8/5/2023
Section: Milepost 1822.7 to 1801.7
Total Trail Miles: 1137.6
Distance: 20.84 Miles
Moving Time: 08:10
Elevation Gain: 2577 ft
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This morning’s breakfast was epic because it consisted of lucky charms and whipping cream! That’s right folks, bringing back an early COVID favorite that Amanda finally told me I had to quit circa April of 2020 but today, because I am supremely calorie deficient, I brought back the old favorite and it was oh so appreciated.
Today’s route starts with a stout climb up out of the Mazama village before taking off south towards the southern border of Crater Lake National park. The route meanders around the western end of Pumice Flat, keeping the elevation gains minimal. At the park border the trail passes to the west of Goose Nest mountain and gains a north-south running ridge which eventually routes around Goose Egg peak. The trail then drives straight south through a massif containing Lone Wolf, Ruth, Ethel and Maude peaks before crossing Honeymoon creek and eventually attaining the seven lakes basin where we slept for the night.
We woke this morning around 6 and packed up. Around 7 we made our way to the general store where we planned on eating some cereal Amanda had gotten for us at the store the night before. At the store though, we broke down and decided to go back to Annie Creek Restaurant for their breakfast. We wound around the front, initially dismayed by the dark interior until we realized that that is just how it looks and that it was indeed open. Inside, we both ordered biscuits and gravy and Amanda got tea while I got a coffee before sitting at the same table we had sat with my parents at. The biscuits were good, if a little “Microwave dinner-y” but we ate with gusto. Afterwards Amanda still had my lucky charms and I still had some hunger so I went back to the front counter, refilled my coffee, purchased 6 teas and asked if I could just buy a cup full of half and half. She said there was no half-and-half to be had but she could get me some whipping cream, which put a stupid grin on my face. “I’ll take that,” I said. Back at the table I ripped open the lucky charms and poured in the whipping cream while Amanda just shook her head, but in the end she took the remainder of the cream for her applejacks - I think she gets the hype now.
After breakfast, we paid and made our way out of the village, stopping just outside to stretch. The path ahead was pretty water-less so we were both carrying 3 liters and a full pack which made it heavy. After stretching, we made the short but stout climb out of Mazama and regained the PCT. From the junction, the trail meandered very gently up and down as we cruised through the immaculately maintained trails of Crater Lake.
About an hour in we ran into Ranger Corbin and, wow, let me tell you - what a babe. He was maybe the nicest ranger I have met in my life and we talked for about 30 minutes. Evidently, the massive thunderstorm we had walked through the day before had knocked out all the repeaters in the park but he had learned via one-way communication that there were a few spot fires around. He assured us, though, that the park's fire crew, who had been growing antsy in June and July, were very ready to finally get out and fight some fire. As if to drive the point home, a helicopter with a bucket flew over us on its way to one. Ranger Corbin was out checking on the Stuart Falls/Pumice Flat trail, as it was a catastrophe and he was marking it for the trail crews. We talked for a few more minutes and then he wished us luck and we parted ways. I wrote something in FarOut to the effect of “10 out of 10, would be rescued from a burning building by ranger Corbin.
We continued on and most of the rest of the day passed relatively uneventfully. The new shoes were breaking and I was careful to not repeat the mistakes of the past and pull out the eyelets while tightening them. We exited the park and then climbed up through the massif, before descending the opposite side. The blowdown got really bad after exiting the park and we slowed down quite a bit.
At the end of the day we climbed up into the 7 lakes basin and camped near a healthy stream. It took most of the day and was starting to darken by the time we identified our camp spot. We had some delicious Good-to-go meals and tried to ignore the very creaky tree as we turned in for the night. Just before going into the tent we noticed lots of tiny frogs all around which sang us to sleep.
Some immaculate Crater Lake Trails!