Ridgerunner Season 2009

Another great AT Ridgerunner season has come and gone. As usual the 3 months began in March and ended on June 1st, for me, this year. We had plenty of rain, more than usual bear activity and lots of interesting northbound thru-hikers. I have learned that 3 thru-hikers have already reached Katadin. Would love to hear from any of the hikers I met from Fontana up through Spence Field this year. Send me an email, let me know about your thru-hike, a photo would be nice, etc. carlgoodman@insightbb.com.

Keep hiking, KY Greybeard

BACK TO THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS

It is that time of the year and I am headed back to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and another Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner season. Hope to see many of you up on the mountain.

Keep hiking,

Carl (aka KY Greybeard)

Statistics & General Information

Began at Campo, CA: April 26, 2008 - completed in Manning Park, Canada: August 24, 2008
Total days hiked: 105
Average hiking miles per day: 24
Total zero (no hiking) days: 16 (includes 2 days hitching around forest fires)
Total weight lost: 25 to 30 lbs
Side trips completed: Mt. Whitney, John Muir Trail, Half Dome in Yosemite

Base gear:
Pack: ULA Catalyst
Tent: Tarptent (Rainbow)
Sleeping Bag: Feathered Friends (20 deg.)
Pad: Montbell
Rain gear: Montbell rain jacket
Jacket: Marmot Dri-Clime Windshirt
Shirt: Helly Hanson, long-sleeve, to sleep in
Pants: Montbell Ultralight Nylon, to sleep in
Socks: Smartwool (2 pair), one pair to sleep in
Sunglasses
Deet

Favorite:
Gear - Marmot Dri-Clime Windshirt
Trail towns - Agua Dulce and Wrightwood
Trail magic - Wrightwood Trail Angels
Town meals - Stehekin, WA
Trail food choices - Mountain House Lasagna, Nido Milk Substitute
Shoes - Merrells Ventilators
Tree - Too many monstrous and beautiful to mention
Breathtaking trail sight - Summit trail to Mt. Whitney
Memory - Clear, cold mountain streams, tasted soooo good

Food I craved the most: Cold milk
Bears sighted: 3 black bear, zero Grizzles (thank you Lord)
Snakes: 20 (6 rattlers)
Most unusual trail sighting: A man on the trail with 6 suitcases, a day pack & a 5-gallon, and a plastic Jerry can for water.
Electronics: Olympus Camera, Garmin GPS (eTrex HC), cell phone

Best decision made: Teaming with others, particularly when safety is a concern.

Worst decision made: Hitching around wildfire areas when I could have tolerated the smoke and road walked much of it.

Current plans: Head back to the Smoky Mountain National Park as an Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner March 2009.

Successful fund raiser for Home of the Innocents: almost $6,000.

Future plans: Hike the PCT fire-closed sections and The Sheltowee Trace Trail in Kentucky, http://www.sheltoweetrace.com/.

Final thoughts on hiking the PCT: It was a fleeting dream for this 67 year old after having hiked the Appalachian Trail nine years ago. I have been so blessed to do the PCT, and particularly on behalf of the Home of the Innocents (http://www.homeoftheinnocents.org/ ). The words of encouragement from fellow hikers and the prayers of friends and family back home were so important to me.

I am always amazed at how close thru-hikers become and how everyone wants to see the other guy make it. I am forever thankful just to be a part of the hiker community.

To all those whose paths I crossed, thank you.

God bless and keep hiking.
KY Greybeard

Clear, cold mountain lake!

SPECIAL THANKS TO THIRD PARTY TRAIL ANGELS

Since early August, my wife, Shirley, has been supporting me along the final miles of this PCT journey and on behalf of the mission of raising funds for Home of the Innocents. www.homeoftheinnocents.org

We could not have made this happen without the loving support of our new friends, Jill Yang (photo #2) and her daughter, Diya, in Seattle, and Joyce and Jack Fiel (photo #1) from Bellingham, WA. These two families became trail angels, not by visiting the trailheads, but by opening their home to Shirley and me on behalf of our mission for the Home. While I was hiking through Southern Washington, Shirley has been welcomed into Jill's home. Then Joyce and Jack opened their home to us this weekend while I completed the final 69 miles into Canada.

Sunday night, after 119 days in the wilderness, Joyce and Jack invited this old hiker, Roadrunner, and Naughty Eyes into their lovely home to help us reenter the 'valley of reality'. They fed us watermelon, ice cream and Snicker Doodle cookies. Then this morning we feasted on a true hiker breakfast. What a welcome home!

Thank you new friends!

Greybeard

DAY 119: Sunday, Aug. 24: 34 miles - TOTAL 2,663.5 PCT miles

HELLO CANADA!

We have done it!

2,663.5 miles from Mexico to Canada.

Now to recount this final day!

My stomach discomfort was worse today than any of the last four days. Yesterday, I was not sure if I could do the necessary miles in two days to reach the end and beat the coming rains. As predicted, it began to rain lightly when we reached the border. We were thankful that we did not have to pitch camp again in the rain. Four rainy days in a row last week soaked most of our gear and forced us to stop to dry out, which we did at the Stehekin Ranch.

The remaining northern section of the National Pacific Crest Scenic Trail is memorable. The mountain meadows and the slopes are covered with small bushy trees. It looks like grassy slopes but the ground cover is really small, dwarf-like trees. We watched a bear down in a green valley. It appeared to be searching for food and was oblivious to 3 humans watching him from the PCT high above 'his' valley.

It was a great feeling to clear that last 7,000 footer - knowing that going down Devil's Backbone was the final down to the Border and the finish into Canada. Then to make it extra special, was the fact that I was finishing with two new friends - making two 35 mile days a fitting finish to a very long walk.

Keep hiking all you hikers!

Greybeard

DAY 118, Sat., Aug.23: 35.7 miles: TOTAL 2629.95

Coordinates: 48 deg. 46'343" N; 120 deg. 42'726" W. As I trekked out of Rainy Pass, I am as tired and sick as I can remember. I have a stomach issue and the miles ahead is a traverse of multiple 2,000 ft. climb. It is going to be rough but my two hiker buddies, Naughty Eyes and Roadrunner are good company. Our plan is to get as many miles today in the beautiful sunlight so we will be able to reach Canada tomorrow afternoon. Shirley will be waiting for me in Manning Park, BC - the end of this trail.

Keep hiking,

Greybeard