I’m camped at Porcupine Creek and it’s 59.5mls to the border! 12 miles a day will do it for the next 5 days and then it’s over!
I saw my fellow hikers in the morning as they were packing up. Since I didn’t have to pack my tent after my night in the shelter I was only maybe 15 minutes behind them leaving camp. My night was comfortable and fairly warm.
I chatted with some hikers during the morning and then saw the 3 from camp ahead of me. I needed a break so I stopped without fully catching up, and after that hiked solidly until 1 mile before Rainy Pass … without seeing them again! First I thought they were just so fast but then figured they must have stopped off trail. And sure enough, while I was waiting at Bridge Creek (that creek runs the whole valley) they came up. I knew they had their car at Rainy and I could get a ride … and since it was only 1pm I figured I had time for a stop in Mazama to get an iced coffee 😉 and see CB in his store!
It does feel kind of strange to be a PCT hiker in this area that I know so well. Usually we are in Mazama skiing or cycling, stopping by the store before heading back to Winthrop. This time I was charging my phone outside the store and used the ranch’s wifi to upload a post!
After about 2 hours in Mazama and my third iced coffee (I only ordered two but due to a mistake got a free one), I walked to the highway junction to find a ride. It took about 10 minutes and a Subaru (!!!) picked me up. A lady and her friend from Winthrop were going to Rainy Pass to drop a car and then starting to hike Harts Pass to Rainy Pass tomorrow. They knew exactly where I was going and I was grateful they took me back to the trail.
They dropped me at the trailhead and I started walking the trail that I have run 4-5 times in the Cutthroat Classic race before (and hiked a few times). I’ve never camped here though! The site here at Porcupine Creek is comfy and flat. It’s only 3.4 miles to one of my favourite mountain passes, Cutthroat. I will take a long break there in the morning!
