When I awoke in the morning the floor of my tent was covered in rainwater. The clouds continued to spit mist as we started to hike, but soon gave way to the strong California sun. After crossing over the location of an old stage road and way station from the 1860s we entered the Trinity Alps Wilderness. I had long wanted to visit the Trinity Alps after hearing friends in the Bay Area praise its remote beauty. It did not disappoint, and the dark sharp line of peaks in the distance soon had me in a rapturous trance. Pretty little streams danced down the mountainside and across the trail to flow into the pristine alpine lakes below. The feelings of pain and toil that sometimes dominate the trail experience vanished, and I walked on with a big smile on my face.
During our lunch break on a rocky ridge I laid my tent and sleeping pad out in the sun which quickly dried the light fabric. The PCT only cuts through a tiny corner of the Trinity Alps, but I knew it would draw me back one day. Vick and Ronan were rushing to get to Seiad Valley near the Oregon border but decided to camp with me one final night, and we found a wonderful open spot on a forested ridge with Mount Shasta peaking through the trees to the east. We celebrated a last gourmet dinner of (you guessed it) ramen and instant potatoes while day faded into the starry night.
Russell on the Road 