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Downloaded from
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- I just climbed Whitney,
had a hot bowl of ramen.

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Was all cozy in my tent.

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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

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It was in my sleeping bag even.

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But I'll tell you, this fresh snowfall...

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Has done something that
I never even considered.

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It has covered up all the
smells on the forest floor.

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So all I'm smelling
right now is this crisp,

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sweet aroma

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of pine trees.

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It smells good. It
smells really, really good.

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And I would not have
experienced that had I not gotten...

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Pushed out of my comfort zone.

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Out of my big Agnes Copper Spur UL2.

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It's the best forest
smell I've ever smelled

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and that says a lot 'cause
I'm from the northwest.

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But it is fresh

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and it is fragrant.

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And I'm gonna enjoy it all
the way to the ranger station

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here on day 58.

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At Mount Whitney, just
off the Pacific Crest Trail

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in California.

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Good morning.

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I'm at the Mexico border.

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I spent the night here last night.

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You can see the wall behind me.

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And just where that truck
is, I think they just dropped off

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somebody who's gonna through hike to PCT.

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The monument is back
there. I came in the night.

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I was the only one
here, so I spent the night.

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A few people have been
dropped off, but this is it.

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Gonna pack up my tent.

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Maybe shoot a photo of the monument.

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And start walking north.

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To Canada.

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Feels weird to be the only one out here.

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All right, here's the monument right here.

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Trail is behind me. That
little tiny sign back there.

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I don't know how far we'll
get today. Maybe 10 miles.

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Not make it too extreme on the first day.

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But because of the water situation,

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it looks like I'm gonna
be doing a 20 mile day.

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Place where I was planning
on stopping is apparently,

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seasonal,

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which means...

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This is not the season.

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I found a cactus.

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Hm.

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It's not bad.

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I think I'll have some more

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and hopefully make it to the lake.

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And refill my water.

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Don't hike without water, people.

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Eventually,
I made it to Lake Marina

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and collapsed.

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I barely had the strength
to fill my water bottle,

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but when I did, I drank deeply.

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Then vomited shortly later.

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Apparently, drinking too much water

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in a dehydrated state is bad.

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Trail angels, Robert
and Elizabeth, saved me.

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I drank four 7-Ups and
two Coca-Cola Classics

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and then ate a hot dog.

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After chatting with Elizabeth,
I discovered she lost her

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mother and grandmother in
a house fire the week prior.

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"My mom would've wanted
me to do this," she said.

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Angel, indeed.

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- Well, if this is not
stunning, I don't know what is.

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Maybe it's because I'm
from the Pacific Northwest

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and we don't get a
whole lot of vistas like this.

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Of course, I'll be singing a different song

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when it comes to switch backing up that

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little hill over there.

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Right now we're at 2,300 feet.

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I'm not sure what that's at.

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I guess we'll find out.

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There's no sense in worrying about it.

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Here's Mike and Connor
waiting for me as usual.

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- Just took a baby wipe
shower, it was divine.

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What is a baby wipe shower?

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- They got baby wipes right there.

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Baby wipes there.

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- I just wipe up.

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- So this is what is known as trail magic,

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I guess, right?

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- Yup, this is trail magic.
- Yeah, I guess it does.

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And we've got water here.

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What else do we have? Baby powder.

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- Baby powder.
- The cooler's pretty dirty.

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What's in the cooler?

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Some pistachios
and a little.

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Cool.

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- It's awesome.

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And a place to dump our trash.

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- Oh, yeah.

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Dude, this place is amazing.

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- Yeah, the desert's insane.

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This is so
much cooler than I ever

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thought it was gonna be.

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- Yeah, it's right out
of a John Wayne film.

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Beautiful.

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How many
miles did we hike today?

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- 16, I think.

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16, 17, around that.

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- 16, 17.

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I'm gettin' kinda used to
it. It was a better day today.

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Yeah, I felt fine.

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Yeah, you felt fine.

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- Yeah.

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- Here's our campsite.

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Camping in the desert next to cacti.

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- It's makeshift.

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How much water do we have here?

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- We got a couple liters,
enough to make dinner.

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Yeah.

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- Dinner and drink water.

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- Right.

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We are not nearby
any sort of spring or lake

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or river or anything.

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There's real remote camping.

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- This is it. - Yeah, this is it.

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- Nice. - This is off the beaten path.

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The beaten path was just...

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Right behind Mike.

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In fact, people will probably walk by

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and not even see us tomorrow.

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I'll tell you somethin',
there is a case to be made

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for not starting in April
and starting in March.

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The desert is actually
quite pleasant and mild

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but last night was the most pleasant night.

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All three of us had a great night's sleep.

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Moon was out, stars were out.

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It was warm, no wind.

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Didn't wake up with ice on
our sleeping bags or on our tent.

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It was great.

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Mike and Connor are ahead of me.

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There's a guy from Texas
who goes by Chaucer,

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who is hiking with them.

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They have a much quicker pace than I do.

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Whenever they stop,
I'll catch up with them.

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I'm probably five or 10
minutes behind 'em at this point.

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Somewhere down in that
valley below is the town

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of Warner Springs.

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That is the goal for tomorrow.

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If we reach it tomorrow,
that will be 110 miles

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since Campo, since the Mexican border.

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And tomorrow there's a
restaurant waiting for us.

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It's amazing what
motivates a person out here.

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Day number eight, Section A.

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Our last day in Section A.

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In California on the Pacific Crest Trail.

153
00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,818
Warner Springs is over there.

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And that is where pizza and beer,

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00:09:07,710 --> 00:09:12,273
and Wi-Fi and hopefully,
some way to get clean awaits us.

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We really wanna get clean.

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In a big way. - Much needed.

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- Much needed.

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We stink.

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PCT, Section B, Southern California.

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Day ocho?

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I'm pretty sure.

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Left the town of Warner Springs

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several hours ago.

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And it's a great little
hiker town, by the way.

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There is a hot spring
there, which has kinda been

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closed down but I'm told
is reopening this summer.

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The best thing, in my
opinion, was the bucket shower

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at the community center.

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Thanks to all the folks
there who provide all of that.

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And also had a delicious
dinner and breakfast

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00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:00,363
at the bar and grill at the
golf club at the 19th Hole.

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00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,888
And maybe we'll report
back from our campsite.

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See what the boys have found.

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They're very restless.

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Mike's in time out.

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00:10:10,680 --> 00:10:12,408
I don't know what he
did. What'd you do, Mike?

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- You don't wanna know.

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Connor's decided
to do some cowboy campin'.

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Let's check out his setup here.

181
00:10:20,970 --> 00:10:23,238
Yeah, there's been a couple of mozzies out,

182
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but only a couple.

183
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- Just a couple there.
- It hasn't been too bad.

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- Gonna be a gorgeous
night, get some stars in.

185
00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:30,378
- Yeah. - It feels good to be

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on the trail again.

187
00:10:32,130 --> 00:10:35,178
A lot of folks seek the trail
to prove their independence

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00:10:35,220 --> 00:10:38,208
but I found the exact opposite to be true.

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I think the trail proves just
how much we need each other.

190
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From water caches to trail beta,

191
00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:46,488
to just human interaction,

192
00:10:46,530 --> 00:10:49,788
to pooling resources, we need each other

193
00:10:49,830 --> 00:10:52,593
and it is a huge benefit
to be a team player.

194
00:10:53,970 --> 00:10:56,628
- The great city of Idyllwild, CA.

195
00:10:56,670 --> 00:10:58,338
I think we're two weeks in at this point.

196
00:10:58,380 --> 00:11:01,968
We're staying at this place
called the Silver Pine Lodge.

197
00:11:02,010 --> 00:11:04,308
Just right in town, actually,
everything is in town here

198
00:11:04,350 --> 00:11:07,113
in Idyllwild, where the dog is a mayor.

199
00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,668
Anyway, this is our room
right here, number nine.

200
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Let's go in and see what's
happenin' on the inside.

201
00:11:13,710 --> 00:11:15,590
This is what you get when you have...

202
00:11:17,340 --> 00:11:19,713
Five dudes splitting a hotel room.

203
00:11:22,110 --> 00:11:24,258
Five Pacific Crest Trail hikers. Let's see.

204
00:11:24,300 --> 00:11:26,150
It looks like it's food planning day.

205
00:11:27,150 --> 00:11:28,248
- Oh, yeah! - Let's take a look

206
00:11:28,290 --> 00:11:29,790
what we have here on the menu.

207
00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:33,050
Chaucer's got a custom made...

208
00:11:34,873 --> 00:11:37,008
- We have food for next five days

209
00:11:37,050 --> 00:11:40,518
and we have resupplied a week ahead.

210
00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:41,538
So pretty good.

211
00:11:41,580 --> 00:11:43,458
And how many
days is in that bag right there?

212
00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:45,588
- This is five days.

213
00:11:45,630 --> 00:11:47,866
- Yeah. - Probably about 12 pounds.

214
00:11:47,908 --> 00:11:48,978
12 pounds.

215
00:11:49,020 --> 00:11:50,898
- A little bit extra and
two pounds of food a day.

216
00:11:50,940 --> 00:11:51,773
Nice.

217
00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:54,258
Any favorite item that
you're looking forward to?

218
00:11:54,300 --> 00:11:56,568
- More and more Duke's Original Recipe.

219
00:11:56,610 --> 00:11:57,468
Nice!

220
00:11:57,510 --> 00:11:59,178
- Delicious. - Excellent.

221
00:11:59,220 --> 00:12:01,788
- It's a little overwhelming
right now. A bit too much.

222
00:12:01,830 --> 00:12:04,638
Let's take a look at Mike.

223
00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:06,888
Mike is eating super healthy.

224
00:12:06,930 --> 00:12:07,848
- Candy. - This is five days

225
00:12:07,890 --> 00:12:08,848
worth of food?

226
00:12:08,890 --> 00:12:09,688
- Five days worth. - Mike, that's literally

227
00:12:09,730 --> 00:12:11,028
88% candy. - Five days

228
00:12:11,070 --> 00:12:13,648
worth of food. - You need calories, right?

229
00:12:13,690 --> 00:12:15,138
- Eight different types of candy.

230
00:12:15,180 --> 00:12:17,118
I like Mike's style.

231
00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:18,138
- Four cheese.

232
00:12:18,180 --> 00:12:19,013
Wow.

233
00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,488
- I fully require four cheese daily.

234
00:12:22,530 --> 00:12:23,958
- That's basically the four food groups

235
00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,578
right there, the way I'm lookin' at it.

236
00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:28,038
We have coffee, Crystal Light,

237
00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,608
lots of different stuff, salami and cheese.

238
00:12:31,650 --> 00:12:33,828
Baby food. Renee taught me this trick.

239
00:12:33,870 --> 00:12:36,595
She said, "For your fruits and vegetables",

240
00:12:36,637 --> 00:12:38,478
"go for some baby food."

241
00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,938
This is what hikers eat for five days.

242
00:12:40,980 --> 00:12:44,478
Next stop is Big Bear, CA
and we will repeat this process

243
00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:48,270
again and again and again
all the way down the trail.

244
00:12:49,450 --> 00:12:51,678
April 4th, day 15.

245
00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,588
I'm so excited to be back in my tent.

246
00:12:54,630 --> 00:12:57,528
Town is nice. Showers, food, et cetera.

247
00:12:57,570 --> 00:13:00,078
But there's a definite pull that is felt.

248
00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,498
The pull of the wilderness,
the pull of the trail.

249
00:13:03,540 --> 00:13:06,108
I hiked with Shenanigans
for a few hours today.

250
00:13:06,150 --> 00:13:09,708
He's got dreads, beard,
red hair, in his mid 40s,

251
00:13:09,750 --> 00:13:13,638
total hippie and he and I
had a great conversation.

252
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,398
He hadn't talked to his dad in 14 years

253
00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,858
but reached out before his hike.

254
00:13:18,900 --> 00:13:22,443
Now there is reconciliation
and hope where there was none.

255
00:13:23,730 --> 00:13:26,748
Camp tonight consisted
of Connor, Mike, Chaucer,

256
00:13:26,790 --> 00:13:29,298
James and Kaylee from England, Lucas,

257
00:13:29,340 --> 00:13:32,328
Switzerland, and Rick from Coleville.

258
00:13:32,370 --> 00:13:35,808
Rick made a fire ring
and a great evening fire.

259
00:13:35,850 --> 00:13:38,628
All of us had a great
dinner around the fire.

260
00:13:38,670 --> 00:13:40,998
Life is so simple and so amazing.

261
00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,368
I feel like the trail is its own country

262
00:13:43,410 --> 00:13:45,948
and only we are its citizens.

263
00:13:45,990 --> 00:13:48,108
We are becoming a tight-knit community

264
00:13:48,150 --> 00:13:50,763
and the community is an adventurous kind.

265
00:13:51,810 --> 00:13:54,618
Nobody else is going through this but us.

266
00:13:54,660 --> 00:13:57,648
Our worlds have become
very simple and very small

267
00:13:57,690 --> 00:13:59,133
and we share it together.

268
00:14:04,050 --> 00:14:08,718
- Day 16, Pacific Crest
Trail, California, Section B.

269
00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,353
Last day for Section B.

270
00:14:14,460 --> 00:14:18,978
We started the day close to 9,000 feet

271
00:14:19,020 --> 00:14:21,948
and we have got a bone
jarring descent today.

272
00:14:21,990 --> 00:14:24,033
All the way down to Interstate 10.

273
00:14:27,180 --> 00:14:28,833
And it's gonna be a 20 mile day.

274
00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,178
Mostly downhill, which is not my favorite.

275
00:14:32,220 --> 00:14:33,770
Definitely prefer going uphill.

276
00:14:34,890 --> 00:14:36,318
But the good news is the wind stopped.

277
00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:37,638
We had a very windy night last night.

278
00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,918
It looks like we're gonna have some...

279
00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:41,103
Some great vistas.

280
00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:43,013
As you can see.

281
00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:46,150
I feel like we're already in the Sierras.

282
00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:48,708
I know we're a long ways from them.

283
00:14:48,750 --> 00:14:50,268
We're not even to the Mojave yet

284
00:14:50,310 --> 00:14:53,418
but sure feels like it with
all these big granite boulders

285
00:14:53,460 --> 00:14:57,933
everywhere and large pine trees everywhere.

286
00:14:59,370 --> 00:15:04,141
So this is a 20 mile hike with no water.

287
00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:06,468
Right now I've got three liters.

288
00:15:06,510 --> 00:15:08,898
It'd be probably better to have four.

289
00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:12,483
But since it is downhill
and it's not that hot,

290
00:15:13,740 --> 00:15:16,458
three should suffice and can usually

291
00:15:16,500 --> 00:15:19,248
find some sort of water
that's not on the map

292
00:15:19,290 --> 00:15:20,583
or not on the app.

293
00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:23,688
And plus, the boys...

294
00:15:23,730 --> 00:15:26,208
I think they each have five liters.

295
00:15:26,250 --> 00:15:29,883
I will continue this bone jarring descent.

296
00:15:30,990 --> 00:15:33,693
And hopefully, report back, if not sooner,

297
00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,015
down at the bottom at Interstate 10

298
00:15:36,057 --> 00:15:39,528
and the beginning of Section C.

299
00:15:39,570 --> 00:15:41,329
Hey, Connor, what day is it?

300
00:15:41,371 --> 00:15:42,387
- Day 18 or 19?

301
00:15:42,429 --> 00:15:43,807
- 19, I think.

302
00:15:43,849 --> 00:15:44,813
- 19? - I think it's 19.

303
00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:47,145
- I guess we're going with day 19.

304
00:15:47,187 --> 00:15:48,948
19. What's
our plan today, fellas?

305
00:15:48,990 --> 00:15:50,018
- 20 mile day. - 20.

306
00:15:50,060 --> 00:15:51,708
- Go past Onyx Peak.

307
00:15:51,750 --> 00:15:53,688
- Onyx Peak. - Yup.

308
00:15:53,730 --> 00:15:55,788
- It's closed.
- So we're goin' through it.

309
00:15:55,830 --> 00:15:58,038
- Fire closure. Gotta push 20 miles.

310
00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,378
Yup, it is 8:30.

311
00:16:00,420 --> 00:16:02,268
- That's early. That's
a early start for us.

312
00:16:02,310 --> 00:16:03,558
We're the last ones to leave.

313
00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:04,668
- Killin' it. - Again.

314
00:16:04,710 --> 00:16:06,378
- Killin' it. - 12 tents in here.

315
00:16:06,420 --> 00:16:07,211
- Yeah.

316
00:16:07,253 --> 00:16:08,388
- Yeah. - 12 tents in this little-

317
00:16:08,430 --> 00:16:09,498
- Yeah, we had a ton.

318
00:16:09,540 --> 00:16:10,908
Was there 12 tents?

319
00:16:10,950 --> 00:16:12,138
- Yeah, you were the 12th, yeah.

320
00:16:12,180 --> 00:16:14,838
- There was 12 tents in
here? Oh, my goodness.

321
00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,453
And you can see yet another forest fire.

322
00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:22,698
How long ago was this fire, do you think?

323
00:16:22,740 --> 00:16:24,048
Two years ago, maybe? - Think it was three.

324
00:16:24,090 --> 00:16:25,638
Three years ago?

325
00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,888
I'm gettin' better at identifying 'em.

326
00:16:27,930 --> 00:16:29,878
The bark is still on the trees.

327
00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:31,608
Apparently,
three years after a burn

328
00:16:31,650 --> 00:16:33,438
is when the trees start to fall.

329
00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:34,578
Oh, three years after the burn,

330
00:16:34,620 --> 00:16:35,945
the trees start to fall
and I thought, yeah,

331
00:16:35,987 --> 00:16:38,253
'cause there's still bark on this.

332
00:16:38,295 --> 00:16:39,348
- Yeah. - I noticed that on the older

333
00:16:39,390 --> 00:16:40,953
fires, the bark falls off.

334
00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,308
So it's kinda nice hiking
through a forest fire, actually.

335
00:16:46,350 --> 00:16:48,468
Still can see the sky.

336
00:16:48,510 --> 00:16:49,803
Opened, blue.

337
00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:52,578
Today it is, at least.

338
00:16:52,620 --> 00:16:54,648
It has been almost
every day for us, actually.

339
00:16:54,690 --> 00:16:55,578
Yeah.

340
00:16:55,620 --> 00:16:56,853
- It's been pretty nice.

341
00:16:58,980 --> 00:16:59,771
How you feeling, Mike?

342
00:16:59,813 --> 00:17:02,058
- Feeling great. Feeling grand.

343
00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:03,678
Any particular reason for that?

344
00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,568
- You know, nature.

345
00:17:05,610 --> 00:17:07,803
- It's nature! - Isn't it neat?

346
00:17:08,730 --> 00:17:10,128
- Nature.

347
00:17:10,170 --> 00:17:11,388
Nature, people.

348
00:17:11,430 --> 00:17:13,910
What do you do when
you're in the wilderness...

349
00:17:15,210 --> 00:17:17,028
And you're at your last water stop

350
00:17:17,070 --> 00:17:19,638
and it's 20 miles to the next water stop?

351
00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,748
The first thing you do, is you camel up.

352
00:17:23,790 --> 00:17:26,598
That means you pound a liter of water.

353
00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,343
So here's the remaining part of my liter.

354
00:17:36,030 --> 00:17:38,148
Oh, boy, that's good.

355
00:17:38,190 --> 00:17:39,590
And the next thing you do...

356
00:17:40,530 --> 00:17:43,308
Is you bring three or four
liters of water with you.

357
00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:45,393
And look at this lovely water supply.

358
00:17:47,070 --> 00:17:47,973
Ew.

359
00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,543
But this is all we have out here.

360
00:17:53,370 --> 00:17:56,973
This is why we bring a
water filtration system.

361
00:17:57,900 --> 00:17:59,480
So, yes, people...

362
00:18:00,780 --> 00:18:02,358
I am gonna drink this stuff.

363
00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,408
This fancy attachment on
the top of this bottle, it's just

364
00:18:06,450 --> 00:18:09,198
a screen, it's just a pre-filter
to get all the sediment.

365
00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,148
You could do the same
thing with a handkerchief

366
00:18:11,190 --> 00:18:13,413
or a bandana or a piece of cheesecloth.

367
00:18:14,250 --> 00:18:16,773
So I'll put my water bottle in here.

368
00:18:17,940 --> 00:18:22,578
And now I've got a
full liter of unpurified,

369
00:18:22,620 --> 00:18:24,408
really unfiltered water.

370
00:18:24,450 --> 00:18:26,688
I've had this for over 10 years.

371
00:18:26,730 --> 00:18:28,878
So I know it works. I trust it.

372
00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:30,561
It's called a Steripen.

373
00:18:30,603 --> 00:18:33,303
It's battery operated. You push a button.

374
00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:38,598
And then you stick it in
the water and essentially,

375
00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,258
it's an ultraviolet light
that kills everything.

376
00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:44,838
It kills viruses, it kills bacteria,

377
00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,028
it kills organisms, it kills amoebas.

378
00:18:47,070 --> 00:18:49,668
It'll kill AIDS. It'll kill Ebola.

379
00:18:49,710 --> 00:18:52,068
It's a nuclear option.

380
00:18:52,110 --> 00:18:53,748
It is...

381
00:18:53,790 --> 00:18:55,608
It just kills everything.

382
00:18:55,650 --> 00:18:57,558
The little dead...

383
00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,408
You know, pieces of whatever

384
00:19:00,450 --> 00:19:02,658
are still in there, so
you're still drinking

385
00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:06,558
a dead amoeba but it's
dead, it's inert, it's inactive

386
00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,438
and it's okay to drink
and I'm here to testify that

387
00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,868
'cause I've been using it for a long time.

388
00:19:11,910 --> 00:19:13,848
And believe it or not, I've consumed water

389
00:19:13,890 --> 00:19:16,728
outta stuff that's even worse than this.

390
00:19:16,770 --> 00:19:19,713
And I've never gotten
giardia. I've never gotten sick.

391
00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:23,988
Anyway, this is the process.

392
00:19:24,030 --> 00:19:25,548
I've already cameled up with one liter,

393
00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:27,678
I've got 20 more miles to go.

394
00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:31,008
So I'll probably bring
three liters, maybe four.

395
00:19:31,050 --> 00:19:32,628
Depends on how heavy my pack feels

396
00:19:32,670 --> 00:19:35,043
and how patient I am in filtering.

397
00:19:37,590 --> 00:19:40,128
Yeah, that's the procedure
out here in the wilderness.

398
00:19:40,170 --> 00:19:42,588
You gotta take what you
can get when you get it

399
00:19:42,630 --> 00:19:45,648
because if you don't, then
you're gonna be very thirsty

400
00:19:45,690 --> 00:19:48,261
with nothin' to drink.

401
00:19:48,303 --> 00:19:50,448
Over 200 miles hiked.

402
00:19:50,490 --> 00:19:52,668
I don't know if I can do long days.

403
00:19:52,710 --> 00:19:55,128
Today was 18 plus miles.

404
00:19:55,170 --> 00:19:58,728
I felt great for the first
10 but the rest hurt.

405
00:19:58,770 --> 00:20:03,018
It's not muscle fatigue,
it's joints, hips, knees,

406
00:20:03,060 --> 00:20:04,548
bottom of the feet.

407
00:20:04,590 --> 00:20:06,978
It's like every injury I've had in the past

408
00:20:07,020 --> 00:20:09,228
comes roaring back to life.

409
00:20:09,270 --> 00:20:11,538
I keep telling myself if I
push on and press through

410
00:20:11,580 --> 00:20:14,283
the pain, it will get better, right?

411
00:20:19,410 --> 00:20:21,438
- A little insight as to
how I try to keep myself

412
00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,388
clean out here in the wilderness.

413
00:20:23,430 --> 00:20:26,568
I like to try to stay as clean as possible.

414
00:20:26,610 --> 00:20:29,568
Hygiene is always a challenge out here.

415
00:20:29,610 --> 00:20:32,178
But it is doable if you
have a few simple things

416
00:20:32,220 --> 00:20:35,148
and you're an opportunist.

417
00:20:35,190 --> 00:20:37,548
And this morning the
opportunity has presented itself

418
00:20:37,590 --> 00:20:39,498
with a beautiful little creek here.

419
00:20:39,540 --> 00:20:42,438
This is Holcomb Creek, I camp nearby.

420
00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,693
I have a few things that
I always carry with me.

421
00:20:47,220 --> 00:20:49,668
Some sort of soap.
Typically, it's camp soap.

422
00:20:49,710 --> 00:20:53,568
In this case it's castile
hemp peppermint soap.

423
00:20:53,610 --> 00:20:55,128
Smells great.

424
00:20:55,170 --> 00:20:56,763
I always have a bandana.

425
00:20:57,870 --> 00:21:00,798
I have my handy dandy razor here.

426
00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,808
This is the same blade.
This is a tough razor.

427
00:21:02,850 --> 00:21:06,348
I've been using it for three
weeks with no shaving cream.

428
00:21:06,390 --> 00:21:07,473
Still works great.

429
00:21:08,340 --> 00:21:09,843
And then I'll also have this.

430
00:21:11,010 --> 00:21:12,918
This is an emergency signaling mirror,

431
00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,678
but it also doubles as a shaving mirror.

432
00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:20,238
So, typically what I'll do
is, I'll take my bandana

433
00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:21,140
and my soap...

434
00:21:22,830 --> 00:21:23,943
And soap it up.

435
00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:26,898
Get it wet and sorta rub it together.

436
00:21:26,940 --> 00:21:28,308
It does a couple different things.

437
00:21:28,350 --> 00:21:31,173
Number one, it cleans my bandana.

438
00:21:32,744 --> 00:21:35,898
And number two, it cleans my face.

439
00:21:35,940 --> 00:21:37,968
And oftentimes I'll try to do this at night

440
00:21:38,010 --> 00:21:39,558
whenever possible 'cause I like to get

441
00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,393
into the sleeping bag nice and clean.

442
00:21:43,860 --> 00:21:46,458
But I'll get my face nice and wet.

443
00:21:46,500 --> 00:21:47,718
You can do this without soap.

444
00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,760
I've done it without soap many
times, it works just as good.

445
00:21:51,750 --> 00:21:55,023
You get a nice, kind of a lather going.

446
00:21:56,940 --> 00:21:58,240
Then I'll take my razor

447
00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,008
and just shave.

448
00:22:01,050 --> 00:22:03,288
Just using this, in this
case, this crick water.

449
00:22:03,330 --> 00:22:04,780
Just to kind of rinse it off.

450
00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,833
And you know, I like to stay clean,

451
00:22:11,820 --> 00:22:12,978
clean shaven.

452
00:22:13,020 --> 00:22:16,848
I'm not a hiker that likes to
have a big Forrest Gump beard

453
00:22:16,890 --> 00:22:19,278
and be stinky, nothing against the gals

454
00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,368
and the guys who prefer that method.

455
00:22:22,410 --> 00:22:25,308
But just for me, I like to try
to stay as clean as possible.

456
00:22:25,350 --> 00:22:27,318
It makes me feel good. It
makes me feel a little bit more

457
00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:32,360
like a human, not a
barbarian or a neanderthal.

458
00:22:32,460 --> 00:22:35,178
But again, you know,
nothing against the people

459
00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:37,683
who don't choose to do this stuff.

460
00:22:38,790 --> 00:22:41,298
But I'll go ahead and
shave and then I'll use

461
00:22:41,340 --> 00:22:43,340
my little mirror just to touch up the...

462
00:22:44,190 --> 00:22:46,460
The sideburns because...

463
00:22:47,460 --> 00:22:49,413
It's all about looking good out here.

464
00:22:51,810 --> 00:22:53,583
And that's pretty much it.

465
00:22:54,540 --> 00:22:56,328
Then I'll go ahead and brush my teeth.

466
00:22:56,370 --> 00:23:00,678
And the rest of my bathing program,

467
00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:02,598
I'm not gonna show you.

468
00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,998
'Cause it involves taking
off articles of clothing.

469
00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,318
But you get the same
idea. A bandana, some soap.

470
00:23:09,360 --> 00:23:12,528
Do that once a day and boy,
I'm smilin', I'm feelin' good.

471
00:23:12,570 --> 00:23:14,520
I'm feelin' like I'm ahead of the game.

472
00:23:16,110 --> 00:23:19,698
And then of course, you know,
swimming whenever possible

473
00:23:19,740 --> 00:23:21,858
is a great way to clean off, too.

474
00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:23,778
But yes, it is possible to stay clean

475
00:23:23,820 --> 00:23:25,158
out here in the wilderness.

476
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,438
I know that's why a lot of
people don't go backpacking

477
00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:28,368
'cause they're afraid that they're

478
00:23:28,410 --> 00:23:30,348
not gonna be able to stay clean.

479
00:23:30,390 --> 00:23:33,468
If you are a little prepared

480
00:23:33,510 --> 00:23:35,688
and you're an opportunist

481
00:23:35,730 --> 00:23:37,638
and you gotta be a little bit tough,

482
00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,068
sometimes the water's really cold,

483
00:23:40,110 --> 00:23:43,518
but it can be done, people, it's possible.

484
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,638
You can stay squeaky,
freshly clean out here

485
00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,188
in the wilds of the wilderness.

486
00:23:49,230 --> 00:23:51,708
Anyway, just thought I'd
kinda share that with ya

487
00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:52,998
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

488
00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,238
At the I-18 Interchange
on the Pacific Crest Trail

489
00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,263
just outside of Big Bear, California.

490
00:23:59,250 --> 00:24:01,458
A super nice person named, Amy, who works

491
00:24:01,500 --> 00:24:04,233
at the Frontier Lodge, gave us a ride here.

492
00:24:06,722 --> 00:24:07,513
- Thank you, Amy. - Thank you, Amy.

493
00:24:07,555 --> 00:24:09,258
- Saved us so much time.

494
00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:11,943
- Thank you so much, life saver.

495
00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:14,418
- Thanks, Amy. All good.

496
00:24:14,460 --> 00:24:16,968
- Amy, you already
know how I feel about you.

497
00:24:17,010 --> 00:24:18,828
So thank you very much.

498
00:24:18,870 --> 00:24:20,058
How is that? How do you feel?

499
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:21,868
- Oh, nothing but love, Amy.

500
00:24:21,910 --> 00:24:23,360
- There you go. - Pure love.

501
00:24:24,540 --> 00:24:26,478
So hopefully, we'll see you
again sometime. Thank you.

502
00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,683
You can see behind me.

503
00:24:29,697 --> 00:24:31,578
Ta-da. That would be Big Bear Lake.

504
00:24:31,620 --> 00:24:33,663
In the town of Big Bear Lake.

505
00:24:34,722 --> 00:24:39,258
April
11th, day 22, 294 miles in.

506
00:24:39,300 --> 00:24:41,838
I'm camping alone tonight and I love it!

507
00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,818
Not a soul anywhere around.

508
00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:46,758
I have a terrific spot
on the flat sandy ground.

509
00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,128
There's a creek just a few feet away.

510
00:24:49,170 --> 00:24:52,278
My tent is protected behind
a large granite boulder.

511
00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,158
The best part, an awesome fire.

512
00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,248
It's built like an oven with small rocks

513
00:24:58,290 --> 00:25:00,018
creating three walls.

514
00:25:00,060 --> 00:25:01,968
I felt like a cowboy on the frontier,

515
00:25:02,010 --> 00:25:04,488
camping with a fire under the stars.

516
00:25:04,530 --> 00:25:07,233
It is a feeling of simple
peace and freedom.

517
00:25:13,290 --> 00:25:14,123
- Morning.

518
00:25:15,450 --> 00:25:18,873
It's day 23 on Section C
of this Pacific Crest Trail.

519
00:25:21,660 --> 00:25:24,378
I woke up in an absolute
panic this morning because

520
00:25:24,420 --> 00:25:27,168
a few raindrops had hit
the tent and let me tell you,

521
00:25:27,210 --> 00:25:31,188
nothing motivates a backpacker
to get packed up like rain.

522
00:25:31,230 --> 00:25:34,068
So I'm wearing all this rain
gear and as you can see,

523
00:25:34,110 --> 00:25:35,658
it's all of a sudden nice out.

524
00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:37,263
So the skies are clearing.

525
00:25:39,450 --> 00:25:40,848
Looks like a good
morning. I got a fire going.

526
00:25:40,890 --> 00:25:43,480
I've got some delicious Starbucks VIA

527
00:25:44,340 --> 00:25:46,383
and the breakfast of champions.

528
00:25:47,730 --> 00:25:48,603
The honey bun.

529
00:25:50,220 --> 00:25:52,070
Can't recommend the honey bun enough.

530
00:25:54,150 --> 00:25:57,633
Today, hopefully, I'll meet
up with the fellas again.

531
00:25:58,740 --> 00:26:00,348
But there's a hot spring in order today.

532
00:26:00,390 --> 00:26:02,538
Somewhere down the
trail, a natural hot spring

533
00:26:02,580 --> 00:26:05,253
with many different pools
of temperatures of water.

534
00:26:06,450 --> 00:26:08,238
And even a swimming hole.

535
00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:10,158
So really looking forward to that.

536
00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,528
These are the little treats on the trail

537
00:26:12,570 --> 00:26:14,470
that are gems that you look forward to

538
00:26:15,450 --> 00:26:16,953
for days in advance.

539
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,063
- It's really nice.
- Oh, man, how nice is this?

540
00:26:22,350 --> 00:26:23,988
This is absolutely incredible.

541
00:26:24,030 --> 00:26:25,400
This is so much...

542
00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,068
Beyond what I had imagined when somebody

543
00:26:28,110 --> 00:26:29,118
said that there was a hot spring.

544
00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:31,728
I was picturing like a
muddy hole in the ground

545
00:26:31,770 --> 00:26:34,728
with some stinky smelling
water bubbling out of it.

546
00:26:34,770 --> 00:26:37,683
The water doesn't smell at
all. There's no hint of sulfur.

547
00:26:38,820 --> 00:26:41,718
There's no road that goes
here. Only hiking trails.

548
00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,178
The box was saying there's no cell service.

549
00:26:44,220 --> 00:26:46,938
This place is absolutely unbelievable.

550
00:26:46,980 --> 00:26:49,338
Definitely spending the night here tonight.

551
00:26:49,380 --> 00:26:51,468
I might even fall asleep in this pool.

552
00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:53,973
If I don't come back, I'm probably here.

553
00:26:55,721 --> 00:26:59,568
- Yeah, okay. - I.C.B., Four Shoes.

554
00:26:59,610 --> 00:27:02,268
This may seem like an
insignificant spot on the trail,

555
00:27:02,310 --> 00:27:04,458
but it's very significant.

556
00:27:04,500 --> 00:27:05,778
Why is it significant?

557
00:27:05,820 --> 00:27:07,270
- Because we're eating lunch.

558
00:27:08,910 --> 00:27:10,848
It's true, let's go
ahead and show everybody

559
00:27:10,890 --> 00:27:12,123
our lunch, first of all.

560
00:27:15,630 --> 00:27:16,463
Start with...

561
00:27:17,820 --> 00:27:20,553
Yeah, we'll start with
J. Boogie over there.

562
00:27:22,290 --> 00:27:25,188
He eats dried ramen

563
00:27:25,230 --> 00:27:26,974
for lunch. - For flavor.

564
00:27:27,016 --> 00:27:30,288
And that's all just
straight into the ramen hole.

565
00:27:30,330 --> 00:27:31,938
- Yup.

566
00:27:31,980 --> 00:27:33,138
What are you eating?

567
00:27:33,180 --> 00:27:34,578
- I had pepperoni pizza.

568
00:27:34,620 --> 00:27:35,928
You had a calzone, didn't you?

569
00:27:35,970 --> 00:27:36,761
- On a tortilla.

570
00:27:36,803 --> 00:27:39,688
And wait, how
do you make one of those?

571
00:27:39,730 --> 00:27:41,600
- You take a tortilla...

572
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,698
And you take a string cheese.

573
00:27:46,740 --> 00:27:47,690
What are you doing?

574
00:27:48,870 --> 00:27:50,058
Are you making one?

575
00:27:50,100 --> 00:27:52,128
- No, 'cause I already ate two.

576
00:27:52,170 --> 00:27:53,448
Okay, wait, so you've taken

577
00:27:53,490 --> 00:27:54,301
your tortilla... String cheese.

578
00:27:54,343 --> 00:27:55,305
- Yeah, just like that.
- There's the string cheese.

579
00:27:55,347 --> 00:27:57,825
- Minus the pepperoni, then you just go...

580
00:27:57,867 --> 00:27:58,658
Wrap it up. - Roll it up.

581
00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:00,138
- Yeah and you go right into it.

582
00:28:00,180 --> 00:28:01,998
Plastic and all. - You're touching my food

583
00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:03,435
with your nasty hands.

584
00:28:03,477 --> 00:28:04,818
Are you having the same thing,

585
00:28:04,860 --> 00:28:06,288
a calzone? - No, salami.

586
00:28:06,330 --> 00:28:08,568
With actual, a block of cheddar.

587
00:28:08,610 --> 00:28:10,098
- Nice.

588
00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:12,261
And I am having a delicious meal here.

589
00:28:12,303 --> 00:28:14,538
I'll see if I can show it here.

590
00:28:14,580 --> 00:28:17,598
It's a half a bagel with cream cheese

591
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,058
and then string cheese on the cream cheese

592
00:28:20,100 --> 00:28:22,728
and then a sausage
that looks like a hot dog.

593
00:28:22,770 --> 00:28:24,858
And the reason we're eating
so well today is because...

594
00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:26,824
What mile number are we at?

595
00:28:26,866 --> 00:28:27,882
500!

596
00:28:27,924 --> 00:28:28,757
- 500.

597
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,998
There's no marker out
here commemorating it.

598
00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,758
We're just guessing
that maybe this is 500-ish.

599
00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:36,450
There was a few rocks back there.

600
00:28:37,530 --> 00:28:40,908
But 500 miles. We're not even 20% done yet.

601
00:28:40,950 --> 00:28:43,319
Nope, we gotta
do this another four times

602
00:28:43,361 --> 00:28:44,429
and then some.

603
00:28:44,471 --> 00:28:46,338
- Just think of how much dry ramen that is.

604
00:28:46,380 --> 00:28:47,538
It's a lot.

605
00:28:47,580 --> 00:28:49,968
- Day number 30.

606
00:28:50,010 --> 00:28:52,128
Section Delta, Pacific
Crest Trail here in California.

607
00:28:52,170 --> 00:28:54,078
I'm here with Special K.

608
00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:55,488
- Hello, how are you? - From?

609
00:28:55,530 --> 00:28:56,478
- Colorado.

610
00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:58,008
- From the great state of Colorado.

611
00:28:58,050 --> 00:28:59,208
The Rocky Mountain State, people.

612
00:28:59,250 --> 00:29:02,748
And she has made a discovery, which, yeah,

613
00:29:02,790 --> 00:29:04,698
if you follow her trekking
pole, what's out there?

614
00:29:04,740 --> 00:29:06,848
What did you find? What do
you see? Tell us all about it.

615
00:29:06,890 --> 00:29:11,360
- It would be Mount
Whitney as the flow cries?

616
00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,128
As the crow flies, 150 miles north.

617
00:29:16,170 --> 00:29:17,868
It is our first 14-er.

618
00:29:17,910 --> 00:29:19,338
It's our first 14-er.

619
00:29:19,380 --> 00:29:22,038
It's the highest point in the lower 48.

620
00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:23,268
- Oh, yes, we did make that-

621
00:29:23,310 --> 00:29:24,288
- Yeah. - Decision, even though

622
00:29:24,330 --> 00:29:25,121
he's angry about it.

623
00:29:25,163 --> 00:29:26,598
- I am bitter about it.

624
00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:28,788
Anybody from the northwest
knows that Mount Rainier

625
00:29:28,830 --> 00:29:30,558
is the proper, it should hold the title,

626
00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,228
but unfortunately, Mount Whitney does.

627
00:29:33,270 --> 00:29:36,048
Hiking with Bible. Bible's up there.

628
00:29:36,090 --> 00:29:39,183
This is a little taste of
what the terrain looks like.

629
00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,288
It is snowing.

630
00:29:42,330 --> 00:29:44,583
Just a little bit but look around.

631
00:29:45,780 --> 00:29:48,558
I think we're at 9,600 feet right now.

632
00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:50,868
Bible and I have hiked up to our campsite,

633
00:29:50,910 --> 00:29:54,183
which is gonna be
somewhere in these boulders.

634
00:29:55,020 --> 00:29:56,898
Speak of the devil.

635
00:29:56,940 --> 00:29:58,338
He's right here.

636
00:29:58,380 --> 00:29:59,418
He's scoping out a sight

637
00:29:59,460 --> 00:30:00,492
for his tent. - No, no, no, no, no.

638
00:30:00,534 --> 00:30:03,664
You don't wanna go back there and look.

639
00:30:03,706 --> 00:30:05,658
Oh, oh.

640
00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:07,400
Well, look at this beautiful view.

641
00:30:08,850 --> 00:30:10,662
Gorgeous sunset.

642
00:30:13,161 --> 00:30:13,952
Oh, my word.

643
00:30:13,994 --> 00:30:15,048
And it's snowing. - Spectacular.

644
00:30:15,090 --> 00:30:16,547
And it's snowing.

645
00:31:02,303 --> 00:31:05,720
Day 56 here in California in the Sierras.

646
00:31:06,780 --> 00:31:09,543
Sierras are working me over.

647
00:31:11,070 --> 00:31:13,353
I think right now we're at 12,000 feet.

648
00:31:14,768 --> 00:31:17,328
And man, am I feeling this altitude.

649
00:31:17,370 --> 00:31:19,570
Feels like you're
breathing through a straw.

650
00:31:20,910 --> 00:31:22,893
You can never get enough oxygen.

651
00:31:24,390 --> 00:31:26,778
It was a cold night last night on the lake.

652
00:31:26,820 --> 00:31:29,193
But what a beautiful sight to wake up to.

653
00:31:32,414 --> 00:31:34,903
It's our first real alpine lake.

654
00:31:36,510 --> 00:31:39,768
After 760 miles,

655
00:31:39,810 --> 00:31:41,928
finally hit a real

656
00:31:41,970 --> 00:31:44,943
actual natural lake.

657
00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:47,033
Here it is.

658
00:31:48,870 --> 00:31:50,193
Chicken Spring Lake.

659
00:31:53,070 --> 00:31:55,698
So I'm marching onward,
there's actually a ranger station

660
00:31:55,740 --> 00:31:58,938
about a mile and a half up,
sort of at the base of Whitney.

661
00:31:58,980 --> 00:32:02,418
Hopefully, it'll be open.
Hopefully, I can get some info.

662
00:32:02,460 --> 00:32:04,668
Plan is to get some info and then camp

663
00:32:04,710 --> 00:32:07,308
at a place called, Guitar Lake.

664
00:32:07,350 --> 00:32:09,468
And then get up early in
the morning, summit Whitney,

665
00:32:09,510 --> 00:32:13,038
come back down and
come back down on the JMT,

666
00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,708
the John Muir Trail and basically,

667
00:32:15,750 --> 00:32:17,463
be on that until Yosemite.

668
00:32:18,390 --> 00:32:19,840
That is the grand plan

669
00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:22,938
here on the Pacific Coast Trail.

670
00:32:22,980 --> 00:32:26,208
Day number 57 in California.

671
00:32:26,250 --> 00:32:29,943
Day 57, California Pacific Crest Trail.

672
00:32:30,780 --> 00:32:33,888
I don't know what lake it is because...

673
00:32:33,930 --> 00:32:36,303
I'm too cold to pull out my map and look.

674
00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,338
That's one thing that this
lake and I have in common.

675
00:32:43,380 --> 00:32:44,763
We're both very cold.

676
00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,253
Welcome to the High Sierras, people.

677
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:56,598
This is what I had in
my mind when I pictured

678
00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:58,023
the High Sierras.

679
00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,520
Oh, wait, there's a tent down there.

680
00:33:03,420 --> 00:33:04,893
Maybe this is Guitar Lake.

681
00:33:06,300 --> 00:33:07,133
Hallelujah.

682
00:33:08,010 --> 00:33:09,288
Well, whatever it is, I think I'm gonna

683
00:33:09,330 --> 00:33:11,348
camp here for the night.

684
00:33:11,390 --> 00:33:12,843
Crest Trail, day 58.

685
00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:16,038
Heading up towards the
summit of Mount Whitney.

686
00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:20,343
Right now I'm at 12,300
feet or somethin' like that.

687
00:33:22,350 --> 00:33:25,938
Way down there, right there

688
00:33:25,980 --> 00:33:29,808
you can see the icy edge of Guitar Lake,

689
00:33:29,850 --> 00:33:31,713
which is where I camped.

690
00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:35,958
Tried to get an early start this morning.

691
00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,153
Got a little bit later than I
anticipated but that's okay.

692
00:33:40,470 --> 00:33:43,293
I like this daylight and the sunrise.

693
00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:47,058
I'm just resting right now.

694
00:33:47,100 --> 00:33:49,428
The route is not technical.

695
00:33:49,470 --> 00:33:50,853
It's just the altitude.

696
00:33:52,350 --> 00:33:53,517
Slow goin'.

697
00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,173
And 2,000 more feet of elevation gain.

698
00:33:59,010 --> 00:34:00,483
Get up that guy right there.

699
00:34:01,590 --> 00:34:04,109
This appears to be the most technical...

700
00:34:05,940 --> 00:34:07,893
Part so far.

701
00:34:09,060 --> 00:34:11,733
So I've put away the trekking poles.

702
00:34:15,180 --> 00:34:18,678
Gotten out the ice ax just in case.

703
00:34:18,720 --> 00:34:23,553
It's probably fine. Snow's
still really solid and frozen.

704
00:34:26,753 --> 00:34:28,308
But I didn't bring this
thing all the way up here

705
00:34:28,350 --> 00:34:29,183
not to use it.

706
00:34:31,050 --> 00:34:33,105
So the ascent continues.

707
00:34:47,286 --> 00:34:49,010
Here's the summit right here.

708
00:34:50,676 --> 00:34:51,676
This is a...

709
00:34:52,950 --> 00:34:55,050
I think it's known as the Whitney Shelter.

710
00:34:58,140 --> 00:34:59,688
Oh, yeah.

711
00:34:59,730 --> 00:35:00,693
Trail register.

712
00:35:03,330 --> 00:35:04,163
Wait.

713
00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:08,717
It was easy.

714
00:35:10,620 --> 00:35:11,673
- It wasn't easy.

715
00:35:13,260 --> 00:35:14,223
It was difficult.

716
00:35:16,770 --> 00:35:19,128
I'm out of breath right now.
I'm gonna sit down and relax.

717
00:35:19,170 --> 00:35:21,768
And take in these beautiful views.

718
00:35:21,810 --> 00:35:24,108
Absolutely perfect day.

719
00:35:24,150 --> 00:35:26,073
So this is the highest I've ever been.

720
00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:29,268
This is also the biggest

721
00:35:29,310 --> 00:35:31,713
solo climb I've ever done.

722
00:35:33,690 --> 00:35:37,443
And now the fun part is getting down.

723
00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:43,045
As the great northwest
mountaineer, Ed Viesturs says,

724
00:35:43,087 --> 00:35:45,805
"Getting to the summit is optional."

725
00:35:45,847 --> 00:35:48,147
"But getting down is mandatory."

726
00:35:50,490 --> 00:35:55,005
So the quest to get down begins right here.

727
00:35:55,047 --> 00:35:58,548
Day 58, Mount Whitney, California.

728
00:35:58,590 --> 00:36:00,903
Right off of the Pacific Crest Trail.

729
00:36:17,370 --> 00:36:19,368
Well, this is what it looks like after

730
00:36:19,410 --> 00:36:21,348
summiting Mount Whitney.

731
00:36:21,390 --> 00:36:24,858
I had all this ambition of
moving base camp out four miles.

732
00:36:24,900 --> 00:36:26,058
No.

733
00:36:26,100 --> 00:36:27,108
Nope.

734
00:36:27,150 --> 00:36:30,483
It's hunker down in the
tent. So it is ramen time.

735
00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:33,258
Right here in the vestibule.

736
00:36:33,300 --> 00:36:36,123
I had a marmot try to get into my bear can.

737
00:36:37,860 --> 00:36:41,133
It's also marmot proof, people.
It's well worth the money.

738
00:36:42,180 --> 00:36:44,268
I'm just very fortunate that
I had a really nice window

739
00:36:44,310 --> 00:36:46,428
of weather at the top of the mountain.

740
00:36:46,470 --> 00:36:49,308
So tomorrow, base camp is movin' out

741
00:36:49,350 --> 00:36:52,188
and hopefully, I'll get to
the bottom of Forester Pass,

742
00:36:52,230 --> 00:36:57,230
where there's another
huge 13,000 foot climb

743
00:36:57,540 --> 00:36:58,653
to get to that spot.

744
00:37:00,810 --> 00:37:03,288
That's life on the trail.

745
00:37:03,330 --> 00:37:04,653
Day number 50.

746
00:37:09,692 --> 00:37:10,713
Day number 58.

747
00:37:13,170 --> 00:37:16,023
On the Pacific Crest Trail, Mount Whitney.

748
00:37:17,790 --> 00:37:19,340
Here's what we're dealing with.

749
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:21,873
It's a full on blizzard.

750
00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:26,058
And I really don't know
what to do right now.

751
00:37:26,100 --> 00:37:27,813
I'm in a three season tent.

752
00:37:29,070 --> 00:37:30,740
And the tent is...

753
00:37:31,860 --> 00:37:33,633
Not rated for a snow load.

754
00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:38,463
So I was faced with a choice.

755
00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:44,300
Either stay up all night,
knocking snow off the tent,

756
00:37:44,370 --> 00:37:48,153
worrying about it collapsing,
worrying about wind and snow.

757
00:37:49,410 --> 00:37:54,378
Or I've made a decision
that I'm gonna pack it up

758
00:37:54,420 --> 00:37:56,598
and I looked at the map
and I remember hiking

759
00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,198
by this little ranger station,
it's about two miles away.

760
00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:02,238
I don't know if I made
the right call or not.

761
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:05,283
I suppose I did. Better safe than sorry.

762
00:38:06,630 --> 00:38:09,530
But I'll tell you, this fresh snowfall...

763
00:38:11,050 --> 00:38:14,073
Has done something that
I never even considered.

764
00:38:15,180 --> 00:38:16,430
The smell is...

765
00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,518
It's the best forest
smell I've ever smelled

766
00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:22,060
and that says a lot 'cause
I'm from the northwest.

767
00:38:23,340 --> 00:38:25,698
And I'm gonna enjoy it

768
00:38:25,740 --> 00:38:28,218
all the way to the ranger station.

769
00:38:28,260 --> 00:38:30,798
You will note that I am
not at the ranger station.

770
00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,258
Actually, I am, I'm
way out in the front yard

771
00:38:33,300 --> 00:38:36,468
by the weather station.

772
00:38:36,510 --> 00:38:39,438
As I was hiking through
the woods in the pitch black,

773
00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:41,320
after crossing several streams

774
00:38:42,270 --> 00:38:44,710
around nine o'clock at night, I could see

775
00:38:45,900 --> 00:38:49,308
three red lights, so
there was people there.

776
00:38:49,350 --> 00:38:51,835
I walked up to the ranger station, I said,

777
00:38:51,877 --> 00:38:53,097
"What's goin' on?"

778
00:38:54,150 --> 00:38:57,528
No response from anybody. Nothing.

779
00:38:57,570 --> 00:38:59,361
I could even see somebody
rustling around their tent,

780
00:38:59,403 --> 00:39:00,813
with the red light on.

781
00:39:04,770 --> 00:39:06,153
Hikers are weird people.

782
00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,938
By the way, if somebody comes
out of the pitch black woods

783
00:39:10,980 --> 00:39:13,548
in the middle of nowhere with
a headlamp in the middle of

784
00:39:13,590 --> 00:39:18,168
the night, you might wanna
check and see everything's okay.

785
00:39:18,210 --> 00:39:19,077
Just sayin'.

786
00:39:19,980 --> 00:39:22,548
Anyway, I set up my wet tent.

787
00:39:22,590 --> 00:39:25,668
Actually, I did a pretty
good job of keepin' it dry.

788
00:39:25,710 --> 00:39:28,128
At least the inside part, the fly is soaked

789
00:39:28,170 --> 00:39:30,648
but everything else isn't too bad.

790
00:39:30,690 --> 00:39:34,788
So I'm pitched out here, 1,500
feet lower, there's no snow.

791
00:39:34,830 --> 00:39:36,678
Worst case scenario, it's gonna rain.

792
00:39:36,720 --> 00:39:37,770
Could deal with rain.

793
00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:42,790
Yeah, it was a big adventure today.

794
00:39:46,110 --> 00:39:50,058
Now it's time to get
back in the sleeping bag

795
00:39:50,100 --> 00:39:53,478
and hopefully, have a really
good night's sleep tonight

796
00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:55,128
and get ready for another day tomorrow

797
00:39:55,170 --> 00:39:58,696
on the Pacific Crest Trail,
day number 58, California.

798
00:40:03,138 --> 00:40:05,808
May 19th, day 59.

799
00:40:05,850 --> 00:40:07,938
I saw one of the most beautiful vistas

800
00:40:07,980 --> 00:40:09,738
I've ever seen today.

801
00:40:09,780 --> 00:40:12,858
It was a flat place called Big Horn Flats.

802
00:40:12,900 --> 00:40:15,528
It's a huge open area with no trees,

803
00:40:15,570 --> 00:40:17,988
no boulders, no hills.

804
00:40:18,030 --> 00:40:22,128
Just a vast, flat expanse
of sand and grass.

805
00:40:22,170 --> 00:40:26,628
It's situated on top of a
mountain over 10,000 feet tall.

806
00:40:26,670 --> 00:40:29,088
In every direction, all
around are the rugged

807
00:40:29,130 --> 00:40:31,548
towering Sierra peaks with Mount Whitney

808
00:40:31,590 --> 00:40:33,558
presiding over it all.

809
00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,328
If it weren't for the snow and lightning,

810
00:40:35,370 --> 00:40:37,008
I would've camped there.

811
00:40:37,050 --> 00:40:39,798
I was all alone and was suddenly overcome

812
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:43,578
with a feeling of humility
and gratitude towards God.

813
00:40:43,620 --> 00:40:46,758
I reached my hands to
the sky and gave thanks.

814
00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:50,373
Then knelt on a small stone
to express my thankfulness.

815
00:40:53,730 --> 00:40:56,898
- I'm sure that this is a
geologist's dream out here.

816
00:40:56,940 --> 00:40:58,608
There's just so many interesting things,

817
00:40:58,650 --> 00:41:01,038
different kinds of stones and rocks,

818
00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:04,698
granite, quartz, basalt,

819
00:41:04,740 --> 00:41:07,248
Micah, to name a few.

820
00:41:07,290 --> 00:41:09,543
And a whole lot more. I'm no expert.

821
00:41:10,740 --> 00:41:15,693
But really enjoying this
portion of the High Sierras.

822
00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:19,938
Here you go, the High Sierras.

823
00:41:19,980 --> 00:41:21,590
And back here behind me...

824
00:41:22,530 --> 00:41:24,378
Junction Peak.

825
00:41:24,420 --> 00:41:26,043
When you're at 10,000 feet,

826
00:41:26,984 --> 00:41:29,988
you pretty much have to
be prepared for anything.

827
00:41:30,030 --> 00:41:32,703
I mean, it could be super sunny and hot.

828
00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:37,788
Or it could be hailing
like it is right now.

829
00:41:37,830 --> 00:41:40,353
It's actually more of a
frozen rain type thing.

830
00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:45,528
But whatever it is, it can change

831
00:41:45,570 --> 00:41:48,858
in a moment's notice
at these high altitudes.

832
00:41:48,900 --> 00:41:52,143
The weather, it's its own animal.

833
00:41:54,330 --> 00:41:57,874
You just have to be prepared
for anything and everything.

834
00:41:57,916 --> 00:42:00,468
That's why these high altitude
mountaineering experiences,

835
00:42:00,510 --> 00:42:02,960
you have to carry so
much gear 'cause you just...

836
00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:06,498
You just don't know what's gonna happen.

837
00:42:06,540 --> 00:42:10,323
You hope for the best
but prepare for the worst.

838
00:42:11,190 --> 00:42:14,485
Said, "I'd rather deal with
the snow in the mountains"

839
00:42:14,527 --> 00:42:18,078
"than the heat in the desert,"
at one point on this trip.

840
00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:19,563
At day 61.

841
00:42:20,850 --> 00:42:21,950
And I'll tell ya...

842
00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:25,188
Right now, I'm rethinking that statement.

843
00:42:25,230 --> 00:42:28,293
It's hard to see the trail.

844
00:42:29,460 --> 00:42:31,863
Gonna have to use some nav skills out here.

845
00:42:32,910 --> 00:42:35,093
Because the trail has disappeared.

846
00:42:39,690 --> 00:42:41,808
Well, one way or the
other, I hope to get to some

847
00:42:41,850 --> 00:42:45,693
civilization today 'cause
I'm about out of food.

848
00:42:47,730 --> 00:42:49,930
And all my stuff is wet

849
00:42:50,790 --> 00:42:51,623
and dirty.

850
00:42:52,650 --> 00:42:54,108
This is proving to be one of the most

851
00:42:54,150 --> 00:42:56,808
difficult days on trail so far.

852
00:42:56,850 --> 00:43:01,428
I did manage to make it to
the top of Kearsarge Pass.

853
00:43:01,470 --> 00:43:04,008
I have no idea how much
altitude I climbed today

854
00:43:04,050 --> 00:43:06,333
but well over 2,000 feet.

855
00:43:07,410 --> 00:43:09,273
So I came up from this direction.

856
00:43:10,140 --> 00:43:12,740
And we're approaching
whiteout conditions right now.

857
00:43:13,710 --> 00:43:18,693
But with waking up with wet
tent, wet gear, limited food,

858
00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:23,538
a relentless snowfall,
white out conditions,

859
00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:26,838
poor navigation, breaking trail

860
00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:29,928
and it's 3:30 and there's still...

861
00:43:29,970 --> 00:43:33,318
I'm not even halfway
done yet to get into town.

862
00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:37,038
I mean, there's still at
least six miles of hiking

863
00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:39,618
to a campground where
maybe I can get a ride.

864
00:43:39,660 --> 00:43:44,058
So this is a long day out here

865
00:43:44,100 --> 00:43:45,363
in the wilderness.

866
00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:48,513
One little caveat though.

867
00:43:49,470 --> 00:43:51,018
I'll be following tracks down.

868
00:43:51,060 --> 00:43:52,773
There were some people coming up.

869
00:43:54,750 --> 00:43:57,168
From this side, so I
won't have to do so much

870
00:43:57,210 --> 00:43:59,358
route finding and trailblazing.

871
00:43:59,400 --> 00:44:00,858
I'll, hopefully, be able to just walk

872
00:44:00,900 --> 00:44:04,698
in their boot tracks all the way down.

873
00:44:04,740 --> 00:44:07,898
But as a general rule, don't find yourself

874
00:44:07,940 --> 00:44:09,520
at the top of a mountain pass

875
00:44:10,830 --> 00:44:13,744
during inclement weather,
that's my advice to you.

876
00:44:40,646 --> 00:44:42,228
Day 65.

877
00:44:42,270 --> 00:44:45,738
After the storm passed, I
took a bus to Independence.

878
00:44:45,780 --> 00:44:49,818
It was full of PCT hikers
who were skipping the Sierras.

879
00:44:49,860 --> 00:44:51,498
J.J. was going to Hawaii.

880
00:44:51,540 --> 00:44:53,118
Ferrari and Street Fighter were going

881
00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:56,808
to Arizona's Grand Canyon and so on.

882
00:44:56,850 --> 00:45:00,318
I made a decision that if I
could get a pair of snowshoes,

883
00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:02,388
I would continue hiking.

884
00:45:02,430 --> 00:45:04,488
I sat outside the Independence Post Office

885
00:45:04,530 --> 00:45:07,638
with a cardboard sign that
said, "Snowshoes Wanted."

886
00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:11,598
After a few hours, a guy
named Dan said he had some.

887
00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:14,868
I bartered my compass
and an REI gift card for them.

888
00:45:14,910 --> 00:45:17,988
There were no banks to
be found in this small town.

889
00:45:18,030 --> 00:45:20,478
Dan gave me a ride up to Onion Valley

890
00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:23,448
where I hiked my heavy 70 pound pack

891
00:45:23,490 --> 00:45:26,478
up to beautiful Lake Gilbert for the night.

892
00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:28,068
Now it is a beautiful morning

893
00:45:28,110 --> 00:45:31,083
and Kearsarge Pass awaits again.

894
00:45:32,610 --> 00:45:35,208
- Day number 66 out
here on the Pacific Crest,

895
00:45:35,250 --> 00:45:36,453
John Muir Trail.

896
00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:42,033
Soaking in some much
needed vitamin D right now.

897
00:45:42,930 --> 00:45:44,600
Also, I have...

898
00:45:46,020 --> 00:45:48,483
The most beautiful
campsite of the trip so far.

899
00:45:51,870 --> 00:45:53,508
This is gonna be a short day for me.

900
00:45:53,550 --> 00:45:56,358
It's gonna be hard to
go away from this spot.

901
00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:00,528
I may end up just
recouping, fixing some gear.

902
00:46:00,570 --> 00:46:01,810
Soaking in some of this

903
00:46:02,940 --> 00:46:05,553
much needed sunshine as long as it lasts.

904
00:46:24,896 --> 00:46:27,558
May 27th, day 67.

905
00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:29,568
I just got the awful news tonight

906
00:46:29,610 --> 00:46:32,118
that Bible has been reported missing.

907
00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:36,198
He was last seen near
Kearsarge on the 18th, low on food.

908
00:46:36,240 --> 00:46:39,438
He never picked up his
resupply box in Independence.

909
00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,088
This is very bad.

910
00:46:41,130 --> 00:46:44,028
He's very methodical. Almost OCD.

911
00:46:44,070 --> 00:46:46,038
There is no way he would miss that

912
00:46:46,080 --> 00:46:48,738
unless something went very wrong.

913
00:46:48,780 --> 00:46:52,518
My prayers are with that kind
man. Wherever he may be.

914
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:55,203
Please, Jesus, bring him home safe.

915
00:46:58,440 --> 00:47:02,868
- This is called, the
mountain beat me up today

916
00:47:02,910 --> 00:47:04,878
and this is the best I can do.

917
00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:05,897
I just don't have it-

918
00:47:05,939 --> 00:47:08,778
- May 29, day 69.

919
00:47:08,820 --> 00:47:11,868
Today, I'm going to try
and climb Mather Pass.

920
00:47:11,910 --> 00:47:14,628
Summiting these mountain
passes are exhausting

921
00:47:14,670 --> 00:47:18,498
and I'm making much slower
progress than anticipated.

922
00:47:18,540 --> 00:47:20,298
I'm worried that I won't have enough food

923
00:47:20,340 --> 00:47:21,633
to make it to Mammoth.

924
00:47:22,500 --> 00:47:24,768
Today was a hard day in the mountains.

925
00:47:24,810 --> 00:47:27,138
I had low energy from the start.

926
00:47:27,180 --> 00:47:31,278
On top of that, I was post-holing
all day in the soft snow.

927
00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:34,398
And there were more river
crossings than I could count.

928
00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:38,088
I camped on slush, trying
to warm my icicle feet.

929
00:47:38,130 --> 00:47:40,848
I'm missing civilization and right now,

930
00:47:40,890 --> 00:47:42,663
it's tough doing this alone.

931
00:47:43,620 --> 00:47:47,530
But tomorrow is a new
day. This too shall pass.

932
00:48:07,110 --> 00:48:09,888
After many nights of
worry, I contacted Katherine,

933
00:48:09,930 --> 00:48:12,228
Bible's wife, via satellite
messenger to see

934
00:48:12,270 --> 00:48:15,348
if there was any news
regarding his disappearance.

935
00:48:15,390 --> 00:48:18,018
She quickly responded that
he was currently in a hostel

936
00:48:18,060 --> 00:48:20,868
in Bishop, California,
recovering from his ordeal

937
00:48:20,910 --> 00:48:22,248
in the mountains.

938
00:48:22,290 --> 00:48:24,408
What fantastic news this was.

939
00:48:24,450 --> 00:48:26,545
He sent me this text message.

940
00:48:26,587 --> 00:48:29,455
"On March 28th at 1:30 PM,"

941
00:48:29,497 --> 00:48:32,455
"I walked out of the Sierra
Mountains in California."

942
00:48:32,497 --> 00:48:35,905
"I walked 5.6 miles
that day after a 17 day"

943
00:48:35,947 --> 00:48:38,215
"trial of faith through the wilderness."

944
00:48:38,257 --> 00:48:39,715
"I have never been the same since"

945
00:48:39,757 --> 00:48:42,978
"or like I used to be before March 28th."

946
00:48:43,020 --> 00:48:45,678
Stephen "Bible" McGuire.

947
00:48:45,720 --> 00:48:47,508
He was malnourished, without food,

948
00:48:47,550 --> 00:48:49,938
suffering from exposure and frostnip.

949
00:48:49,980 --> 00:48:52,563
He was the happiest
he'd ever been in his life.

950
00:48:53,850 --> 00:48:54,770
- Found this...

951
00:48:56,070 --> 00:48:59,163
Sun shower thing in that bear vault.

952
00:49:00,330 --> 00:49:02,298
So I filled it up and
warmed it up this morning

953
00:49:02,340 --> 00:49:05,643
and took a piping lukewarm shower.

954
00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:10,308
And I'm here today with
actual human beings.

955
00:49:10,350 --> 00:49:13,143
Pony Express, right
here, stretchin' it out.

956
00:49:14,220 --> 00:49:16,128
What's up, Pony Express?

957
00:49:16,170 --> 00:49:17,268
- What's up, Knoxville?

958
00:49:17,310 --> 00:49:19,225
How late were we at?

959
00:49:19,267 --> 00:49:20,508
9:30?

960
00:49:20,550 --> 00:49:22,188
It was 9:30? - 9:30.

961
00:49:22,230 --> 00:49:23,148
Oh, my gosh.

962
00:49:23,190 --> 00:49:24,138
Livin' large.

963
00:49:24,180 --> 00:49:26,238
Is that hiker 3:00 AM?

964
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:27,113
Yeah.

965
00:49:28,980 --> 00:49:30,630
- What's that? - It was a party.

966
00:49:31,530 --> 00:49:33,078
- It was a party.

967
00:49:33,120 --> 00:49:34,668
And just for the record,

968
00:49:34,710 --> 00:49:36,408
Pony Express, where are you from?

969
00:49:36,450 --> 00:49:40,308
- I'm from Pennsylvania,
now live in Burbank, California.

970
00:49:40,350 --> 00:49:42,708
- And dare I ask where you're from?

971
00:49:42,750 --> 00:49:44,028
- Seattle.

972
00:49:44,070 --> 00:49:45,588
Another Washingtonian on trail.

973
00:49:45,630 --> 00:49:47,388
- There's a lot of us.

974
00:49:47,430 --> 00:49:51,123
Think we like the Sierras
'cause we have the Cascades.

975
00:49:52,830 --> 00:49:56,538
Anyway, that's the report
here on lazy Sunday afternoon.

976
00:49:56,580 --> 00:49:58,248
Actually, Sunday morning.

977
00:49:58,290 --> 00:50:02,628
Day number 74, here out the JMT slash PCT.

978
00:50:02,670 --> 00:50:06,138
Day number 74, as I drop in elevation,

979
00:50:06,180 --> 00:50:09,303
I have found myself in the
land of some cedar trees.

980
00:50:10,410 --> 00:50:11,988
As you can see.

981
00:50:12,030 --> 00:50:15,078
And one thing that I like to do...

982
00:50:15,120 --> 00:50:18,798
If I know I'm gonna be
camping tonight or tomorrow,

983
00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:21,258
which I will be, of course,

984
00:50:21,300 --> 00:50:23,448
and there's a possibility of a campfire,

985
00:50:23,490 --> 00:50:26,538
which there is because
we're below 10,000 feet

986
00:50:26,580 --> 00:50:28,248
in the Sierras,

987
00:50:28,290 --> 00:50:30,190
is I like to take a little bit of this

988
00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:33,470
cedar bark, which is...

989
00:50:35,550 --> 00:50:36,753
A lot like paper.

990
00:50:38,550 --> 00:50:40,773
Yeah, it's very dry.

991
00:50:42,210 --> 00:50:44,073
It's very fibrous.

992
00:50:45,060 --> 00:50:47,418
It's also very flammable.

993
00:50:47,460 --> 00:50:50,628
So what I'll typically do
is I'll just take some of this

994
00:50:50,670 --> 00:50:51,513
and save it.

995
00:50:52,500 --> 00:50:55,323
And I'll save it for tinder
for starting tonight's fire.

996
00:50:56,430 --> 00:51:00,378
And sometimes I'll put it in a Ziploc bag.

997
00:51:00,420 --> 00:51:02,553
Sometimes I'll put it in with my garbage.

998
00:51:03,870 --> 00:51:06,588
Sometimes I'll just put it in my pocket.

999
00:51:06,630 --> 00:51:11,298
But it works marvelously
for a fire starter,

1000
00:51:11,340 --> 00:51:14,553
especially if you separate
the strands a little bit.

1001
00:51:16,110 --> 00:51:19,683
It burns just like tissue paper would.

1002
00:51:22,380 --> 00:51:23,958
Just a little...

1003
00:51:24,000 --> 00:51:25,938
Little trick, you're always
kinda thinking about

1004
00:51:25,980 --> 00:51:29,433
these things because you
have a lot of time to think.

1005
00:51:31,350 --> 00:51:33,093
Day number 83.

1006
00:51:34,800 --> 00:51:36,963
This was the campsite for last night.

1007
00:51:41,070 --> 00:51:44,088
A fabulous view of Silver Falls.

1008
00:51:44,130 --> 00:51:45,843
Right outside the front door.

1009
00:51:47,700 --> 00:51:49,518
Fell asleep to the sound of the roaring

1010
00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:51,063
waterfall last night.

1011
00:51:54,450 --> 00:51:59,110
I said I was going to talk
a little bit about Mammoth.

1012
00:52:02,100 --> 00:52:05,688
I've never been so excited to
go to a town in my whole life.

1013
00:52:05,730 --> 00:52:09,288
It was over two weeks
in the wilderness for me.

1014
00:52:09,330 --> 00:52:12,250
14 days, I think it might have been 15 days

1015
00:52:13,140 --> 00:52:15,363
that I was out on the trail.

1016
00:52:17,190 --> 00:52:18,828
Didn't go into town for a resupply,

1017
00:52:18,870 --> 00:52:21,483
just hiked through the Sierras in the snow.

1018
00:52:22,950 --> 00:52:26,058
In the nice weather, in early morning,

1019
00:52:26,100 --> 00:52:28,398
late at night, snowshoes,

1020
00:52:28,440 --> 00:52:30,558
ice ax, crampons.

1021
00:52:30,600 --> 00:52:33,543
It was the longest time I've
ever spent in the wilderness.

1022
00:52:34,640 --> 00:52:38,073
And I think that's about
my limit. Two weeks.

1023
00:52:41,340 --> 00:52:42,813
I came into Mammoth.

1024
00:52:43,825 --> 00:52:47,778
I had just run out of fuel and
I had one ramen packet left.

1025
00:52:47,820 --> 00:52:49,593
Pony Express had given it to me.

1026
00:52:50,940 --> 00:52:55,773
And that was it, so I was
running on fumes when I came in.

1027
00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:01,668
And boy, was it nice
to take a couple zeros,

1028
00:53:01,710 --> 00:53:04,668
put some pounds back on, eat some food,

1029
00:53:04,710 --> 00:53:06,633
rest the feet, rest the right hip.

1030
00:53:08,070 --> 00:53:11,148
And it feels really good
to be back on the trail.

1031
00:53:11,190 --> 00:53:14,718
Although, this time it's
only gonna be a week or less

1032
00:53:14,760 --> 00:53:17,703
and probably moving
forward, a week or less.

1033
00:53:20,490 --> 00:53:23,058
So I'm really happy that I did that.

1034
00:53:23,100 --> 00:53:27,168
I think, looking back, that
14 day stretch in the Sierras

1035
00:53:27,210 --> 00:53:29,628
is gonna be the most
difficult and also probably

1036
00:53:29,670 --> 00:53:31,818
my favorite part of the whole trip.

1037
00:53:31,860 --> 00:53:36,138
I was solo for over 90% of that time,

1038
00:53:36,180 --> 00:53:38,838
which at times was
challenging but I learned a lot

1039
00:53:38,880 --> 00:53:42,798
and I would definitely
do it all over again.

1040
00:53:42,840 --> 00:53:45,048
And hopefully, someday
we'll get the opportunity

1041
00:53:45,090 --> 00:53:46,250
to come back...

1042
00:53:47,340 --> 00:53:49,490
To the Sierras and...

1043
00:53:50,790 --> 00:53:51,693
Hike more of it.

1044
00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:55,560
There's so much to see. I've
just only seen just a fraction.

1045
00:53:58,110 --> 00:53:58,943
Anyway.

1046
00:53:59,850 --> 00:54:01,188
Today's a new day.

1047
00:54:01,230 --> 00:54:04,218
Gonna put some new miles
on and see what lies ahead

1048
00:54:04,260 --> 00:54:05,793
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1049
00:54:06,840 --> 00:54:09,138
Still about three miles off trail,

1050
00:54:09,180 --> 00:54:12,978
two miles off trail right
now at Rainbow Falls,

1051
00:54:13,020 --> 00:54:15,168
here at day number 83.

1052
00:54:15,210 --> 00:54:17,448
On the mighty, just off the mighty

1053
00:54:17,490 --> 00:54:20,671
Pacific Crest slash John Muir Trail.

1054
00:54:32,490 --> 00:54:33,648
Where's the snow?

1055
00:54:33,690 --> 00:54:35,940
Snow is dissipating
the farther north we get.

1056
00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:40,128
You can see this is kinda cool.

1057
00:54:40,170 --> 00:54:43,548
This is all marmot
droppings, I'm pretty sure.

1058
00:54:43,590 --> 00:54:46,398
And this is one of the most square

1059
00:54:46,440 --> 00:54:48,768
cairns I've ever seen.

1060
00:54:48,810 --> 00:54:51,438
Kinda neat marking the path.

1061
00:54:51,480 --> 00:54:54,678
Day number 85, right here
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1062
00:54:54,720 --> 00:54:56,568
This is the campsite today.

1063
00:54:56,610 --> 00:54:59,088
It looks like a legitimate campsite.

1064
00:54:59,130 --> 00:55:01,458
Got some laundry
hanging. Got my tent pitched.

1065
00:55:01,500 --> 00:55:03,678
Here's Hopper over here.

1066
00:55:03,720 --> 00:55:06,220
She's camping with me
today. She pitched her tent.

1067
00:55:07,440 --> 00:55:10,458
I've prepared a nice campfire,

1068
00:55:10,500 --> 00:55:14,208
which I was gonna show
you my preferred method

1069
00:55:14,250 --> 00:55:16,458
for building a campfire.

1070
00:55:16,500 --> 00:55:19,128
What I like to do is, first
of all, if there's no ring,

1071
00:55:19,170 --> 00:55:19,961
build a ring.

1072
00:55:20,003 --> 00:55:23,208
If there is one, I get
a flat rock like this.

1073
00:55:23,250 --> 00:55:27,063
Because this is a great tortilla warmer.

1074
00:55:28,170 --> 00:55:29,770
And then I will fill

1075
00:55:30,870 --> 00:55:34,788
the ring with this really dry pine needle.

1076
00:55:34,830 --> 00:55:38,178
This works well in the
Sierra. These are everywhere.

1077
00:55:38,220 --> 00:55:41,006
And then stack dry twigs on top of it.

1078
00:55:41,048 --> 00:55:43,938
And then prep. I prep all the firewood.

1079
00:55:43,980 --> 00:55:45,798
Because there's nothing
worse than running out

1080
00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:47,730
of a good campfire.

1081
00:56:00,840 --> 00:56:03,513
This is the top of Nevada Falls right here.

1082
00:56:04,890 --> 00:56:07,509
And the nick point is almost...

1083
00:56:20,370 --> 00:56:23,388
Day number 100 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1084
00:56:23,430 --> 00:56:27,378
Coming off the trail, we
could see this trail magic van.

1085
00:56:27,420 --> 00:56:29,538
Burgers on the grill.

1086
00:56:29,580 --> 00:56:30,530
Pizza...

1087
00:56:32,010 --> 00:56:32,973
On the grill.

1088
00:56:34,290 --> 00:56:37,368
They've had people donate some stuff.

1089
00:56:37,410 --> 00:56:39,468
They did most of this themselves,

1090
00:56:39,510 --> 00:56:42,153
Alan and Bonnie, out of pocket.

1091
00:56:43,350 --> 00:56:45,768
And there's just massive amounts of food.

1092
00:56:45,810 --> 00:56:47,508
In the morning time,

1093
00:56:47,550 --> 00:56:49,743
they cooked bacon and eggs for everybody.

1094
00:56:50,940 --> 00:56:53,703
And this is completely unexpected.

1095
00:56:54,780 --> 00:56:56,268
Nobody expected somethin' like this.

1096
00:56:56,310 --> 00:57:00,520
Usually trail magic
is a cooler full of water

1097
00:57:01,650 --> 00:57:03,138
in the middle of a dry spell.

1098
00:57:03,180 --> 00:57:07,338
But this is above and
beyond. This is next level.

1099
00:57:07,380 --> 00:57:09,348
And it does exist.

1100
00:57:09,390 --> 00:57:11,590
And I can't believe
it but I finally hit it.

1101
00:57:12,491 --> 00:57:13,818
We even got bandanas.

1102
00:57:13,860 --> 00:57:16,218
I mean, talk about thoughtful.

1103
00:57:16,260 --> 00:57:18,183
Day number 100 has been a good day.

1104
00:57:20,076 --> 00:57:21,738
In fact, what a way to celebrate it.

1105
00:57:21,780 --> 00:57:23,373
Look at this beautiful spot.

1106
00:57:28,020 --> 00:57:30,723
And even the company's not bad on day 100.

1107
00:57:33,030 --> 00:57:34,772
What do you think? Not bad, huh?

1108
00:57:34,814 --> 00:57:35,605
Not bad.

1109
00:57:35,647 --> 00:57:37,908
- Not bad. - Not bad for two dirty guys.

1110
00:57:37,950 --> 00:57:38,783
- That's right.

1111
00:57:39,840 --> 00:57:42,948
And it's just after a full moon so the sky

1112
00:57:42,990 --> 00:57:45,708
should be amazing tonight, nice and bright.

1113
00:57:45,750 --> 00:57:48,393
Moon comes up late so
the stars will be visible.

1114
00:57:49,290 --> 00:57:51,063
Venus and Jupiter in the sky.

1115
00:57:53,730 --> 00:57:54,563
It's the livin'.

1116
00:58:08,025 --> 00:58:10,308
After
skipping 150 miles in northern

1117
00:58:10,350 --> 00:58:14,898
California due to wildfires,
it was off to Oregon.

1118
00:58:14,940 --> 00:58:17,478
Everybody said Oregon
was going to be the easiest

1119
00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:19,218
part of the trail.

1120
00:58:19,260 --> 00:58:20,193
It wasn't.

1121
00:58:21,390 --> 00:58:23,268
But I wasn't concerned.

1122
00:58:23,310 --> 00:58:26,748
In fact, I was super
excited because I'd be hiking

1123
00:58:26,790 --> 00:58:28,878
some of it with some of my best friends

1124
00:58:28,920 --> 00:58:31,588
in the whole world, Jared and Dave.

1125
00:58:32,463 --> 00:58:33,558
- I can't tell if you're
crying or laughing.

1126
00:58:33,600 --> 00:58:35,212
- It hurts, it hurts.
- You're laughing 'cause

1127
00:58:35,254 --> 00:58:36,520
it hurts.

1128
00:58:36,562 --> 00:58:37,479
- It hurts.

1129
00:58:40,080 --> 00:58:41,830
I mean, what else are you gonna do?

1130
00:58:42,727 --> 00:58:45,332
- There we go. - Okay. All right.

1131
00:58:45,374 --> 00:58:46,207
Thank you.

1132
00:58:48,144 --> 00:58:49,008
We've
known each other since

1133
00:58:49,050 --> 00:58:51,648
kindergarten and shared
countless experiences

1134
00:58:51,690 --> 00:58:53,628
and adventures together.

1135
00:58:53,670 --> 00:58:56,958
They're the two most
capable outdoors men I know

1136
00:58:57,000 --> 00:59:00,378
and they were taking a
week off with no plans.

1137
00:59:00,420 --> 00:59:03,438
Jared and I went rock
climbing on Smith Rock,

1138
00:59:03,480 --> 00:59:06,228
went standup paddling
and swam in the icy waters

1139
00:59:06,270 --> 00:59:07,848
of the Blue Pool.

1140
00:59:07,890 --> 00:59:11,118
When Dave met us, we had no concrete plans.

1141
00:59:11,160 --> 00:59:13,428
We ended up summiting the South Sister,

1142
00:59:13,470 --> 00:59:15,708
summiting Mount Washington and logging

1143
00:59:15,750 --> 00:59:18,018
more miles on the PCT.

1144
00:59:18,060 --> 00:59:21,018
The Sister's wilderness
area proved to be a fantastic

1145
00:59:21,060 --> 00:59:23,628
portion of the trail and
I couldn't have picked

1146
00:59:23,670 --> 00:59:26,949
two more fantastic people to share it with.

1147
00:59:32,016 --> 00:59:35,349
- Look at Dave, buried up to his ankles.

1148
00:59:46,590 --> 00:59:50,313
I'm saying goodbye to the
Sisters in Mount Washington.

1149
00:59:53,190 --> 00:59:54,948
And here's probably the best view

1150
00:59:54,990 --> 00:59:58,563
of Black Butte we've
had so far on the trip.

1151
01:00:00,120 --> 01:00:03,318
And then down below is what I believe

1152
01:00:03,360 --> 01:00:07,308
is still part of that
huge 2003 forest fire.

1153
01:00:07,350 --> 01:00:10,233
I think it was called the B&B Complex fire.

1154
01:00:12,090 --> 01:00:14,748
Takes the forest a long time to recover

1155
01:00:14,790 --> 01:00:18,063
after a blaze of that magnitude.

1156
01:00:20,921 --> 01:00:24,558
This is just on a south exposed ridge

1157
01:00:24,600 --> 01:00:28,578
and hopefully, in the next couple miles,

1158
01:00:28,620 --> 01:00:30,978
I'll come around this ridge

1159
01:00:31,020 --> 01:00:33,588
and come face to face

1160
01:00:33,630 --> 01:00:37,687
with Three Finger Jack
here at day number 137,

1161
01:00:40,350 --> 01:00:42,843
back on the Pacific Crest Trail in Oregon.

1162
01:00:44,910 --> 01:00:45,743
Good morning.

1163
01:00:46,620 --> 01:00:48,843
Day number 139.

1164
01:00:49,830 --> 01:00:52,173
Out here in the Mount Jefferson wilderness.

1165
01:00:54,930 --> 01:00:57,483
Let's take a look at this amazing campsite.

1166
01:00:59,100 --> 01:01:00,513
What a great view.

1167
01:01:01,590 --> 01:01:02,793
Mount Jefferson.

1168
01:01:04,590 --> 01:01:07,473
There she is and this
feels like home to me.

1169
01:01:09,570 --> 01:01:12,093
It's green, it's gorgeous.

1170
01:01:14,070 --> 01:01:16,023
There's fir trees everywhere.

1171
01:01:17,400 --> 01:01:21,903
A looming cascade volcano in the distance.

1172
01:01:24,390 --> 01:01:26,778
It feels like home and I know that there's

1173
01:01:26,820 --> 01:01:28,773
many more of these that await.

1174
01:01:30,780 --> 01:01:32,148
There's still Mount Hood in Oregon

1175
01:01:32,190 --> 01:01:34,353
and there's a lot more in Washington State.

1176
01:01:37,380 --> 01:01:39,513
We will continue north today.

1177
01:01:41,340 --> 01:01:43,698
But right now it's time to just chill out

1178
01:01:43,740 --> 01:01:47,088
and drink coffee and
take in this spectacular

1179
01:01:47,130 --> 01:01:51,168
view of the north side of Mount Jefferson,

1180
01:01:51,210 --> 01:01:55,488
here at day number 139

1181
01:01:55,530 --> 01:01:57,267
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1182
01:02:03,014 --> 01:02:03,805
Here we go.

1183
01:02:03,847 --> 01:02:05,180
Yahoo!

1184
01:02:06,149 --> 01:02:07,659
That was a pretty good drop.

1185
01:02:07,701 --> 01:02:08,951
Ooh.

1186
01:02:27,347 --> 01:02:28,818
Well, we have a really nice...

1187
01:02:28,860 --> 01:02:29,913
Wait a minute.

1188
01:02:31,020 --> 01:02:34,128
You know what, I hate it
when they build stuff that's

1189
01:02:34,170 --> 01:02:35,418
halfway done.

1190
01:02:35,460 --> 01:02:37,938
It could be a really nice cairn.

1191
01:02:37,980 --> 01:02:39,030
Yeah, let's fix this.

1192
01:02:47,220 --> 01:02:50,058
There we go.

1193
01:02:50,100 --> 01:02:52,098
So much better.

1194
01:02:52,140 --> 01:02:55,638
Now we have a really nice complete cairn

1195
01:02:55,680 --> 01:02:57,028
marking the top of the path here.

1196
01:02:57,070 --> 01:03:01,263
We're 143 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1197
01:03:02,700 --> 01:03:04,848
Couple things noteworthy here in Oregon.

1198
01:03:04,890 --> 01:03:07,128
Number one, I had to get
some water from this spot,

1199
01:03:07,170 --> 01:03:10,368
which is kind of a difficult
spot to get water from.

1200
01:03:10,410 --> 01:03:12,258
I mean, it's very damp.

1201
01:03:12,300 --> 01:03:14,148
But no clear, easy way to get water.

1202
01:03:14,190 --> 01:03:17,058
So I made a little...

1203
01:03:17,100 --> 01:03:18,800
I don't know what you'd call that.

1204
01:03:20,027 --> 01:03:23,118
But I put it on like roof shingles.

1205
01:03:23,160 --> 01:03:24,588
So the water kinda collects and just

1206
01:03:24,630 --> 01:03:27,798
follows the leaves down and look at that.

1207
01:03:27,840 --> 01:03:28,673
A...

1208
01:03:29,970 --> 01:03:33,183
Full bottle of cool, clear spring water.

1209
01:03:35,670 --> 01:03:37,728
This is the Pacific Northwest.

1210
01:03:37,770 --> 01:03:40,541
And for those of you that don't know,

1211
01:03:40,583 --> 01:03:42,708
this is the land of plenty.

1212
01:03:42,750 --> 01:03:44,958
Plenty of water everywhere.

1213
01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:47,118
Plenty of food everywhere, too.

1214
01:03:47,160 --> 01:03:48,740
It is worth mentioning...

1215
01:03:49,800 --> 01:03:53,598
That there are tons and tons...

1216
01:03:53,640 --> 01:03:55,728
Of berries in this area.

1217
01:03:55,770 --> 01:03:58,338
Not surprising since
this is the land of berries.

1218
01:03:58,380 --> 01:04:00,280
This is kind of the end of the summer.

1219
01:04:01,230 --> 01:04:04,008
And boy, the berries are
out and they will continue

1220
01:04:04,050 --> 01:04:08,538
to be out and at altitude
all the way into Washington.

1221
01:04:08,580 --> 01:04:12,378
And it's a good time to see
some bears, too, because

1222
01:04:12,420 --> 01:04:15,168
we're not the only things
that love these blueberries.

1223
01:04:15,210 --> 01:04:17,568
I've seen bears plowing
through some of these

1224
01:04:17,610 --> 01:04:18,678
blueberry bushes.

1225
01:04:18,720 --> 01:04:21,738
This is the first real
good look of Mount Hood

1226
01:04:21,780 --> 01:04:23,193
that I've had so far.

1227
01:04:24,150 --> 01:04:25,953
Thar she blows.

1228
01:04:27,390 --> 01:04:29,823
It's been obscured by smoke.

1229
01:04:30,780 --> 01:04:34,818
And back by Mount Jefferson
where I should've seen it.

1230
01:04:34,860 --> 01:04:36,738
And then the rest of the
time it's just been hiking

1231
01:04:36,780 --> 01:04:39,408
in trees, so even if it was visible,

1232
01:04:39,450 --> 01:04:42,064
couldn't see the forest from the trees.

1233
01:05:03,030 --> 01:05:06,768
And I'm walking into the
town of Cascade Locks.

1234
01:05:06,810 --> 01:05:08,868
This is the town, it's small.

1235
01:05:08,910 --> 01:05:11,868
Meeting some friends
here for a cold beverage

1236
01:05:11,910 --> 01:05:15,258
and that body of water out
there is the Columbia River

1237
01:05:15,300 --> 01:05:17,628
and beyond that is the Evergreen State,

1238
01:05:17,670 --> 01:05:21,093
my home state of Washington
and it is good to be home.

1239
01:05:21,990 --> 01:05:23,058
Last stretch of the trail.

1240
01:05:23,100 --> 01:05:25,893
Just a few miles outside
of the Bridge of the Gods.

1241
01:05:26,850 --> 01:05:29,973
I had to say goodbye
to Jennifer and Kristen.

1242
01:05:31,350 --> 01:05:34,428
They turned around and
are headed back home.

1243
01:05:34,470 --> 01:05:38,448
It was really nice of them
to come out and see me off.

1244
01:05:38,490 --> 01:05:40,878
Really nice to have some good old

1245
01:05:40,920 --> 01:05:42,933
hometown friends join me on the trail.

1246
01:05:44,670 --> 01:05:46,670
This is the trail now. This is the deal.

1247
01:05:48,780 --> 01:05:51,618
The Bridge of the Gods is the lowest point

1248
01:05:51,660 --> 01:05:53,523
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1249
01:05:54,480 --> 01:05:58,850
And of course, it's the Pacific
Crest Trail, which means...

1250
01:05:59,790 --> 01:06:02,390
I have to get back up to
the crest of the mountains.

1251
01:06:03,510 --> 01:06:04,360
The next

1252
01:06:05,430 --> 01:06:07,218
section is all uphill

1253
01:06:07,260 --> 01:06:08,868
to gain altitude.

1254
01:06:08,910 --> 01:06:10,683
To get back into the Cascades.

1255
01:06:11,520 --> 01:06:15,348
It's gentle but at altitude, nonetheless.

1256
01:06:15,390 --> 01:06:16,223
And

1257
01:06:17,160 --> 01:06:20,988
It seems that fall has arrived in one day.

1258
01:06:21,030 --> 01:06:23,988
It's really nice. Cool air out here.

1259
01:06:24,030 --> 01:06:25,293
Cloudy skies.

1260
01:06:26,130 --> 01:06:29,088
And the leaves, I mean, it's
kinda true in the northwest,

1261
01:06:29,130 --> 01:06:32,238
fall comes in a hurry, comes quickly.

1262
01:06:32,280 --> 01:06:35,298
And it's here. There's
a bite in the air at night.

1263
01:06:35,340 --> 01:06:40,340
And I'm enjoying it.
So I'll just trek on here.

1264
01:06:40,650 --> 01:06:43,218
Here in the final state, Washington State.

1265
01:06:43,260 --> 01:06:46,188
First section of the
final state, Section A,

1266
01:06:46,230 --> 01:06:49,458
day 159,

1267
01:06:49,500 --> 01:06:50,860
here in the Green Tunnel

1268
01:06:52,410 --> 01:06:53,920
where fall has just arrived

1269
01:06:54,904 --> 01:06:56,254
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1270
01:06:57,750 --> 01:07:00,843
Day 161.

1271
01:07:01,710 --> 01:07:03,723
Pacific Crest Trail, Washington State.

1272
01:07:04,740 --> 01:07:08,118
And this is my campsite last night.

1273
01:07:08,160 --> 01:07:13,160
Nice little spot nestled into
the mossy green area here.

1274
01:07:14,130 --> 01:07:18,393
This mossy green area
is called, Trout Creek.

1275
01:07:19,560 --> 01:07:23,928
Pretty nice concrete bridge
spanning the creek itself.

1276
01:07:23,970 --> 01:07:26,628
Man, it's nice out here. Beautiful day.

1277
01:07:26,670 --> 01:07:29,028
No smoke, zero smoke.

1278
01:07:29,070 --> 01:07:31,188
Skies are a little bit
cloudy but it's nice.

1279
01:07:31,230 --> 01:07:34,758
The air is just crisp. Little bite of fall.

1280
01:07:34,800 --> 01:07:37,008
Can actually feel the oxygen from all

1281
01:07:37,050 --> 01:07:39,558
the green foliage everywhere.

1282
01:07:39,600 --> 01:07:41,658
And it is good to be here

1283
01:07:41,700 --> 01:07:44,238
in the very lush, very green,

1284
01:07:44,280 --> 01:07:47,358
very Pacific Northwest
section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

1285
01:07:47,400 --> 01:07:48,888
Look at this.

1286
01:07:48,930 --> 01:07:49,968
This is pretty typical.

1287
01:07:50,010 --> 01:07:53,118
This is what it's looked like
pretty much the whole hike.

1288
01:07:53,160 --> 01:07:55,353
Tons and tons of thick moss.

1289
01:07:56,220 --> 01:07:58,188
Right now we're only at 1,400 feet,

1290
01:07:58,230 --> 01:08:00,078
so once we get a little higher, of course,

1291
01:08:00,120 --> 01:08:02,428
this is gonna look drastically different.

1292
01:08:02,470 --> 01:08:03,383
- Thank you very much.

1293
01:08:03,425 --> 01:08:04,398
- Thank you. - Thank you.

1294
01:08:04,440 --> 01:08:05,988
Thanks for all
of your work on the trail.

1295
01:08:06,030 --> 01:08:07,038
- You're very welcome.

1296
01:08:07,080 --> 01:08:09,235
Appreciate it.

1297
01:08:09,277 --> 01:08:10,110
Yeah.

1298
01:08:11,919 --> 01:08:13,835
- It's a happy horse life. - Yes, it is.

1299
01:08:16,418 --> 01:08:19,548
This is day number 164, that is a PCT

1300
01:08:19,590 --> 01:08:22,638
Association Volunteer Crew.

1301
01:08:22,680 --> 01:08:24,378
And they were just setting up the base camp

1302
01:08:24,420 --> 01:08:25,818
with all those pack animals.

1303
01:08:25,860 --> 01:08:28,728
So they go in, they
bring all the heavy stuff,

1304
01:08:28,770 --> 01:08:30,738
they set up the base camp,

1305
01:08:30,780 --> 01:08:32,973
and then the workers roll in after them,

1306
01:08:33,810 --> 01:08:36,108
and they will stay for weeks at a time

1307
01:08:36,150 --> 01:08:38,178
doing volunteer work on the trail.

1308
01:08:38,220 --> 01:08:41,298
That's how the trail gets
to look so nice like this.

1309
01:08:41,340 --> 01:08:44,808
All these people
putting all those hours in,

1310
01:08:44,850 --> 01:08:48,588
basically, by hand with a Pulaski tool

1311
01:08:48,630 --> 01:08:51,843
and a shovel and a pick,
sometimes a chainsaw.

1312
01:08:53,340 --> 01:08:55,398
It's amazing to think
that there's 2,600 miles

1313
01:08:55,440 --> 01:08:59,538
of hand carved trail but
it has to be maintained.

1314
01:08:59,580 --> 01:09:02,733
So thank you to all the
workers who do that.

1315
01:09:04,170 --> 01:09:06,558
Ted and I have found
a beautiful vista here.

1316
01:09:06,600 --> 01:09:10,158
Behind us, we have the
north face of Mount Adams

1317
01:09:10,200 --> 01:09:14,988
with what we think is the
Adams Glacier right there.

1318
01:09:15,030 --> 01:09:17,508
All that big ice fall coming off of it.

1319
01:09:17,550 --> 01:09:21,348
And this is the first real
glimpse of Mount Rainier.

1320
01:09:21,390 --> 01:09:23,883
Straight ahead, floating in the sky.

1321
01:09:25,770 --> 01:09:27,888
And then we were noticing this, too.

1322
01:09:27,930 --> 01:09:31,638
All that yellow stuff,
we think that is sulfur

1323
01:09:31,680 --> 01:09:32,471
on the top of the mountain.

1324
01:09:32,513 --> 01:09:36,258
There is a sulfur mine on
the very tippy top of this thing.

1325
01:09:36,300 --> 01:09:40,792
And they used to trek up
mules and camels, not camels.

1326
01:09:44,005 --> 01:09:46,008
- Maybe. Maybe camels.
- Maybe camels. Who knows?

1327
01:09:46,050 --> 01:09:47,800
- We weren't there. - Yeah, mules.

1328
01:09:48,780 --> 01:09:50,118
Donkeys. - Giraffes.

1329
01:09:50,160 --> 01:09:51,558
- Yeah. - It could be.

1330
01:09:51,600 --> 01:09:53,808
- There were giraffes goin' up that thing.

1331
01:09:53,850 --> 01:09:55,818
I mean, who knows? Wildebeests.

1332
01:09:55,860 --> 01:09:57,495
All kinds of animals were goin' up there

1333
01:09:57,537 --> 01:10:00,888
and haulin' out all that
yellow sulfur from the top.

1334
01:10:00,930 --> 01:10:02,388
That's a fact.

1335
01:10:02,430 --> 01:10:04,968
You heard it here first, people.

1336
01:10:05,010 --> 01:10:09,198
Day 164, Pacific Crest
Trail, Washington State.

1337
01:10:09,240 --> 01:10:12,288
Day number 165 in Washington State,

1338
01:10:12,330 --> 01:10:14,043
hiking along with Miyagi.

1339
01:10:15,480 --> 01:10:16,938
What was the phrase?

1340
01:10:16,980 --> 01:10:18,258
What was the phrase you just said?

1341
01:10:18,300 --> 01:10:19,091
- Are you kidding?

1342
01:10:19,133 --> 01:10:20,538
Are you
kidding? We both said it.

1343
01:10:20,580 --> 01:10:21,988
Look at this. - Are you kidding?

1344
01:10:22,030 --> 01:10:23,775
Are you kidding?

1345
01:10:23,817 --> 01:10:26,568
Mount Adams right in front of us.

1346
01:10:26,610 --> 01:10:30,408
This is the first real glimpse
we've had, that we're looking

1347
01:10:30,450 --> 01:10:32,808
towards the west.

1348
01:10:32,850 --> 01:10:35,088
Looking at the eastern
side of the mountain.

1349
01:10:35,130 --> 01:10:37,698
Hiking up this awesome section of trail,

1350
01:10:37,740 --> 01:10:39,963
towards the Goat Rocks wilderness area.

1351
01:10:41,430 --> 01:10:43,998
Which we've caught glimpses of but this,

1352
01:10:44,040 --> 01:10:46,938
I think, is gonna be the first official

1353
01:10:46,980 --> 01:10:49,098
real good look of the
Goat Rocks that we've had.

1354
01:10:49,140 --> 01:10:52,068
We've only had glimpses through the trees,

1355
01:10:52,110 --> 01:10:54,978
obscured here and there,

1356
01:10:55,020 --> 01:10:57,798
just enough to tease us of what lies ahead.

1357
01:10:57,840 --> 01:11:00,453
So here we're coming into Goat Rocks.

1358
01:11:03,120 --> 01:11:04,488
It is...

1359
01:11:04,530 --> 01:11:05,363
Stunning.

1360
01:11:08,010 --> 01:11:09,723
Mr. Miyagi's already up here.

1361
01:11:12,540 --> 01:11:13,968
Wow, look at this.

1362
01:11:14,010 --> 01:11:15,880
The camera's not gonna do it justice.

1363
01:13:09,930 --> 01:13:11,928
Day number 170 on the Pacific Crest Trail

1364
01:13:11,970 --> 01:13:14,073
in Washington State in Mount Rainier Park.

1365
01:13:16,740 --> 01:13:17,925
Yeah, I just started my morning hike

1366
01:13:17,967 --> 01:13:20,193
and look at this spectacular view.

1367
01:13:21,120 --> 01:13:21,953
Huh?

1368
01:13:25,050 --> 01:13:25,883
Actually...

1369
01:13:27,240 --> 01:13:31,188
This northwest weather is a welcome sight.

1370
01:13:31,230 --> 01:13:32,778
I love it.

1371
01:13:32,820 --> 01:13:36,408
Maybe because it's been so
many days of sunshine in a row.

1372
01:13:36,450 --> 01:13:38,448
It's nice to have a little
bit cooler temperature,

1373
01:13:38,490 --> 01:13:41,643
little bit mist, a little
bit of precipitation.

1374
01:13:42,600 --> 01:13:46,428
But it feels like the
northwest, it feels like home.

1375
01:13:46,470 --> 01:13:50,268
And now entering the
gloomy forest on top of it.

1376
01:13:50,310 --> 01:13:51,293
This is great.

1377
01:13:53,550 --> 01:13:55,728
I suspect most of the
day is gonna be like this.

1378
01:13:55,770 --> 01:13:59,328
Hiking in the fog, hiking in
the mist, occasional showers,

1379
01:13:59,370 --> 01:14:01,578
probably all the way to Snoqualmie Pass.

1380
01:14:01,620 --> 01:14:04,758
I'm afraid I'm not gonna
get any hiking done today.

1381
01:14:04,800 --> 01:14:08,208
I mean, if my teeth are
blue, that's the reason why.

1382
01:14:08,250 --> 01:14:11,568
It's because I have stumbled into a patch

1383
01:14:11,610 --> 01:14:15,678
of wonderful blueberries
and, I mean, patch,

1384
01:14:15,720 --> 01:14:17,358
that's probably the wrong word.

1385
01:14:17,400 --> 01:14:20,523
It's an entire hillside, because
look at all these berries.

1386
01:14:21,750 --> 01:14:22,583
You see 'em?

1387
01:14:24,180 --> 01:14:26,478
It's a whole hillside, so
all of these red leaves

1388
01:14:26,520 --> 01:14:29,028
everywhere, these are all blueberries.

1389
01:14:29,070 --> 01:14:31,739
Or I guess some people
call 'em bumper berries.

1390
01:14:31,781 --> 01:14:33,212
I don't know what they are.

1391
01:14:33,254 --> 01:14:38,254
I do know that they are delicious.

1392
01:14:38,310 --> 01:14:41,118
And I've been stuck here
for probably 30 minutes,

1393
01:14:41,160 --> 01:14:42,738
just eating berries.

1394
01:14:42,780 --> 01:14:44,328
September 8th.

1395
01:14:44,370 --> 01:14:48,468
There's nothing like a Pacific
Northwest forest in the fall.

1396
01:14:48,510 --> 01:14:53,208
It is eerie and spooky but it
holds a strange fascination.

1397
01:14:53,250 --> 01:14:56,538
I'm drawn to it. Maybe
because it's terrifying.

1398
01:14:56,580 --> 01:14:59,148
Maybe because it's where I grew up.

1399
01:14:59,190 --> 01:15:01,248
I camped in the thick of it last night

1400
01:15:01,290 --> 01:15:03,768
and watched an episode of "The X-Files."

1401
01:15:03,810 --> 01:15:04,601
I love it.

1402
01:15:04,643 --> 01:15:07,278
Today was cool and clear
with an occasional view

1403
01:15:07,320 --> 01:15:10,758
of the J Section and
the peaks that lie ahead.

1404
01:15:10,800 --> 01:15:12,948
It is nice to scan the jagged horizon

1405
01:15:12,990 --> 01:15:15,858
and see the profile of familiar mountains.

1406
01:15:15,900 --> 01:15:18,288
Tonight, I'm camped on
an abandoned logging road

1407
01:15:18,330 --> 01:15:21,048
with the goal of Snoqualmie Pass tomorrow.

1408
01:15:21,090 --> 01:15:23,778
An elk just bugled in the distance.

1409
01:15:23,820 --> 01:15:25,323
I'm excited for nightfall.

1410
01:15:27,180 --> 01:15:30,783
- So today's goal is to try
to get to Snoqualmie Pass.

1411
01:15:32,100 --> 01:15:35,718
Each day that passes by
feels more and more like fall.

1412
01:15:35,760 --> 01:15:40,248
So there's not much
time left in this journey.

1413
01:15:40,290 --> 01:15:42,723
I wanna milk it for everything it's worth.

1414
01:15:45,600 --> 01:15:48,250
I'm gonna be hiking with my friend, Carl

1415
01:15:49,230 --> 01:15:50,238
through the J Section in Snoqualmie.

1416
01:15:50,280 --> 01:15:54,438
From Snoqualmie to Stevens
with a possible side trip

1417
01:15:54,480 --> 01:15:56,163
summit to Mount Daniel.

1418
01:15:57,960 --> 01:15:59,160
We'll see how that goes.

1419
01:16:00,180 --> 01:16:02,088
But as for right now, I am really enjoying

1420
01:16:02,130 --> 01:16:04,773
the morning walk through the very damp,

1421
01:16:05,670 --> 01:16:09,378
lush, thick Pacific Northwest

1422
01:16:09,420 --> 01:16:12,918
forest in the mist, on the trail.

1423
01:16:12,960 --> 01:16:16,098
Day number 171 in Washington State

1424
01:16:16,140 --> 01:16:17,583
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1425
01:16:19,170 --> 01:16:22,818
Day number 173 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1426
01:16:22,860 --> 01:16:24,708
In the J Section of Washington State.

1427
01:16:24,750 --> 01:16:27,543
Started at Snoqualmie
Pass. Hiking here with Carl.

1428
01:16:29,640 --> 01:16:31,728
You'll hear a lot of talk
about this on the trail.

1429
01:16:31,770 --> 01:16:34,188
This is a very unique section of the trail.

1430
01:16:34,230 --> 01:16:37,728
It is the longest, continuously
dynamited section

1431
01:16:37,770 --> 01:16:41,238
on the PCT.

1432
01:16:41,280 --> 01:16:43,338
So all this rock has been blasted.

1433
01:16:43,380 --> 01:16:45,558
Obviously, the trail,
this was just a rock face.

1434
01:16:45,600 --> 01:16:47,868
You can kinda see how it comes down.

1435
01:16:47,910 --> 01:16:49,143
Everything was blasted.

1436
01:16:52,740 --> 01:16:55,818
Actually, we just heard
news that somebody perished

1437
01:16:55,860 --> 01:16:58,278
on this section last week.

1438
01:16:58,320 --> 01:16:59,973
Somebody fell off.

1439
01:17:00,840 --> 01:17:02,058
I don't know how or why.

1440
01:17:02,100 --> 01:17:05,118
Probably taking a selfie
and stepping backwards.

1441
01:17:05,160 --> 01:17:07,698
But it is a long ways down.

1442
01:17:07,740 --> 01:17:10,197
It's got a little bit of
exposure. Let's take a look.

1443
01:17:10,239 --> 01:17:12,028
Do you want me to
hold the camera over for you?

1444
01:17:12,070 --> 01:17:13,823
- You wanna do it? Okay.

1445
01:17:13,865 --> 01:17:14,868
I don't like to get close to the edge

1446
01:17:14,910 --> 01:17:16,743
but Carl's a mountain goat. Ah!

1447
01:17:17,850 --> 01:17:19,338
Good morning.

1448
01:17:19,380 --> 01:17:21,018
Day 176.

1449
01:17:21,060 --> 01:17:23,658
We've got ourself a
morning person over here.

1450
01:17:23,700 --> 01:17:24,600
Let's go!

1451
01:17:26,220 --> 01:17:27,053
- Oh, man.

1452
01:17:28,770 --> 01:17:30,798
Yeah, it's snowin'.

1453
01:17:30,840 --> 01:17:32,660
Can you see it? We're at...

1454
01:17:33,507 --> 01:17:34,938
Let me look.

1455
01:17:34,980 --> 01:17:36,858
Almost 7,800 feet right now.

1456
01:17:36,900 --> 01:17:39,093
And it is definitely snowin' up here.

1457
01:17:39,990 --> 01:17:44,058
You can see Cathedral Rock right there.

1458
01:17:44,100 --> 01:17:45,753
Peggy's Pond down below it.

1459
01:17:47,670 --> 01:17:50,913
And our route was kinda up this way.

1460
01:17:52,440 --> 01:17:55,368
And then we basically traversed this ridge

1461
01:17:55,410 --> 01:17:58,158
up to here and then cut all the way down

1462
01:17:58,200 --> 01:18:00,618
below the snow on the rock.

1463
01:18:00,660 --> 01:18:03,798
And now we've just
been climbing straight up.

1464
01:18:03,840 --> 01:18:06,003
So straight up, up we go.

1465
01:18:35,760 --> 01:18:38,928
So this is a big night hike for the last,

1466
01:18:38,970 --> 01:18:40,428
probably four or five miles.

1467
01:18:40,470 --> 01:18:43,878
It's a headlamp hike all the
way to Steven's Pass, right?

1468
01:18:43,920 --> 01:18:45,873
- Yeah. - I think that is true.

1469
01:18:46,980 --> 01:18:48,348
That's the aim.

1470
01:18:48,390 --> 01:18:49,578
- That is the aim.

1471
01:18:49,620 --> 01:18:52,308
We're going above and
beyond the call of duty here.

1472
01:18:52,350 --> 01:18:55,368
24 miles, last four by
headlamp in Washington State.

1473
01:18:55,410 --> 01:18:59,928
177 days in on the Pacific
Crest Trail, Section J.

1474
01:18:59,970 --> 01:19:01,826
The last day on Section J.

1475
01:19:01,868 --> 01:19:03,543
- Oh, yeah, last day of J.

1476
01:19:04,680 --> 01:19:07,788
All right, it's day 184

1477
01:19:07,830 --> 01:19:09,318
on the PCT.

1478
01:19:09,360 --> 01:19:13,518
Time to seize the moment
while the moment is at hand.

1479
01:19:13,560 --> 01:19:17,388
And that moment being
the first real good look

1480
01:19:17,430 --> 01:19:18,693
at Glacier Peak.

1481
01:19:19,740 --> 01:19:22,578
There it is in the remnants of a lenticular

1482
01:19:22,620 --> 01:19:23,800
cloud, hovering

1483
01:19:24,780 --> 01:19:28,638
over the top, getting
stretched out by the wind.

1484
01:19:28,680 --> 01:19:30,918
This one up here is called Indian Head.

1485
01:19:30,960 --> 01:19:33,228
And then of course, moving over we have

1486
01:19:33,270 --> 01:19:35,658
the spiky one here is Clark,

1487
01:19:35,700 --> 01:19:37,698
and then this one is Saul.

1488
01:19:37,740 --> 01:19:39,198
Here, let's have one last look around

1489
01:19:39,240 --> 01:19:43,523
this awesome vista here.

1490
01:19:52,350 --> 01:19:54,753
Day 185 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1491
01:19:56,970 --> 01:19:59,508
Who says there's no
jungles in the northwest?

1492
01:19:59,550 --> 01:20:00,708
Look around.

1493
01:20:00,750 --> 01:20:03,018
There's all kinds of different
fir trees and hemlock trees

1494
01:20:03,060 --> 01:20:06,438
and moss and mushrooms
and all kinds of stuff in here.

1495
01:20:06,480 --> 01:20:08,058
But it is just...

1496
01:20:08,100 --> 01:20:10,773
There's every color of green
you can imagine in here.

1497
01:20:11,730 --> 01:20:14,928
Kinda neat, there's beauty in pretty much

1498
01:20:14,970 --> 01:20:18,198
every part of this trail
and this is no exception

1499
01:20:18,240 --> 01:20:22,128
here at day number 185
on the Pacific Crest Trail,

1500
01:20:22,170 --> 01:20:24,348
Section K in Washington State.

1501
01:20:24,390 --> 01:20:29,099
Day number 185 on the Pacific Crest River.

1502
01:20:29,974 --> 01:20:33,423
This is a muddy mess. Let's take a look.

1503
01:20:36,870 --> 01:20:40,728
This is what the trail
looks like all the way,

1504
01:20:40,770 --> 01:20:42,273
this entire thing.

1505
01:20:45,120 --> 01:20:47,013
I'm just gonna keep trekkin' in this.

1506
01:20:48,660 --> 01:20:52,863
Part of me just wants to
just stay warm by moving.

1507
01:20:53,910 --> 01:20:56,388
And if I'm talkin' loud, I'm
trying to keep my spirits up

1508
01:20:56,430 --> 01:20:59,658
by listening to music, I
got music crankin' right now.

1509
01:20:59,700 --> 01:21:04,700
So I'm gonna, hopefully,
just crank that until...

1510
01:21:05,520 --> 01:21:08,598
Well hopefully 'til the morning,
if I can make it that long.

1511
01:21:08,640 --> 01:21:11,808
So anyway, that's what's goin' on here.

1512
01:21:11,850 --> 01:21:13,503
It's wild waves out here.

1513
01:21:15,330 --> 01:21:17,373
Pacific Crest, oh!

1514
01:21:18,960 --> 01:21:21,743
Trail.

1515
01:21:22,860 --> 01:21:25,120
Day number 185

1516
01:21:26,141 --> 01:21:27,603
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1517
01:21:29,190 --> 01:21:30,303
Wow, what a day.

1518
01:21:31,560 --> 01:21:33,348
I threw in the towel.

1519
01:21:33,390 --> 01:21:36,123
I hiked for 16 hours straight today.

1520
01:21:37,200 --> 01:21:38,868
The rain never ceased.

1521
01:21:38,910 --> 01:21:41,553
It did stop once when it turned into snow.

1522
01:21:43,650 --> 01:21:48,183
But in 16 hours I only
went a little over 24 miles.

1523
01:21:49,655 --> 01:21:51,708
The trail is thrashed.

1524
01:21:51,750 --> 01:21:54,648
Blow-downs, washouts,

1525
01:21:54,690 --> 01:21:56,028
mud,

1526
01:21:56,070 --> 01:21:57,483
swollen creeks.

1527
01:22:00,180 --> 01:22:03,123
The K Section is in rough shape right now.

1528
01:22:06,277 --> 01:22:07,960
I pitched my tent in a hurry

1529
01:22:09,120 --> 01:22:11,520
in the middle of the
woods, kind of in a puddle.

1530
01:22:12,900 --> 01:22:15,528
In an effort to try to get a little bit dry

1531
01:22:15,570 --> 01:22:17,043
and try to get some sleep.

1532
01:22:22,639 --> 01:22:24,991
It was a valiant effort.
That's as far as I got.

1533
01:22:25,033 --> 01:22:28,323
I didn't feel comfortable continuing on.

1534
01:22:33,041 --> 01:22:35,988
At night, crossing streams and I definitely

1535
01:22:36,030 --> 01:22:39,648
didn't wanna hike up to
elevation again tonight.

1536
01:22:39,690 --> 01:22:43,743
All the snow up there
so this is where we're at.

1537
01:22:45,120 --> 01:22:46,070
Anyway...

1538
01:22:46,950 --> 01:22:50,628
Something tells me, despite
the fact that I'm soaking wet,

1539
01:22:50,670 --> 01:22:52,668
probably gonna have a
pretty good rest tonight

1540
01:22:52,710 --> 01:22:55,053
here at day number 185.

1541
01:22:55,980 --> 01:22:58,510
Washington State, K Section

1542
01:22:59,370 --> 01:23:01,083
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1543
01:23:13,110 --> 01:23:15,710
Anyway, let's hope that
today's a little bit better.

1544
01:23:16,980 --> 01:23:19,638
Yeah, yesterday was seriously
one of the toughest days

1545
01:23:19,680 --> 01:23:21,093
I've had on this whole trip.

1546
01:23:21,930 --> 01:23:23,733
So it's a new day today.

1547
01:23:24,570 --> 01:23:28,848
Let's see what it brings
here at day number 186.

1548
01:23:28,890 --> 01:23:31,923
This is the North Cascades,
ladies and gentlemen.

1549
01:23:33,150 --> 01:23:35,388
In all of its glory and it doesn't get

1550
01:23:35,430 --> 01:23:36,633
much better than this.

1551
01:23:37,740 --> 01:23:40,503
Truly one of the most
spectacular views on the trail.

1552
01:23:43,740 --> 01:23:46,188
Where are we at? Is this Cloudy Pass?

1553
01:23:46,230 --> 01:23:47,021
Yeah, I think so.

1554
01:23:47,063 --> 01:23:48,378
- Yeah, I think we're right in the saddle

1555
01:23:48,420 --> 01:23:50,658
of Cloudy Pass right now.

1556
01:23:50,700 --> 01:23:52,818
On day 187,

1557
01:23:52,860 --> 01:23:55,923
Section K in Washington State.

1558
01:23:57,050 --> 01:23:59,373
Day number 189.

1559
01:24:00,210 --> 01:24:03,558
Just off the PCT, on a bridge.

1560
01:24:03,600 --> 01:24:05,958
A bridge that goes over a creek.

1561
01:24:06,000 --> 01:24:08,793
A creek that is called, Bridge Creek.

1562
01:24:12,720 --> 01:24:13,553
Here it is.

1563
01:24:24,301 --> 01:24:27,018
The water is crystal clear.

1564
01:24:27,060 --> 01:24:28,608
I'm not sure exactly where it comes from.

1565
01:24:28,650 --> 01:24:31,638
It could come from the
backside of Mount McGregor

1566
01:24:31,680 --> 01:24:33,968
where we just were,
there's a glacier up there.

1567
01:24:34,010 --> 01:24:36,798
So this might all be
glacial runoff from that.

1568
01:24:36,840 --> 01:24:38,340
Take a look at the other side.

1569
01:24:42,990 --> 01:24:47,703
Huge rock, granite island
and a nice little water slide,

1570
01:24:48,660 --> 01:24:50,673
slash swimming hole right in there.

1571
01:24:52,560 --> 01:24:55,510
Kind of a neat little spot.
Look at how clear the water is.

1572
01:24:57,150 --> 01:24:59,988
Section L in Washington State.

1573
01:25:00,030 --> 01:25:03,258
And this section of the trail is...

1574
01:25:03,300 --> 01:25:06,422
It is ridiculously beautiful out here.

1575
01:25:07,297 --> 01:25:09,948
I mean, this has gotta
be one of the prettiest

1576
01:25:09,990 --> 01:25:12,318
spots on the whole trail.

1577
01:25:12,360 --> 01:25:16,068
I probably said that a lot
about a lot of spots but this is.

1578
01:25:16,110 --> 01:25:20,328
Cutthroat Pass is right
here. It's the low spot.

1579
01:25:20,370 --> 01:25:22,038
Everything is wide open.

1580
01:25:22,080 --> 01:25:24,678
I mean, we've got this beautiful day also.

1581
01:25:24,720 --> 01:25:28,728
And the mountains all
around this area are all granite.

1582
01:25:28,770 --> 01:25:30,318
Very reminiscent of the mountains

1583
01:25:30,360 --> 01:25:33,318
down in central California, all granite.

1584
01:25:33,360 --> 01:25:35,463
And here we are comin' around the corner.

1585
01:25:36,810 --> 01:25:39,348
Of course, that's Silver
Star Mountain right there.

1586
01:25:39,390 --> 01:25:41,493
And we're swingin' around.

1587
01:25:42,840 --> 01:25:44,883
Rugged, beautiful mountains everywhere.

1588
01:25:49,230 --> 01:25:50,943
But wow, what a day.

1589
01:25:52,080 --> 01:25:55,548
What a day, what a spot, what a place.

1590
01:25:55,590 --> 01:25:58,748
What a way to roll into
Canada these next last few days

1591
01:25:58,790 --> 01:26:00,708
in this section of the trail.

1592
01:26:00,750 --> 01:26:04,998
Absolutely stunning here at day number 192,

1593
01:26:05,040 --> 01:26:07,908
Section L in Washington State

1594
01:26:07,950 --> 01:26:12,213
right here on the
magnificent Pacific Crest Trail.

1595
01:26:14,280 --> 01:26:15,858
Whoo!

1596
01:26:15,900 --> 01:26:17,778
Day number 192,

1597
01:26:17,820 --> 01:26:19,878
sitting atop

1598
01:26:19,920 --> 01:26:21,070
the Golden Horn

1599
01:26:22,170 --> 01:26:25,338
with a fantastic panorama all around me.

1600
01:26:25,380 --> 01:26:28,863
What a great climb. It's
funny how things work out.

1601
01:26:29,730 --> 01:26:32,088
Until two days ago, I'd never even heard

1602
01:26:32,130 --> 01:26:33,828
of the...

1603
01:26:33,870 --> 01:26:35,208
Golden Horn.

1604
01:26:35,250 --> 01:26:36,708
I'd never even heard of it.

1605
01:26:36,750 --> 01:26:39,483
But I saw it in the distance
from Mount McGregor.

1606
01:26:41,160 --> 01:26:44,808
And today, I had no intention

1607
01:26:44,850 --> 01:26:47,658
of going down to the Snow Lake.

1608
01:26:47,700 --> 01:26:49,368
But because I had a little extra time,

1609
01:26:49,410 --> 01:26:51,708
I just decided to do a
little bit of route finding

1610
01:26:51,750 --> 01:26:55,368
and found my way to the Snow Lake.

1611
01:26:55,410 --> 01:26:59,538
And until about an hour and 20 minutes ago,

1612
01:26:59,580 --> 01:27:02,028
I had no intention of climbing this thing.

1613
01:27:02,070 --> 01:27:04,098
It was just on a whim.

1614
01:27:04,140 --> 01:27:07,653
So it's just funny how
things work out sometimes.

1615
01:27:09,030 --> 01:27:12,123
But wow, I think I'm just gonna
hang out here for a moment.

1616
01:27:13,110 --> 01:27:17,810
And turn around and eat
a snack and take in this...

1617
01:27:18,780 --> 01:27:22,758
Priceless view. It is truly an
unbelievable view up here.

1618
01:27:22,800 --> 01:27:25,473
And what a day. I can't believe this day.

1619
01:27:26,460 --> 01:27:28,848
Not a breeze. Some cloud breaks.

1620
01:27:28,890 --> 01:27:30,273
Some sun breaks.

1621
01:27:31,170 --> 01:27:32,613
You can see the sun rays.

1622
01:27:35,880 --> 01:27:39,333
On top of the Golden
Horn in the North Cascades.

1623
01:27:42,480 --> 01:27:46,353
Day 194 on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1624
01:27:47,220 --> 01:27:48,970
What a difference a day makes, huh?

1625
01:27:50,490 --> 01:27:53,838
This is what happened last night.

1626
01:27:53,880 --> 01:27:55,398
It

1627
01:27:55,440 --> 01:27:58,893
Just did not stop snowing all night long.

1628
01:28:00,660 --> 01:28:03,018
And I'm at 6,500 feet.

1629
01:28:03,060 --> 01:28:05,898
Here's my tent. This thing was covered.

1630
01:28:05,940 --> 01:28:07,720
I spent the entire evening

1631
01:28:09,060 --> 01:28:11,178
knocking snow off of it, getting up,

1632
01:28:11,220 --> 01:28:14,613
taking my gloves and pulling
snow away from the edges.

1633
01:28:15,690 --> 01:28:17,823
Trying to keep it from collapsing in.

1634
01:28:18,870 --> 01:28:20,568
But all of the large trees are covered.

1635
01:28:20,610 --> 01:28:22,818
The evergreens are
covered, everything is covered.

1636
01:28:22,860 --> 01:28:24,093
The trail is covered.

1637
01:28:27,090 --> 01:28:28,818
I've got a brief break in
the weather where there's

1638
01:28:28,860 --> 01:28:30,888
no rain, no sleet, no snow right now.

1639
01:28:30,930 --> 01:28:32,418
So I'm gonna try to pack everything up

1640
01:28:32,460 --> 01:28:34,878
as quickly as possible and start

1641
01:28:34,920 --> 01:28:37,848
truckin' onwards in this stuff.

1642
01:28:37,890 --> 01:28:40,338
And two days 'til Canada and the PC

1643
01:28:40,380 --> 01:28:42,498
has given me everything it's got so far.

1644
01:28:42,540 --> 01:28:45,258
We've got the sunshine, the wind, the rain,

1645
01:28:45,300 --> 01:28:47,770
a beautiful sunset, sleet, and now

1646
01:28:48,630 --> 01:28:50,043
a snowstorm rolled through.

1647
01:28:51,240 --> 01:28:55,533
Let's hope it's the last one
here at day number 194.

1648
01:28:57,360 --> 01:29:00,818
Just 36 miles from the border, I think.

1649
01:29:00,860 --> 01:29:02,808
In the L Section of Washington State

1650
01:29:02,850 --> 01:29:05,300
on the Pacific Crest Trail
in the North Cascades.

1651
01:29:06,150 --> 01:29:09,048
You'll notice that there's
no snow around me.

1652
01:29:09,090 --> 01:29:11,238
And that is because I've dropped elevation.

1653
01:29:11,280 --> 01:29:13,368
I think right now it's about 5,800.

1654
01:29:13,410 --> 01:29:16,338
Snow level's at six right now.

1655
01:29:16,380 --> 01:29:18,918
And ordinarily,

1656
01:29:18,960 --> 01:29:20,418
the PCT would be

1657
01:29:20,460 --> 01:29:23,268
covered in snow and socked in, however,

1658
01:29:23,310 --> 01:29:24,993
I'm not on the PCT.

1659
01:29:26,820 --> 01:29:28,548
This is a reroute.

1660
01:29:28,590 --> 01:29:33,498
There was a fire near Holman
Creek earlier in the year

1661
01:29:33,540 --> 01:29:36,303
and so the PCT is still shut down.

1662
01:29:37,560 --> 01:29:39,798
I'm sure the fire has gotta be out by now,

1663
01:29:39,840 --> 01:29:43,128
after that dumping of snow we got.

1664
01:29:43,170 --> 01:29:46,773
However, I was not about to risk it.

1665
01:29:47,850 --> 01:29:49,698
This re-route's about four miles longer,

1666
01:29:49,740 --> 01:29:51,858
but it's a known commodity,

1667
01:29:51,900 --> 01:29:54,978
in the fact that it is a traveled trail.

1668
01:29:55,020 --> 01:29:57,888
And the fact that it lost some elevation

1669
01:29:57,930 --> 01:30:01,518
and got out of the snow is a major plus.

1670
01:30:01,560 --> 01:30:06,078
Day 195 on the reroute,
on the Holman Fire Trail,

1671
01:30:06,120 --> 01:30:07,203
just off the PCT.

1672
01:30:08,550 --> 01:30:12,108
And I am in the land of the Quaking Aspens.

1673
01:30:12,150 --> 01:30:14,673
Or some people call them
the Trembling Aspens.

1674
01:30:15,600 --> 01:30:16,653
They're all around.

1675
01:30:17,760 --> 01:30:19,323
And they're perfect right now.

1676
01:30:21,150 --> 01:30:22,833
This brilliant yellow color.

1677
01:30:24,000 --> 01:30:26,988
And making it even more brilliant

1678
01:30:27,030 --> 01:30:29,748
is that big, bright thing up in the sky.

1679
01:30:29,790 --> 01:30:31,968
It's been scarce over
the past several days,

1680
01:30:32,010 --> 01:30:34,878
so it's good to have a very brief break

1681
01:30:34,920 --> 01:30:37,473
of sunshine amidst the rain.

1682
01:30:38,460 --> 01:30:40,113
Tomorrow is Monument Day.

1683
01:30:41,250 --> 01:30:44,838
And theoretically, tonight,
I'm supposed to meet up

1684
01:30:44,880 --> 01:30:46,023
with Mike and Connor.

1685
01:30:48,000 --> 01:30:49,143
Not far from here.

1686
01:30:55,080 --> 01:30:55,913
Good morning.

1687
01:30:56,790 --> 01:30:59,181
Day number 196. This is the big day.

1688
01:30:59,223 --> 01:31:00,903
This is Canada Day.

1689
01:31:04,380 --> 01:31:05,671
I'm still in my tent.

1690
01:31:05,713 --> 01:31:09,978
I just made some delicious
mashed potatoes for breakfast.

1691
01:31:10,020 --> 01:31:11,628
And it is...

1692
01:31:11,670 --> 01:31:13,188
I haven't even unzipped it but you can see

1693
01:31:13,230 --> 01:31:14,658
it's hailing outside.

1694
01:31:14,700 --> 01:31:16,248
I'm just putting the finishing touches

1695
01:31:16,290 --> 01:31:17,583
on packin' up my tent.

1696
01:31:18,842 --> 01:31:22,338
It has stopped raining
and hailing at the moment

1697
01:31:22,380 --> 01:31:24,993
up here at a place called Woody Pass.

1698
01:31:25,980 --> 01:31:28,758
And 6,500 feet. You can look around.

1699
01:31:28,800 --> 01:31:30,678
There's even a tiny bit of sunshine

1700
01:31:30,720 --> 01:31:32,403
poking through momentarily.

1701
01:31:35,760 --> 01:31:38,268
I'm here with the boys, the
boys are actually camped

1702
01:31:38,310 --> 01:31:39,453
right down below.

1703
01:31:42,480 --> 01:31:43,670
Right down...

1704
01:31:45,870 --> 01:31:46,713
Down here.

1705
01:31:49,410 --> 01:31:50,343
There they are.

1706
01:31:51,180 --> 01:31:52,023
Getting ready.

1707
01:31:53,442 --> 01:31:55,248
- Whoo hoo! - Last day.

1708
01:31:55,290 --> 01:31:56,988
Traveling with the boys I started with.

1709
01:31:57,030 --> 01:31:59,208
There's Mike up there. - Hey!

1710
01:31:59,250 --> 01:32:02,455
- There's Connor looking fit as a fiddle.

1711
01:32:02,497 --> 01:32:03,558
Oh, yeah.

1712
01:32:03,600 --> 01:32:07,488
- And we're finishing strong...

1713
01:32:07,530 --> 01:32:09,903
In this gnarly Pacific Northwest weather.

1714
01:32:10,770 --> 01:32:12,882
What a way to go out.

1715
01:32:12,924 --> 01:32:14,178
Only fitting.

1716
01:32:14,220 --> 01:32:17,058
- It is only fitting we
go out this way, indeed.

1717
01:32:17,100 --> 01:32:18,993
So we've got four miles of uphill.

1718
01:32:20,040 --> 01:32:22,218
We're gonna climb up to
7,000 and we're gonna get hit

1719
01:32:22,260 --> 01:32:24,468
with this the whole time, I'm sure.

1720
01:32:24,510 --> 01:32:26,658
And then it's all downhill
to the Great White North

1721
01:32:26,700 --> 01:32:28,133
to Canada.

1722
01:32:28,175 --> 01:32:29,028
♪ Oh Canada ♪

1723
01:32:29,070 --> 01:32:30,468
Yes.

1724
01:32:30,510 --> 01:32:32,508
And it's nice to finish with the boys.

1725
01:32:32,550 --> 01:32:34,518
- Yes, sir. - That we started with.

1726
01:32:34,560 --> 01:32:38,043
That we wanted to take a
second day zero, actually.

1727
01:32:39,870 --> 01:32:41,104
Almost.

1728
01:32:41,146 --> 01:32:44,358
- We wrecked ourselves
the first day in various ways

1729
01:32:44,400 --> 01:32:46,548
and had to rethink our whole trip.

1730
01:32:46,590 --> 01:32:48,588
And who would've thought
we'd make it this far?

1731
01:32:48,630 --> 01:32:50,958
We have a couple of celebratory beverages

1732
01:32:51,000 --> 01:32:52,533
on board right now.

1733
01:32:55,230 --> 01:32:59,388
Mike has carried these
things right here since...

1734
01:32:59,430 --> 01:33:00,452
Since when?

1735
01:33:00,494 --> 01:33:02,178
- Tohickon. - Since Tohickon.

1736
01:33:02,220 --> 01:33:03,734
Through the snow.

1737
01:33:03,776 --> 01:33:04,578
- The snow. - Through the rain.

1738
01:33:04,620 --> 01:33:05,785
- Rain. - The terrible flood.

1739
01:33:05,827 --> 01:33:08,178
- The cold. - The earthquake, the locust.

1740
01:33:08,220 --> 01:33:09,513
The everything.

1741
01:33:10,388 --> 01:33:11,973
Congratulations, guys.

1742
01:33:12,015 --> 01:33:14,337
- Thank you.
- There's a piece of wood here.

1743
01:33:17,510 --> 01:33:19,218
March 16.

1744
01:33:19,260 --> 01:33:21,318
I write this final journal entry nearly

1745
01:33:21,360 --> 01:33:23,988
six months after finishing the hike.

1746
01:33:24,030 --> 01:33:26,868
I guess with all the chaos
and excitement of completion

1747
01:33:26,910 --> 01:33:28,968
and life, I just totally forgot

1748
01:33:29,010 --> 01:33:30,693
to put a bow on this endeavor.

1749
01:33:31,980 --> 01:33:34,848
We arrived at Monument 78 in the rain

1750
01:33:34,890 --> 01:33:38,778
and were greeted by a small
gathering of 10 to 15 people.

1751
01:33:38,820 --> 01:33:41,898
Everybody clapped and
cheered as we hiked in.

1752
01:33:41,940 --> 01:33:44,868
The boys' dads were waiting
with cigars and champagne.

1753
01:33:44,910 --> 01:33:48,468
It was definitely an
atmosphere of celebration.

1754
01:33:48,510 --> 01:33:52,128
It was so serendipitous
that the guys I started with,

1755
01:33:52,170 --> 01:33:54,948
the guys I hiked with for the first month,

1756
01:33:54,990 --> 01:33:57,018
are the guys I finished with.

1757
01:33:57,060 --> 01:33:58,698
I wouldn't want it any other way.

1758
01:33:58,740 --> 01:34:00,828
- It's day 19. - 19, what our plan today,

1759
01:34:00,870 --> 01:34:01,690
fellas?

1760
01:34:01,732 --> 01:34:02,628
- 20 mile day.

1761
01:34:02,670 --> 01:34:04,870
How many
miles did we hike today?

1762
01:34:05,760 --> 01:34:07,248
- 16, I think. - This is our campsite.

1763
01:34:07,290 --> 01:34:09,588
This is an 18 mile day for us today.

1764
01:34:09,630 --> 01:34:11,268
An 18 mile day today.

1765
01:34:11,310 --> 01:34:13,908
We all started together.
Well, almost all of us.

1766
01:34:13,950 --> 01:34:16,123
We started together, Connor.

1767
01:34:22,470 --> 01:34:24,120
Here's the poodle dog bush.

1768
01:34:36,668 --> 01:34:39,001
Still frozen. What a luxury.

1769
01:34:55,048 --> 01:34:56,215
Nice and slow.

1770
01:35:07,025 --> 01:35:11,705
Evidence of volcanic
activity. This is the root.

1771
01:35:48,763 --> 01:35:52,556
Does it get any better? I don't think so.

1772
01:35:52,598 --> 01:35:54,468
After
stopping to soak it all in,

1773
01:35:54,510 --> 01:35:56,778
we had to hike an additional eight miles

1774
01:35:56,820 --> 01:36:00,498
to Manning Park in the snow, of course.

1775
01:36:00,540 --> 01:36:02,988
My parents drove from Anna Cordes to Canada

1776
01:36:03,030 --> 01:36:05,268
to meet me and pick me up.

1777
01:36:05,310 --> 01:36:08,538
They patiently waited
for hours for me to arrive.

1778
01:36:08,580 --> 01:36:10,668
It was so wonderful to see them.

1779
01:36:10,710 --> 01:36:13,293
I'm so blessed to have
such a supportive family.

1780
01:36:14,130 --> 01:36:16,728
Sitting here in the real world, I smile

1781
01:36:16,770 --> 01:36:18,303
as I relive this moment.

1782
01:36:19,320 --> 01:36:22,323
Not a day goes by that I
don't think about the trail.

1783
01:36:23,370 --> 01:36:24,693
Every step was worth it.

1784
01:37:19,260 --> 01:37:23,073
- Day number 74 out here
on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1785
01:37:24,030 --> 01:37:25,938
I'm hiking along

1786
01:37:25,980 --> 01:37:29,088
and I've found something
that I've heard about

1787
01:37:29,130 --> 01:37:32,988
for hundreds of miles
now, but finally experienced.

1788
01:37:33,030 --> 01:37:34,470
And this is it right here.

1789
01:37:35,610 --> 01:37:38,943
This is a very large pine tree.

1790
01:37:42,900 --> 01:37:45,273
And this is called a Jeffrey Pine.

1791
01:37:46,380 --> 01:37:49,608
And this is a large example of it.

1792
01:37:49,650 --> 01:37:52,338
But they come in all different sizes.

1793
01:37:52,380 --> 01:37:55,158
And one thing that
makes this particular type

1794
01:37:55,200 --> 01:37:56,740
of pine tree special

1795
01:37:57,750 --> 01:38:02,298
is the aroma that it gives
off when the sun hits it.

1796
01:38:02,340 --> 01:38:04,548
I was hiking down the trail right here.

1797
01:38:04,590 --> 01:38:08,958
And I stopped right
here because the aroma...

1798
01:38:09,000 --> 01:38:11,148
Is so strong.

1799
01:38:11,190 --> 01:38:15,288
And it's something that
happens when the sunshine hits

1800
01:38:15,330 --> 01:38:17,328
the bark on this tree.

1801
01:38:17,370 --> 01:38:18,753
I can smell it right now.

1802
01:38:21,840 --> 01:38:23,268
It smells so good.

1803
01:38:23,310 --> 01:38:25,008
It smells

1804
01:38:25,050 --> 01:38:27,978
like a vanilla shake.

1805
01:38:28,020 --> 01:38:31,428
It smells like pure vanilla extract

1806
01:38:31,470 --> 01:38:34,098
and it's a very sweet,

1807
01:38:34,140 --> 01:38:36,738
fragrant aroma.

1808
01:38:36,780 --> 01:38:39,438
But when I was hiking with Mr. Jimmy,

1809
01:38:39,480 --> 01:38:41,958
he was telling me about his line of work

1810
01:38:42,000 --> 01:38:44,418
and he is an expert in trees

1811
01:38:44,460 --> 01:38:47,478
and he was telling me
about the Jeffrey Pine.

1812
01:38:47,520 --> 01:38:49,098
And I've heard about this from Chelsea

1813
01:38:49,140 --> 01:38:51,138
and a few other people also.

1814
01:38:51,180 --> 01:38:52,818
But he said one way that you can tell,

1815
01:38:52,860 --> 01:38:55,338
aside from the sun hitting
the bark and smelling it,

1816
01:38:55,380 --> 01:38:57,348
is the pine cone.

1817
01:38:57,390 --> 01:39:01,008
He says, it's not prickly when you hold it.

1818
01:39:01,050 --> 01:39:04,555
He says, "Remember,
it's a prickly Ponderosa"

1819
01:39:04,597 --> 01:39:06,228
"and a gentle Jeffrey."

1820
01:39:06,270 --> 01:39:07,638
They're very similar trees.

1821
01:39:07,680 --> 01:39:09,948
I think the Ponderosa
is the higher elevation

1822
01:39:09,990 --> 01:39:11,373
version of the Jeffrey.

1823
01:39:14,640 --> 01:39:18,408
It's not doing anything
to assuage my appetite.

1824
01:39:18,450 --> 01:39:21,378
But man, does it smell good.

1825
01:39:21,420 --> 01:39:25,458
The vanilla scent of a gentle Jeffrey Pine

1826
01:39:25,500 --> 01:39:28,608
out here on day number 74

1827
01:39:28,650 --> 01:39:32,373
on the Pacific Crest Trail
right here in California.