August 11th
Rolling out of camp in the morning and tying our sopping wet rain flies to the outside of our packs, we quickly made our way south the 6 miles to the trail junction into Elk Lake Resort. To demonstrate our excitement, Elizabeth even pulled something in her ankle a mile shy of the lodge but kept on truckin’ (an action with long term effects, unfortunately).
The restaurant opened at 9am for breakfast and we pulled up to the steps along with 6-7 other hikers just 2 minutes shy of the top of the hour. There were resupply boxes piled at the door and everyone looked hungry.
I took a minute to look around the area, spying several spots set up with picnic tables and a small hut labeled “Showers”. There were various lodging options ranging from large cabins with satellite dishes and barbeques to camping sites labeled with the names of local rivers and such.
As soon as we could, we all streamed into the restaurant and found seats at the large family style dining tables. It was immediately apparent that the lodge moves at a slow pace, the staff were still putting things in to place for the day. The coffee and water were self-serve, so we got ourselves something to drink and waited as they finished preparing. The lodge was basically one spacious room with a bar along one wall, a “store” and counter in one corner, an ice cream parlor in the other and a back area with more tables.
A large outdoor seating area sits outside the wall of the bar, and it also filled up with hikers and folks staying at the resort. The store had a few camping accessories and some refrigerator cases with large assortment of cold drinks and a few staples like string cheese, snack yogurts and chocolate bars. Some things I understood (Top Ramen and marshmallows) but some things surprised me like contact lens solution (and not just little bottles). People are right to say you can’t resupply here (well, one person resupplying to Sisters would clear them out). And the hiker box was a small filing crate with a few items like a half-eaten package of Oreos. However, it did satisfy me greatly to find maps for the rest of this section!!!
We both had filling breakfasts and watched the resort area slowly fill up with guests heading out onto the water for the day. Hikers were plugging their devices in to every possible outlet and lining up for ice cream. Old school music was playing and it reminded me of hanging out in the bars in Pullman with Elizabeth (we were college roommates). There was nothing like sitting in the orange Naugahyde seats at Shermer’s on Wednesday nights listening to Johnny Cash and Ring of Fire. Ah, the days.
After breakfast, we inquired about the showers and were given towels with soap and lead over to the shower hut next to the lodge. It was about average for a campground shower and you can tell they had been busy over the weekend. They did have to “fix” the hot water for us and I heard other hikers complaining later that it really wasn’t working. I took an opportunity to wash some clothing in cold water in the sink, and the picnic tables they provided were perfect for laying them out along with our tents.
About 11am, we strolled back over to the lodge and found a table for lunch that conveniently had a post with an electrical outlet for plugging in our phones. We ordered lunch and iced teas (okay, and maybe a shot of Don Julio) and continued to watch patrons come and go for a few hours. There were families renting boats and tourists making a bathroom break on their way to fancier destinations. There were even bicyclists stopping in from Sun River. I will add here that the resort was not cheap, but they cater to vacationers so I was not surprised.
Around 1pm, after feeling refreshed and relaxed, we made our way back up to the trail and headed for Dumbbell Lakes. Unlike the trail into the lake from the PCT, this trail out was through another burn. I appreciate the beauty a burn has to offer but I was starting to reach my fill.
At the junction with the PCT, a northbound hiker was taking advantage of the sun (for his charger) and reception to chat with someone back home. I had stopped to let Elizabeth catch up, she was nursing her ankle. He asked me about the lake and what the bar stocked and I asked him about whether he had done the Oregon Skyline or official PCT. Back at the lodge, I had started to study the maps below Shelter Cove and I realized I had a choice to make. I will admit here that before I left home this time, I had already been playing over the decision of whether I would continue on after Shelter Cove in the event my body (feet/knees) wore out and I didn’t want to push things too far. I would be satisfied with half of Oregon.
Now, I would also have to decide whether to stay on the PCT or do the alternate which was 10 miles shorter and promised more water. Oregon had already been drier than I expected, I was relying more heavily on lake water, and my canteen was a no go. Anyway, leaving the lake I had decided that I would ask hikers which one they had done to help with my decision. He had done the alternate and said it was beautiful. I also asked him if he had just done the 27 mile dry stretch in one day and he said he had but there had been a water cache at HWY 138. Hmmm, interesting.
As Elizabeth and I continued south in the afternoon, it was exciting to see the hikers passing us headed into Elk Lake. They were practically skipping down the trail. Each one had an excited grin on their face and a different question. “Did they have burgers?” “What kind of drinks do they have?” “Ice cream?” I was glad to tell them they would find all those things and friendly staff, too. I imagine last night’s storm had people imagining comfort as we had.
We planned to stop at Dumbbell Lakes and about 1 mile shy we began to hear the smack of thunder overhead. I told Elizabeth I would hurry ahead and set up my tent in case it really started to rain. I arrived at 5:30pm as the sprinkles started and set up in a campsite off to side of the lake. I could see a few tents further along the trail by the lake, and as I went down to the lake edge, the smell of hash floated along the water to greet me. Maybe it makes a storm more interesting? I must admit here that although I can’t imagine hoping for rain on a hiking trip, it sure has been good for keeping the bugs at bay.
Elizabeth made it down to the camp by 6pm and was able to set up before the rain became strong. The wind and thunderous crashes increased and we found ourselves in quite a squall. Elizabeth and I discussed mileage and possible destinations for the next 3 days and she worried a little about the pain in her ankle. We had talked about her bailing back when we were at Elk Lake as her husband could come pick her up, but she wanted to press on hoping it would get better. We chose Brahma Lake (13 miles) for our destination tomorrow because we weren’t sure how far Elizabeth would be able to make it. We hoped to make it further but would play it by ear (or foot, I guess). Blessedly, I was more relaxed tonight and it wasn’t long before I drifted off to sleep.
Elizabeth still suffers from lasting effects of continuing to walk on her ankle after twisting it, a testament to how important it is to stop and take care of yourself as well as know when it is time to call it. It is true you never know but it is a good reminder that what you think are your plans should never outweigh your wellbeing. It is okay to stop, you don’t have to just follow someone if you are uncomfortable and you can always come back to finish what you started. These are things I am constantly trying to learn myself.
For the continuation of this journey, visit Snuffy’s 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Day 18
To start at the beginning, head over to Snuffy’s 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Day 1
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