Start point
Lost Creek Junction, mile 1386.6
End point
Burney, mile 1412.4
Miles hiked
25.8 + .4 miles road
Wilderness area
Lassen National Forest
People I met
Dirty South
The day on trail
It’s funny, many people don’t know whether to consider a day a slog because it was challenging or a joy because there were bright spots. I like the both-and approach. It was a slog and a joy. There were so many bright spots and challenge after challenge.
I didn’t know whether I was going to take a shorter day and camp out close to the spot to hitch to Burney or just push for a marathon day and get to town tonight.
I started by picking up some trash next to my campsite, ear plugs someone left and some piece of foam sleeping pad. It’s a disgusting change from the usual pieces of energy bar wrapper I’m usually picking up after people.
I got a late start, still a little off from the Deet incident last night. I decided to have a more liquid breakfast of ramen, rather than my usual three energy or granola bars. While making breakfast, FarOut came by and we caught up. I warned her about the trail down to get the water.
She got back and took off. I took my time getting ready. Caleb came by and went, and soon I followed suit.
I caught Caleb quickly and passed him.
A little in there was a trail register. It was one of the official ones, where they ask for your permit number. I don’t have it memorized nor do I care to dig it out of my pack, so I always just put a question mark or line. Many people do. Some write, super tiny, “please don’t make me get it out!”
After that I crossed a gate: one of many today. There was a lot of cattle land today.
I saw plenty of flowers and butterflies.
After maybe eight miles I came to this communication tower where I caught up with FarOut.
Continuing on was a thrown together sign and what looked like animal bones from a distance. It ended up being sticks arranged in an arrow to get you through the weirdest, most shoddily thrown together gate in the history of gates.
It was just a post attached to barbed wire and held up by a loop of wire. Garbage.
And then I walked through a cattle patch.
These guys were so loud. They were mooing and screeching and making all sorts of noises. After I passed through this buggy, muggy stretch, I sat down under some trees and had lunch. I could still hear the cows complaining about their lot, or maybe they were complimenting each other, as I ate.
Dirty South came by while I ate and continued on.
And the water carry began. It was another, probably, 12 miles before more water. And I was a little underprepared. I didn’t expect the terrain to be so exposed. But I pressed on.
Through lava rocks, twists, and turns, I walked. Sweat poured off me in the sun and dirt stuck to my neck as breezes carried it through the air. I wasn’t miserable, though. I wasn’t worried. I knew water was coming.
The trail started to parallel a highway and at one of the spots where it touched the road, there was magic!
It was refreshing and energizing. I needed it! A quarter mile later there was a water cache! I took a liter of water and continued on. The city painted footprints where you cross the road.
The trail twisted around from desert into woods, and then across a little creek with a stone stepway. Dirty South was right behind me.
There was a large pipe taking water to…who knows where. But this was a major part of the day’s trek. I was approaching a fish hatchery and riparian area.
The hatchery is attached to, I believe, a hydroelectric facility. I’m not sure though. Regardless, the lake area is gorgeous.
I walked in to seeing four turkey vultures taking off from the ground, a red headed woodpecker bashing his noggin against a tree as he walked circles along the trunk, chasing bugs, and a pelican floating along, looking for a snack.
The flowers were gorgeous and plentiful. The birdsong was vibrant and playful. The smells were varied and had a wonderful mix of pond-water gross with floral beauty.
I continued along the trail here, watching people drive up to go fishing and seeing all the different signs of both industry and science.
The trail followed a road, then went back into woods. I decided I was going to push the marathon day and end up in Burney tonight. I didn’t want to camp out only to go in, in the morning. Going in now seemed a better option, especially because there’s a free place to crash with a lot of other hikers. I can do a full zero, knock out my chores, and do some socializing.
So on I walked. Past camp sites. Past water sources I wouldn’t need because I’m not camping. Under some power lines that had barely a cackle to them.
Almost to the road, I saw the ground was extra dusty. My leg hair had take a fine coat of pale dust that made it look white.
The dust soon turned deep red and before I knew it I was to a road. I took a left on the road and walked to an outlet, where people hitch from. Cars drove by for about 15 minutes. Eventually, a Subaru pulled up driven by Jen. She’s a trail angel who saw me and passed, but she had a full truck and needed to swap cars when she got home.
She drove me to the Methodist church which hosts hikers. I met Nonny there and got settled in, had a shower, and met Swiss Cheese and Eva for the second time (first was at Kennedy Meadows on my return there).
We, Nonny, Swiss Cheese, Eva, and a French couple, decided to go to the VFW for some drinks. We figured McDonald’s would be open after for me to get a bite. It was a lot of fun going straight from trail to a bar. Unfortunately McDonald’s was closed, so we went to the local grocery store and I got a bag of their rotisserie chicken. I also got ingredients to make chilaquiles the next morning for the crew I met. That was some amazing chicken, but only because I was so hungry.
We got back to the church, brushed up, and went to bed as quietly as possible.