The100-mile section of PCT trail through the Russian Wilderness, Trinity Alps and Castle Crags Wilderness is filled with beauty and wide open vistas, making it one of the most impressive sections of the route,
I played a bit in my last post, featuring wood sculptures and ‘faces’ from along the trail from Etna Summit to Castle Crags following the PCT. I can’t resist these sometimes beautiful, sometime humorous and sometimes downright weird contributions by nature. You’ll see more. Guaranteed! Today, I am going to take a different tack and make an effort to capture the beauty of the Russian Wilderness and the Trinity Alps, which I hiked through with my nephew, Jay. I’ll follow up with a post on the incredible Castle Crags. As one through-trekker noted, “Why aren’t these a National Monument?”
I wish I had more time to devote to these posts, but I face the same problem as folks doing the whole PCT. Time. You have to do the miles. Because I am only doing a thousand, I have a bit more. I can leave my camp around seven and usually get in somewhere between three and four, having done my 12-15 miles. It’s a good thing! My 75-year-old body can use the recovery time. When I camp with through hikers, they are almost always out by 6 or earlier (some tromp by in the dark), and don’t come in until 7-9ish. Or by flashlight. Once they hit the trail, they are moving. There is little time to stop and admire the flowers like I do.
My layover days, when Peggy picks me up, are crammed with activity. First up, is stuff Curt. Peggy is quite concerned about how skinny I have become and I have no objection to her admonitions to “eat!” Then there are the necessary chores to prepare for the next leg. I am ever so lucky to have Peggy’s help here. She does the laundry, for example, and earns beaucoup credits for handling my ‘trail-flavored’ clothes. PCTers are a smelly bunch. There is no help for it, even though most of us make an effort to stay clean. A shower is top priority, right after the cold beer. Organizing my resupply and repacking takes time, and I need to review and pack my next set of maps. And then there are the posts, reviewing my journal, downloading and processing photos, and writing.
So, without further ado, here’s my photo essay for the day. These are from the Russian Wilderness.
Views of mountain ranges entertained, and wowed us, every day. These photos are from the Russian Wilderness.
Another view…
Snow was light this year, so there isn’t much left.
I found these craggy peaks lined up against the mountain unusual.
A snag added color here.
Every corner Jay and I hiked around provided another view. We were cutting across the ridge on the left. In a day or two, we would be to the distant mountains.
This section had much more than mountains. Rocks, for one.
A close up.
This snag with its curled limbs caught my attention. Our trail snakes along on the bottom right across quite steep terrain.
Again, we found ourselves passing through burned over areas.
Our campsite that night, however, was blessed with these beauties, and a barely flowing stream. But water is water!
Our journey then took us into the Trinity Alps.
The area has a number of enticing lakes, many of which I have camped on in previous treks into the area.
And Alp-like mountains, for which it was given its name.
The same peaks rendered in black and white.
And, as we have gotten used to in our trek through Northern California, enticing views of Mt. Shasta.
Another.
Forest fires burning in the area provided this smokey perspective.
This stand-alone forest giant, a cedar, was impressive.
And who can resist mountain meadows that invite you into distant views.
Another.
I liked this white pine with its long cones.
And I will close today with this forested view of Mt. Shasta in the distance.
Wandering through Time and Place 