The Hat Creek Rim

Honeybuzz and I rolled out of Old Station late this morning, having walked into the deli one minute after opening and immediately ordered two large pizzas for breakfast. Thus fortified, we hit the famous Hat Creek Rim.

The Rim spans the longest waterless stretch on the whole PCT – about 30 miles – and much of it is shadeless, exposed, and covered with lava rock, reminiscent of some of the desert sections farther south. This afternoon reached about ninety degrees, and I was glad for my reflective umbrella. I carried five liters of water (ten pounds) and Honeybuzz carried six, but we needn’t have worried; after hiking 20 dry miles, we hit a well-stocked water cache at Road 22 (otherwise called Cache-22) with 25-30 gallons of bottled water and several lawn chairs among some juniper trees. Since it was past nine p.m. we threw down camp right there, ready for another dusty and hot day tomorrow.