Tuesday Jul. 18, 2023
- Start: Junction with Mt. Thielsen Trail (PCT 1855.4)
- End: Tenas Peak Trail (PCT 1875.7)
- Distance: 20.3 miles (+1.4-mile detour to Maidu Lake)
Despite the epic views of Mt. Thielsen from my campsite last night, I didn’t get a great night’s sleep. The hordes of mosquitoes buzzing outside were so loud, I kept waking up in fear they’d somehow made their way inside my tent (they hadn’t). Once awake, I had trouble falling back asleep because of all the uber-active chipmunks and squirrels scurrying around loudly. How is it that such small animals can make so much noise?
When I woke up for good at 5:50 am, Trash Panda was already up and rolling up his tent so he could get an early start to his day. I wasn’t nearly as eager to get started.
The mosquitoes were still flourishing up on the side of the mountain, despite the lack of any nearby water or thick, shaded forest. So I did my best to cook my breakfast without letting any of them inside my tent. Then I packed up as much as possible inside the protection of my mesh walls before heading out to face the inevitable.
Mt. Thielsen
Today would be spent hiking north through the remainder of the Mt. Thielsen Wilderness before entering the Umpqua National Forest.
I was back on the PCT by 6:45 am, and almost immediately encountered patches of icy snow on the trail on Mt. Theilsen’s west side. Luckily, I had the foresight to pack my microspikes for this high snow year. After taking a few weeks off to let the trail thaw, I didn’t have any illusions that it would be 100% snow-free, and a little preparedness worked in my favor this morning.
The stretch of trail that required microspikes lasted only about 3/4 of a mile, but there was still lingering snow on (and beside) the trail all the way down to Thielsen Creek, which sat about 2 miles into my morning.
When I reached Theilsen Creek, I stopped to replenish my nearly dry bottles. My last water source was the cache I left near Crater Lake NP yesterday afternoon, so I’d had to ration my water until this morning. The creek’s cold, refreshing water tasted absolutely fantastic! And not just because I was thirsty. Snowmelt is one reason I prefer hiking trails in the Western U.S. to those on the East Coast.
Highpointing
The morning’s miles beyond the creek were nice and gentle. Plus, I was moving fast enough that the bugs weren’t horrible. Every PCT hiker has their own take on the mosquitoes in Oregon, which range from “mere nuisance” to “utter misery.” If there is a downside to hiking in Oregon during the peak season, it has to be this. It’s just a constant battle with the mosquitoes.
As I hiked alongside the west side of Howlick Mountain, I turned back to take in the views behind me. From this vantage point, Mt. Thielsen rose above the tree-lined slopes to my south. It’s easy to see how this prominent peak serves as a visual benchmark for SOBO hikers on their way to Crater Lake NP.
As I continued north, I passed over more patchy snow hidden beneath the forest canopy. But the snow was minor enough that I kept my microspikes packed away and just hiked on the slick, frozen surface. The snow would be over in less time than it would take to put on my microspikes. Plus, there was no risk of sliding off the trail and down the side of the mountain, This wasn’t like the icy snow I’d encountered earlier in the shadow of Mt. Theilsen.
The real highlight was just up ahead, though. Less than 7 miles from where I started, I’d cross the highest point on the PCT for Oregon and Washington. It might surprise people that this high point is so far south. If you asked most hikers in the PNW, they’d probably guess it was up in the Three Sisters Wilderness, alongside Mt. Hood (Oregon’s highest peak), or somewhere near Mt. Adams and the Goat Rocks Wilderness.
But all those guesses would be wrong. The PCT’s highest point in Oregon and Washington sits right on the northern boundary of the Mt. Thielsen Wilderness. There was even a sign beside the trail there to prove it!
When I arrived at the wooden sign, two other PCT hikers (Sprout and Wayback) were already standing there. Their presence worked out tremendously in my favor. I wouldn’t need to take a selfie using my camera’s timer. I could have a real photo taken by another human being!
Stopping to document this spot was a wonderful little addition to my highpointing spreadsheet. It might not be the highest point on the entire 2,650-mile PCT. (That honor goes to Forester Pass at 13,153 feet). But I’ve put my feet on tons of state and county high points, and this spot was a unique bit of trivia to add to my PCT adventure.
North Umpqua
Passing this PCT high point wasn’t the only bit of nostalgic trivia that I’d encounter today. Up ahead, 12 miles into the day, I reached the trail junction for Maidu Lake and Miller Lake.
Back in 2020, I was searching for a trail to hike that would keep me socially distanced and away from crowds. I decided to thru-hike the 84-mile North Umpqua Trail. This national scenic trail begins at the headwaters of the North Umpqua River and follows it west. The trail runs through old-growth forests, past epic waterfalls and hot springs, and alongside salmon spawning grounds.
The North Umpqua Trail was particularly special to me because it is the river I associate with my childhood. My family moved to Oregon when I was 5 and settled in a little town outside of Roseburg. The North Umpqua is the main river that feeds the town. So, many of my early memories are of playing in the river, visiting the fish ladder and viewing area at Winchester Dam, or hiking on shorter trails nearby.
I’m so glad I thru-hiked the North Umpqua Trail when I had the opportunity. Later that summer, the Archie Creek wildfire burned 130,000 acres along the North Umpqua River, destroying 1/3 of the trail. It will take decades to rebuild it, and even longer for the burn scar to recover to green forest.
Since I was on track to reach the junction for Maidu Lake earlier than expected, I decided it was worth my time to take the 0.7-mile detour (1.4 miles round-trip) to stop at the lake for lunch. How could I resist revisiting the headwaters of the North Umpqua River and the trail’s official eastern terminus?
Unfortunately, my nostalgia may have clouded my judgment. Maidu Lake was still absolutely beautiful with its clear blue-green water. But today, it was mosquito hell. I set up my tent inner and dove inside the mesh structure just to have a safe haven where I could eat without getting 500 more mosquito bites!
A Warm Afternoon
Stopping at Maidu Lake served a second purpose, too. I could leave the lake with 2.5 liters of water and avoid making the steep 0.6-mile detour off the trail down to Six Horse Spring this afternoon. Yet I’m still not sure if that was the wisest choice logistically. Skipping Six Horse Spring meant carrying all my water for the rest of the day as I walked away from the lake.
I still had 8 more miles before I planned to make camp. And that extra 5.5 pounds on my back felt like a heavy burden. As I returned to the hot afternoon of hiking, my heavy pack seemed to be sucking the energy and motivation out of me with each step.
Off to my east, I got some nice views of Miller Lake in the forest below. I fantasized about hiking down to it and jumping in the lake. This was a pipe dream, though. I’m sure Miller Lake was like everywhere else in the Cascades: infested with mosquitoes! I wouldn’t be fooled by the cobalt blue water.
The next two miles north felt like a tree obstacle course combined with an uphill climb. None of the trail crews seemed to have ventured onto this stretch of trail. It was a veritable tree obstacle course, combined with two miles of climbing. By the end of it, I was hot, sticky, and tired. The afternoon felt like walking through a furnace. I was constantly second-guessing my decision to carry so much water just to avoid an additional detour.
The rest of the afternoon miles were mostly a blur. The only notable thing that happened was nearly getting caught with my pants down. The urge to stop and pee hit me just as I reached a more exposed bit of trail with steep slopes. I hadn’t seen a soul since leaving Maidu Lake. The PCT seemed pretty quiet, despite it being mid-July. So I took a risk. I dropped my pack on the trail and squatted down to pee beside it. I was nearly done when some local backpackers came up the trail. Dang it. Just when I thought I was safe.
The final two miles of the day felt like the most difficult. My body was tired. It was a sharp uphill. My feet hurt. And my pack was heavy with the water that I carried from Maidu to dry camp tonight.
In hindsight, I really should have taken an afternoon break somewhere instead of hiking 9 continuous miles through the afternoon heat. Yet every time I stopped to consider it, the bugs swarmed me, forcing me to reconsider. So I kept walking until camp.
The lack of any sort of break meant I made it to the junction with the Tenas Peak Trail just before 4 pm, and there were at least 8 flat campsites to pick from with nobody else there. I set up my tent inner like I was in a timed race, and threw all my gear inside like a mad woman. I’m hoping to keep the tent’s rainfly off tonight since it’s so warm out. But there’s no chance I’ll be cowboy camping with all these mosquitoes.
In hindsight, today was a good day of hiking. I made 20 miles of progress and got to take a detour to a lake that held some special memories. My body is tired from the heat and exertion, but my early arrival at camp means I have ample time to stretch and rest. Tomorrow is a new day, and the first 4 miles will be all downhill to Windigo Pass, where there’s a water cache waiting.
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