There I was, hiking along with Kristo and House when, all of a sudden, my cell starts blowing up with texts about a forest fire that closed the PCT from Belden to Chester. We were only 10 miles from Belden! I thought I was going to grab my re-supply box from the post office there and go but, one thing the trail teaches you is to BEWARE EXPECTATIONS.
The long, steep descent into Belden was not pretty. Lots of smoke, lots of helicopters carrying water and lots of buzzing chainsaws. I found my box-o-love at the PO and spent the night with some trail angels who showed me an alternate route up to Chester.
It was spooky hiking up to Chester. Very smoky and ash all over my tent. I couldn't tell where I was in relation to the fire but my man John Cassidy kept me informed and on track.
Lucky me, soon after I passed through, they closed the alternate route. Now there's no way for hikers to get up here except to hitch or take a bus and we don't like doing that. Can't wait to get my box here in Chester and get moving again.
The long, steep descent into Belden was not pretty. Lots of smoke, lots of helicopters carrying water and lots of buzzing chainsaws. I found my box-o-love at the PO and spent the night with some trail angels who showed me an alternate route up to Chester.
It was spooky hiking up to Chester. Very smoky and ash all over my tent. I couldn't tell where I was in relation to the fire but my man John Cassidy kept me informed and on track.
Lucky me, soon after I passed through, they closed the alternate route. Now there's no way for hikers to get up here except to hitch or take a bus and we don't like doing that. Can't wait to get my box here in Chester and get moving again.
3 comments:
Last I heard, this fire that started at 300 acres had jumped a river and had engulfed 2500 acres!
Very thankful to all that are out there fighting on the ground and in the air. It could get real ugly, real fast.
I'm also thankful you got around the fire before everything closed.
Wow! What a surprising turn of events. Glad you made it through.
Just an excellent example of life on the trail! Adaptability! Trail Smarts. And a cell phone! Glad you had service out there Chris! My pleasure to help. I keep saying it, but I just love the section of California that you are traveling through right now, and I know it well. Proceed, Bro!
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