I needed this. By the end of the trip, I was weary, hungry, parched, and my soul was back in balance.

For the past year, something has been “off.” Last July, I moved from the Attorney General’s Office back to my old job at the prosecutor’s office. I loved the AG’s Office, and I loved the individual office at which I worked. But I didn’t like the work, and I wasn’t very good at it. Going back to my old job was difficult, but it’s work I know I can do – even if I don’t much like it.

On top of that, my last week at the AG’s Office I tested positive for COVID-19. I know how my first bout with COVID-19 impacted my brain; it seems that this go-round had additional impacts. Between the emotional impact of going back to my old job & the physical impact of COVID-19, I was never really able to suss out whether my problem was physical or emotional. But the impact was real, nonetheless: I couldn’t get any “traction.” I’d plan to run, then not be physically up to doing it. It didn’t take much to wear me out. I wasn’t sleeping as well as I had been. I’ve been low-key depressed and continually stressed out.

A conversation with a friend reminded me that I was supposed to be – and had not been – taking iron supplements. I started taking them almost immediately, and three weeks later when I saw my doctor my readily-available iron in my blood was low. I’ve continued to take the iron, and I am feeling better. My brain seems to be tracking better, too.

I plan to hike the PCT through Oregon next August, and I know that I need to get my body into shape before then. My stamina isn’t great right now, and I’m heavier than I’ve been in a decade. The best way to prepare for a backpacking trip is to backpack. Good news — that’s something I love doing!

Trooper & I hiked a few miles on this trail on Juneteenth. The trail is not being maintained because the road to the trailhead washed out; I decided to return with a pair of loppers & a limbing saw to clear some of the obstructions. This trip was also a way for me to test out sleeping in the back of my truck. I recently purchased a canopy for the truck’s bed, and the person who installed it showed me how to lock myself in. (Also important: he showed me how to unlock it from the inside. 😊) I’m hoping to turn the truck into my adventure rig — I’d like to be able to drive to a trailhead the night before, camp in the truck, and be on the trail relatively early in the morning.

The place where I parked is only about a mile & a half from the highway, but because the road deadends shortly after where I parked there’s very little traffic in the area. It’s incredibly quiet. It’s a great dispersed camping site. There’s a lot of room, and there’s a path to the creek. I’m hoping to return here to camp with The Hubs and the dog.

I didn’t sleep well, but I felt very secure in my truck. I woke at six, and while I wanted a bit more sleep I found it impossible to go back to sleep. I cooked my breakfast, packed up, and got on the trail.

I saw another vehicle just up the road from me. It was past a spot I wouldn’t have driven on with my truck. Heck, I wouldn’t have driven my old Ranger on that section of the road, and boy howdy did I beat up that truck! After I passed the vehicle, I heard barking. I turned and saw two dogs running at me. I’m grateful they barked — that gave me time to prepare. Years of commuting by bike – and being chased by chihuahuas – developed my stern, loud “GO HOME!” yell. I did that, and I crossed my trekking poles in front of me. They persisted. One of them soon left, but the bigger of the two kept after me. I wouldn’t call them aggressive, but they were certainly assertive. When the one was alone, he looked more confused than threatening but I wasn’t willing to test that. Eventually the dog’s human made it to the road and the remaining dog returned to its pack. That was super stressful, though. I was incredibly grateful I didn’t have Trooper with me. I fear those dogs would have attacked him, or he would have felt they were threatening me & he would have gone after them. Either way, one of us would have gotten hurt.

As the dogs fell into the distance, I made my way along the old road. It’s a shame the US Forest Service hasn’t been able to repair this road. This trail is a gem, and this area has lots of opportunities for loops & extended trips … if you can find the trail.

The spot of the old trailhead is in very good shape but for the pit toilet with the sign “Out of Order – Toilet Full.” 🤢 (I did not verify that assertion.) The trail itself is an old roadbed for much of the way, so it’d be easy hiking but for the washouts & blowdowns.

There are a few spots early on where the creek can be accessed easily from the trail. When Trooper & I hiked this, we checked out the creek several times. I was on a mission, though, so I kept going to the first trail obstruction.

About a mile from the old trailhead, the map shows the trail taking a 90-degree turn to the east. It’s a very short turn, then the trail veers back to the NW. This area was washed out by what must have been a raging stream. The trail is marked on either side of the washout by orange flags. I found that very helpful — it would have taken me a while to figure where the trail was.

Just a few miles from the old trailhead, the trail crosses Indian Creek. The trail down to and up from the crossing is back. Not terrible, but it’s washing out in places, and the trail is covered in loose shale in spots. I found the footing to be solid in the washouts, but it’s worth being cautious.

The creek crossing wasn’t bad. I forded it, but the more nimble hiker may be able to rockhop. On the other side of the creek is a lovely campsite. There’re enough spaces for at least three tents — if this were along the PCT, you could probably get a dozen or so tents in this spot — and several hammocks. The creek is in a canyon in this area, so there’s a nice breeze to keep the mosquitos at bay. The creek gurgles nicely but not so loudly as to keep a tired hiker awake. The only downside? If you have to dig a cathole, you’ll need to climb the hill to get 200′ from water.

Following the climb out of the crossing, the Indian Creek Trail meets the McAllister Trail. I was using two apps on my phone – the Avenza app, which allows me to download USGS 7.5 maps, and AllTrails. Both the apps showed me off course, but I was on the only trail. I was very happy to see trail junction! The McAllister Trail is in roughly the same shape as the Indian Creek Trail. It’s just 1.7 miles long, and it ends at the Sand Ridge Trail. Given that the Indian Creek Trail is no longer maintained, I imagine the McAllister Trail isn’t being maintained, either.

I took a break a short while after I started on the McAllister Trail. I was definitely overdue for a break & some fuel! After my break, I started encountering water regularly along the trail. At some point, AllTrails again began insisting I’d taken a wrong turn. But I was on the only thing resembling a trail, so I kept going. And then *BAM!* I lost the trail. More correctly, the trail suddenly became a series of swampy puddles through forest shrubs. Both AllTrails & the 7.5 map showed me well off the trail. I was left with a dilemma: continue on what looked like the trail and hope I found the trail again, or backtrack. I don’t like out & backs, and backtracking always feels like defeat. There’s a good chance I would have found the trail within a half-mile or so. But continuing on would have meant slogging through muck for an unknown distance in the hope I would find the trail. It was equally possible I would have found myself genuinely lost in mosquito-infested bog with nowhere to take a break. I opted to turn around & retrace my route. Perhaps there was a trail junction I’d missed…

When my track on the apps got back to the trail shown on their maps, I looked around and found absolutely nothing resembling another trail. On the plus side, returning via the route I came meant I got to take advantage of all the trail work I’d done on the way up. (I was tired, so I was very grateful I’d made those blowdowns easier to get over or under!)

I tried a couple of different options to cross the Indian Creek the second time. I’m not good at water crossings, so this gave me an opportunity to practice some skills. The icy-cold snowmelt felt really good, too!

I was surprised to encounter a couple of people heading up as I was heading out. They were vague about where they were heading – “just heading up and see what we find” – but that’s pretty typical. (I’m almost always alone, and I never tell people where I plan to camp. It’s a good safety technique.) But I was able to give them information about the trail up to the junction with the McAllister Trail, and I think that was helpful.

I ran out of water about a mile before the end of my hike. I was too lazy to stop & filter water, and I knew I had water at the truck. But that also meant I was parched, glycogen depleted, and weary by the time I finished my hike. I’m grateful that the dogs were gone and that no one was camped where I left my truck.

In addition to the two apps I was using to navigate, I was tracking my activity on a Garmin Forerunner 245 (a smartwatch) and I was carrying a Garmin InReach satellite communication device. (The InReach will also track your movements.) The Forerunner and my phone uses standard GPS satellites; the InReach uses the Iridium satellite network. Iridium is a bit more robust that standard GPS, and I think it’s pretty common knowledge that phone-based GPS tracking is not always accurate. That was starkly demonstrated on this hike. The Forerunner thinks I took a circuitous route back to the junction of the two trails; the InReach has my following the same path I took on the way out. This was a good reminder that while these navigation tools are great, they’re not infallible. If it seems off, trust your gut.

This hike wore me out, but it recharged me, too. It’s really what I needed to help bring me back in balance. I’ve got some ideas I want to try to make sleeping in the back of the truck more comfortable, and I’ve come up with the gear I intend to keep in the truck so that I can head off to the backcountry with little preparation.

I can’t wait to go back!