I had forgotten how tough downhills could be. With my 48ish pound pack, every step felt as though my pack was trying to drive me into the ground like I was a railroad spike.
The trail was pretty overgrown for most of the way and there were plenty of critters crawling around. I did see my first snake which made my day. It was a little black guy with thin yellow stripes down his body. Another hiker said he saw six bears on the way down to Stehekin and I was only mildly jealous.
Made it down to the ranger station around 2:30, half an hour before the bus. A bunch of familiar faces were waiting for that same bus. People I had seen at the Hiker Hut or had passed on trail. Did I mention that it's hot down here at 1600 ft. The bus was $8 into town.
The least overgrown I could hope for.
Stehekin is a tiny little town with no cell service but a beautiful lake, good bakery, and free camping. With the tweak I felt in my leg, another zero sounded right.
Day 7 ZERO
I dont actually have all that much to say about today. I took the free shuttle to the bakery and filled myself to the brim and then took a nap for most of the afternoon. Hung out with Moses, Wes, Cruise, Maverick, and all of the other hikers on the porch of the store (they sold the only wifi in town). I did take a few portraits which felt productive.
Day 8 Mile 80.7 - 100.2
Decided to treat myself and ate breakfast and downed 4 cups of coffee at the only restaurant in town before the first bus back to the trail. On the way to the trail, the bus stops at the bakery and I have some major regrets not packing out 3 cinnamon rolls.
Anyway, with all the town calories and caffeine I was feeling darn good. I needed that feeling too. The miles for today held 4200 feet of gain. Not that bad but I'm still working on my trail legs so the aggressive grade towards the end took it out of me. A river was flowing next to the trail all day and I felt like I was in a trance listening to the waters rage. The weather was good and there were great views going up so I enjoyed myself today.
The best section was at the end once the trail climbed past the trees. Sure, the grade was kicking my but it’s worth it for the view.
A group of us stopped at mile 100.2. There was space for all of our tents and even a brand new toilet/throne. No joke, the toilets in this section were great because the ground is too rooty or rocky to dig a cat hole and some of them were only a week old so they didn't smell. The bad part of this camp site was that there was standing water, the whole place was a marsh, so the bugs were thick in the air. As each hiker, Cruise, Wes, and Jay made it to camp, they instantly had their bug nets on.
Day 9 100.2 - 121.1
I felt really strong today. The trail went 3700 ft down and then 3500 ft up over the days miles. I was a bit concerned about the decent but I was surprised by how gently graded and well groomed the trail was. The 12 miles to the bottom went by in a flash. There was a stop for lunch at the bridge crossing over Suiattle River.
Going up was a bit easier than yesterday. I felt a bit stronger and my food pack was a bit lighter. There were downed trees every so often and while some were huge it wasnt to bad. I stopped at the Dolly Vista Trail Camp for the great views it had. The other guys went on but I was hoping for a sunset.
The campsite was crowded but everyone was friendly. More portraits.
The throne had a great view. 10/10 poop rating.
Sunset was nice as it was the first one I've seen since getting back on.
Day 10 Mile 121.1 - 143.9
Today was terrible. One of the worst on trail. It started so well. No sunrise but I felt some momentum as I got going. Passed Wes at his camp around 9am just before the 3000 ft decent. On Guthooks, there were comments about this downhill being really overgrown but it was well trampled when I went through. It still requires a lot of concentration though. There were rocks hiding all along and everything was slippery and wet. It went fast enough though.
On the way up there was a stop for water every two miles and I was powering up the mountain feeling good. At one of the creeks, there were two older men and one had hurt his knee. They asked to send a message on my Garmin to ask someone for help which I did. There was no reply for a few hours after I had left them.
Took a lunch break at Mica Lake which was stunning even with all of the clouds. The water was a deep blue and there were ice sheets still floating around the lake. It would have been a great place to camp.
The final 800 ft to the top was hard but it was the decent that really killed me. Poor maintainance, steep grades, many downed trees, broken headphones, a few bad trips, and a gps that wouldn't cooperate all united to give me a tantrum. Cursing, arm flailing, and all.
I finally got a reply on my Garmin that search and rescue had been contacted and were requesting more information. I gave them what little info I had. They sent a helicopter and I'm not sure what happened after that.
Made it to Baekos Creek and was over the day. I threw my crap down and tried to get a fire going. Cruise showed up as I was trying to get it going and looked really happy to see it. He didn't have fun on that downhill either.
Day 11 143.9 - 163.4
After the mission that was yesterday, I was looking for a nice and easy day. The goal was Pass Creek, 19.5 miles away.
The ascent was easy, the easiest I've had. I think my trail legs are finally here. Also, I had an emergency bowel movement and the nearest toilet was a mile up the trail so you could say that I had motivation to keep the pace up. Even so, I was dragging. I had only gone 8 miles by noon.
At the top, there were peaks for days in all directions. The clouds were breaking up and the trail followed the ridge for most of the day. Seriously, this section is amazing. It’s a reason to thru hike. If I had extra food, I would have camped down and taken a zero out here.
The feeling of finally having trail legs.
I even shamed two hikers into stopping at Lake Sally Ann. They looked like they were going to pass right by without giving it a second look even though it was stunning on this pretty day.
Pass Creek made a good campsite and a better place to soak weary feet.
Day 12 Mile 163.4 - 184.9
I wanted miles today. The sky was overcast so it was easier to keep focused on the miles instead of pictures. There was a lot of elevation change but it was broken up into 4 major ascents and various descents. I crushed the first two up hills and had a feeling that I might make it all the way to Stephen's Pass today.
The trail went over the summit of Grizzly Peak. While the name makes it sound intense, it's only 5600 feet and looks like any other part of the trail.
Rains came in during the afternoon and I just felt like finishing my miles. Lake Valhalla was a good looking lake that I didn't even stop to look at. Ended up 3.6 from the pass at a creek. The mosquitoes were insane. The worst on trail so far. I retreated into my tent for the night as soon as I had it set up.
Day 13 184.9 - 188.4
A poor night’s sleep had me packed up early and heading to the pass. I had town food on my mind. Turns out that they let hikers lowboy camp at the pass. If only I had known. I was surprised to see Moses and Super Jay. They said they were able to crank out a 30 mile day. Got some breakfast, they headed out and Cruise, Maverick, and I got a ride in the back of a pick up into Skykomish to resupply and do laundry. 10/10 would refuse that hitch next time.
So that section was tough and I think, if it didn't break hikers, it hardened them. The 71 miles to Snoqualmie Pass look pretty nasty too but it's a shorter haul and I have high hopes. Though, it is supposed to piss rain tomorrow.
Back To The Trail
Restarting my Pacific Crest Trail thru hike as a southbounder. Three days and 60 miles from Hart's Pass to the border and back.
This break has been a bit longer than I first imagined. In my mind, I would only be off for two to three weeks to let a bit of the snow melt before jumping on back at Walker Pass, the furthest I got. Time passed and I was seeing more photos from people brave, or at least determined enough to slog through the mountains of snow. The trail looked more like mountaineering than the hiking I had been doing since March 3rd. My imagination made the thought of experiencing the vast expanses of snow seem exciting but I knew the reality would be postholing misery.
So more time off and a road trip. Not wanting to flip flop like a fish trying to complete a thru hike, I looked into going southbound and restarting my hike. I decided to become of the smug southbound hikers.
So here I am on an Alaska flight to Seattle, spending a few days with family before starting at Hart's Pass to hike north to the border.
After a good weekend with the family, I was off towards Hart's Pass. Because I had two extra days, I took a detour to the Mt Baker Wilderness and that was a good call. The day was sunny and the views were spectacular in every direction. The border mountains to the north, Mt Shuksan to the east, and Mt Baker to the south.
A short day driving through North Cascades National Park brought me to Mazama, only 18 miles from my start point on the trail. While the bed at the Mazama Country Inn was terribly uncomfortable their breakfast made up for it.
BACK AT IT AGAIN!
Day 0 - Mile -30.6 - -6.4
A bumpy ride up the road to Hart's Pass through thick fog was my greeting to being a southbounder. Since I was hiking to the start, the miles to the border could be considered part of a warm-up hike. Blasting through 24 miles on the first day wasn’t too bad in my mind but my legs were there to remind me that I haven't been active in the two months since getting off trail. Anyway, the skies cleared up for the afternoon and I was able to enjoy views of glacier carved valleys on all sides. Made it to Hopkin's Lake for camp. Didn't get to enjoy the lake that much because the clouds of mosquitoes made me retreat into my tent.
Hopkin's Lake. Day 0 camp.
Day 1 - Mile -6.4 - 14.7
Ah, an authentic Washington experience. Full day of overcast skies. Slack packed it to the border and back to the lake. I deserved some easy miles on the 4th of July, right? The only disappointment was that there wasnt a bald eagle circling above to mark this momentous occasion. The two hour nap put me a bit behind schedule for the day. The uphills were easier today. At least they were until I tried slogging up Rock Pass at the end. Getting back in trail shape is the most fun you can have on trail.
Day 2 - Mile 14.7 - 30.6
Last one out of camp this morning, as is tradition. Today was a bad day for miles. I was going slow, really slow, and my right foot is aching something feirce. Ran into a hiker that I met all the way back in March at Warner Springs. FIve miles from the campground, every step was grief but I know I'm being a big baby because I was in far worse shape a few days after starting from Campo but kept going. At Hart's Pass, I caught a ride down into Mazama to pick up a package and ship my snow gear home. Turns out you dont need it if the snow is gone. Staying at the Hiker Hut tonight to save some sweet cash for food.
So, my first three days back were pretty good. My legs held up more than my feet. I felt more inspired in these past few days than I did in the entirety of the desert section. The mountains are beautiful and even with clouds the views had a lot of character.
The wildflowers are beautiful and I was impressed with the variety that carpets the ground. Should have picked up the wildflower guide when I had the chance.
I'm happy that I have been better about asking strangers for their portraits. At the start in California, I was so timid about asking for a picture but now I'm asking a lot more (unless I'm super tired and want to be done for the day.) There are plenty of interesting looking people on trail. They all seem to have impressive beards. Maybe I find impressive beards interesting because I can't grow one.
White Pass to Cascade Locks
The last of Washington. Turned out to be the most beautiful.
Day 23 357.1 - 363
I know that I said in the last post that today was a zero but I wrote that in the morning before I got bored and left the pass at 3 to do a short few miles to a nice camp.
Day 24 363 - 376.3
Today’s miles held the highlight of the section. The top of Goat Rocks has a little section called the Knife Edge with steep drop offs and expansive views. The only problem was getting to the top. Normally, when the trail decides that it needs to climb over a mountain it keeps the gain under 500 ft a mile sometimes pushing 700 ft if it wants to be mean. Short sections of this ascent reached as steep as 1200 ft a mile. Nothing quite like a stairmaster with a full pack on.
Nearing the top the trail turns from nice cushy grippy dirt to being made up of flat stones that sounded like walking on plates of china. The grade was excruciating. On the south side going down, I noted how gentle the trail looked in comparison.
Just over the top was a large campsite with over a dozen sites scattered about and amazing views of Mt Rainier, Adams, and Helen. Even though staying at this site meant a very short 13 mile day, it was more than worth it. I got some nice pictures and even woke up at 11pm to see the milky way over Mt Adams.
Day 25 376.3 - 403.1
Of course I got up early to see sunrise. Sadly, no morning coulds to catch the light but I was up and walking earlier than usual. The trail headed towards Mt Adams and there were multiple times that I would come around a bend in the trail and be surprised at how close the mountain had gotten.
The terrain was easy today. Really easy. The miles flew by and there was one section that was incredibly well maintained. I felt like I was flying.
Made camp at Lava Springs. This place had some of the best tasting water I’ve had. There were a lot of sites with soft flat ground and a mound of broken lava rocks that if climbed give a great view of Adams.
Day 26 403.1 - 423.7
The shuttle into Trout Lake runs 4 times throughout the day and the plan was to make it in time for the 2pm departure. 20.5 by 2. Not too bad. There was a 6 mile climb out of camp by the grade was an easy 350ft that wasnt enough to tire me out. I made it to the top without stopping and, being at the base of Adams, the mountain was huge.
I ran into my hiking buddy from the desert, Wolf, and we caught up for a bit before I basically ran down the trail towards the road. I wasnt running but it was easy to go fast. I ended up making it to the room around 1:30 and it turned out the shuttle doesn’t leave for town until 2:30. There were three hiker when I showed up including Mr. Wonka but over 15 when the shuttle showed up. The shuttle was a small pick up that could only take 8. Glad that I was there early. Crawled in the back with all of the packs and enjoyed the 13 miles that flew by in an instant.
Trout lake didnt have much but it did have everything that was needed. A store and a cafe. I probably spent 50 at the cafe between dinner and breakfast the next morning.
Camped in the back of the store for $5 with a bunch of other hikers.
Day 27 423.7 - 433.9
Finally, a place with a breakfast diner. I was waiting for the cafe to open at 7 and ended up getting double breakfast with Tyce and Wonka. Feeling suitably comatose, we all agreed on the 2pm bus back to the trail. Spent the time until the shuttle sitting on the porch of the store enjoying small town America.
On trail, I was powered by all of the town calories but, at the same time, weighed down by those two breakfasts. The trail was a bit of a green tunnel but before long I had made it to Mosquito Creek. I think the creek was named sarcastically because this was one of the few places without a ridiculous amount of bugs.
Day 28 433.9 - 462.2
More about the miles today. I wanted to make it 28 to a nice campsite on a ridge. I slept like a brick so I was actually energetic in the morning and on trail early again.
I dont have too much to say about today. It was a green tunnel.
Cowboy camped on a break in the trees with a nice view of Mt Hood in the background.
Day 29 462.2 - 492.7
I did not like today. I didnt sleep well and only wanted to get to camp. No photos were taken this day. I found out later that I missed out on good trail magic because I passed that road too early in the day. Just kept hiking until I made my 30 miles. I’m in range to make it into Cascade Locks for breakfast.
Day 30 492.7 - 505.5
Slept a lot better last night and with the prospect of breakfast I was flying down the trail. There was a lot of wet brush so I got one last carwash from Washington. The elevation is so low now that the foliage looks more like a rain forest than any other part of the trail.
I made it for breakfast and happiness. The cheap hotel is booked so $5 camping it is.
Ended up getting a haircut. So breezy. I feel like myself again.
Oh, Washinton. You were amazing.
