PCT 2024 Episode 30: The Park Fire - Days 96-99

The PCT journey continues, but there is a bump in the road. As we begin our descent into Belden, a giant smoke plume appears in front of us. We quickly discovered this was the start of the Park Fire. For the first time on trail, we make the difficult decision to break our continuous footsteps and head to the town of Chester. From there we decide how to proceed, and celebrate a birthday! Cheers!
If you would like to buy us a town beer, simply gift whatever you feel the price of a drink is to the Venmo or PayPal below. Cheers!
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[@elizabethboegel5965]

“A fleeting privilege” - a profound realization of our changing circumstances, especially in the west. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@hyklyfmatto9714]

Thanks for being honest about the struggles as well as the triumphs.

[@nexpose1]

Thanks for sharing your feelings on things, Anna. 🤗

[@HuangXingQing]

Sorry to hear the fire has stopped ya'll. I can understand your frustration believe me. For a bit of contrast, I've been following PCTer's for >15 years and it's my impression I should've started my attempt years ago because the fires seem much worse among other factors (The cost is much higher, like 20%?, the trail was very poorly maintained in my 14 days from Campo [I volunteered for WTA in WA and was shocked how bad it was.], the hostility we saw at a couple of places seemed as if it was derived from our civilization's decline, I suspect with years of fires along the trail it 'just ain't the same experience' and I've noticed all over the West the public facilities and repair of bridges/trails are just plain going undone for lack of funds.). That being said, I'm stuck here in Sandy Eggo, waiting for the temps to drop sufficiently to finish the Desert section and prep for next season and I absolutely would trade with ya'll in a heartbeat! I actually began the PCT with the assumption that it's no longer possible or at least likely to hike a CF from MEX to CAN. One thing I'm reminded of while watching vlogs of older PCTers is they sometimes focus less on the mileage daily and more on the views and experiences with people, flora and fauna. I think of all you hikers daily and will send good vibes your way. There is absolutely no need to hide the tough trail sentiments. What you're doing is exceptional and difficult. You ARE exceptional. Isn't it like 15% of all PCTers actually finish? I'm reading a book on Shackleton now and it's a reminder of how extremely difficult our goals can be but those are the ones which truly change us and that is one of the main reasons if not the main reason I aim to finish! Namaste Oh, P.S. If you have another skip it won't be as difficult and perchance you'll end up doing what the codgers are doing this year. (They and Mr. Freeze, Denim Dan, and Billy Goat are all making up a CA section they skipped last year, likely because of fire/s.

[@happyperson8740]

The Codgers skipped the Sierra’s last year due to snow. They are now making up that hike. I feel for this years’ crop of PCT hikers due to the fires….caused mostly by humans. So sad!

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

The fires are rough this year. The Park Fire is the big one, but there’s a couple north of Crater Lake that have the trail closed, another right at the Washington border that has a chunk closed, Stekehin is evacuated… not to mention the smoke around those is brutal! We may come back in the future to connect our footsteps, but now the goal is simply to hike as much of the trail as we safely can, and have a fun adventure!

[@Henning_Rech]

Made it continuously from Campo to Chester where I left 4 weeks ago, maybe around the same time. Belden to Hwy 36 / Chester was open. The only part of the trail that was really closed was Chester to Old Station. Skipping from Belden to Shasta is just a choice, not a necessity.

[@HuangXingQing]

@@Henning_Rech So, what about the bridge north of SanJan? Did you walk the stream bed instead?

[@Henning_Rech]

​@@HuangXingQing If you mean the South Fork San Joaquin creek: No, I took the Alternate via Bishop and Piute Pass. If I was there 2 weeks later, I would have forded, but when I was there - late June - the reports were discouraging.

[@GivePeaceAChance12]

Wow, weird smoke forms hanging over the mountains. Better safe than sorry or pulling away people from the fire. .w weeks and chico fire still ravaging!

[@SFguy415]

Appreciate the insightful commentary. Devastating fire caused by one idiot.

[@DianeCornell-t3l]

Thanks for the fire updates. Not good. Glad you both are safe. Anna, thanks for opening your mind to let us know how the trip feels. Getting back to ‘real’ life is going to be rough.

[@kellyjohnson3617]

You both have been crushing the miles and are pct beasts. I don’t know how you have been doing it. Tho it’s so beautiful where you have been and I so appreciate you sharing your journeys. I’m sorry you have had to skip miles due to the fires. I’ve been watching a hiker who hiked the pct 2 yrs ago and is now making up those miles and has almost connected her steps. Also I’m following a group who had to skip most of the sierras due to the record snow last year. I have to say I do love the Nor Cal section. Shasta is beautiful when you can see it. That section is the cow section. Not sure how much the farmers are gonna let their cattle roam right now tho. Be safe and happy trails

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

There were a good amount of cows out there. Could hear many more cowbells than we saw cows. It was hard skipping miles, but like some other hikers, we may come back to connect our footsteps in the future!

[@kellyjohnson3617]

@@justinhitsthetrail5225 I hope you can, even if a few years down the road. The west just keeps getting hammered with wildfires every year. Never was like that when I was a kid. More like knee high snow most summers in the higher elevations. Now even the tall mountains barely have snow in them in the summers. But enjoying both of your adventures. Be safe and enjoy the trail that is open. Crater lake is incredible. Much of Oregon is gorgeous. Just long water carries and exposed lava fields that rip up your shoes and massive clouds of mosquitos. Otherwise I love it there. Mt Jefferson snd the three sisters are stunning if there’s no smoke. And mt hood is where I mostly grew up so I love that area

[@ChrisJackson-f8t]

It unfortunate you guys had to skip some of the trail and get away from your continuous miles, but glad you guys are safe and you get to continue you thru hike of the PCT. Don’t beat yourselves up to bad. Unfortunately it’s part of the PCT . Happy Birthday . Cheers 🍻

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

Thank you! 🍻 Skipping miles is rough, and there are more closures ahead, but the goal now is simply to hike as much of the open trail as we can, and keep the adventure as fun as possible!

[@FSUvinny]

Tyler Yezman quit the trail because of the fires in Washington State as well. Good luck to you both and be safe.

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

We’re getting close to the Washington border (in real time) and it’s looking like a lot of closed trail ahead 😞. Regardless, we still plan on hiking as much of the open trail as we safely can, and just make it as fun of an adventure as we can!

[@nml4546]

Wish you guys would state the date of the video for perspective relative to events (like fires) and other hikers.

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

Noted! For a quick reference, all the videos are about 2-3 weeks delayed from the time of recording, so at least you can have a good ballpark of timing.

[@Henning_Rech]

They started 4/21 - you can find this out from the trail register entry in the video #16. - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6bRaaOhhbSCf80 - So this one here shows 7/25-7/28. Which coincides with the 70.000 acres size of the Park fire - it started 7/24 and was already twice as large on 7/26. I hiked from Belden to Chester a good week later, on trail, no problems with smoke or even ashes then, but impressive views of the smoke cloud and the glow in the night. Then the fire was already much better contained. The Hwy 36 was still closed but we got a hitch from those commercial vehicles which brought material to the firefighters, there was quite some traffic on the road.

[@tailgunnerhikes4703]

I'm following about a dozen hikers and have excel sheet with their start date, and day# from video, so simple formula to line everybody up.

[@NoahFlemingplus]

How do I donate

[@justinhitsthetrail5225]

Venmo and PayPal links are in the video descriptions. Cheers! 🍻