Updates

JULY 25, 2006

Andy here. I reached Highway 99 at 10:15 am on Friday, July 21st, bringing the total time I spent on the PCT to 45 days and 16 hours. In that time I covered 1,726.6 miles of the PCT (all of California plus the first 28 miles of Oregon) and I threw in a 17-mile side trip up Mount Whitney; add a few more miles for accessing towns and getting water if you'd like. That comes to an average of no less than 38.2 miles per day, which is a 69.7-day pace for the entire PCT, which is just 3 days off the speed record set last summer by David Horton (who had a support crew).

The reason I point out these stats is because they are central to understanding my thoughts on this trip. I "enjoyed" this trip, but I would never say it was "fun." This was intentionally the case: I got on the PCT in order to get back into shape and to better understand what my limits are out there; I figured I'd save the 2-hour long afternoon naps and the daily swimming sessions for another trip.

I was successful in doing what I set out to do. I dropped ~25 pounds and am currently a little leaner than I was at the end of my Sea-to-Sea hike. I now think of a 40-mile day as hardly unusual; hiking 45-50 miles a day successively presents a more notable, but entirely doable, challenge. And I have a much greater understanding of how I must manage my mind and my body while I'm pushing it to this level. Yeah, I only spent an afternoon at Kennedy Meadows; but I am a much better and more enlightened backpacker as a result, who is now in a much better position to succeed in some of the challenging hikes I have planned over the next few years.

JULY 16, 2006

(Castle Crag State Park: 1506 miles)

Andy went beyond his expected finish today. He entered Castle Crag State Park and will finish his hike on the PCT in Ashland, OR on July 22nd. It will be interesting to read Andy's reflection on this hike.

Andy hiked to Tuolumne Meadow campground in Yosemite National Park and arrived there on July 6th. He found that the campground had just opened for the season. There was still snow on the mountains and the road had just been cleared enough for safe automobile passage. From Yosemite, the PCT winds its way to the north towards the Lake Tahoe area. Andy left the Sierra Nevada Mountains and entered the Cascades. He left the snow and desert, the huge granite rocks and entered the wooded forest of pine trees and basaltic rock. The Tahoe area, just south of Route 80 in Squaw Valley, south of Donner Pass, had the finest ridge walk that Andy had seen. The path is well above tree line, the views were incredible, and the weather was nice and cool.

Andy then made his way to Mt. Lasson which is the most southern volcano in CA. As he approached the volcano, the trail plays a game of "peek" with the mountain. The mountain is impressive but Andy likened hiking through volcanic ash to walking through a fireplace. The ash does not hold moisture and the land is again dry. The weather became hot again and he had another 30 mile waterless stretch to hike. He left the snow behind in Yosemite, but he also left the dangerous river fords.

Andy has been averaging above 40 miles per day. He has been testing his physical and emotional limits while hiking with his light-weight backpack. He said that he has reached a level where 40 miles is "just another day". One day Andy reported that he hiked 43 miles and that included a 100 minute hitch into town to get a Subway sandwich. He showered and slept inside on July 16th. This was the first shower and first night inside since June 16th. He has been "showered on" with rain, but no soap. Andy reports that there is a level of stink and that the body does not go above that level. He was definitively at that stink level.

Andy will finish his hike in Ashland, OR on the 22nd of July. He will be flying to CO for his next adventure. We have sent out his computer and cell phone, so he will be accessible for a few days.

Karen Skurka

JULY 2, 2006

Tuolumne Meadows, 942.7miles.

Here is the latest news from Andy. The last two weeks of hiking have offered completely diverse experiences. Andy spent the week of June 16 in the desert. This hiking was very difficult. The heat in the desert was almost unbearable. At 6:30pm the temperature was 102 F with no breeze. Andy found that while the desert was not beautiful, the power of nature was observed and respected. He did see incredible wind farms with hundreds of windmills. Andy made note in his digital recording device whenever he saw a cloud in the sky. That is a testament to the hot, dry, cloudless weather in the desert.

The PCT crosses the Mojave following the LA aqueduct. There is actually a water spigot in the aqueduct to enable hikers to take water. The trail crosses a 270,000 acre ranch. This is 40% of the size of Rhode Island. To avoid the hottest temperatures in the afternoon, Andy crossed 15 miles of the desert through the Antelope Valley from 5pm to 10 pm in the evening and finished the last 10 miles early the next morning. There were many Joshua Trees but little else. It is a tough living environment..

The longest stretch without water was 35 miles. Trail angels along this stretch of trail leave out water for the thru hikers. The water is much appreciated, but reaches temperatures of 100F and is not reliable so hikers must carry enough water to cross the desert without the assistance of trail angels. By now, Andy has caught up to many other hikers. There were many in Kennedy Meadows. Andy was looking forward to entering the Sierra Mountains and leaving the desert behind. I sent out Andy's bear can and warmer jacket because he is expecting to encounter much snow and much cooler temperatures.

Andy made it to the Sierra Mountains around June 26th. He is thrilled to be in the mountains that he has read about and seen so many pictures of for such a long time. This year saw one of the biggest snow falls on record in the Sierra Mountains. As a result, the snow conditions that Andy is seeing in the beginning of July would usually be seen a month earlier. There are still places where there is 20 feet of snow. The creeks and rivers that must be forded on an average of twice daily, are running anywhere from ankle to waist deep. The water is very cold and swift. Fording is dangerous. Andy is hiking on snow covered trails and crossing snow melt streams. His feet have not been dry for five days but the Hydropel has kept his feet in good condition despite the wetness.

The John Muir trail unites with the PCT for 170 miles. This is the most remote area Andy has ever been in. He just hiked thru 225 miles of wilderness without a resupply and without crossing a road. The idea of hiking 225 miles without crossing a road is a tribute to the difficulty of this terrain and the amount of snow that falls in this area. The feasibility of building a road through this area defies the rules of engineering.

Andy called tonight from Tuolumne Meadows campground in Yosemite National Park. This campground is actually not opening until July 4th because of the heavy snow this year but there are hikers there anyway. Andy is averaging 35 miles a day without a problem. His pack weighs 8 pounds and is making an impression on fellow hikers and park rangers. Andy said that he is having fun but is due for a "wow" moment.

I am waiting for a package containing his photo card. Hopefully it will arrive soon. I will get some pictures posted on his web site as soon as the card arrives.

Karen Skurka

JUNE 18, 2006

Andy began is hike of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) at 6:15pm on June 5th. When we spoke to him on, June 17th, he was at Hiker Heaven at Aqua Dulce, about 40 miles north-west of Los Angelus. He has hiked 454 miles.

This has been a unique experience for Andy because he has never spent time in a desert. The terrain is not completely flat. There are frequent climbs to forested lands, but the hiker just as quickly descends to canyons where the temperatures climb to over 100F. The nights have been in the 50-60sF but Andy said that he did have one night in the 30'sF.

Andy has seen four rattlesnakes, one of which took him by such surprise that he jumped back, landed on his trekking pole and broke it. He almost got sprayed by a skunk, which would be even worse than "hiker smell." So far, the trail has been devoid of other hikers. It appears that he is still a ways behind the group that leaves in April. He is averaging 30-40 miles per day. Water is a big issue. Water must be carried and where it is available (deserted animal troughs etc.) it needs to be purified. Andy reports that his body is adapting to life on the trail again but it is not conditioned yet. He is experiencing blisters, shin splints and chafing but is working through them. He is enjoying the challenge.

I will try to update the web site every few weeks and post pictures as they are returned from the trail. No photo cards have been returned as yet.

Karen Skurka (Andy's mom)