The Pacific Crest Trail

221.8 miles

From Interstate 5 at Castella, California, to Interstate 5 at Ashland, Oregon, the PCT swings in a wide westward arc, then changes its mind and swings back to the east. The driving distance is only about 60 miles. On trail, it’s more than 200 miles!

Fortunately, it’s well worth the detour: These 200-plus meandering miles include some of northern California’s most scenic terrain. Thru-hikers who have been dispirited by the excessive logging of the previous section will appreciate the return to wilderness. (There’s logging in this region, too, but it’s generally out of sight of the trail and prohibited entirely in the wildernesses.) This section is also appealing to short-term hikers: The mountains are rugged and dramatic, and with a few well-placed roads, it’s possible to plan hikes of different lengths, depending on the time you have available and the mileage you want to do.

Castle Crags

Although most hikers loosely describe the PCT as following the Sierra and then the Cascades, in this section, the trail in fact leaves the Cascades for a foray into the Klamath Mountains. The reasons for this circuitous routing include private property issues and water availability, both of which are problems along the crest of northern California’s Cascades. In contrast, the Klamath Mountains offer adequate (if not abundant) water and beautiful terrain, especially between Castle Crags and Seiad Valley, where the trail goes through the Castle Crags, Trinity Alps, Russian, and Marble Mountain Wildernesses.

THE ROUTE

Leave Castella early! The first 34 miles of this section is almost all uphill, gaining nearly 5,300 feet of elevation. You’ll climb past the imposing Castle Crags and Castle Dome, granitic glaciated formations that are as jutting and dramatic as anything in the High Sierra. Warning: From the beginning of this section, it’s 10 miles to the first decent campsite along the ridge of Kangaroo Mountain. Watch your water, because much of this climb is in exposed chaparral. Midsummer temperatures can climb well into the 90s, and late in the season, streams will start to dry up. Water is in especially short supply for the first 22 miles, until the Trinity Divide.

In addition to the excellent views of Castle Crags, there are frequent views back to Mount Shasta, which is visible through much of this section. And on a clear day, from just north of Scott Mountain, you can see south all the way back to Lassen and north into the Trinity Alps.

After Castle Crags, the trail passes in turn through the Trinity Alps, Russian, and Marble Mountain Wildernesses, which many hikers consider to have the most dramatic landscapes since the High Sierra. Keep an eye out for the side trail to Marble Mountain, which offers a spectacular view for those with a spare hour and the inclination to climb. Another highlight is Kings Castle, a dramatic peak that looms over pretty Paradise Lake.

The hiking is easy. Note: Although the region is dotted with lakes, the trail generally stays high, and only passes three of them. However, easy side trips of a mile or so will take backpacker (or fisherman) to many more.

In addition to the scenery and wilderness, thru-hikers have another reason to celebrate: From Buckhorn Mountain, about 131 miles into this section, you’ll have your first unobstructed views into Oregon. You’ve still got 61 more miles to hike before you reach the border, but at long last, you have visual proof that your nearly 1,700-mile-long trek through the PCT’s longest state is finally coming to an end.

One of the PCT’s few road walks is a 6-mile stretch near Seiad Valley. The alternative—to build a bridge suitable for both foot and horse traffic over the Klamath River—was deemed too expensive. Therefore, the trail uses the highway bridge already in place. The land on either side of the river is privately owned, so hikers walk on the road for 5 miles, cross on the bridge, and then turn around 180 degrees and walk 2 miles back to rejoin the trail.

Mount Shasta

Fording the river is a seductive shortcut, especially for hungry, hot hikers who have Seiad Valley’s legendary pancake challenge on their minds (see page 198). The river is generally fordable in late summer, especially if the previous winter’s snowfall has been moderate or light. If you choose to ford the river, you’ll save between 2 and 3 miles, depending on exactly where you cross it. However, the shortcut isn’t necessarily any quicker, since fording can be a slow process. Before tackling this crossing, you’ll want to be sure you’re a confident river wader, that the water level is low—and that your gear is packed to stay dry. If you stay on the official route and walk the extra miles, the reward in store is an arbor of blackberry bushes for snacking on. Note: The bushes are especially thick from Grider Creek Campground (where the road walk starts) to the river, so you’re also likely to see bears, who take a proprietary interest in the juicy marble-sized berries.

North of Seiad Valley, the trail again climbs nearly 5,000 feet, so again, it’s wise to start early. This can be another hot climb. When you reach Cook and Green Pass, 15 miles from Seiad Valley, you can actually walk a few yards off-trail and touch Oregon soil. But you can’t say good-bye to California just yet: For the next 21 miles, the trail stays just on the California side of the border along an easy highline route with good views. You’ve left the wilderness behind. This is now multiple-use land, and multiple use means logging and cattle. You’ll frequently cross logging roads, which detract from the wilderness experience (although they do offer early-season hikers alternate routes in years of high snow accumulations). You’ll see some clear-cuts from the trail, but not many. Cattle are a more pressing nuisance. Be sure you’ve got a way to purify water, because the minimum-impact ethic of your bovine companions leaves a lot to be desired. You’ll find that many of the springs are badly polluted.

Finally reaching the real California-Oregon border, you’ll find a bulletproof registration box where, if you’re a thru-hiker, you can try to sum up what it feels like to finally complete 1,693.7 miles of California (if you’re a northbounder) or 965 miles of Oregon and Washington (if you’re headed south). Just before Ashland, you’ll also get your last views of Mount Shasta, finally fading into the distance.

The 65 miles between Seiad Valley and I-5 near Ashland continue to be quite dry, although there are enough good springs if you pay attention to your water supply. There are also a couple of well-maintained and attractive shelters at Wangle and Grouse Gaps.

North of Jackson Gap, the PCT closely parallels Forest Road 20 as it makes its way toward Mount Ashland. If snow is giving you trouble, the road offers a convenient alternative.

WHAT YOU’LL SEE

Castle Crags

Naming geological features is always a bit of a hit-and-miss proposition. What looks like one person’s Devil’s Canyon may be another’s Angel’s Gulch. But it’s hard to argue about Castle Crags, a crenellated series of ramparts and pinnacles that brings to mind a medieval fortress.

Castle Crags began life very much like the neighboring Cascades: They are the result of tectonic activity caused as the Pacific Plate pushed against the Continental Plate. But here, the process was different. When the Pacific Plate crashed into the Continental Plate, it was forced under the Continental Plate, into the hot mantle. This is called subduction, and in the Cascades, it resulted in magma being pressurized and shot out of the earth through volcanoes. But here, subduction heated a huge mass of granite far below the earth’s surface. Because granite can retain heat for an unusually long time, the mass of rock slowly rose to the surface (like a hot-air balloon). Once on the surface, the granite was sculpted by wind, rain, and most of all, by ice. Glaciers removed all the softer rock, leaving only the hard granite, scoured and polished into dramatic crags and domes.

Klamath Mountains

Klamath Mountains

The Klamath Mountains run through southwestern Oregon, south of the Coast Range and west of the Cascades, and extend into southern California. Their name is said to be derived from the Chinook word tlamatl, which was the name of a neighboring tribe.

Unlike their neighbors in the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains are not volcanic. At only 5,000 to 9,000 feet, the Klamath Mountains were less glaciated than were the High Sierra. Today, only a few tiny remnant glaciers exist on Thompson Peak.

Paradise Lake

The PCT’s route passes through several subranges: the Trinity Alps; the Scott, Salmon, and Marble Mountains; and (on the other side of the Oregon border) the Siskiyou Mountains. Although Siskiyou is a Chinook word meaning bobtailed horse, the mountains were actually named by European Americans after a Hudson Bay Company official lost his favorite horse here.

The peaks in the Klamath range average about 5,000 feet. In Oregon, they rise to a high point of 7,530 feet atop Mount Ashland. In California, several peaks in the range top 9,000 feet.

The mountains here are geologically unique: They are the only range in North America made up largely of ultramafic rock. Ultramafic rock is both igneous and intrusive, meaning that it is molten matter that solidified while still in the earth’s crust, then rose to the surface. Many of the rocks here were once beneath the ocean floor, but rose up when the plates collided. Much older than the Cascades, the Klamaths are the oldest range in western Oregon.

Despite their modest elevations, the terrain is both rugged and steep. Glaciation shaped the steep-walled valleys. High rainfall continues the work of erosion. (The average annual precipitation is 50 to 115 inches. Hikers will be delighted to learn that 90 percent of it falls between October and April.) Precipitation creates rapidly running rivers which have, over aeons, cut their way deeply into the mountains. One geologist claims that erosion in the Klamaths is occurring at a faster pace than at any other site in United States. The effects of erosion are easy to see. One example: the steep slopes on either side of the South Fork of the Scott River, where it’s almost impossible to find a campsite because there’s barely a square yard of level land.

Trinity Alps Wilderness

Containing 517,000 acres, the Trinity Alps Wilderness is California’s second-largest wilderness. Although parts of this region had long been included in the Forest Service’s primitive areas program, it was not designated as wilderness when the 1964 Wilderness Act went into effect, mostly because of the perceived value of its timberland. It was declared wilderness in 1984, with passage of the California Wilderness Act.

The other wildernesses are smaller, but added together, the Castle Crags, Russian, Marble Mountain, Siskiyou, and Trinity Alps Wildernesses comprise nearly 1 million acres of protected wild lands.

HIKING INFORMATION

Seasonal Information and Gear Tips

This section is generally snow-free from early July through October. Summers can be very hot, and in late summer some of the seasonal springs and streams start drying up. In addition, you’ll find yourself sharing some water sources with cattle.

• Bring a water filter to help handle the polluted springs and streams.

• Because of its moderate to hot summer weather, this is a good section to experiment with lightweight gear.

Thru-hikers’ Corner

This section is nothing but a delight for both northbound and southbound thru-hikers—who often cross paths here.

Castle Crags State Park has always treated PCT thru-hikers well. For many years, hikers were treated to the limitless hospitality of Milt Kinney, a local resident who died in 1995. A spur trail from the park back to the PCT bears his name. Campsite 25 in Castle Crags State Park is reserved for hikers arriving on foot. Also note: If you’re traveling with a dog, you’ll have to take the so-called Dog Trail back up to the PCT because dogs aren’t allowed on other trails in the state park.

Near Seven Lakes Basin

Best Short Hikes

This section’s best hiking is in its wilderness areas, which are all found between Castle Crags State Park and Seiad Valley. That 156- mile stretch can be conveniently divided into two shorter sections by starting or ending a hike at the trailhead at Etna Summit (see below). Both hikes boast fabulous geological features, so length will probably be your deciding factor. From Castella to Etna Summit is 100 miles; from Etna Summit to Seiad Valley is 56 miles (50 miles, if you can arrange to start or end your hike at the trailhead at Grider Campground). In addition, several other forest service roads offer access and bail-out possibilities.

Castle Crags State Park offers good dayhiking. It’s all uphill, so how far you get will depend on how high you can climb. But even if you go only a little way up, you’re sure to enjoy the view of the crags and domes. For a good out-and-back overnight hike, go 10 miles up from Castella to the campsite on Kangaroo Mountain. The next day, you’ll have time to look around a bit before retracing your steps back down.

Resupplies and Trailheads

Castella, Seiad Valley, and Ashland are the most commonly used.

Castella (mile 0) is 2 miles off-trail and has groceries, a restaurant, and camping in the state park. Dunsmuir, 6 miles north, offers hotels, restaurants, stores, laundry, and a post office. Post offices: General Delivery, Castella, CA 96017; General Delivery, Dunsmuir, CA 96025

Etna (mile 100.5) is 10.5 miles northeast of Etna Summit on the Somes Bar–Etna Road. It has a post office, B&B, motel, laundry, and restaurant. Note: It’s 157.3 miles from Castella to Seiad Valley. Most thru-hikers don’t resupply, and do this section in six to eight days. But most short-term hikers won’t be doing 20–25 miles a day, and won’t want to carry the ten or more days worth of food that a more leisurely pace would require. In this case, Etna is the most logical resupply, but if you have to hitch, be patient: there isn’t much traffic on this road. Post office: General Delivery, Etna, CA 96027

Seiad Valley (mile 157.3) on California Highway 96 is a tiny community that has everything you’re likely to need: campground, store, post office, cafe, and laundry. It’s also got a legendary pancake challenge: eat the stack and it’s free. Warning: we’ve seen ’em try, but we don’t know of any hiker who has actually won the challenge! Post office: General Delivery, Seiad Valley, CA 96086

Ashland, Oregon (mile 208.0) is about 15 miles off-trail via Forest Roads 2080 and 200 via Bull Gap. This chapter describes the trail to I-5 (mile 214.9), from where you can hitch to Ashland. But if you take these forest service roads, you won’t have to hitch. For more on Ashland, see the next chapter.