Pacific Crest Trail : Belden to Burney Mountain

Miles this section : 124
Miles completed : 1408

Halfway, more or less.

Belden (population seven) proves a fine place for a day off, I don't do a lot, eat of course, three meals in fact, yes burgers are involved.  Seems the resort here hosts a lot of music festivals over the summer, but not today - not sure if I missed out or not, at least it is quiet at night, barring the trains coming through the valley at least.  There is even a beach on the river, nice to have a swim without my pack on.

Now for the long distance days.  I need to do three twenty-six milers on the trot, firstly get to Drakesbad resort in time for the lunch I've reserved on day three, and then to get past Lassen National Park, as I can't camp in it without a bear can.  Day one of course is a long climb out of the canyon, some five thousand feet of ascent, but it's no problem, I'm rested, well fed, and feel strong, this is easy.  The climb is through trees, then the afternoon is flatter with plenty of stony ridge walking, it is all rather glorious.  For a change, I need to be careful about carrying enough water, so end up camping at a junction with a trail leading to spring, it's an extra half mile to get to it and back, but whatever.

Sulphurous volcanic lake.

Day two is flatter, and something of a landmark as I pass the halfway point - there is a small marker, a little early at around 1,321 miles, the current midpoint four miles later passes unnoticed.  I continue to eat up the miles, over twenty-seven to reach a proper campsite - by trail standards - by a river.  Somebody has got a fire going, they have been here a day or two, even finding time to construct an impressive heated foot spa in a shallow part of the river!

I walk into the national park, an interesting volcanic landscape, with Mount Lassen looming over it on the horizon.  There's a sulphurous lake fed by hot springs, presumably the origin of the name Drakesbad, which I reach in good time.  My new poles are here, they seem OK, so I leave the sole survivor of my second pair by the hiker box, then sit down to enjoy a buffet lunch.  There is so much food, potato salad (with bacon!), biscuits and gravy (which I've seen on many a breakfast menu, turns out to be something like a pork stew, topped with the 'biscuits' which are savoury scones.  Many cookies follow, I feel very full, and now have to walk sixteen miles to get out of the park... thankfully the trail is flat, taking me past lakes and through burnt forest, to camp just beyond the park boundary at 8pm.

Drakesbad Ranch.

There is more flat walking in the morning, and another proper lunch, the trail is spoiling me now - burger and pancakes for dessert at JJ's cafe, and there's a minimart next door so I stock up on food and indeed water - Hat Creek Rim is coming up, a somewhat notorious thirty mile dry section.  I camp twelve miles into it, I don't want to use water to cook so build a fire and cook a chimichanga from the minimart on an improvised skillet - it is awesome!

The rim makes for a great walk, if a little hot and dry, but there are fine views to the isolated cone of Mount Shasta in the distance.  Other hikers ask if I am heading for Burney Mountain Guest Ranch this evening, which confuses me as that was my plan for tomorrow - checking, I realise I am a full day ahead of where I had thought, wow.  To Burney Mountain then, nice place with a comfy communal space for hikers, and a great deal of camping, shower, laundry and breakfast all for twenty-five dollars.  There is dinner too, I tuck into jacket potatoes and chilli, it is good, and the place's 'christian mission' is not obtrusive - I can't get a beer, but I can live with that.

Mount Shasta as seen from Hat Creek Rim.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.