PCT: CA Section K - Echo Lake to Highway 80

Day 89 - 8/3/25 - Leaving Tahoe, Dick’s Pass

Distance: 16 miles

Mile Start / End: 1093 , 1106

Weather: Sunny, clear

End Location: Dick’s Pass

Lessons Learned:

Woke up around 9 a.m.

Organized bag and food

Checked out of hotel at 11 a.m.

Went over to Mellow Mountain Hostel next door to drop off excess food and figure out a ride to Echo Lake

Texted the list of Trail Angels they had on the bulletin

The last one I texted, “Crazy UkuLady,” said she could pick me up in 10 mins, perfect

Got stuff situated and said goodbye to friends

She picked me up around 12:00 p.m.

Nice lady, goes by donation only, lovely

Dropped me off at Echo Lake Chateau around 12:30 p.m.

Grabbed lunch, Italian sandwich, and coconut ice cream bar and ate while looking at Echo Lake

Started hiking around 1 p.m.

Hiked 7 miles and reached Lake Aloha around 4 p.m., swam even though it was windy and cold

Left around 5 p.m.

Passed Heather Lake

Met Ambassador and Papa Smurf, older guys hiking the PCT taking it nice and easy about 15 miles a day

Passed Susie Lake

Made a wrong turn and ended up close to Honey Moon Lake, but needed to be on the ridgleline 🥲

Bushwhacked uphill to get back to the trail, pretty difficult 😂

Resumed the trail at 6:55 p.m.

Sun went behind Dick’s Pass as I climbed up it

Top of Dick’s Pass (9381 ft) around 7:30 p.m.

Amazing cowboy spots with wonderful sunset views

I didn’t have as much water as I would have liked to have, but I had enough to make dinner and get down tomorrow (1.5 miles to the lakes)

Decided I would get this chance again and set up shop

Made dinner while I set up my sleep pad and bag

Ate dinner and watched the sunset, beautiful and just kept getting better

Went to bed around 9 p.m.

Watched an episode of Geordie Shore (the British Jersey Shore)

Passed out around 10 p.m.

Day 90 - 8/4/25 - Aches and Lakes

Distance: 20 miles

Mile Start / End: 1107, 1127

Weather: Sunny and clear, cool with a breeze

End Location: next to Barker Peak

Lessons Learned: put your toe socks away if there are mice.

Woke up and caught a glimpse of sunrise.

Snoozed until 8 a.m.

Felt sickly, think I caught a respiratory illness in Tahoe, had a wet cough, and had body aches.

Dry camping with little water didn’t help.

Took vitamin D and an Aleve to help.

Left around 9 a.m.

Hiked down to Dick’s Lake for Dick’s pics.

But heard Fontanella Lake was better, so decided I would take a break there.

Arrived around 11 a.m., it was very windy, but I needed water and coffee.

Decided to make the Biscuits and Gravy my friends sent me in the care package they sent to Tahoe and made hot coffee.

The wind made it chilly, so didn’t swim even though I really need to.

Moved to sun, which made things a little better but not much.

Left around 11 a.m. and decided I would swim at Middle Velma Lake 2 miles away.

Made it to Velma Lake around 12 p.m., way better in terms of wind and temperature.

Swam and felt like a human again, still a little achy.

Laid out and relaxed.

I can think of no better or worse place to be sick, on one hand it sucks having to hike while you’re slightly feverish and sore, but on the other hand, the views and sweating seem to heal you faster.

Taking it easy today, feel about 75%.

Left 1:30 p.m.

Quick and boring descent.

“Blinding Lights” Reggae Hit Masters

Reached a trickling creek around 2:00 p.m.

Realized this water for 7 miles, so had a quick lunch while I filled up my water.

Boring but delightful hiking, gradual downhill.

Left Desolation Wilderness at 4:30 p.m.

Passed Richardson Lake around 5 p.m.

Bumped into a TRT hiker I met at the hostel.

Burnt trees and fireweed

Headphones died.

Made it to the creek around 5:30 p.m.

Filled up my water, snacked, and left around 6 p.m.

Trying to make it 5.3 more miles

Lil chipmunk in the evening sunlight.

Kate bushed it uphill.

Wanted to make sunset.

Made sunset.

Found a lovely little cowboy spot that I was sure would have a great view of the sunrise over Lake Tahoe.

Made ramen and snacked pretty heavily.

Watched an episode of Geordie Shore.

Went to bed around 10pm

A scurrying creature near me woke me up briefly, so I put my new toe socks that were hanging up away, as I didn’t want them to ruin another pair.😂

Day 91 - 8/5/25 - Tinker Knobb

Distance: 21 miles

Mile Start / End: 1126.8, 1147

Weather: Sunny but breezy

End Location: Tinker Knobb

Lessons Learned: Just because it’s not the Sierra doesn’t mean the hiking is easy.

Woke up around 5 a.m., morning light settling in above the mountains across Lake Tahoe. I could tell it was going to be a good sunrise.

I was happy to be awake, but I really woke up because I could barely breathe due to congestion. I hate being sick

Blew nose, made hot coffee, and ate a chocolate honey bun

Settled in for sunrise.

Immaculate, blue, yellow, and green.

Then orange and red.

The sun poked over around 6:05am

Packed up

Left 7:20am

Passed Saddle around 7:40am, thought about staying here last night, but I’m glad I didn’t.

I had a better view of the sunrise where I camp

Filled up my water at a creek after a mile or so. There was no water for 9 miles at 5 lakes where I planned to have lunch and swim

Tough switchbacks up to the ridgeline

Reached top of the ridgeline at 9:30am

Amazing views

I took a break on a nice rock, ate granola chips and coffee, and admired the end of Lake Tahoe

Pass Alpine Meadows Ski Area around 10:30am

Beautiful ridgeline hiking was over ski bowls and under lifts

Made it to Five Lakes Basin around 12:30 p.m. I had to go a little out of my way, but I wanted to swim

Checked out 3 out of the 5 lakes

Last one had the most privacy

Filled up my water, swam, and then made Buffalo Tuna Mac.

It’s so hard to clean up after Mac and Cheese with or without water, so I figured I should do it now instead of on top of a peak.

Made it into a burrito, which dripped everywhere😂

Relaxed by lake and watched a mother duck and her adolescent paddling of 3 swim around, adorable

Left 2pm

10 more miles to Tinker’s Knob

This trail sucks

Almost 2000 ft straight up to the top of Palisades Tahoe

It is hot and I feel out of shape

Passed Avocado and Steve taking a lunch break

Passed famous Palisades Tahoe ski cliffs

Thought about the movie “Game of Gnar”

I wanted to hike naked for extra points but didn’t

Loud dynamite blast

This is one hell of a mountain, I can only imagine it with snow

Another dynamite blast, not sure what they’re blowing up over there😂

Before I left the area, I stood tall and shouted, “I’m the best skier on the mountain”

Camp in 4 miles, another steep uphill

This has been a brutal day, I need to get rid of this bear can and focus on my health again

Saw Tinker’s Knob in the distance around 5:30pm

Thorn bushes and steep uphill in the sun, we’re back to desert hiking🥲

Just because we’re not in the Sierras anymore, doesn’t mean the hiking is easy, lesson learned

The balsam root fields are insane here, in the wind they rattle like seashells

Filled up water at last possible spot around 6:20pm

Left 6:40pm

Only 1.2 miles but 1000ft of elevation to go🥹

Made it to the intersection around 7pm

It was a little windy so dropped pack and went to summit

Made the summit 7:27pm

Incredible views at the top

And a chair to lounge on

Lounged on said chair

Also a protected wind spots that like a rock jacuzzi

Shiiiit I might grab my bag and go back up

Grabbed bag and went back up

Set down stuff in rock jacuzzi

Changed into warm outfit

Made dinner in rock lounge chair

One of the most incredible sunsets yet

Set up water and blow up pad

As I was blowing up my pad, a dude walked up

I was shocked because it was nearly dark out, hell ya

His name was Byron

He was taking his son and his friends on a backpacking trip

He went back down, told him I’d see him at Donner Pass for breakfast😂

Watched stars

Then show

Then sleep

Day 92 - 8/6/25 - 40 oz Beer and Castle Pass

Distance: 14 miles

Mile Start / End: 1147, 1161

Weather: Sunny

End Location: Castle Pass

Lessons Learned:

Woke up around 7:30 a.m., didn’t care about catching the sunrise since I saw it yesterday and had a glorious sunset last night.

Mice stole both of my gaiters, ate my shoelace on my right shoe, and chewed up my right shoe as well.

Absolutely livid.

Why do they feel they need to ruin all of my new gear?

Left at 8:30 a.m.

Great ridgeline hiking.

Made it to the trailhead around 11:45 a.m.

Made it to Highway 40 Bar and Grill around 12 p.m.

Put my bag down in the hiker lounge (just the back room) and plugged in devices.

Ordered the Cobb Salad, Caramel Apple Pie à la mode, and a milkshake.

They also do a free 40oz beer for PCT hikers if you show them your permit, so I did that as well 😆

Ate with Avocado, who got the fish tacos.

Byron and his squad of little backpackers arrived probably an hour later.

Byron said he could get me to the post office in Truckee and back so I could send Bear Can (3 lbs) back home.

Byron’s friend picked us up and took me to the post office, mailed back the bear can for $11.

Got some food and vitamins at CVS (mudpies for breakfast, airborne tablets, multivitamins).

Then went to McDonald’s, got a double cheeseburger and chicken sandwich meal deal with Dr Pepper for dinner.

Stopped by the gear store to look for gaiters but no cigar.

Byron dropped me off at the bar and grill around 5:15 p.m.

Ate the McDonald’s, packed up, and left around 5:40 p.m.

Pack felt great without the bear can ☺️

You’re either hiking the miles today or tomorrow.

Crossed under Highway 80 around 7:15 p.m.

Went fast.

Made it to the top of Castle Pass (7,929 ft) around 8 p.m.

Beautiful sunset, which provided just enough light to set up camp.

Maybe could’ve made it to the Peter Grub Hut but saw I would’ve descended and liked the view up here.

Set up cowboy camp and ate a Skippy’s oatmeal protein pie for dinner because I was still full from the McDonald’s earlier.

Watched TV.

Went to bed around 10 p.m.