Back on the PCT! So let’s just get this over with, I skipped miles and got back on at Ashland, Oregon after the weddings. I did this to stay on my timeline for finishing, have an easy entry back to the PCT and to be around hikers I knew. It was a good decision, just don’t ask my ego how she feels about it.
Oregon has been wonderful!! Hikers rave about Oregon being so easy which never really made since to me as how much easier could it be? But it has been! Far less elevation gain, far more shade, very well maintained trail. After the heat and climbs of California, these Oregon miles I have loved. And as you’ll read I’ve gotten so many visitors. The home team has been wonderful!
Starting off I hiked a week with my brother Paul!! Our grandma’s cousins in Ashland dropped us off and thus began an incredible start back. Paul knew after my long break I’d be hiking less miles and it’d be easier logistically to plan. It was so good to have him with me and fun for him to experience a lot of the pct first hand: camping with other pct hikers, hitching into town and resupplying, meeting friends I’ve hiked with, meeting new friends, and just the concept of doing a long point to point hike.
Friends Sha and Bryan visited! And sadly picked Paul up. After he left I hiked on and off with other hikers through Crater Lake (stunning) and the diamond peak wilderness (also stunning). Then I meet my college friend Naomi at Willamette Pass! We spent the night at her place in Bend with old hiker pals Arc and Wolverine who met us there, then all of us travelled up to Trail Days at Cascade Locks.
Wow how to explain Trail Days? It’s basically a three day pct hiker festival with about 120 vendors of backpacking gear and about 1000 hikers, all of us camping in a large grassy area right near by. Lots of raffles and free stuff and games put on by vendors such as a pct spelling bee or a geo-guesser game for the Oregon section of the trail. Hikers travel from all along the trail to come so above all it was just very fun to spend time with hikers that I hadn’t seen in forever. Especially my old tramily!
High school friend Torrey (and pct alumni) drove me and Free Willy (she took many rest days before trail days so we landed back together after) back down to Willamette Pass. Shout out to Torrey for the ride. And off Free Willy and I went! It was so good to be back with her, I was missing having a buddy after Paul left me.
The next few days were full of beautiful lakes and beautiful forest and we ran into Boots who I had meet in Southern Oregon and he join up with Free Willy and I. We walked along the sisters and then Mt. Washington, Three Finger Jack, and Mt. Jefferson. We came so close to each, so stunning. Sha and Bryan joined me again for breakfast in Sisters and my Aunt Beth, Paul, and Torrey camped with me in Mt. Jefferson Park!! What a treat!!!
Then from Ollalie Lake to Timberline, a 50 mile stretch, I went a little crazy and did it in one day. Whew!! I guess if you walk a lot you get good at walking. It was so challenging but unreal to be able to accomplish it. It made me very thankful for a strong body and mind. And for only 2 miles to real food, a shower, and cushy chairs the next day at Timberline Lodge. I read Philippians 4:11-13 the first day of trail and read it again that day with 5 miles left. Shout out. And also a shout out to Boots, we hiked step by step the last 30 miles together.
Now I’m at Timberline Lodge after staying a night in the bunk room with 11 other hikers. Cousin Teresa visited last night and Aunt Maggie and her friend Laurie this morning. The blessings don’t end!!
Now I’ve got 50 miles to go to the OR/WA boarder! How did Oregon go by so fast!? With fires in Northern Washington, only the southern 250 miles of Washington are open. So it looks like the end of the road is near with only 300 miles left to hike. What a crazy concept. You mean to tell me I won’t be walking forever? After hiking for so long I’ve grown very accustomed to it. Time to soak in the last drops.
Highlights:
While hiking with Paul I meet my old tramily Shanghai-La. I’ve missed hiking with them and it was wonderful to receive the biggest of hugs from them and then see them again at Trail Days.
One day Paul and I hiked 17 miles by 3:30! So naturally in my pct mindset I say to Paul, okay let’s hike another 5. And he goes “No! I already hiked 17!” So we leisurely hung about and set up camp at 3:30. A crazy concept on the pct but honestly delightful
On August 9th, 2026 I became a cold soaker! Which means I gave my stove to Paul when he left and am now just cooking my meals by soaking them in a jar while I walk. Other hikers do it because it’s less weight, I’ve just become too lazy to cook.
Hiking the PCT we cross lots of roads and one major road crossing after Crater Lake it struck me reading the road sign that I recognized all the towns. It’s so nice to be in my home state!! No longer journeying through foreign land.
The dense forest and shade has been an absolute highlight. Maybe just being an Oregonian but also after so many hot climbs in California, the forest makes me so happy.
Naomi brought me a Chipotle burrito when she picked me up. She has my love until my dying breath.
Two major highlights from trail days was using a cross-cut saw with Paul to saw a cookie off a log and then being told by the ranger to enter the competition and she “doesn’t tell everyone about the competition”. Second highlight was I got Dan Durston to sign my Durston tent 😆
Turning around the west aspect of Mt. Washington, Hoodoo came into view. Hoodoo!!! What a highlight. It is just a tiny mom and pop ski area, of no importance, except it’s the hill that I grew up skiing on and I didn’t expect to see it.
I saw a coyote in the early morning after Hoodoo and a mountain goat the morning after that! The coyote was trotting off and turned and looked at me as I looked at him for a moment silhouetted, then trotted out of view. The mountain goat was perfectly framed in front of Mt. Jefferson but ran as soon as I turned the bend in the trail and we spotted each other. I hadn’t see anything larger than marmots (besides deer) before this, I’m thinking they’re more comfortable around me because they know I’m local.
Paul brought snacks and a watermelon and Aunt Beth brought champagne when they visited me in Jefferson Park! Wow I feel so loved and so supported. By everyone who has visited me really. What special people I have in my life.
The first time I met a PCT hiker was around the Three Sisters when a girl in her 20s told me she had started in Mexico. It seemed so inconceivable. After that, especially in college, the idea of hiking the pct kept creeping into my head. Such a distant impossible idea but it slowly grasped hold. Wow and here I am, just like that girl, walking through the three sisters. I’m not done yet but reflecting on this made me want to give a huge thank you to all of you who have supported me and taught me to love the wilderness far before this journey began!!!
bomber goes for a walk 
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