Pacific Crest Trail : Mazama Village to Elk Lake

Miles this section : 132
Miles completed : 1950

Much info regarding many fires.

I'm due a zero, after seven long days of walking, and Mazama Village seems a good place for it, I'm able to do my usual wash of clothes and self, and write a bunch of messages that I can't send yet as there's no WiFi or 'cell signal'.  Rumours abound regarding the trail closures - currently the only way north is a twenty-six mile road walk around the east side of the lake, not ideal, US drivers can't handle pedestrians, I stop for them, and often they then slow to a crawl, this makes walking roads with traffic somewhat annoying.  And then an announcement - the west rim trail is open again!  This is not the official PCT, that is still shut, but everybody says the rim trail is the best route anyway.  I celebrate with a giant pizza, some beer, and then make a fire at hiker camping - not sure the other campers approve...

Majestic Crater Lake.

The rim trail really is awesome, with superb views out over the massive circular lake, it's a volcanic caldera of course, and even has a cinder cone island poking above the surface.  I can also see north to more of the Cascades, the second big mountain range of the trail, and very pointy they are too.  Off to the west there's some smoke but really not much, I doubt the PCT is that bad, rather I think the authorities err on side of caution with the closures - pretty sure this trail is only open due to the 'rim run', a marathon race that took place on the nearby road earlier this morning.  I camp just beyond the Crater Lake park boundary, so as to have no worries about camping restrictions of which there are many within the park.

Scenic Oregon.

I'm doing twenty-seven mile days, easy enough in Oregon, even through the Cascades which I've actually been in since Mount Lassen - while the mountains are impressively steep sided, the trail takes a gentle enough route between them.  Indeed, I pass a marker for the high point of the trail in both Oregon and Washington, just 7,500 feet or so - all downhill from now on!  The route includes some nice ridge walking, with views of jagged peaks, many lakes, and valleys to the west filled with smoke.  I even cross some snow on the trail, no problem though, and then downhill to walk among the lakes, of all sizes down to what are basically ponds - this means many mosquitos of course.  The new hat plus DEET keep me sane, more or less.

So many lakes.

I see signs saying the trail is closed north of Elk Lake, my next resupply point, and start to find that trails leading off west are taped off, more fire it seems, hopefully it'll work out.  SOBOs (southbound hikers) tell me of great trail magic ahead, so I walk fast, twenty-three miles by half past four, it is well worth it as Sparkle and Hannah have burgers, cookies and beer.  All goes a bit wrong five miles later at camp though, my tent zip fastener is broken, I try to fix it with my teeth, which has worked before, but no good, it is getting dark and I really need to be able to close the tent against cold air and bugs.  In some desperation I cut one of the many fasteners off my pack, and thank goodness it works!  From here it's an easy twenty-three miles down to Elk Lake, where I obtain more burger and beer, and pick up my box with masses of food, and pair of boots number four - the current pair are still in good shape, into the hiker box with them.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.