Etna -> Dunsmuir -> Burney

The day I hiked out of Etna was another scorcher until about 5:00 p.m. when the skies dumped pea-sized hail for 30 minutes. By the time it was over, the soft California soil had turned to a soupy mass of mud and hail pebbles, like hiking in 4 inches of bubble tea. There was no escaping it so I just hiked through. At one point I tried to capture a bit of the storm on video but must have gotten my phone wet in the process and it gave up the ghost.

Four days later when I reached Dunsmuir I got a 50 mile ride to the Best Buy in Redding, California, purchased a replacement phone, swapped in my SIM and SD cards and was back in business (sent the old phone home in hopes it will be repairable later). The next morning I hitched back to Dunsmuir with a man who told me of his encounters with Michael the ArcAngel and how his cat had been taken by a hawk at the rest area earlier that morning. Needless to say, I have no pictures or videos from Etna to Dunsmuir and its a shame as the section was beautiful and featured a lot more sweeping views compared to the Dunsmuir to Burney section I just completed.

Overall I’m in great spirits and my feet seem to be doing better overall than previous hikes. There’s still plenty of soreness at the end of a day, but switching to toe socks and keeping my shoes looser seem to have really made a difference in reducing blisters.

The photo below was taken about 30 minutes prior to my first bear encounter on the PCT. It was now nearly dark and I was racing to find a campsite I had read might be found just over a mile away. I rounded a corner where the trail transitioned from an open, still well-lit patch to a shady grove that was had to see into. Meeting my gaze at eye level in a tree directly on the trail was what I think was a sow protecting her cubs I also heard commotion in the branches above. I spoke out in hopes she’d take off but she looked at me like “Who is this idiot?” so I back-stepped my way out, set up camp about a half-mile back and waited until morning to go through the same patch loudly- and (to my relief) uneventfully. The next day I got stung by a bee that flew inside my gaiter and I discovered that my bottle of water purifier drops had a crack/leak in it, so the trail has managed to throw a few challenges in at the start here, but as I said, I’m feeling good overall and just very excited to be back out here.

I’m enjoying a full zero day today, writing this update at the public library in Burney, California. Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for my latest videos, including a great closeup one of a buck with whom I crossed paths two days ago! Time to wrap up, get back to my motel room and put my feet up. Love to all from sunny California!