Day 15

August 11, 2024: Heading back to trail! Of course it is always tempting to stay in town as it’s just such a treat to avoid setting up and taking down the tent, having running water and being clean 😁 But truth be told, I still think camping out is the best part of backpacking! I love my tent palace and sleeping outside, hearing the trees and wind and sometimes animals at night.

I said my goodbyes to Warindar (hotel owner) around 10am after a shower, some grading and charging all devices. In the middle of town, Highway 20 turns west and I figured it would be a good hitching spot.

But nobody wanted to stop … well one lady stopped but she wasn’t going as far as the trailhead. So after about half hour, I sat down in the adjacent park and called a trail angel from the list that the co-op maintains.

For explanation: A trail angel is a person in or near a trail town (PNT, PCT, AT, CDT and all the other trails) that offers services to hikers coming through. Mostly that’s rides, often free camping in the yard, showers or laundry, etc. Just like Jami and Josh in Northport! Their contact information gets passed on so hikers can get in touch. They don’t take money or if you insist, like I did today, they often give it to charity (pet rescue for Sarah).

Sarah the trail angel picked me up 10 min later. She had a lot of stories about hikers and really wants to promote the trail in the community. She took a picture of me and wrote down my name and hometown etc. She also fosters and takes in senior dogs for the local pet rescue … blind dogs, arthritic dogs etc. That and sharing Keyla’s pictures got emotional … She said everybody has that dog of a lifetime, no matter what comes before or after. Seems true ❤️

She had picked up the Kiwi couple yesterday from Sherman Pass and shared some details; apparently Michelle was looking for antibiotics for something and also developed athlete’s foot. Sarah connected her with a nurse. Hope she gets better!

The drive wasn’t long, Sweat Creek trailhead isn’t far out of town. Some land owner there has barb-wired the direct access to the trail shut and hikers have to take a small detour. That meant spotting a first PNT logo!

And of course it was a climb up from the road. But overall the first 5 miles were probably the nicest trail so far! Open saddles, light forest, some skittish cows and many cow patties. But all at a nice temperature which made for pleasant walking.

The second half was steeper, up and down. A bit darker with bushes and trees too. As I was almost down to Cougar Creek road, everything changed! A guy walked up to me, friendly and chatty (around my age) but to be honest, in very dirty clothes and smelling worse than any thru hiker I ever smelled!! From 3m away!

He asked me if I had seen anyone on the trail from Highway 20. Turns out his mother, who has Alzheimer’s, disappeared yesterday early afternoon. From their house she walked with two dogs and was last seen on that road, Cougar Creek, yesterday evening.

A few minutes into our chat two horses with a woman and her young son came down the trail; they had also been looking for her on that trail and some side trails. I hadn’t seen or heard anything, no dogs, no clothing items etc.

We all chatted for a while, then the horses left and the guy and I walked down to the road (he figured he wouldn’t have to check this trail again). He wanted to drive up Cougar Creek a bit more but said he’d drop me at the junction with the paved road (4 miles or so in the opposite direction). And yes the car matched his smell! I got more info on the missing woman and suggested some postings but apparently they had been busy already … posted on community groups, newspapers, on TV, Search and Rescue out etc.

Now this is a remote area with scattered houses and some pretty scary looking properties on the drive down that road. I was impressed how they had spread the word and everyone was joining the search.

A few minutes down the road he let me out at paved Toroda Creek Road. As he was turning, a truck pulled in and they did the window to window grapevine chat. I was standing on the road but no cars came by. When they were done, the son drove up the road again and the new truck pulled up to me and the driver said he lives right there but would take me to the next junction.

He had just gotten off work and was joining the search. As we were pulling out, the local SAR officer came by, more window to window chatting and updating in the middle of the (quiet) road. They agreed where to search more and guy #2 shared that I had seen nothing.

Where the gravel road to Bonaparte Lake starts, he let me out right when another truck pulled in for another window to window chat! He asked guy #3, Mark (very nice, near 80 I would say) if he was going to the lake and when Mark confirmed, asked him to take me. I was just getting passed from truck to truck!

Mark stopped a few minutes into the drive and from the fence, his buddy Dale (same age) walks over and gets in. Another super nice guy! That’s how I got to the lake; Mark and Dale were going for a bite to eat at the lake restaurant.

Oh and of course another window to window chat when we ran into another truck coming down (also a local) who hadn’t heard about the woman and Mark updated him.

So that’s how I got here, without thumbs out! Despite the remoteness and the scattered houses, this seems to be a tight community. I so hope they find her and the dogs! (They did alert Sarah in Republic as she would definitely spot a woman matching that description with two dogs in her town!)

The lake resort lets hikers stay for free so I got my campsite assigned by Andrea and set up camp for the night.

Had a baked potatoe and iced tea for dinner, have a picnic table, water and a bathroom. Luxury again!

Despite many cows on trail today (they are so scared of me when I call out!), not as much powdered dirt but the dust does get through the shoes and socks. Overall, a successful and social day 👍🏻 10 miles walked, 3800ft ascent. I’m at 3500ft and the high point tomorrow is 7000ft (or 7200 if you go to the lookout tower!).