Pacific Crest Trail - Day 118 - Sierra and Cascade Divide

Start: Mile 1289.1 - Belden
End: Mile 1306.9 - Cold Spring

“Enjoy” the next 80 miles of burn scar through Lassen National Park and Forest which is 70% apocalyptically scorched.

Chip’s Creek was a welcome spot with water and shade.

In my experience, hiking 5,500 feet of elevation results in amazing views. The payoff today was a vista of the million (literally!) plus acres scorched by the Dixie Fire.

New trees! A welcome sight in a devastated landscape. Some stretches had thick carpets of new trees - I’m not sure if they were seeded somehow or were the result of a natural regeneration, but it was great to see regardless. In a couple decades parts of this section might look like a forest again.

The green brush was super spiky and the trail was overgrown with it to the point of drawing blood from scratches after a couple miles of treading through it.

Carl summed up the situation perfectly.

Ash and dust covered legs. Easily the dirtiest I’ve been so far.

I carried a 24oz Pacifico to celebrate crossing the halfway mark on this stretch a few miles ahead, but seized the opportunity to chill it in the Cold Spring tub and crushed it after a ridiculously long hot rough day climbing through a burn zone.