Author Archives: ghsmith76
A MOOC Strategy that Worked
It appears that Udacity, one of the early MOOCs, founded by Sebastian Thrun, has found a profitable model based on vocational training. When the MOOCs started out the assumed model was the college course which made total sense with respect to attracting university partners and investment dollars. What a frenzy they created 3-4 years ago as the elite universities strutted their expertise in education technology. MOOCs could make college accessible to the masses, unfortunately, that may not have been what the masses needed nor what the higher education wanted. The elite universities jumped on the bandwagon to make sure they had some control over the destiny of these Massively Open Online Courses, MOOCs. MOOCs have been successful with respect to exposure of college courses to the masses but they have been a dismal failure when evaluated against traditional college courses. That is exactly what higher education wanted, validation that their course delivery model was superior to these new online options.
The New York Times article, “Udacity Says It Can Teach Tech Skills to Millions, and Fast” gives us the story on how transitioning to a vocational training model is paying off for Udacity’s bottom line and for the careers of their students. The test market was obvious, software development, which has been pioneering new models based on the boot camp concept of intensive training typically under the guidance of the interested employers. Good jobs exist for coders of today’s popular development platforms. AT&T has been a leader in trying to manipulate the traditional computer science degree feeder system. I was highly impressed with their Georgia Tech and Udacity partnership to create an affordable MS degree in Computer Science. But that degree program was about affordability and marketing, not about a more successful MOOC model.
Udacity’s new program, Nanodegree, “Credentials built and recognized by industry leaders to advance your career”, appears to be the successful outcome to all of the trial and error experience gained by the MOOCs. The financial commitment of $200 per month with the incentive to receive half of it back upon successful program completion within a year is the motivation needed by the 10,000 students currently enrolled. The concept is still work at your own pace so one could turn this into a very affordable boot camp solution. I am currently enrolled in the Udacity course “JavaScript Basics” for the fun of it and so far Udacity has done an excellent job of coaching me to be successful.
The MOOC supporters such as AT&T may have finally found the right formula with Udacity’s Nanodegree. Instead of hiring college graduates with programming aptitude and retraining them maybe the corporate employers have finally found a way to satisfy their appetite for software developers.
Reflections
I have been reflecting about my last 3 months of backpacking. What stands out the most for me is that I actually did it, I fulfilled a dream.
Greg on the Trail
The incredible adventure of it all accentuated by my adopted carefree approach filled in any remaining confidence gaps that I may have had. Backpacking, especially on the Pacific Crest Trail can be extremely difficult. You do ask yourself, why am I doing this, but then you find yourself in some of the most amazingly beautiful secluded places on earth and realize how fortunate you are. That realization is highlighted a bit more when you are 61 years old with 2 artificial hips. Overall, I backpacked over 280 miles with over 50K of vertical. The trip reports for the various segments are presented in my blog: http://higheredtechtalk.org which I now refer to as Higher Elevation Tech Talk.
My transition from being a Chief Information Officer, CIO, at major STEM research university in the middle of America played out quickly and a bit unexpectedly. Contributing factors included my frustration with university system leadership and policy, loosening of family regional ties due to the passing of parents and a desire to return to the stronger ties that still existed in the Northwest. Many of my friends and peers must have wondered how could I walk away from such a solid job before heading off into the unknown. The fact I had no reservations about the move surprised me the most. My wife, getting a job in Oregon, definitely helped ease the worry; but I resigned before she started looking for a job. We have never shied away from adventure, in fact this was move 25 in our 38 years of marriage. I look at this adventure as an investment in myself with the backpacking experiences as an investment in memories for retirement. As my wife told me, if you don’t pursue this dream now, maybe later you won’t be able to.
I am now back to work as a consultant tackling the typical technology challenges I used to deal with as a CIO. I have no idea where the path now leads, however, there are plenty of options for someone who can get things done. I mentioned filling in some confidence gaps, I’m not exactly sure what those gaps were, but I do know what I accomplished during this backpacking adventure has provided a sense of ultimate completion.
When I was at Missouri S&T my employees referred to me as the snowplow, meaning I cleared the way for them to be successful. I guess I did a bit of plowing to make this backpacking adventure turn out as well as it did. First, I had to “Just Do It” which was easy for me. I didn’t have all the answers but I knew that I could quickly figure it out, like adapting to a flexible trail schedule, optimizing my equipment and understanding my body’s physical limits. Then I was able to optimize the experience for maximum enjoyment return. So when a trail is closed choose another, or if conditions are deteriorating then change your plan. This is the same in business, you react to the available data, but you have to react. At the management level, choosing a trip with no forest fire closure is a fairly easy choice, but on the trail, implementing decisions based on path, distance and weather minimizes risk. Success comes from your efficiency in making the best decision at the right time.
Owen Point Section of Map
I think back to the end of my recently completed 75K backpacking segment, the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, BC. My plan was to camp on the beach near Owen Point to setup for the next morning passage at low tide below 6 feet. Well I never found a place to camp and ended up at Owen Point late in the afternoon. I had a small window of opportunity to get through, low tide was only 5.2 feet at 4:40 pm.
Beach Boulders to Navigate
This was a critical decision point, I had already hiked 14K and my body was tired, continuing on committed me to the navigation of two kilometers of a beach piled high with massive boulders to get to Thrasher Cove. Also, I had heard that a storm was coming so I did want to make sure I could end the trip the following day. My decision was to get past Owen Point then and deal with the boulders. Getting past Owen Point even at low tide was difficult and I slipped into the ocean soaking my boots but I saved my backpack. Now the boulders in wet boots. That 2K stretch of beach turned out to be one of the most physically strenuous efforts I have ever put myself through. I loved it, the adrenaline kicked in with my focus entirely on the goal of reaching Thrasher Cove which I accomplished in time to secure a campsite that I correctly calculated to be on ground above high tide.
Accomplishment is a powerful reward, but it only comes from your willingness to tackle a challenge. It is the same in your professional career, and what I have always sought out. I’m sure I will take on a few more professional challenges but I will also continue to balance life with wilderness challenges to ensure the fulfillment of more dreams.
The Adventure Continues
The West Coast Trail – Vancouver Island, BC
I finished off my 2 month backpacking adventure by choosing to leave the hot, dry, smokey Pacific Crest Trail to take on the infamous West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, BC.
Start of WCT at Pachena Bay
This was totally a spur of the moment decision to go for this unique backpacking destination. I only knew about this trail because my wife found it listed in a top backpacking destinations of the world listing in response to my frustrations with the PCT conditions. Most who take on this trip will get their permits early in the year and plan for months. I had a day to replace my REI tent and schedule a few important things like ferry and bus reservations. I actually got the date wrong for the ferry but all worked out without a hitch, I even stayed at the Ocean Island backpackers hostel in Victoria, BC, the night before. On August 21st I road the 5+ hour bumpy bus ride to Pachena Bay Trailhead and got the last walk on permit available. This was just meant to happen with the added bonus of perfect weather.
After a required orientation session put on by the Canadian Parks Service I set out via the beach trailhead for a 12K destination of the Michigan Creek Campsite.
Michigan Creek Campsite
You are provided an excellent waterproof trail map which I quickly realized steered you to designated camping areas which typically had a bear vault for food and a composting outhouse. I went along with this option the first night but there after I tried to camp by myself on the beach whenever possible. I wasn’t being anti-social, I just am not used to that type of control. The West Coast Trail is much more geared to groups which is really important for the motivation and teamwork needed to complete the trail successfully. I did get to know many, typically Canadians and Europeans who were on the same trail schedule as I was. The West Coast Trail is considered an accomplishment of a lifetime for the many casual backpackers who attempt it. As a solo older hiker I was a bit of an anomaly.
The first day’s 12K segment was relatively easy in comparison to the previous PCT segments I had been on. But it was a different kind of difficult in that the trail presented so many situations of risk. I slipped, stumbled and fell far more times on this trail then all of my miles on mountain trails.
Fear Of Heights was Not an Option
You had to overcome any fear of heights that you might have, ladders, log bridges, pulley cable cars and boulder hopping.
Mud and Roots
I did have to use my first aid kit a few times. I mentioned slippery, mud is a big part of the trail, however, I again benefitted from the period of dry weather, so I believe the typical muddy root infested climbs were tame compared to how they might have been in a normal wet environment. I never had to use my gaiters.
Sea Lions with Whale spouting
Wild life on the trail consisted mostly of sea life. There were a couple a great Sea Lion viewing sites and you saw whales every day. Also lots of sea gulls and on the trail a fair number of small snakes. I was a bit disappointed that I did not get to experience a bear sighting, I intentionally hiked on the trail as quietly as possible, however, many of the hikers had bells on their packs.
If you have ever enjoyed coastal beauty you can relate to what became the norm for me on the this trail. Hundreds of photo worthy views of spectacular coastline. This would have been the trip for a better camera, however, you would probably break it in one of your falls.
Typical Coastline Views
My second night I searched for a private beach campsite which I found just past the Klanawa River.
You are advised not to camp outside of the designated camp areas, but the chance to camp on a secluded beach with a fire was worth ignoring the advice. I did hang my food from a tree not so much for fear of bears but in case I was questioned about camping alone on the beach.
I think that night alone on a wilderness beach with the fire, sunset and moon was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.
The third day required a long stretch of trail to just get to the next campsite option. Since I camped a few kilometers prior to the popular Tsusiat Falls, my day was even longer.
Fresh Salmon Lunch
The reward though was a fish or crab lunch at the Nitinat Narrows. The native Indians provide a ferry service which conveniently takes you to their outdoor cafe on the water for a selection of Halibut, Salmon or Crab. Oh yes, and beer.
New Boardwalk
I opted for the Salmon but only had one beer since I still had 10K to hike to the Cribs Creek campsites. Thankfully that 10K stretch included a lot of boardwalk which you came to highly appreciate.
I was halfway done with the trail but you are fore warned that the northern segment is easier then the southern which was still ahead of me.
Trail Kilometers
The trail did provide a nice feature of Kilometer markers. Typically you could do 3K per hour on good trail but only 1K on the difficult sections.
Colorful Mushrooms
There were not many flowers on the trail, however, they would have been absorbed by the overabundance of vegetation. There were some interesting mushrooms though.
Relaxing at Chez Monique’s
The following day presented another cafe option known as Chez Monique’, a burger tent on the beach. This was too good to be true, a great burger with beer. Well since I put in such a long day prior and I was not on a strict schedule I decided to camp nearby and take the afternoon off with a burger and a number of tallboy brews. My photo shows that I also tempered the beer with some Pepsi. It was a fascinating day of conversations. The guy in the photo with the red shirt was giving a presentation in Vancouver on the Functional programming language GHCJS Haskell. And Monique was an assembly language programmer back in the fifties.
I was able to stumble back to my tent for a really good night’s sleep.
I spent the next night at Walbran Creek with about 40 others. I decided to be social and it was good. I did help a young lady with a foot blister problem understand that moleskin is intended to replace or cover your skin. She was putting it on at night and taking it off to hike??? Walbran did offer the nicest swimming hole but it had accumulated a bit too much seagull droppings for me.
The next day’s trail along the beach offered some of the most beautiful views yet.
My goal for the next day was to seek out another private beach campsite and I had hopes for an option before I got to Owen Point which requires a very low tide to navigate through the caves. Low tide was early in the morning so I hoped to be close to hit it the next day.
Beach Before Owen Point
Well I entered the beach trail a few kilometers before Owen Pt. but could not find a suitable campsite.
Owen Point Section of Map
So I ended up at Owen Point around 4:30 pm which was close to low tide, plus there were others who had been waiting there for the tide to recede. At this point I had to get past the caves but that meant I would have to navigate the dreaded boulder field for the next 3K to get to the Thrasher Campsite. I made it around Owen Point but not without partially falling into the ocean and getting my boots soaked.
I did save my backpack by giving up some skin off my elbows.
Boulder Beach
I mentioned the boulder field, Wow, navigating this section of beach over massive boulders at the end of a tiring day may be one of my most impressive physical accomplishments. I actually traversed them rather quickly, maybe I was just amazed that I was doing such a crazy thing. All I remember is that when in doubt about the path take the high road. Sometimes you ended up climbing over trees and boulders 2 stories high. Jumping down to boulders with a backpack did take a toll on my thighs, but I recovered quickly.
Once I got to Thrasher beach campsite I was faced with a crowded selection of real estate.
Thrasher Campsite
Prime locations were on high ground since we were expecting a higher than normal tide to hit around 11:00 pm. I chose a spot on on a level that did present some risk, but I had large trees that would protect me from waves. As it turned out most everyone stayed up to make sure that we did not get washed away. All part of the adventure.
Sunrise over Port San Juan
The next morning brought a beautiful sunrise and less dew then typical so all was set for the final hike out to Port Renfrew. The last section was only 5K but it was a tough go with many root climbs, ladders and mud. I was excited to complete the trail but also sad for it to be over. The entire week I was blessed with perfect weather. Those starting the trail that day, August 27th, were in for many days of heavy rain.
Port Renfrew
I opted for a quick shower at the campground before going into Port Renfrew where I had halibut fish and chips. Excellent.
Dungeness Crab Lunch
The bus got me back to Victoria by 8:00 pm, I got a hotel, then enjoyed some sight seeing in Victoria the next morning with a lunch of Dungeness Crab at Fisherman’s Wharf before catching the ferry back to the U.S.
What an amazing couple of months of backpacking and what a fantastic finish with the West Coast Trail, Hike of a Lifetime.
Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
Stevens Pass Ski Area
I backpacked the Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass, PCT Washington Segment J from Aug. 8-16, 2015. It is 71 miles and over 18,000 vertical. This trip on the heals of my Spider Gap Buck Creek loop was challenging in many ways, most of which was related to heat, lack of water, lots of vertical and smokey conditions. Overall though it is a very dramatic PCT segment complete with very rugged and beautiful terrain.
Campsite in Berries
Starting off at the Stevens Pass Ski area was kind of cool thinking about how I might ski those runs that I was hiking. I was also treated to an abundance of huckleberry and blueberries for the first couple of days.
Mig Lake
My second day I had my sights set for a campsite on top of a mountain but along the way I passed many lakes of which I think the most beautiful was Mig Lake.
Trap Lake
At my mountain top campsite at PCT 2450 which was after a typical 3000 ft vertical climb day I had Trap Lake behind me and a beautiful sunset waiting ahead of me. One of the best campsites I have chosen.
Sunset from Mountain Top Campsite
The following day I planned on camping at Deception Lake, however,
Jets over the Wilderness
I was not that impressed with the options and I knew it would end up being crowed with the many through hikers now hitting this part of Washington. I pressed on and found a great campsite just south of Deception Creek at PCT 2442. The photo showing the jet exhaust trail represents the many jets that you hear flying over this area out of Seattle. You never see the military jets which fly lower and louder.
Cathedral Rock
The next day I climbed past the Cathedral Rock area but overall I took it easy and ended up at Deep Lake which offered a great site for a swim. Deep Lake still had water flow but it was low and the lake was warming up.
Deep Lake
I knew that I had a tough high vertical day coming up so I also took it a bit easy the following day in preparation to climb over Escondido Pass. I knew that water was going to be an issue and when I realized that my Camelbak bladder had leaked I was a bit concerned.
Smoke Over Lake Waptus
I did find a trickle of a stream where I filled up a Nalgene liter but I would need more. This was a long and exposed segment that turned out to be on one of the hottest days along with a lot of smoke sneaking into the area from the Washington forest fires.
Escondido Pass
There are a couple of dead lakes on top but who wants to drink warm water. It turned out that I did not have enough water or energy which made for a very difficult day. Boy was I happy when I finally got to a cool stream over near Lemah Meadows. I setup camp as it was getting dark and I collapsed for a night’s sleep to recharge. I did experience an interesting event that night as I believe a large buck must have been startled by my tent which was fairly near the trail. This was at 1:30 am and this buck sounded like he raised up and pounded his hooves 3 times right next to my tent. Nothing I could do but just lay there. Or maybe it was just a very real dream.
I took it easy the next day in preparation for more climbing.
Weather Changing
My plan was to camp near the Park Lakes area which turned out to be as far as I could get before the rain set in.
Campsite during Storm
In all of my backpacking I have been extremely fortunate with respect to weather, rarely have I endured a serious rain. Well that all changed with a night of wind and rain which was sorely needed by the draught stricken mountains. I did choose a good campsite next to a lake on top of ground shrubs which made for good drainage for the night long rain. The video gives you an idea of how pleasant the night long rain was.
Park Lakes Area
The following day turned out to be a lot tougher then I expected, lots of up and downs, but the misty weather made for excellent hiking conditions.
Above Alaska Lake
This is very scenic terrain and doing it in the clouds made for a unique day. Again my day stretched to the end of my energy just in time to make camp at Ridge Lake, just before it started raining again.
Hiking in the Clouds
Not so bad, just persistent. But this was my last night on the PCT since Snoqualmie Pass was over the next pass. Of course the sun came out just as I got on the trail. It would have been nice to have had the sun to dry some things out before heading out.
After the Storms
However, the rain brought crystal clear air for some of the most beautiful terrain left on the segment. This is a very popular day hike segment for the Seattle folks so I passed hundreds of them as I headed down to Snoqualmie Pass.
Then you see Mt. Rainier and you can get cell service. This all translated into a wonderful finish to this PCT segment. After getting my resupply at the Chevron Station and showering I enjoyed a few craft beers from the Dru Bru Brewery.
Spider Gap Buck Creek Loop
I am sorry for being a bit late on posting about our Spider Gap Buck Creek Loop trip, Aug 1-6. As expected this 36 mile loop with 8000′ vertical was amazing and lived up to our high expectations.
Every year I do a loop like this with friends and when we have asked other backpackers what they believe to be the best loop, Spider Gap Buck Creek tends to be the winner. And it is truly an awesome loop complete with incredible vistas, challenging climbs and unique topography.
We decided to take the counterclockwise route beginning with the Spider Meadow Phelps Creek trail. The meadow was beautiful but it was obvious that we had missed the high flower point by a few weeks.
Taking it easy the first day we planned for the Spider Gap climb which is broken into an initial 1000 ft climb on a fairly rugged rock trail and then another 1000 ft climb on up the snow field. The reward at the top was worth the climb.
The view into the Lyman Lakes Valley and Glacier was highlighted by rugged terrain which turned out to offer up a bit of a scare to us. We made the mistake of assuming the trail to the east would eventually wind down to the valley. Wrong, so I advised that we backtrack and go down the snow field. Unfortunately, Bob, who hates to backtrack decided to take the short cut down the mountain slope. This was not communicated well and we ended up getting separated from Bob.
The outcome of this turned into a nervous search for Bob who did eventually turn up to relieve our fears after he had a bit of a hair raising descent down the side of the mountain ending up further down the valley. Our concern stemmed from the dangerous loose rock navigation that could easily result in a slide or a fall. But all was well and we settled in between the Lyman Lakes.
Old Backpakers 
Lyman Lakes Campsite
The following day took us over Cloudy Pass which lived up to its name. This is also about the time we began enjoying an over abundance of blueberries and huckleberries. We had a fun log stream crossing below Lyman Lakes. Again we kept losing Bob because he couldn’t resist stopping and eating the berries.
This is when we first saw the fires which have wreaked havoc with the PCT Trail closure. At this time the big fires over at Lake Chelan had not blown up yet. As we climbed over the pass we got to speak with many of the local Whistle Pig population.
This was also when we discovered that the detour to Stehekin was no longer an option for the PCT’ers. We went about half way to Image Lake and turned around figuring that the weather was not going to present us with enough reward. After talking to others who went over I think it was the right decision.
Fortress Mountain 
Glacier Peak
We had hoped to hike over to Image Lake which is a 2.4 miles. We went about a mile and decided we didn’t really need to go all the way. The views of Glacier Peak were excellent from where we were. (I did finally get to Image Lake and yes it is awesome) We camped across from Fortress Mountain. This was the Suiattle Pass Junction area where the PCT closure was spelled out.
We continued on with our loop up to Buck Creek Pass knowing that we would have time for a side hike. We setup camp at the top of the pass while the weather still looked good and we decided to do the Liberty Cap trail.
I highly recommend this route which offers fabulous views of Glacier Peak.
Well the weather started to change once we got up on Liberty Cap which caused us some concern but also offered beauty in the cloud formations.
We got back to camp just in time to avoid the rain.
The next morning it was still miserable on the pass but we could see that there was sun in the valley on our route back to the Trinity Trailhead. The annual backpacking loop trip with friends was again a great success, however, this year I was set to continue on for a few more weeks.
My original plan was to get my resupply and go from Stevens Pass to Canada, however, the fires forced a change to that strategy. So I decided to go from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass for my next segment.
Fires Force Reroute of My PCT Backpacking
Heading South from Stevens Pass
The Spider Gap Buck Creek Loop backpacking trip was awesome.
The forest fires around Glacier Peak increased in number and size to prevent me from backpacking from Stevens Pass to Stehekim, so I have decided to go south from Stevens Pass instead. Starting Saturday August 8th I will head south from Stevens Pass to resupply at Snoqualmie Pass on I90. I will then go on to White Pass for a total of
I will provide trip report blog post when I return at the end of August.
The Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie segment was awesome and challenging. Lot’s of vertical plus some heat and rain. The view of Mt. Rainier was a welcome on a beautiful Sunday.
Mt. Rainier heading into Snoqualmie Pass
Oregon Central Coast
Proposal Rock in Neskowin, OR
I have been off the trail for 2 weeks and it seems like an eternity. I’m not sure if I just miss the wilderness or I am just overly pumped for the upcoming longer commitment. It was insightful to go through the planning steps for coordinating a month on the trail and sending off resupply boxes. I have an even greater respect for the PCT through hikers who figure this out for many months. But I am ready to go. The Spider Gap Buck Creek Loop with friends will be fabulous and then on to Canada on the PCT. Thankfully it appears the forest fires are under control.
North Neskowin Beach
In preparation for this next backpacking commitment I have been fortunate to spend about a week down at our townhouse in Neskowin. We have a 1/12 fractional share which is priceless (there may be a share for sale) The weather has been fabulous and the hiking opportunities around Neskowin are as good as it gets for the Oregon Coast. Let me give you a glimpse of my hiking preparation over the last 3 or 4 days.
View South from Cascade Head
Hiking the beach is always great exercise by way of distance and solitude. Rarely are there any other humans once you get a mile or so north of Neskowin. Hiking on Cascade Head should always be done either from above or below.
View from Cape Foulweather
My daughter motivated me to go for a longer hike so we opted for the trails behind Cape Pepetua scenic coastline. On the drive down we needed to stop at Cape Foulweather because the view is awesome. The Cape Perpetua coastline is considered the most beautiful in America and the hiking trails in the Siuslaw National Forest offer exposure to impressive old growth forests.
The Thumb
The unexpected hiking delight turned out to be the Thumb Trail which is a little known trail that starts at the end of Roads End in Lincoln City. A short hike with some serious technical climb to the Thumb but the view is second to none on the coast.
Cascade Head from Thumb
This discovery was extra special since it gave me a view of Cascade Head from the South.
Lincoln City from Thumb
This area is not really setup for serious traffic so please take care of this gem. The top of the Thumb is a bit dangerous especially with strong winds, it drops off on 3 sides.
Is this too good to be true?
August Backpacking Schedule
My backpacking schedule for August has been confirmed. August 1-7 I am doing Spider Gap Buck Creek Loop near Glacier Peak just Southeast of the PCT providing a great 44 mile loop rated difficult. I will do the loop with friends; Bob and Jeff. 
Then I will get a ride over to Bellingham, WA, to visit friend John to resupply and prepare for my final solo PCT segment.
August 8th or 9th I will be dropped off at the PCT on Stevens Pass where I will head north to Manning Park Canada, about 200 miles. I will resupply in Stehekin, WA, which is a resort lodge at the North end of Lake Chelan. There are no communications (Phone, Internet) in Stehekin, so I believe I will be off the grid until I get to Canada. I’ll send a post card from Stehekin to let folks know my progress.
Dusk Proposal Rock
I should get back home by the end of August so that I can begin work with Willamette View. So what a great August it should be, about 250 miles of the most beautiful wilderness in America. Can’t wait to be on the trail again.
I will be mentally preparing for this adventure next week on the coast in Neskowin.
Timberline to Cascade Locks
My second Oregon PCT segment was excellent, the weather was what you would expect and the scenery was as good as it gets.
Abby
Unfortunately when it ended and I returned to the cellular world at the Eagle Creek Trailhead I found out that my beloved old backpacking canine companion, Abby, had died the night before. It was good that I had another 2.5 miles before I got to Cascade Locks, I needed the time to shed tears and reflect on our years together. I am so glad that we got to travel back to Oregon together. Australian Shepherds are incredible dogs and Abby was one of the best.
Back to the Hood to Gorge review. My wife and I spent the night before I departed at Timberline Lodge. Weather was perfect as were the IPAs we consumed in the adirondack chairs observing Mt. Hood. We could see Mt. Jefferson to the South initially but the view faded away into a smoky haze from the fires in southern Oregon.
Early Views of Hood
I departed on July 9th in beautiful weather with no deadlines, just a destination. The PCT from Timberline takes you into the Paradise Park area which is all about majestic views of Mt. Hood. You feel very small underneath the mountain. An afternoon thunder storm brought needed moisture but also motivated me to seek a campsite. A heavy fog moved in which essentially equated to rain all night long. 
The following day offered more amazing Paradise Park views. This is fairly rugged trail that skirts the many snow melt streams from Hood. The main goal was to have a relaxing lunch at Ramona Falls, however, crossing the headwaters of the Sandy river to get there always presents a challenge.
Sandy Crossing
So when I came out of the forest to greet the Sandy it was obvious that I was not crossing that high volume stream at this PCT designated trail point. When looking for a crossing you head upstream and look for perfectly positioned rocks or hopefully a log assisted crossing.
Mt. Hood from Sandy
I found the log/stick crossing that had been thrown together, and although it was a bit scary it turned out to be more then adequate. The reward for the challenging stream crossing is a glorious view of Mt. Hood.
Ramona Falls
Then on to the ultimate reward of Ramona Falls and I was not disappointed. The sunlight through the trees creates unique highlights of this cascading waterfall.
I needed to put in a few more miles so taking the PCT Ramona Falls alternate trail to the Muddy Fork Junction was a perfect climax to my second day. 
However, crossing fast flowing stream on a couple of logs was interesting. But more interesting to watch were a couple of endurance runners cross the stream on foot.
The next day, Saturday, was a bit dreary weather wise, but that was OK since it kept down the day hiker population. It was a tough day for distance and vertical, 10 miles of 3000 ft up and about 1500 down. When I passed Lolo Pass I was thinking about putting a long sleeve shirt on which made me wonder about the 4 teenagers who were heading up to Bald Mtn. in shorts and tank tops.
Mt. Hood and Lost Lake from Buck Peak
Sunday ushered in a lifting fog which made for an eerie beautiful trail. The body felt good as I was knocking off more vertical before the inevitable drop. I had passed Devil’s Pulpit and Preachers Peak so I was in the mood for a wilderness church setting. About 10:00 am I noticed a side trail which lead to Buck Peak. The trail was OK but narrow and overgrown enough to mean that condensation from the vegetation was going to be soaking. But I sensed its call and a half mile up I was rewarded with His majestic throne’s view of Mt. Hood and Lost Lake. The church service was excellent.
Ripe Huckelberries
The trail began the inevitable elevation decline to the gorge and with it came an abundance of ripe berries. I had a wonderful afternoon taking my time enjoying the spectacular view of the Eagle Creek canyon and eating plenty of ripe Huckleberries. After arriving at the Indian Springs abandoned campground I opted to continue on another 3 miles to Wahtum Lake. Definitely the right call as the lake campsite was beautiful and the trail there and then on to rejoin the Eagle Creek alternate PCT trail was a more gradual vertical decline complete with beautiful lush waterfall strewn scenery. Oh yes, and plenty of Thimbleberries, a tasty relative of the raspberry.
Tunnel Falls
I knew I was in for a treat from the Eagle Creek canyon trail but little did I know how amazing it would be. My daughter and I hiked up this trail about 10 years ago but stopped short of the really great landmarks. 
So the ultimate goal is Tunnel Falls, which totally lives up to the hype. Actually the entire Eagle Creek Trail is awesome with many serious waterfalls, good swimming holes, precarious cliff carved trail and great campsites. But Tunnel Falls, Wow.
I knew that my trip would end the next day so I kept looking for the ultimate campsite, but I was getting tired.
Last Night Campsite
Thankfully I kept seeking a better site and ended up with a primo campsite just below 4-Mile Bridge next to this 30+ foot waterfall, Skoonichuk Falls. But it made for a perfect last night on the trail where I was spared the heartbreak of knowing what was happening at the time with my dog, Abby.
Bridge of The Gods
The final day took me past High Bridge and Punchbowl Falls, plus greeting about a hundred, mostly day hikers, many with the goal to make it the 6 miles to Tunnel Falls. After receiving the news about Abby I hiked the Columbia River Highway State Trail up to Cascade Locks which provides a very nice view of Bridge of The Gods over to Washington. My wife and daughter were at the PCT Trailhead park by the bridge waiting for me. It was a gorgeous day for a burger and beer as we mourned the loss of our family dog.
Backpacking Lessons Learned
My first segment on the PCT taught me a lot, but the most important was that you cannot beat the heat. My goal was Willamette Pass to McKenzie Pass, about 80 miles in 9 days. I aborted after 6 days and about 50 miles after 2 days of 90+ degree heat with thunderstorm humidity did me in. The other lesson taken away was to keep your destination schedule open, since you never know what will affect that schedule.
OK, now for a quick update on what I did accomplish. Remember, I am 61 years old, healthy, but not really in great shape and I have been living at low altitude.
First Campsite Overlooking Rosary Lakes
I started off in the afternoon figuring I just needed to get a few miles under my belt to loosen up. I ended up going 5 miles and climbing 1200 vertical to end up at a fabulous overlook campsite. I felt great and was so pumped to be transitioning into this new wilderness mindset.
Winter Ski Cabin
The second day I enjoyed the comfort of a really nice winter ski cabin to escape the mosquitos and reorganize a bit. I determined that I would camp at the top of the next climb which meant I had to pack more water which I secured at Bobby Lake. I put in 9 miles and more good vertical and the body was responding well. Also to my surprise I had cellular service (maybe from Waldo Lake), although sporadic, but it did allow me to let the world know I was doing OK.
Carlton Lake
Mosquito Survival Net
The third day felt good, I get up early to take advantage of early morning coolness which allows you to wear longs sleeves to combat the mosquitos, but that is nothing new, just inconvenient.
Trail Maintenance Team
I knocked off a number of miles and stopped at Carlton Lake to filter water and cleanup a bit. The mosquitos were getting worse and the breeze off the lake was a a welcome relief.
I was feeling good so a set a goal of another 9 mile day to get to Taylor Lake. Along the way I thanked a trail maintenance team for the work they do and travelled through maybe a 10 year old fire area.
Fire Burn Area
Peaceful Taylor Lake
I got to my campsite early afternoon and took advantage of relaxing by Taylor Lake enjoying the mosquito less breeze. This was the first time I realized I had pushed my body to about max, but I could tell that I was able to refresh it with rest.
Around dinner time I was joined by a couple of PCT through hikers, trail names: Ranger and Bubba Gump, which made for good conversation as I compared my PCT adventure to theirs. They may have been one of the first through hikers to reach this far north, however, they skipped the Sierras to avoid the late winter storm.
Ranger and Bubba Gump
They did plan to return to do the JMT.
Next day I watched the young buck through hikers leave me in the dust I again felt strong and very satisfied with how my body was responding. However, the temperature was rising and all was about to change. I pushed myself this day for 10 miles and ended up at a campsite totally depleted of energy as the heat was taking a toll on me that I still believed I could plow through. That night we had a thunderstorm which did little to reduce the temperature but it did raise the humidity. The overcast morning made for a warmer and more intense mosquito start to the day. After my initial few miles of enthusiastic trekking my body started rebelling. I was sweating a lot which I think I was replenishing with liquids, but the heat toll was greater then that. I had hoped to put in 12 miles and make it to Elk Lake Resort. However, as my body began to fail, symptoms of heat exhaustion setting in, I made the decision to stop at Dumbbell lake only half way but my only good camp option.
Therma Rest Float
Anyways, wisdom was setting in and I knew I had to back off due to the heat and this lake looked ideal for the swimming potential. So I made camp before noon and focused the afternoon on body recovery. Floating around the lake on my Therma Rest Pad provided a wonderful way to cool down and great relaxation. However, I was now challenged to make my designated destination pickup at Lava Lake Trailhead. Unfortunately, it was still hot and more storm clouds added to the humidity.
The only remaining option which would allow me to complete the planned segment would be to put in 10 miles and summit Koosah Mountain with a difficult 1200 vertical or bailout with a 6 mile mostly downhill trail to Elk Lake Resort.
End of my Trail
Well about 4 miles into the effort it was obvious that heat exhaustion was not going to allow me to accomplish the needed goal so Elk Lake it was.
Actually aborting in this way made for a fairly interesting adventure in figuring out how to get home. I hitchhiked from Elk Lake, something I have not done for 40 years. The couple that gave me a ride dropped me off at the Cascade Lake Brewery in Bend, OR. I was able to connect with an old GEOAID colleague who gave me a bed for the night. Then I took a bus shuttle to Gresham, OR, where I caught the MAX light rail train to Hillsboro. All in all, it was a wonderful first phase of the adventure. Backpacking is tough, but the rewards of experiencing God’s earthly beauty justify the effort. I’m ready to hit the trail again in a week after this heat wave subsides.
The Adventure Continues 