We asked for and got a late checkout so at 2:00 pm we ordered food and sat on the patio of the "lodge" in Belden until we were ready to hike. We wanted to tackle part of the 14 mile climb out of the Feather River in the cooler part of the day. Earlier we'd met 2 boys from Tennessee, hiking southbound from Dunsmuir, Ca to Tuolomne Meadows in the Sierras. They seemed to be hiking on a dime so we secretly bought them breakfast then retired to our room to rest.
When we came into the lodge in the afternoon they were still there and gave us a big hug as thanks for their meal. They were unable to hike further because of a blister the size of a 50 cent piece on one boys' heel. Peggy proceeded to sterilize her needle and his foot while I coached him in breathing (pretending it was Lamaze) and she got it drained, it was quite the procedure! Neither of us had seen a blister quite that big before.
We then met an older man named John who was trying to hike out in the afternoon too. We three decided to start together at 3:30. After goodbyes to the boys from Tennessee we crossed the bridge over the Feather River and the highway and started up the hill, contouring until we could look down on the lodge. It was still mighty hot outside. The trail was brushy, poison oak began to appear more often, becoming thicker, hiding in the brush so we had to be really careful not to touch it. We both were hot and sweaty, struggling with all the brush and steep uphill. John finally went on without us knowing we'd see him at the camp spot in 7 miles or so. Peggy did see a snake but it was a banded King snake with black, red, black & yellow bands around its body, I only saw a bit of it under a log. Yikes! We arrived around 7pm at the camp where John was set up, it was near a stream where there were lots of mosquitoes. After some conversation we all turned in with a promise to wake John when we got up at 5:00am. No photos of the day, we were too busy breaking through brush or swatting bugs!
6/21/14 Saturday. 14.5 miles
Deer were tromping around camp last night and I didn't sleep great. John didn't hear our alarm so it was 5:30 before I could shout to him. Peggy and I started the last 7.5 miles of steep uphill by ourselves leaving John to finish his packing up. We had gone about 1 mile when we came to a dry, rocky creek ravine where the trail went steeply down and across the big rocks then back up the other side. I started down, looking around as I went, and gasped loud enough that Peggy took 2 steps back. Usually that's what I do when I see a snake but this time I said " bear"!
It was a beautiful, blonde colored bear with dark under fur and it was adult sized too. It never smelled us since it was below us in the ravine. We locked eyes for a split second while Peggy stepped closer to see, it turned and ran down the ravine, fur shimmering as it went. Peggy saw it's tail end disappearing in the boulders and brush. Our mouths hung opened... what a sight! It happened too fast for pictures.
After that we called "Yo bear!" when we walked through the brush.
We did pass our 1/2 way point of 850 miles a while later.
We crossed creeks and a couple of streams when John finally caught up to and passed us. Finally we staggered up to what we hoped was the top (it wasn't) and rested. Moving on after 15 minutes I saw strange people in the brush off the trail. Were those party hats they had on?
They yelled "Happy Birthday!" It was Peggy's 3 friends from San Luis Obispo! Nanine (who has found us 3 times!) Kevin (who has found us 2 times!) and Corinne (who I finally met for the first time!) had driven 11 hrs & hiked 5 miles into the woods where they spent the night hoping to meet us on the trail and surprise Peggy a few days after her birthday. We were sure surprised!
They'd packed in a chocolate birthday cake with candles and party hats.
John had come across them in the woods and stayed about 10 minutes hoping we would show up but we had taken that 15 minute break. We wouldn't see him until 2 days later.
I should know by now that strange people in the woods are usually Peggy's friends going 'Peggy hunting'!
We all hiked the 5 miles back to their car, ate fruit they had brought, peaches and nectarines, then they packed up and drove off for home 11 hours away!
You people are awesome!
The rest of the day was pretty routine, we got water at a nice piped, cold spring, then hiked to the crest of the mountain and made camp. Both of us were foot weary, tired out, but what a fun way to celebrate Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. (and the official hike naked day which we happily ignored and no one passed us that celebrated it either, whew!)
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