I arranged for a ride back to the trail today starting at Olallie Lake Resort. This meant skipping approximately 93 miles from where I got off the trail at Elk Lake due to the fires in the Three Sisters Wilderness and the Mt Jefferson Wilderness.
Smoky Roads
It was a 2 1/2 hour-drive from Bend to Olallie and at times the smoke was so thick we could barely see the car in front of us. Â I saw a couple of hikers walking along the shoulder of the highway with bandanas tied over their faces who must have been doing the 130-mile road walk.
Thankfully I didn’t have to walk the whole way to Olallie Lake from here…
My ride dropped me about 11 miles from Olallie Lake, where the pavement ends. She’s given a lot of rides to PCT hikers and those last miles of rough road are starting to take a toll on her car. I got out of the car and started waking, but I didn’t have to walk far.
A family minivan drove by and I stuck out my thumb. The family inside seemed unsure if they wanted to continue driving on the gravel road as it wasn’t in the best condition. Eventually they decided to go for it and invited me to hop in. It was a rather awkward ride as the dad, who was driving the van, was clearly very anxious about driving on such a rough road. He expertly maneuvered the minivan around enormous potholes and rough patches of road while I made stilted conversation. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we arrived at the lake and tumbled out of the car, a little green around the gills.
Olallie Lake
Olallie Lake Resort is another remote lake popular with fisherman that provides some basic amenities like camping and a small store. Day hikers and families on vacation greeted me warmly as I walked by. Everyone seemed familiar with the the PCT and hikers. Â One car stopped and the family inside offered me donuts and a soda. The kids in the backseat asked me all kinds of questions. I felt like a minor celebrity but also a little bit like an animal in a zoo.
Shutter Enjoys some Trail Magic
I headed to the camper store where I ran into Shutter and some other PCT Hikers. Soon Devilfish arrived, a Trail Angel who has been following the herd and providing assistance to PCT hikers all season so far. He gave me a ride back in Lake Isabella and also in Lone Pine. He also stocks the water caches just north of Crater Lake and at Windigo Pass. It was nice to see him again and this time I got a picture with him. Thanks Devilfish! You da man!!
Selfie with Devilfish
I hit the trail in the afternoon and found a flat spot in the woods to camp as it started getting dark. I enjoyed my zero but it felt good to hit the trail again.
This campfire has a stove pipe.
Thanks ORE MULE SKINNERS!
The Woods
More Woods
PCT 2017 Stats
PCT Day 135 – Saturday August 26
Olallie Lake Resort Mile 2043.1 to Mile 2049.5
PCT Miles Hiked Today: 6.4
Total PCT Miles Hiked: 1487.7
Feet Ascended Today: 686
Feet Descended Today: 725
Current Elevation: 4950
Steps: 21942
For more on my experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, visit my Pacific Crest Trail 2017 page:
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