Day 103 Hat Creek – The Trek

21.08 miles
From Trail Camp throughout Hat Creek (Mile 1368, UND 5521)
Trail Camp Hat Creek Rim (Mile 1386, UND 4820)
Climbing 1716
Descend 2396

Hat Creek Resort

My day began walking to Hat Creek Resort. When I joined Scott’s trip in the summer camp, one of the youth staff members there told me that his mother was working on that Creek resort. So I wanted to do less to make an effort to close that loop and greet.

I arrived a few minutes before his store opened, so I sat at a picnic table outside having breakfast. When a woman opened the door, I explained that she was looking for Sarah (and why). She said it was Sarah and that her son, after having finished working in the camp, was there. She got it, we both asked for milkshakes (he suggested the milkshakes, so my influence is not the fault in this case) and we talked while we ate. A story was from the pioneering instructor, whom I showed details of the route junction, the rest of the summer was obsessed with the splices. I cannot claim so easily «without influence» in that case.

Lavas tubes

This section of the path had a detour where it could go through a large lava tube: the subway cave. My daughter and I had explored the Pisgah lava tubes on a trip through the Mojave desert several years ago and it seemed fascinating. So I planned to visit this.

If you are not familiar with the lava tubes, imagine a river/stream if the lava moment flows downhill. The lava on the surface, exposed to the coldest air, hardens to form a roof/tube during the moment of the lava to flow. When the source of the moment lava «dries», flows outside the tube, leaving it empty.

Before arriving at Subway Cave, VI signs that asked the path for splashes cones, a collection of different small volcanic formations. I visited a couple near the path.

Later on the path, I saw another big hole in the floor that was clearly the result of another lava tube.

When I finally arrived at the Subway cave, I liked its size, but I thought the other formations were more interesting.

Hat Creek Rimbre

Hat Creek Rim is like the edge of a table that is 700 feet over the flat valley through which Hat Creek flows. Later, after having climbed to the top of Hat Creek’s edge, I was in a picturesque show when a man approached me with a question: «I saw the backpack near the parking lot. Did you walk here?» After explaining, Eric said he led a group of university students on a 6 -day geology excursion. He thought they would be fascinated with my PCT story and asked me if I would talk to them.

Geology field trip

After I agreed, he called the whole class. I presented the foundations of the trip and asked if they had any questions. They had many questions. We probably talk for an hour. As was his last day, they offered me fresh fruit without eating, always a good way to bring a smile to the face of a hiker. Halfway, I saw a plant approach and I mentioned that she was also through hikers. Then they obtained their perspective as a European visiting the United States to make the walk.

We ended up with a lot of selfies with students (and the whole class), some of whom said they felt they were with a celebrity. I certainly have no more time in that glance of what I intended, but hopefully, some are now more inspired to pursue a dream of yours. I know this has been one of my favorite experiences so far along the way.

Camp and worm

That night, while installing a camp, a young woman also arrives to establish the camp. We begin to speak and discover that the worm is an outdoor guide in Australia. She is curious about my experience with the geology class and my first aid training in the desert and we end up speaking later than what I should probably have done. But, once again, these are the experiences that will make this walk memorable, not only the landscape and the expected experiences.

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