Burney to the Oregon Border

Chapter 1

Turns out, leaving Burney, California became increasingly difficult. Starfox and I had concrete hiking plans, only to be delayed by a team of hikers called the PRT. PRT (Pacific Rest Trail) is a crew of fellow PCT pals we’ve befriended. Manchurian was hiking with these guys for many miles, as we leapfrogged along side. He is now a few days north, ahead of the group hiking with our long lost WolfPack. So, we have Mr. Green, Hoop Dreams, Dish Cloth and Peter Pan. The four of them enticed us that Saturday in Burney. Surprise, we’re in town at the same time! Come to our hotel for a beer and shower and wifi, then go back to the trail…they said. Ok, what’s a few more hours rest with friends? Somehow, under the spell of Northern California, beneath a power struggle against relaxation we entered an unstoppable vortex. We lingered in Burney with the PRT, movies and foods and beds. When we finally decided to hike out, Starfox and I got to trail before the others. We knew they would catch up, planning to meet at the Burney Falls State Park (only 7 miles). What really occurred was Starfox and I walking one mile to Wildbird Cache. Amazing trail magic plus recliner chairs, cooler of water, soda and tea. We stopped for a 3 hour break after one mile, feet up, and shared a cream soda. In that time, the PRT caught up and we’ve been rolling together with them ever since. The six of us, a newly formed team headed toward the state park.
Burney Falls is a special one being that the head waters begin under the surface of rocks: going from a pool to raging falls in about half a mile:

State Park camping offered a general store with ice cream and beer. More lounging after a seven mile evening hike.
The next morning: Hiking out of Burney Falls State Park, this sign:

Chapter 2
The Northern California spell is one of mystery. Trail life has become everyday version of routine activity. The initial adrenaline charged will to walk and walk and walk, is dwindling. There is talk about how many miles a day we HAVE to accomplish and: is Canada going to close before we get there? Are the north cascades treacherous? Will they be snowy? Trail is overwhelmingly dependent on time. It has become clear every minute counts: when you travel 15 hours between camp.

Chapter 3

The following are things from the past two weeks:

– Leaving Burney Falls we hiked up a hot hill. Posted on trail was a small sign reading: “Rattlesnake up ahead!” I spent the next hour seeing and hearing snakes at every corner. What even!?Like a fixture in a haunted house. Caution.

-The trail to Castella was hot and dusty. The finest of fine silty powder path. It is an explosion of dirt legs, dirt sunglasses, dirt between teeth. Foot dirt. Out of control.
Taking my shoes off:

Some dirty socks:

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Feet. They feel better with wraps some days:

Tis quite the process to undo and do shoes.

-Gnats in this area are extra close to my face. They occupy my field of vision and sometimes land on the rim of my lower eyelid, or become trapped in eyelashes. Gnats traveling in a group surrounding me really aides in the dirtbag appeal. I breathe them. They buzz.

– I’ve been stung 3 times (wrist, ribs, leg) in this section the journey: yellow jacket attacks.

Sometimes the trail looks like this:

Overgrown green tunnel, mmm cobweb strings across my upper lip. Cobweb arms and hands and face.
Other miles look like this:

Arriving in Castella meant a trip to the next town over: Dunsmuir. Hooray for relaxation, resupply and rest. Our group took advantage of the local brewery.

Hiking from here we entered Castle Crags Wilderness. One of astounding sights. Things shifting.

Trinity Alps Wilderness:

Smokey Russian Wilderness:

Oh, okay. Readers, there is so much more.
Everything will be recollected and recorded, from on into Oregon.
We all crossed the Oregon border at night on Tuesday after hiking 32 miles that day.
Getting ahead.

Bonus photo: Mr. Green and Starfox sittin’ on an Etna, California mornin’

To be continued…
Details of this hiking log will formulate in the next entry!
Disclaimer:
Readers, thank you for patience in this developing story. Often I am out of signal range and cannot adequately remain a faithful correspondent. I will continue describing the course of chronological events as soon as possible! Until next time, I promise to stay trail fresh.