July 12, 2016 - Had a great night’s sleep on the soft forest floor after that long day of hiking yesterday.
After packing up camp I left the woods and back on the ridge for about a 2 mile uphill. The hike was pretty amazing as off to the side I could see where I had hiked from. However I wasn’t able to see Lassen as it was hidden by the other mountains.
About a mile in my ankle really started to hurt, almost like my ankle brace was causing the pain so I took it off and was able to hike almost pain free.
After the ridge it was back into the woods for a nice gradual downhill on the soft level trail all the way down to McCloud River where I got a chance to relax down at the water. I ate lunch and had a chance to take a dip and clean my clothes. I had gone through some poison oak on the way down and wanted to wash it off.
I stayed down there too long but got moving again as I had a nice uphill to do. Again I ran into more poison oak and got even more on my clothes so at the next water source, Trough Creek, I tried my best to clean my pants again and my neck because there was some overhang that may had got me. Again I stayed there too long as I ate lunch again, trying to eat up all my food since I’ll be picking up a mail drop tomorrow.
It was some more up and downs in the thick forest with more poison oak. I almost step on a rattle snake, surprise to see one in such thick forest. At times it was like walking in a jungle.
As I was getting close to Squaw Creek I ran right into some poison oak head on, no doubt I came in contact with it. I grab my rag and some soap to wash my face and when I got to the creek I went straight in with clothes and all on. I kept submerging myself in the cold water hoping I would wash off all the poison oak from my clothes and skin.
Then it was 5 miles uphill to camp, not bad of a hike but my body was pretty awake after hanging out in that cold creek. Ankle felt great all day until those last few miles but I was kind of pushing it to get to camp before dark, took too many long breaks.
Into Castella in morning which should be pretty much all downhill. I have a mail drop waiting in town and I think I have a new pair of shoes waiting for me, my ones right now are in bad shape.
