Down but definitely not out . . .

Oregon has lulled us into a false sense of security. Promises from the locals when I was last down here of milder weather, higher temperatures and snow that doesn't come to much haven't, well, come to much.

Chris, Nick and I left Cascade Locks on Tuesday 2nd November confident of polishing of the remaining 330 or so miles and being rewarded with the label of a 'Thru-hiker'. The first couple of days were hard, some brutal climbs and plunging temperatures made the going harder than we had anticipated, but we soldiered on. The odd section of trail was covered in snow from a fall a couple of weeks previously but we ploughed through.

We stumbled out onto Skyline Road on 7th November late evening around 8pm, cold and hungry. We searched the nearby campsite for the promised shelter we had seen on a map as snow flakes fell past our head torches almost completely obscuring the view. She shelter was basic, a bare dirt floor and picnic table inside with one wall completely open to the elements. We set about making a fire which always lifted our spirits, placing our feet on the stones and waiting for them to warm back into life. Water sources are covered in ice and snow now and we find ourselves digging through to filter out enough to re-hydrate.

We knew the following day would be tough, a 1500 foot ascent in the morning and 2000 feet in the afternoon didn't concern us too much, it was what the weather was going to throw at us which made our progress uncertain. The following morning that uncertainty was answered a mere 3 miles into the days walk when we decided unanimously that we would not make it any further on the trail. A hard decision to make but the Brits I am Walking with remained leveled headed and sensible about the limited options we were faced with. Snow had drifted upto our thighs, visibility was poor and we were stopping literally every 2 minutes to take bearings and GPS readings that were abandoned another 2 minutes after that.

We returned to the shelter, dried out and took stock of the situation. Is my Pacific Crest Trail through hike over? The hell it is! We may not be able to finish off the section to Crater Lake by trail but we will still make it down there. All three of us are determined to make it through despite what may get in our way. We have not come this far to back out with 190 miles left on the clock. Nick and Chris are as confident as I am of pulling out all the stops and grinding through to the end.

The decision was to take a marked fire track down to a small road. A forest truck pulled over whilst we were trudging down this road and advised that a town called Detroit was another  17 miles further. We walked and debated the options and have decided to road walk the remaining 190 miles to our finishing point at Crater Lake. If we can get onto the PCT at the lower elevations and do some sections then we will do but it looks like we have a lot of road walking to get through.
We will finish at Crater Lake through the pouring and freezing rain and if it means that 190 or so miles has not been on trail then I, and Nick and Chris, are happy and content with battling through and reaching our destination. We have still walled 2650 miles and are proud of that amazing achievement, people can say what they will.

Detroit welcomed us with open arms and the proprietor of the Cedar Lodge went off to sort our room whilst I called after her "Please stick all the heaters on full blast". We went to the bar in the evening and 8 locals sat lined up at the bar. They all moved to one side and demanded we take the seats in between them, buying us a pitcher of beer, they simply wanted tales from the trail.

"What you three are doing blows me away", said Brad, slightly the worse for wear after a few beers but his passion for the outdoor spaces out here was apparent in his voice. "For you guys to come all the way over to my country and spend 6 months cocooned in our wilderness fills me with pride. I live here and don't spend enough time up in the hills so respect to you for achieving what you have done so far and we all hope you make it down to Crater".

We left the following morning to our next destination, Sisters, a mere 60 miles and 2 days walking. It was hard work, lorries sped past sending showers of red dust smashing into us. The cold wind seeped into our layers, and hard tarmac forced blisters to surface and our muscles to scream. Rain soaked us and now the daylight hours are limited we were forced to rise in the dark and spend 2 hours walking in it at the end of the day.

We arrived in Sisters late on Friday, 12th November. Hobbling, battered and bruised we threw another couple of ibuprofen down our throats to give us a few more pain free hours. Checking into the Sisters motel we are now drying out and reducing our room, as usual, to something resembling a junk store with tents hanging on curtain rails, sleeping bags thrown over the bed and waterproofs steaming dry. A re-supply here and quick days rest and tomorrow we walk out on our final leg of the PCT. 130 miles awaits us, at best 4 days but probably 5.

I have no idea how I will feel at the end. Happy of course, Probably relieved, probably sad that it's all over, emotional for sure and definitely very, very proud.

What I have achieved physically and phsycologically over the last few months I know will make me a stronger person and more able to chase my goals and dreams and push restrictions and hurdles to one side. Nick summed part of our feelings up by saying "How can you ever return back to your 'normal' life and even hope to achieve the high we have experienced out here"?

A sombre observation and very true but whats waits me back home is a very different sort of high which I can't wait to experience. To see my parents and family again, my friends, visit my Nans resting place and embark on what I now know is my calling of a writing future fills me with an eagerness I have not experienced in a while. To see my girlfriend who has put so much effort into making us work just makes me want to cry. At times in the past I may not have realised what an amazing woman she is. I realise now and the most important thing in the world to me is that I put in the same determined effort I have used on the PCT to convince her that I am worthy of her. I love her and she is my priority.

One more week and I hope I will be in the position of being able to call myself a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker.

Myself, Nick and Chris are officially the last PCT thru-hikers of 2010. There is no one else on trail.

'The Last Englishmen' - great title for a book don't you think?