Day 19
Today’s Miles: 9.8
Total Miles: 220.8
Odell Lake to Bobby Lake
Back to the PCT today! My original itinerary landed me at Bobby Lake tonight, so it worked out perfectly to have a low mileage day. This awarded me a relaxing morning with the boys, and one last delicious meal; breakfast burritos with all the fixings, and a giant plate of fresh fruit.
Some of the ladies I spoke with at Shelter Cove were aiming for Charlton Lake today, but that would be an 18 mile day, requiring me to be on the trail by 7 a.m. I didn’t want to do that, even though it would ensure me company for the evening. I mentally prepared myself for a lot of alone time in the coming days.
I was really excited about this next leg of Oregon.
According to my book:
“If you had to consolidate all of the best wilderness scenery in Oregon into one stretch of the PCT, the 93 miles between Willamette Pass and Santiam Pass would be it. The section has it all: old-growth forest, pristine lakes, alpine meadows, glacier-capped peaks, and stark volcanic plains. It ups the ante with plenty of panoramic views, good campsites, and mostly reliable and frequent access to water.”
My pack is lighter now with plenty of water sources along the trail. I only filled one of my containers, and that made a big difference.
After organizing my things, and packing from my resupply bag, I had Carl drop me off at the Willamette Pass Trailhead. In full transparency, this is the one section for the entire state that I knowingly “cheated.” I should have started back at the Shelter Cove Resort, but I got lazy and never found the trail, and I was trying to make it easy on Carl. We opted for the trailhead since it was only a minute from the campground.
So, I skipped out on two miles. I’m sure I missed a couple miles in my getting lost debacle two days ago as well, but I was more disappointed about these 2 miles. If it had crossed my mind, I could have hiked it yesterday, but it never did. I plan to hike it in 2021.
My heart was sad leaving the boys, and I cried a little saying goodbye. Seeing family on an adventure like this is bitter sweet. It’s so nice to see your loved ones, but it makes those next couple of days difficult. I missed them, and it would be a lonely section for sure.
I was, however, SO happy to be back on the Pacific Crest Trail again – woohoo! I didn’t plan on veering away from it anytime soon. I checked in with my PCT app smiling when it registered me ON the trail.
The forest was beautiful with hanging lichen, and I made it to the Rosary Lakes in no time. I met a family of backpackers heading back to Odell Lake with two young children. I made a mental note that this would be a great kiddo backpacking trip.
The mosquitoes weren’t bad, which was such a blessing. Perhaps they got squashed by the big storm yesterday. I really loved the mountain lakes, and took my time with snack breaks to enjoy them.
After passing North Rosary Lake, a descent climb waited for me with the sweet reward of a spectacular view of all the lakes: Crescent, Odell, and Lower, Middle, and North Rosary Lakes. It was pretty great to see how they fit on the landscape with a view from above. I love a good view, and I wouldn’t get much more for a couple of days.
This was one of the first places I saw signs up high to account for snowfall during winter recreation months.
Maiden Peak Shelter, a short distance off the trail, was definitely one of the coolest shelters I’ve been to. I hung out for a bit to snack and read the visitation log. I recognized a few names; many stayed the night – a respite from the mosquitoes.
Bobby Lake is a short .3 miles off the PCT, but well worth it.
I arrived around 5:30, ready to settle down for the evening. The lake was beautiful, the campsite was a big open space, and the mosquitoes really weren’t too bad.
I made dinner and sent up my tent. Another night all alone, but I was at peace and calm, feeling brave. I was getting better and better at it.
