This section is relatively at low altitude staying below 5000 ft for the most part. There was no snow anywhere, in fact the talk amongst the hikers on the trail was mostly about the availability of water. Lucky I was able to find water where I expected.
Trail names: The taxi driver I took to get around Ashland said that over the years he met 8 people using the trail name Rainbow. I was his first Chugchug.
On the trail:
Met Ethan, a north bound hiker, a big guy carrying a big pack with snow shows strapped to it. We talked for a bit and he said he regrets bringing them. He stopped to rest as I kept going.
Brad from Texas, hiking to Canada past by me 3 times today. Each time he came from behind walking fast. Then he set down to rest, and I past him. He is now ahead.
I met Locomotive and Branco going north a couple of days ago on the trail. I stopped to fix my dinner as the came by. Then I past then on the trail the next morning when they were still in their tent. Then I saw them in Ashland. And then they came by when I was by my tent. I saw them twice more on the trail and now they are ahead.
Sam, going northbound, planning to be at Cascades Locks the same day as I. He past me a couple of times and then we both spent the night at the same place, the Brown Mountain Shelter, which is a nice log cabin built for hikers and backcountry skiers. He is not doing at Fish Lake, so now he is ahead.
Wildcat hills overlook: The sign on the trail said it was only 400 to get to the overlook. Since I was tired of the green tunnel of Oregon (seeing nothing but trees), I took the bait. What the sign didn’t say was that it is also 400 feet up, and that from the top, you see, well mostly green trees.
Section route below. The round blue circle top right is Crater Lake. The horizontal line on the bottom is the California Oregon boarder.
Mount McLoughlin
Last view of Shasta, 50 miles to the south
chugchug 