by Paty | Oct 16, 2026 | Iceland, Trail Journals
Wednesday Septembe 2, 2026 Start: Þorsmörk (Thorsmork Volcano Huts) End: Hvolsvöllur, Iceland Distance: < 3 miles Our plan to hike the Fimmvörðuháls Trail on day three of this Icelandic adventure fell through spectacularly. The warden at the Thorsmork Hut strongly...
by Paty | Oct 1, 2026 | Gear, Iceland
Hiking in Iceland’s Highlands left me a bit perplexed about what to pack. I was heading to Iceland in late August, but I’d read that hikers can experience all four seasons then. Snow, wind, sunshine, rain, and bitter cold were all possible. The route also...
by Paty | Sep 27, 2026 | Oregon High Points, West Coast
Oregon County HP: #32 Difficulty: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Summit Elevation: 9,563 feet Mountain Range: Wallowa Mountains Ancestral Lands: Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla; Nez Perce PLANNING DETAILS Location: Red Mountain is located in the Wallowa...
by Paty | Sep 25, 2026 | Oregon PCT, West Coast
Perseverance is not a long race. It is many short races one after another. – Walter Elliot The PCT runs through three states, but in 2023, I was only interested in one: Oregon. The state was once nicknamed the Sunset State, not because Oregon’s sunsets...
by Paty | Sep 22, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Monday. September 21, 2026 Start: Wahtum Lake (PCT mile 2133.4) End: Oregon-Washington Border (PCT mile 2150.2) Distance: 16.8 miles via the Eagle Creek alternate After a crummy night of sleep (thanks to my delaminated, deflated sleeping pad), I was eager to get...
by Paty | Sep 21, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Sunday. September 20, 2026 Start: Muddy Creek (PCT 2112.1) End: Wahtum Lake (PCT mile 2133.4) Distance: 21.3 miles Today started at midnight, when a bright beam of light woke me up, courtesy of a guy night-hiking with a ridiculously bright...
by Paty | Sep 20, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Saturday. September 19, 2026 Start: Barlow Pass (PCT mile 2094.7) End: Muddy Fork (PCT mile 2112.1) Distance: 17.4 miles Today, I began my 8th and final PCT section through Oregon. Keith dropped me off at the Barlow Pass trailhead (which was...
by Paty | Sep 17, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Wednesday. Sept. 16, 2026 Start: End of the Lava Field (PCT mile 1990.3) End: Santiam Pass Trailhead (PCT mile 2002.6) Distance: 12.3 miles It rained a little more overnight, and when I woke in the morning, my surroundings looked like the set of...
by Paty | Sep 16, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Tuesday. Sept. 15, 2026 Start: Middle Sister Overlook (PCT mile 1971.7) End: End of the Lava Field (PCT mile 1990.3) Distance: 18.6 miles + 0.6 detour to Lava Camp Although I had beautiful hiking weather yesterday, I woke this morning to overcast...
by Paty | Sep 15, 2026 | Oregon PCT, Trail Journals, West Coast
Monday. Sept. 14, 2026 Start: Elk Lake (PCT mile 1955.1) End: Middle Sister Overlook (PCT mile 1971.7) Distance: 16.3 PCT miles + 1.5 miles on Horse Lake Trail Unfortunately, I had to take a nearly two-month break from my PCT progress to avoid...
