Pacific Crest Trail hikers still passing through Sisters area

Juniper strides out near the McKenzie Summit. photo by Jim Mitchell Today is the projected date for Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hikers "Nacho" and "Pepper" to arrive at the Canadian border after 2,650 miles on foot from Mexico (see profile in The Nugget, August 4, page 4).

Kathleen Hurly ("Juniper"), from Bellingham, Washington, isn't trying to match their pace. Juniper started from Mexico on April 25, the same day as Pepper. She just hit Sisters last week.

Juniper said, "Those two guys, they are fast hikers. They really go."

Pepper and Nacho were covering 30 to 35 miles a day. Juniper said she usually covers 25 to 30 miles a day.

"They've been ahead for a long time. Everybody knows who they are and that they are further ahead than the rest of us," she said.

PCT "through-hikers," those who plan to hike the whole distance from Mexico to Canada, usually start from Mexico in mid- to late April, intending to reach Canada by the end of September before bad weather stops them short of their goal.

Through-hikers hit the 2,000-mile mark as they pass Mt. Washington, between McKenzie Pass and Santiam Pass. By that time most are determined to finish but many really wish it were over. Most have gone through several pairs of shoes by this time.

PCT "through-hikers" can generally be spotted near the Post Office rummaging through a food box or a "bounce box;" supplies that are bounced ahead from Post Office to Post Office along the trail.

Juniper was spotted walking along Cascade Avenue with a bag of groceries in her arms and the telltale backpack, heading in the general direction of the Post Office. Intercepted at the Post Office, she readily exchanged her story for lunch and a ride back to McKenzie Pass to resume her hike.

"My base weight without food and water is 17 pounds," she said.

When advised that Nacho and Pepper were carrying 6-1/2 and 13 pounds she commented, "It seems some of the really lightweight guys compromise some in terms of warm clothing."

Juniper said, "I've done a combination of sending food ahead and buying food in towns. In Ashland I grocery shopped for all of Oregon except for Sisters."

She sent food ahead to four food drops in Oregon, except for Sisters.

"I came into Sisters because of its proximity to the trail and I had heard it was a nice town, easy for hikers to get around, everything was within walking distance," she said.

"Sisters has been wonderful. I wasn't sure where I was going to stay last night. I just started talking to people and was invited to someone's home for the night."

Juniper, 29, in her other life is a marine biologist specializing in coral reef research. She lived in the Dominican Republic last year, working on a Fulbright Fellowship.

She said, "I think the most interesting and fascinating aspect of the trail is meeting all the people along the way, in the communities we visit. And all the different characters along the trail. When people hear about what we are doing, they get excited and ask what they can do. They give us rides and invite us to their houses for showers and food. It's so amazing, so wonderful. So that's probably the best part of the trail to me."

A day later "Honolulu," "Trim," and "Disco" arrived in Sisters. Listening to these three, it became clear that the PCT through-hikers are a community. They knew Nacho, Pepper, Juniper and many others. They asked for news of "Trainwreck" and "Salamander." "Shepard," "Little John," and "No Trace" were in town at the same time.

Trim told about their ride from McKenzie Pass, "We just had an interesting ride to town. At McKenzie Pass we held up this small sign ("PCT Hikers to Sisters"). A couple in an SUV pulled right up to us, so we're thinking they want to take us to Sisters. So we stand up, we go to the SUV, and the driver looks at us. We ask if we can get a ride into Sisters. The driver responded, 'That depends. Well, where's it at?' And I said, 'Well it's about 15 miles down the highway.' It turned out that he had pulled over, not to give us a ride but to ask us directions. He ended up bringing us into town and was so interested in our story he took us out to lunch."

It turned out the couple was from Norman, Oklahoma, here to attend the FMCA Motorhome Convention in Redmond, and were out for a ride in their "town car."

Everybody on the trail seems to know Scott Williamson, a hiker who is attempting the complete trail round-trip in one season. Honolulu, Trim, and Disco saw him two days before, jogging back south.

Juniper and many others are keeping a journal on http://www.trailjournals.com, updating via e-mail when they have a chance. Juniper's site is www.trailjournals.com/Kathleen/.