Burney Fall to Castella

I reached the Burney state Park in the morning. I went to the shop to pick up my resupply box that I sent over here. As guides says , staff here is super unfriendly, super, super. No hello, no nothing. Super unfriendly and just thought F off !.On the way back to the trail I check out the fall, very pretty but my target of the day was Rock creek, a nice spot for lunch with different pools connected between them . Chill over there during the heat of the day and do the climb in the afternoon.

This Rock creek was fantastic , I did not went down to the big pools but just by the bridge I was able to cool down. Really hot. Have a nice lunch and relax the legs in the pools. I am finding that a the legs really appreciated a cold bath , I fell more relaxed and I sleep better. In the afternoon I camped by what here call a pound , a small water pool near a death end of a dirt road.

In this area there is water but It is quite difficult to find and is located in very weird places. One day I really mess up with the water. I try to go always with no more than a 1 Litre of water. I miss a creek and after I have to come back half mile after I did not take enough water as the afternoon was a big climb in the heat and without  tree cover. When you realize that you can start to be short of water is when you start to be more thirsty. Luckily I found a sign on the ground with the sign of H20 point down of the Valley, there you go, lose another hour just looking for water, I don't want to take risks in this area.

I saw up to 3 wild fires around me, big ones, but far enough from me to fell safe. North California and his auto - combustion problem. I camped by a dirt road in a ridge. I was having dinner at night and I could see now all the orange flames closer, wow. A little worry, I am a valley away from the fire.......Check the wind direction , I think I am ok for tonight.........

Wake up in the morning  and an easy descent into MC Cloud river, nice place but not the best place for a swim in the crossing point. I checked on the map a possible swimming spots 2 miles further, Take the risk but really pay off, maybe the best swimming spot of the PCT ( 300 m away) just whem the PCT turn right up to the mountains. I found this  little trail that was going down....Time for lunch put some air in the Theremarest and jump in to the water, love the PCT.  On my way back I found Blister, CJ and Blister sleeping Siesta, F hot it is, isn't it ?

I camped that evening with String Cheese,  we ere talking about why doing the PCT, etc....I quite enjoy. I couldnt find a really flat spot so I just sleep in the trail. The headlamp is playing games, it just turn off in the middle of the dinner, thanks I was not alone.......

The way down to Castella was very graded. At the beginning I thought it was a weird morning fog but after I realize, this is not fog , it is ash from the fires , all around. When I reached the road I met more hikers and gave the news, ok, many areas are shut down, fires are without control and more lighting is coming in the next days. People is getting rides, road walk and some people are trying to stay in the trail. I went to  Dismuir to resupply, check the news and take a decision for the next section, what to do?

I meet with Cracker Jack in the local Brewery, after last report we decide to walk road ( 100 miles ) no, just skip, we are still walking from Mexico to Canada....We got a super cheap hotel room in one of those nice  50 American hotels but without air -con. Worst night in the PCT, I thought a few times about hike out in the middle of the night.  We were set , Road walk starts tomorrow.