Pilot Rock, Pacific Crest

The climb out of Seiad Valley was challenging, to say the least, with a 3mi (5km) steep ascent of 2,000ft (610m). It continues climbing, although a little gentler, towards Kangaroo Mountain before descending its southern flank and traversing along the foot of the mountain. 

I passed by Lily Pad Lake and headed towards White Mountain Peak, which, at 14,252 feet (4,344 m), is the third-highest peak in California. It's one of the only two peaks in the state over 14,000ft (4,267m) outside the Sierra Nevada. The University of California even runs research stations here at various altitudes to study how the body reacts to higher elevations

A few miles later, I skirted around the south side of Condrey Mountain, then crossed into Oregon. This was such an exciting milestone. I stopped at the border and did a little dance, celebrating this momentous occasion because it marked my completion of the California portion of the PCT and two-thirds of my journey. Oregon’s flatter terrain and shorter distance should be a breeze to get through.

The landscape shifted as I trekked through the woodland toward Observation Gap, where it suddenly opened up to a dry, barren terrain fully exposed to the elements. The change was stark, and I could feel the sun's intensity on my skin, the wind picking up as I ventured into the open. The weight of being so exposed made me feel small like the landscape was swallowing me whole. There was nowhere to hide from the elements. I took a moment to hydrate, have a protein snack, and carry on through several gaps before taking a quick jaunt off the trail up to Siskiyou Peak. The view from the top was becoming familiar—an expansive, verdant landscape stretching out with lakes and mountain after mountain, a reminder of the vastness of this place.

Just 3mi (5 km) away stood Mount Ashland, the highest peak in the Siskiyou Mountains. In winter, it transforms into a ski resort blanketed in snow, with skiers and snowboarders carving down its slopes. But in summer, the landscape bursts into colour with a superbloom of wildflowers. Lupines, Indian paintbrush, and mountain buttercups spread across the meadows, turning the slopes into a vibrant patchwork of purples, reds, and yellows.

Continuing, the trail wound through the forest to the base of Pilot Rock, a 25.6-million-year-old volcanic plug that juts 570ft (170m) above the tree line. You can spot this massive rock as far as 40mi (64km) away. As one of the oldest formations in the Cascades, it stands protected in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The rock formed when magma broke through the earth's crust, solidified beneath the surface, and then cooled, creating striking layers. Over time, the Siskiyou Mountains' gradual uplift tilted the rock about 20 degrees due east, giving Pilot Rock its distinctive appearance.