The Path of the Paddle

Got my Job for the Winter

2010-10-17T08:16:00.001-07:00

I got the job I was hoping for. I'll be working at Park City Mountain Resort this winter as part of the ski patrol. Guess the EMT training put me over the top.

It's going to be a great winter.

Wait, the trail ends?

2010-09-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Well, apparently the Pacific Crest Trail actually does have an end, which I'm not to sure if it is a good or bad thing.

I finished the 2665 mile PCT on the 23 of August and have slowly been working my way back into the civilized world. I will be able to create a much longer detailed post in the next few days involving more information and the much sought after pictures and videos.

On a side note, Adventure Duck has completed its first thru-hike, and Drift now has 5,000 miles under his belt.

Check back in the next few days for the final PCT post!

On Through Green Washington

2010-08-30T18:06:00.001-07:00

Video from Mt. Hood and Hiking to the Top!

2010-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Boot Skiing on Mt Hood.

The Adventure Duck Song as sung by Shay.

Cabin Comfort

Mt. Jefferson

Crater Lake and a Duck

2010-08-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

The latest photos from crater lake with Adventure Duck. Enjoy.

The Last 3 Weeks....

2010-08-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's about 3 more weeks to go to enter Canada and the end of the PCT. We (Shay's pa) are making plans for getting Shay's car out of the barn in Idaho where it has been stored for a couple of years. The 2 dozen+ mice have protected it well (and lost their lives in the process) but in the process chewed through one of the spark plug wires. Replacements are in the way but other than that the car is in super shape.

3 more weeks to go......

Mt. Hood - Been there, done that

2010-08-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

Just climbed Mt. Hood in under 3 hours without crampons or an ice axe. But I did have a paddle. Nearly done with Oregon and should be in Canada Land in under 3 weeks from now.

Bugs in Oregon

2010-08-02T19:05:00.001-07:00

The bugs are thick and attaching da-boys.

The main pack has split with Shay and a couple of the guys on their own going through Oregon. Going by Mt. Hood Shay will be seeing his sister that is currently catching some snowboarding on the mountain. The heat is on and the bugs are thick, but it's fast traveling north to the border.

Crater Lake:

One of "da-guys" hiking with Shay:
Lava lava everywhere:

Videos of the Shay -vs- the Giant Pancakes

2010-07-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

UFO sized Pancakes (1,2,3....)

3 appears to be the magic number

Shay finishes 3+

Passing the half way point!

Over 1/2 Way!

2010-07-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Shay is now over half way done and is currently in Oregon. The snow is gone and the heat has started. Yep the kilt is holding up and the miles are racking up. Here are the latest photos.

Anytime is good for Giant Pancakes.

The Trail to come...

Still Carrying "Drift"

Adventure Duck is hanging in there.
Humm, Fresh water.

Tahoe Videos

2010-07-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Lost Sport of Kilt Skiing

No Rest for the Tired

Tahoe Photos With the Last of the Snow Pack.

2010-07-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

Special Treats Along the Trail

The snow pack is almost over
Check out the height of this snow!
Using some HyperLite Gear
More snow, Humm, how to get over?

Past Tahoe and Past Halfway!

2010-07-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

In Old Station and have crossed the half way point. Only 1300 miles left. Hiking has been very difficult the last few days with the soaking in hot springs and milk shakes around every corner.

Some Photos just Before Tahoe

2010-07-04T15:44:00.001-07:00

Crossing Streams by any means possible.

The Spring running off has made all of the stream crossing very difficult. Many times they have had to track upstream miles (3+) to find a place to cross where the flow is low enough to be safe.

The last Videos getting into Tahoe

2010-07-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

Whats that Blue Stuff?

Fording Again...

Shay Glissading in his Kilt!

Sledding

Crossing by Log

Streams Abound A Plenty

2010-06-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

Too Big to Cross #1

Too big to Cross #n

Yet Another Snowy Pass

Water Fall Trails

A Stream Crossing

And Another Stream Crossing

New Photos of the last(?) of the Sierra's

2010-06-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

1100+ Mile Point

2010-06-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

Made it to Lake Tahoe, 1100 miles into this little hike. Still the first group and will probable be one of the first people to complete the trail this year.

Videos from Mt. Whitney

2010-06-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Atop the Top.

The HIGH HIGH Sierra's

2010-06-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Kilt and the Paddle can't get much higher than this in the lower 48!

Enjoy...

14,485

2010-06-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Made it out of the high sierras and currently taking a zero day in Mammoth Lakes. First group through the sierras which means all the next resupply places are still closed because there is so much snow in the area. Next stop is tuolumne meadows and then forward to South Lake Tahoe for some much deserved All You Can Eat joints.

Just sent out another Memory card so videos and pictures of the high Sierras should be up in the next few days.

And Yes, I did climb Mt. Whitney in a kilt and carrying a paddle!

More Photos from the 600-ish Mile Mark

2010-06-13T18:03:00.000-07:00

Stocking up for the Sierras.

What a trail.
National Parks here we come.
Another 100 Miles down
Be My Friend?

Getting to Kennedy Meadows Videos

2010-06-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

Windy

Room with a Food View

33 Degrees

Hitching A Ride Back

High Snow / Sun in the Sierra's

2010-06-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Just got a call from Shay this morning. They are just above Lone Pine taking a couple of zero days because of high snow and sun-poisoning. Snow + Sun = Sun-Poisoning. they dropped off the trail for a couple of days to recoup and get sun screen. Post-holeing avery 10 steps makes for every slow going.

"Half way done with the high sierras, we spent the last 80 miles postholing and making first track as we are the first group to tackle the mountains. Summited Mt. Whitney and forester pass, making first tracks up both."

It appears they are the lead group this summer so no packed trail to follow. Stream crossings are going ok with 100' of line for the more troublesome crossings.

They have about 113 miles to Mammoth Lakes and from there the Sierra's should get easier.

They did make a side trip to the Top of Mt. Whitney where the sky was clear and calm. The photo's of these should be coming in about 6- 7 days.

The Videos of Kennedy Meadows should be up in a couple of days, so stay tuned.

Sierra's Here I Come.

2010-05-28T16:01:00.001-07:00

YAY, just reached Kennedy Meadows. Mile 702 and the official endto the desert. Going to enter the high Sierras nearly a month before the suggested entry date. 200+ miles without seeing a road here I come.

Videos, We Got Em...

2010-05-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Some-Mores

Glissade

Road Walk

Tunnel

Dead Hikers

500 Miles

Mailed off the Sierra Package

2010-05-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

A big box has been mailed off to Shay. It includes his big boots and an ice axe for the high Sierra snow along with his bear proof container and some warming clothes.

The Last of the Southern Calif. Mountains

2010-05-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

More Movies From the Trail Going into the Mojave

2010-05-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

Horny Toad

Windy Spot

McDonalds ?

Slide Up?

Under I-15

The Big Mojave Desert

2010-05-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Reached the Mojave Desert and taking a well deserved break. I'm going to send out a food box for the sierras from Agua Dulce. I will be carrying a 12 day supply of food starting at kennedy meadows which means about 18 pounds of food. The weather in Southern California is still bi-polar, seeing as it is raining in the dry desert today and tomorrow.

Photos from the Mountains before the Mojave Desert

2010-05-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

More photos from the trail:

May 9th Videos...

2010-05-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

The trail at 300 miles:

A Bridge (what a treat):

Looking for a crossing :

How to cross a stream (Don't try this at home):

New Video From the Trail

2010-05-11T17:46:00.001-07:00

Video from the southern Calif. mountains.

Video of outdoor living.

More Photos From the Trail

2010-05-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

These photos at on the trail getting to Big Bear. They cover the high mountains w/snow down to the desert and up to Big Bear.

Enjoy...

Made it to I-15!!!!!!

2010-05-11T06:52:00.001-07:00

Spent the night at Cajo Pass in a wonderfull Best Western split between several other hikers. The next section looks like fun, there will be a small detour today that is like 4 miles or something, But in the next couple of days there is a 40-ish mile section of the trail that is closed due to a fire and there is no official detour for it yet. May be a long road walk in my future.

Sending Food Boxes To Shay

2010-05-09T08:24:00.001-07:00

Shay provided a mailing list and all of the food boxes for us to mail him at intervals over the hike. The USPO provides the new Flat-Rate boxes which work great.

The next food box to go out will be for Kennedy Meadows and will include:

- His Boots. He's been wearing hiking shoes so far. The Boots are for the Sierra snow.

- The Bear Safe. Enuf said.

- An Ice axe and maybe crampons for the Sierra snow.

Photos of the Start of the PCT Gathering

2010-05-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the photos of the gathering at the start of the PCT. Enjoy.

The Olympus uTough Camera Lives!

2010-05-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is Pa again. I opened all of the ports and panels on Shay's very dead Olympus uTough camera and removed the battery and memory card. I let it dry out over the course on the next week until I could not see any moisture left in it. Both Shay and I email Olympus about the water got the same reply, "send it in and we'll let you know what it will cost".

After a week airing out, I charged it up and up she came. Tried out all of the functions and the memory card and it appears good. The screen is not the best, I think we lost about 1/2 of the screen resolution, but hey, it works.

We'll send it back out to the trail when we have a box that is not yet full to mail.

Still doing that walking thing

2010-05-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Made my way up to Big Bear today, and will be spending tomorrow here also.

On the travels through the last section of the PCT we have discovered that the trail is Bi-Polar when it comes to what type of climate it wants to be in. The section started in desert, then proceeded to climb up, and up, and up. Eventually we were 6000 feet above our starting and happy to be out of the blistering heat. The next day we managed only 17 miles, 2 of which I'm glad to report were on a trail. The other 15 miles was on 5-10 feet of snow field with no sign of the PCT. Ice axes would have been helpful in more then one position but when you don't have something, find a new use for your paddle. The next day was the never ending mountain, we traveled from 8000 feet down to 1000 feet over a period of about 15 miles. Snow cover fields to scorching desert in about 5 hours. 2 days later we did the reverse and climbed the never ending canyon, and over a period of about 15 miles climbed from 2500 to 8000, and back into the snow fields.

There will be some great pictures and videos uploaded soon, as I will send them out tomorrow.

This section was defiantly like the land of Oz, full of lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

First Video From the Trail

2010-05-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Shay appears to be making friends along the trail. Here snakey-snakey.....

Enjoy, more to come.

First Casualty of the Trail

2010-05-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well the Olympus u-Tough appears to be not so tough after all. The camera served well but the hot springs killed it. Not that hot (after all we were sitting in it) but too hot for the Olympus u-Tough-8000.

The memory card contacts shorted out and the LCD is peeling inside from the water and you can see water in the Flash, etc.

Dead, dead, dead.

At least the Kodak Zi8 HD video camera is working well. This will need to suffice for a while. The video quality is super and it's a still camera too. It does not pretend to be tough so it will avoid water at all costs.

Sure wish the Olympus didn't die. It was my 2nd Olympus Tough camera as the first one is sitting on a stream bed somewhere in Australia.

Greetings From The Trail

2010-04-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the trail. I'm currently in Warner Springs and enjoying some long soaks in their hot springs. Some how my indestructable camera was not so indestructable so now I must rely on the HD video camera from now on.

I'm trying to make the Blog videos but find that I really have to force myself to sit down and make them. They are deffinately out of my "Norm".

The trail has been far easier then I remember, and have had to force myself to not push more then 20 miles each day in fear of reaching the high seirras before much of the snow has melted away. But even with going slow you can still make 22 miles in a day and be done before 3 pm.

Hopefully I will force myself to make longer videos with more details and what not. Sending out the first memory card back home in about 2-3 days from now so the videos should be up shortly afterwards.

Thats it for now,

Wander + Drift

When Will The Video Appear?

2010-04-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

When Shay gets to one of the food boxes sent to him, he will send back one or more of the memory cards that contain video. When we get these, we will post them on this site.

Shay has a Kodak Zi8 pocket HD video camera with him for the videos. We chose the Kodak because it has replaceable memory card, great reviews, super price and it can be recharged from the Solo Solar charger on the trail. He is using 4GB memory card that will be mailed back and forth during his "walk".

More to come....

Last Photo At Home

2010-04-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the last photo of Shay before Leaving for California. What a dude, all dressed up with his pack and everything.

He's wearing his kilt and full gear that he will be wearing for almost if not all of the PCT. What a fashion statement!

Boo, our dog, is not going with him.

Box Lunch

2010-04-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

I'm shay's dad and I'll be making the blog posts while Shay is "walking".

Here is a typical food box that will be mailed to him at different stops along the trail. Yunny looking isn't it? Enjoy....

Final Day Before the Trail

2010-04-20T12:52:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow morning I fly out to San Diego. The journey will officially start the day after that at the Mexican Border. I will start the Video blog when I start on my trek towards Canada.

I have all my gear packed up and hopefully it will make it through the airport and back to me in one piece.

Well that is all for now, hopefully everything goes as planned and the start of the trip all works out for the best.

Preperation update

2010-04-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

Okay, all my packages are packed, still need to get a few more days of food with cous cous and breakfasts. total of 23 packages. Doing a test hike tomorrow. 18 miles witha complete backpack including 5 days of food and an extra pound or two.

Pack Weight

2010-04-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

So I just collected all of the gear that I will be using on the PCT. Initially I was extremely bummed out and disappointed with the end weight. With all my gear packed, it was 13lbs 13oz. Now my pack weight for the Appalachain Trail was only 9 pounds and I was not attempting to be light weight at all, just minamalistic. Then I sat down and started thinking why is my pack so heavy. Yeah I'm carrying a sleeping bag this time, and a shelter, but everything is super light weight. I was checking out other hikers gear lists and found out that they were not listing a few items of considerable weight.

1) None of the other gear lists that I have found list the guide books that people carry. The guide book at its heaviest (before you cut out the parts that you have already completed) is 1lbs 9oz.

2) Yet again, none of the gear lists included something that is required to carry whilst on the Pacific Crest Trail. This is the all important bear canister. A grizzly bear proof can to store your food. I have one of the lightest bear canisters you can get and it weighs in at a whooping 2lbs 1oz.

That means that if I was to re-weigh my gear to the standards that most hikers follow, my pack weighs in at 10lbs 3oz.

Makes me feel a bit better now.

PCT worth of food!!

2010-03-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

So I just got the majority of the food that I will be eating on the PCT. I have 40 pounds of Cous Cous, 40 pounds of potato flakes, and 25 pounds of granola. Still need to get some plain ol' oatmeal, and dehydrated soup mix.

Canadian Acceptance

2010-03-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

Looks like Canada is happy to have me walk across their border. Just got my acceptance letter saying that I'm now legally allowed to enter through the Pacific Crest Trail.

New Stove

2010-03-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

I just made my new alcohol stove. It is made from a metal beer bottle and runs off of alcohol. I will buy some fuel and test it out later. I will also upload a video showing it and testing out the new video camera.

Kilt Power

2010-03-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

I just got my new hiking kilt and looks like it will be a very comfy 2700 miles. Going to go skiing in a kilt next week, seeing as the spring heat is allowing such.W

New gear to play with

2010-03-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

I just got my new Sleeping bag (Mont-Bell U.L. S.S. Down Hugger #3) and a new back pack (GoLite Peak). Everything looks good, going to be testing my gear on a short trip to Southern Utah later this month. I still need to get a camera and a few other bits, but it looks like my pack weight will easily be under 10 pounds (with a wooden canoe paddle, 1-2 video cameras, and a solar charger).

I will have pictures of my gear up soon, and will get my website looking better.

Hello big world

2010-03-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

This is the first post of my blog. I have decided that I'm going to attempt to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail. While doing this I will be providing a video blog every day. Which means I will need to be carrying a heavy HD Video camcorder and a portable solar charger to do this. I think in the long run this is a good road to head down.

I still have some big hurdles to clear before I head out on my next big adventure. I need to get 4-5 months worth of food, all my gear organized, and logistics planned out.

I will have photos and updates as they come.