Every now and then throughout the summer I get an e-mail from MySpace.com telling me that Todd has posted another message. Todd Galewski, originally of Franklin and a graduate of Martin Luther High School, now lives in Portland, Oregon, where he has been working as a computer specialist. Between jobs just now, Todd decided this summer would be the perfect time to pursue a longtime dream: travel the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. I learned about Todd’s adventure from his parents, Gerry and Katy Galewski, longtime residents of Franklin, and they put me in touch with his blog.
On the trail, Todd doesn’t frequently find a computer where he can stop and post his journal entries, so I’m always interested to see how far he’s traveled and what adventures he’s encountered along the way. Today I will include excerpts from some descriptive entries he made the first 10 days of July.
First, though, here’s a bit of information about the Pacific Crest Trail:
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) zigzags 2,665 miles north from Mexico to Canada, going through three states in the U.S. – California, Oregon, and Washington. According to the website
www.pcta.org the PCT “boasts the greatest elevation changes of any of America's National Scenic Trails, allowing it to pass through six out of seven of North America's ecozones including high and low desert, old-growth forest and arctic-alpine country. . . . From scorching desert valleys in Southern California to rain forests in the Pacific Northwest, the PCT offers hikers and equestrians a unique, varied experience.”
While some people, like Todd, set out to traverse the entire distance, others explore different segments of the trail for a week or two at a time – or even a weekend. Quoting from the website, the PCT “offers the best of the West - the Mojave Desert, the Sierra Nevada and Mt. Whitney, Yosemite National Park, Marble Mountain and the Russian Wilderness in Northern California, the volcanoes of the Cascades including Mt. Shasta and Mt. Hood, Crater Lake, Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Rainier, and the remote Northern Cascades.”
Todd Galewski’s blogs, July 2 - July 10, 2007:July 2: Pinchot Pass, 4K elevation gain in 11 miles, now camped at beautiful Marjorie Lake, crystal clear water, 13 K cliffs on opposite side of lake.
- A grouse hen escorted me a quarter mile down the trail this morning.
- Met Kent (from Mammoth) and Matt (from Bishop), hiked for the morning with them.
July 3 - Ya know what they oughta make? A sleeping bag with a removable integrated silk liner.
- I Love! Wheat Free Oatmeal Snackimals.
- I Love! Backpacking through the high Sierra, instead of thru-hiking.
- I Love! 12,000 foot passes (Mather, Pinchot...)
July 4 - Muir Pass, cowboy camping at 11K+ next to scoured raw Wanda Lake. Can see Muir Hut to the east , best solo campsite yet!
- Muir Pass 10 miles with 4K elevation gain to 12K. Most beautiful, rewarding and breathtaking pass yet. -Sculpted 14K cliffs, massive waterfalls, lonely lake basins, hidden little meadows, breath taking.
- I love hearing the Globe Trekker song pop in my head, every time I go over a 12K pass.
- I love the sight of glaciers reflected off still Lake Wanda, before moonrise, from the glow the Milky Way, seen from my sleeping bag.
- Wildlife seen at Lake Wanda, frogs jumping from my path, lots of birds, marmots and chipmunks.
July 5 - Skinny dipping under a waterfall during lunch. Beautiful.
- Writing by campfire, at my campsite along a mt. stream.
- Met Banjo and Lisa from Columbus, OH.
- 20 mile hike today with 4K downhill from Muir Pass. Came down from Alpine lakes and glaciers to forested/meadowed gorge/canyon floor. Sooo many waterfalls and slot canyons, beautiful.
July 6 - Muir Ranch to 11K "pocket" Seldon Canyon to mt. top campfire overlooking two canyons on a 3K cliff with nearby fresh spring. Great campsite.
- Seldon Canyon is just so cute! Its a total "pocket" canyon with narrows, cute little lakes, clinging glaciers... It has everything the other 11K canyons had, but just shrunk down to a cute little pocket size.
July 7 - I can't explain it, but I love not having showered this week. My one t-shirt and one pair of zip off pants are a sight to see -- filthy.
- 19 mile day with 11K Silver Pass and 3K elevation gain to the pass. Camped at meadowy Virginia Lake, nice Lake, saw a seagull , big open area with mts. and glaciers, no real campsite, but put up the tarp-tent on a sandy spot. Elizabeth and Mike are also here, they had stories of a feast last night at VVR. I’m soo hungry, packing up the bear canister was almost comical, in it is: brown gravy mix, dry pesto mix, 1 snickers, a 50 cent tube of peanuts and the inedible angel hair pasta. Had couscous for dinner, but not enough, I'm getting skinny, but strong.
- Tomorrow, 16 miles in Mammoth Lakes and FOOD!
And then,
on July 10
