PCT Hike, Headed Home From Tahoe

Wednesday: (09/07) Breakfast burrito and tea at the Keys Cafe near the motel. I returned to the motel and attended a webinar via my phone, first time on a tiny screen. It worked well. I left the motel at 1115 and walked the mile or so to the bus station and confirmed it’s the right place for Amtrak bus. I waited at the Raley’s market and enjoyed a nice, and cheap, chicken lunch plate that included an interesting “California Slaw” made with kale and apricots. The bus to Sacramento arrived about 10 minutes late and we departed about 1440. Even with rush hour traffic near downtown Sacramento, we arrived shortly after 1700. The Capitol Corridor train departed on time and arrived on time in Santa Clara. This is the first time I’ve been picked up at this station which is closer to home and Lou and Dawn had difficulty getting to the station which has really weird access from a road near Levi Stadium and not at all from the road that parallels the track. They had pizza for dinner from the House Of Pizza in San Jose and brought leftovers home which i got to enjoy for a late dinner.

PCT Hike, MM1082 To MM1091, Final Steps To Lake Tahoe

 
Tuesday: (09/06) On trail 0730. Only one climb then later a lot of steps down. Arrived at Highway 50, MM1091, at 1215.

I called for a ride from a hiker service who delivered me to Motel 6 and showed me where Amtrak picks up nearby. I cleaned up and washed my clothes. In the evening I caught a bus over to Stateline and enjoyed a nice buffet at the Harrah’s Casino. I looked around some then returned to the motel via a bus.

PCT Hike, MM1063 To MM1082, Showers Lake

 
Monday: (09/05) Up late at 0618. My fellow camper then arose. She is from Seattle, doing PCT Section. She said she does the Pacific West Trail, on Vancouver Island every year. On trail 0735. Nice, no breeze but a bit nippy. Above left photo near last nights camp. It was dark when I arrived.

Met Bird and Bambi, a couple heading to Mexico. Several other SB section Hikers. Seems like I’ve met several section hikers on this section that have started at Lake Tahoe and are headed to the Mexican border. I also met a couple of older day hikers NB from Blue Lakes Highway. Lots of up then more up today.

I made 19 miles stopping at Showers Lake, MM1082. Only 9 miles to go, depending on where I leave the trail.

PCT Hike, MM1044 To MM1063, Lily Pad Lake

 
Sunday: (09/04) Cold wind this morning made putting away the tent interesting. I also deferred my morning potty break until I got lower out of the wind and where there were some trees. Gusty wind all day. Nice this evening. Lots of day Hikers today.

The trail really doesn’t curve on these panoramic photos. it’s usually a nearly straight line.

  
Typical lack of trees on the upper area of this sections mountains.

 
I hiked until 1930 making 19 miles, even with a bunch of climbs. I camped at Lily Pad Lake, MM1063.

PCT Hike, MM1028 To MM1044, Noble Lake

 
Saturday: (09/03) Lots of people coming in from Highway 4 to camp for the weekend. Likewise busy campsites. I like the multiple mountain ridges in the photo on the right.

 
A day usually involves climbing up and down two or three ridge lines.

My campsite.

I love the clouds in the top two panorama photos. I hiked 16 miles today, 45 miles to go. I camped at MM1044, Noble Lake. Really windy all night. Quite cold too.

PCT Hike, MM1017 To MM1028, An Almost Dry Hole

 

Friday: (09/02) Had the motel breakfast, cereal, mini-muffin, and OJ. Headed off East on Highway 108. I was dropped off at Sonora Pass at 1015. It started with a three mile climb over the ridge. Then there was a nice six mile downhill.

 
There were a lot of big rocks on the trail much of the day making the going slow.

   
Some nice “flowers and a good green rock above left. Nice scenery along the trail including a waterfall.

Some big mountains here.

And finally, two miles up to my campsite at MM1028. Lots of water until I got to this campsite that was supposed to have water. Only a small puddle but it’s clear. Stopped at 1800, only 11 miles today.

PCT Hike, Return To Sonora

Thursday: (09/01) Lou was off to an appointment in the morning. We were on the road by 1030. We stopped for lunch at the Golden Corral, per usual.

 
A stop at the cheese factory in Escalon, California was fun. We enjoyed the house cat, their goats, and the koi. We also toured an antique shop.

While there I reserved our room in Sonora.  We stayed at the Inn Of California there. At 1600, all settled in, we strolled the old town area looking at shops before they closed. We enjoyed dinner at a Mexican restaurant on the patio by a creek.  For some reason we were all tired and asleep by 2000.