Mt Whitney Zone Forums The Chat Room Brett's PCT Adventure

Well.... Oh well.

At 10 AM, out of curiosity, I called the Texaco again in Winthrop.  A few minutes before, one of the hikers had telephoned them from Mazama (Apparently they are hitch hiking back to Rainy Pass). On the way out of town, they must have gotten the message that the resupply packages were at the Texaco.

But of course, they had already bought supplies for the next leg.  So they asked the Texaco people to mail the packages if possible back to friends in Seattle.

...Two calls later, I located the Mazama Country Store where they had made the call back to the Texaco. But of course, I was ten minutes too late. The kind people at the store went out and looked, but the hikers had already gotten a ride and were gone.

And he didn't even call? Steve... I'd seriously consider placing that boy on restriction!

Here is the real question - did he call his wife?

DanMarshall & Darren'sMom:

Would you consider putting up a SPOT link for your respective kids? Jessica & Abby are now home, we need some epic voyages to follow, vicariously, at least.

wagga wrote:
> Here is the real question - did he call his wife?

The Answer is NO! I left him a nice "your in the shit house" message. He better have a damn good explanation.

Welcome to the site!..............................DUG

Brett's wife writes:
> He better have a damn good explanation.
Well... maybe HIS phone didn't have service in Winthrop. It's curious though, that he got some text messages out.

> And he didn't even call? Steve... I'd seriously consider placing that boy on restriction!
Looks like that job is in DrCosner's hands.

And an update:
It turns out hiker Adrienne phoned Dan's wife from Mazama. Not sure why they waited until they were heading out of town ...maybe it was an afterthought. So she found out about the packages at the Texaco, but they were already fifteen miles away on their way back to Rainy Pass. So she then phoned the Texaco mini market, and people there have mailed it back to Brett's sister in Oak Harbor. She is planning to do a resupply run for them (at least for Brett) in several weeks.

And EX-hiker Dan visited the hospital today. His wife Esther was worried about frostbite. Apparently they had so many wet sections and ice cold water, that they were hiking in soaked feet all the time. Today his feet were badly swollen. Doctors orders are to keep the feet elevated until the swelling goes down. I'm thinking maybe his big hike down the escape road (named "Rattlesnake Road", by the way) may have been tough on his feet. Anyway, Esther says "there's no way he is going back on the trail!" She just can't handle the stress of his being out like that.

Dan and Esther might check-in here in Fresno on their way back to San Diego. It will be great to meet them.

Yeah Wagga it is probably time to retire the Jessica & Abby
site. How about it Steve? Switch the drama over to the PCT.

Yup. Time to put Jessica & Abby to bed.

Though Jessica did get her driver's licence. Good luck in getting these girls home by curfew.

Best part of the PCT saga is that many of us can participate in re-supply missions, because we are geographically gifted.

It kind of looks like the board has adopted Danielle & Darren.

I will bet that the hikers wish the drama simmered down (along with some of the snow) to a low roar.

I am thinking that if there was a way to drive this route in a nice sports car, that would bee my mode of choice!

And how many more months of this is in your future Steve? May be time to get the pharmacist set up on speed-dial for that Xanax scrip . . .

Never done a through-hike of one of the Big Three (and probably never will, given I don't have six months' PTO just laying around gathering dust), but I've read a number of books by through-hikers and know several folks who have done one or more. They all seem to agree that most of the drama is during the first couple of weeks, while they're taming their legs and getting their rhythm down. Get past those first two weeks, and the physical challenges and discomfort that comes with them, and it usually becomes an exercise in repetition and boredom-control. Few members of the population get to experience a true ongoing Groundhog Day-type deja vu like through-hikers. Catpappy could probably share some interesting thoughts, as he did the entire AT when he was younger (much younger, right John?).

This ought to make for an interesting summer. Now that the Jessica thread is being laid to rest (condolences, wagga), we have a new cause to follow! If Brett makes it through to Mexico, I predict at least 2000 posts on this thread . . .

Yes Bulldog, so long ago I might should be posting this on the Remembering When thread. 1979 was the year, and fresh out of high school, away I went 2100 miles GA to ME. No cell phones, no Spot, no water filter, no treking poles. Just me, a pair of Vasque Sundowner boots, and a Jansport D3 pack. Man that was a great pack. Still have it, still take it out now and then. Fond memories of buying 150 Mountain House freeze dried meals at one time and putting together supply drop boxes. Actually buried 2 plastic containers of supplies one month pre trip. One at Wallace Gap road cut in NC, the other, at Fontana Dam in the Smokies because there were no Post Offices nearby to receive my packages. Found both buried containers in good shape. Nothing to add to your water but Tang. Remember Tang? Heck, its what got Neil Armstrong to the moon. I remember 22 days out of the first 30 days it rained. Long all day rain. Bummer. Went 317 miles before I took my first fall. Drank unfiltered, untreated water the entire 5 months. Never got sick. At trips end I had gained 2 lbs. in weight. For me no boredom issues. I was and still am a huge flora/fauna buff, so each day was like some grand field trip. I strongly suggest anyone that goes on any long trek to get into birds, plants, trees the heavens, something. A few months of just grinding out miles can be tough on ones mental state. I could go on and on and do have some great stories, but am really tired now. Good luck to Brett and his crew. I'm sure they'll do just fine----- john

Wow, when solitude in the back country really was just that, and help was not just a button press away.

Darren made it to Stehekin, WA today. How do I know this?...HE CALLED!
They had some rough days getting to this point, but they made it. Yeah. Darren is hungry. Promises to consume 10,000 calories tonight. He sounds hoarse, but good and happy! (partly to be alive,, I think) I'll never know the perilous story until it is all over. To quote, "we had a rough time" Coming from a Pisces that could mean we almost fell off the cliff.
Brett stayed behind (not sure how all this played out) to get food. Seems he has not been checking in; naughty, naughty. What's a parent to do? No matter how old they are it is out duty to worry. Evidently you should leave the GPS on for at least an hour as the signal may not get out if you just click OK and than shut it down. (I know 0, nothing, about hiking so forgive me)
Darren will wait for Brett and they will start hiking tomorrow (Thurs) together along with Adrienne and maybe one other. Sleeping well tonight in CA Diane

Dad,
Wow, a lot has gone on since we last talked! I'll call tomorrow. So, the resupply box that Esther had is now being mailed back to me? Let me know when you find out anything as to when or if I am resupplying! Thanks!
Stef

I am happy to report that Brett finally telephoned tonight! Via Satellite Phone from the hamlet of Stehekin on Lake Chelan, WA.

It turns out Stehekin is accessible only by air or ferry. The standard ferry takes 4 hours from Chelan. The lake is a 40 mile long snake!

The group of four hikers quickly bought resupplies this morning and hitched back up to Rainy Pass. They hiked 18 miles in about 5 hours, starting at elevation 4800, and descending the entire distance to 1600 feet. They had to hustle so they could catch a shuttle bus that runs between the trail head and Stehekin.

Last evening, as soon as they hit the highway 20, they got a ride into Winthrop. The driver asked where they were staying, and when they told him they were just going to camp, he invited them to his B&B home, where they got to stay free!

I asked Brett why he didn't telephone. He asked the host about it but I guess that was not part of the hospitality. He says his cell phone only worked a few minutes during the ride. He DID phone his wife. Her cell was off, so he left a message on the house machine. (House ringer was turned down so she could sleep, and she missed the message this AM) He did finally get to talk to her this evening.

During our conversation, I stressed how much we wanted to see more Spot signals. He didn't realize how much of a following there is. (Right after the call, I got a signal). Each one of them had been pressing the send button, then shutting the unit down and putting it away as soon as it reported a sent message. I explained that it sends, but if no satellite happens to be in view at the moment, no message gets sent. I assured him also that I'd be sending additional batteries to his next resupply point (he gets there in 7 days)

Brett was very happy to hear that their stuff was being mailed to Oak Harbor. It can be delivered somewhere down the trail at another resupply point. They left Mazama thinking the Texaco people were going to dump it (I asked them to send it C.O.D.)

As for the previous section of the trail, from Manning Park to Rainy Pass, Brett said they found literally miles and miles of snow-covered bowls. They spent lots of time lost -- he had a GPS with one-mile way points (quarter-mile or more would have been best), but they'd lose the trail in 100 yards! He got the trail name of "Alti", short for Altimeter, since he used the GPS' altimeter readings to help find the trail numerous times. Apparently finding the trail's elevation on the map, then climbing or descending so the GPS matched the elevation worked well. He felt it was fortuitous for Dan to exit where he did -- later sections were bad. He says he had to self-arrest with the ice axe at one point.

They were joined for a time by a guy with a machete and tattoos, with big combat boots. Those boots helped on steep slopes to make tracks for the others wearing sneakers. And the machete works as an ice axe when necessary. Go figure. He left the trail at Harts Pass, same place Dan exited yesterday.

And they caught up with another woman Emma. Emma had bailed from Harts Pass a few days before, then got a guy on a motorcycle to drive her back up so she could continue from that point.

So now it is Brett (Alti), Darren, Adrienne and Emma (aka Spyder). They all plan on resting part of tomorrow (Thursday 7/1). Brett's knee is sore from packing 30 lbs over that 18 miles today.

Thanks for the great update! Looking forward to possibly providing a resupply for them sometime soon!

Well, Brett is no longer in the dog house, although I think he could have asked his driver to wait a sec to make a call before he lost reception!

For the record, the first time he tried to call I was at the Eclipse premiere 12am-2am with some friends. The attendant said no cell phones or immediately kicked-out. The movie was great!

I always have my cell on at night b/c I use it for an alarm. AND Brett said he had a "little fall" but it was no big deal, he likes to embellish sometimes especially for his daddy, or maybe he was trying not to get me worried, but I don't worry much as it is.

Yes, I did talk to him last night midnight my time. He said he almost gave up two days ago but then the last two days were pretty great I think they will be fine.

I'm glad you understand all the location stuff, great update!

Today's progress: They left Stehekin and Lake Chelan just after noon via shuttle bus ~8 miles to the trail.

Hiked about 7 miles. Sent a Spot signal at 8:30 PM, also one from Darren.

          mile     elev
         ------    ----
  Start  2577.2    1670
  End    2569.5    2810
         ------    ----
  total     7.7    1140+

Location: They're camping on the South Fork Agnes Creek, at the campsite at the Swamp Creek junction.

Update, 2 PM, Friday, 7/2:

They have hiked 11 miles, 3200 ft gain, today so far, and cleared Suiattle Pass (strange name!)

At almost 6,000 ft elevation, they probably have wet feet again due to snow. But their next mile+ is a big drop, down to 4500 right away.

Current weather according to NOAA site is
Lo: 36, Hi: 43, 30% chance of showers.
Tomorrow, partly sunny.