What's New! Journals updates and news from the road as it unfolds. September17, 2001 Major update to the Tarptent page. Added more photos, printable patterns, instructions for floors and beaks, and full instructions for a 2-person version: the Tarptent-for-2. Enjoy! March 26, 2001 Gave the site a facelift. Removed frames, added Maps, and Links. November 15 Fixed a few typos and updated my new E-mail address. Also added post-hike comments to the Equipment and Food pages. October 24 Added pictures for sections25-27. The pictures are now complete. I also added a movie of the border crossing -- check it out! October 21 Added pictures for section 24. October 20 Added pictures for sections 18-23. Also added an Epilogue and links from the journal sections to the pictures. Tweeks to the website look and feel are ongoing as well as a migration to a new ISP. October 13 Added pictures for sections 11,13-17. Except for section 12 (Echo Lake -> Donner Summit) where I lost my camera and don't have any pictures, California is now complete. October 7 Updated the Journals page graphic and added pictures for sections 8, 9, and 10. October 4 More pictures added for section 7. October 2 More pictures added for sections 5 and 6. October 1 More pictures added for sections 3 and 4. September 29 I (Henry) added a Photos link and posted some photos from the first two sections of the trail. More pictures to follow in the next few days along with equipment, food, and other post-trail notes. I have also updated the state maps on the Pictures and Journals pages so that users can click on the red PCT line to navigate to the appropriate section. September 17 Just posted journal notes for section 26 (Stevens Pass to Stehekin) and section 27 (Stehekin to Manning Park). Enjoy!! September 17 I'm back from seeing Henry cross the finish line. As of 8am I have no journal notes to post but hopefully later in the day I'll get them from Henry. It was a special moment to see him raise his arms and hollar as he took his final steps. "Team Henry" stood by taking lots of photos and listening to the details of how the final days unfolded along the PCT. September 10 The final set of journal notes will be posted on Sept. 16 when I return from seeing Henry take his final step into Manning Park, BC (Sept. 13th). A small group will be assembled to greet him including Mike, Jill, and Jane driving up from Portland and Sally, Cynthia and Perry driving up from Seattle. We all feel very lucky to be able to see him finish this hike. To everyone reading this webpage, thanks for emailing Henry...he has mentioned how much those connections have been uplifting. September 8 (9:30pm) I just spoke to Henry via satellite phone...very choppy so not much could be said. He is happy to be taking tomorrow off. Knees are sore and shins hurt but with ibuprofen he says he can make Manning Park by 2pm on Sept. 13th. If late it means he just had to slow down (less than 30 miles per day). The past two days were sunny but 3 days prior was snowfall. 89 miles to go. He wasn't sure he could access email so this is just a note saying things are on schedule and the end is in site!!!. No notes posted but the yellow triangle is getting close to the end. September 5 Henry called from Stevens Pass yesterday. All is good and he was getting ready to eat dinner with Perry, his resupply person for this stopover. I've posted section 25 (Snoqualmie to Stevens Pass) journal notes. And, thanks to Henry's good friend Mike, there are photos posted at the bottom of section 20 (Willamette Pass to Sisters) showing Henry as he departed into the cloudy weather at McKenzie Pass and another photo with his mother Loie. Enjoy. August 31 Henry has arrived at Snoqualime Pass. It is 2pm and he sounds glad to be out of the cold, rainy weather for the next day and a half. He had confirmation email that Sven and Jarrod have completed the trail today. They plan on starting the AT on Sept. 10. Yes, they are attempting to complete both trails in one run. Youth!!! The estimate for Henry's completion is now Sept. 13 so his welcoming party is making plans to be present. We'll drive up from Seattle and hopefully hike in the 4.5 miles to the northern terminus marker, pick up Henry, and take him back to Manning Park Lodge. I've posted notes to section 24 (White Pass to Snoqualime) August 27 At 4:15pm Henry called in from White Pass. He sounded very happy about the clear and sunny Washington weather. He'll overnight with Scott, Jane and Kimmie in Packwood then head out for Snoqualmie tomorrow. I've posted journal notes for Cascade Locks to White Pass (section 23). August 21 Just posted journal notes for section 21 (Sisters to Government Camp) and section 22 (Government Camp to Cascade Locks). Henry called from my sister's house in Tigard, near Portland. He sounds happy to be taking a few days off but very hopeful the next few weeks through Washington are not too technical with snow, ice, and windblown trees across the trail. If you want him to continue his entries with post-trail thoughts, send him an email. I think he could be convinced. I'm off to go shopping :) :) August 13 Henry called last night in preparation for his departure out of Sisters. He'll be heading north to Mt. Hood early in the morning. I've posted journal notes for "Willamette Pass to Sisters." August 9 Received an upbeat phone message from Henry this morning as he departed Willamette Pass headed for McKenzie Pass. On schedule and handling the wet/snowy conditions, he is making excellent progress. I've posted new jounral notes into "Ashland to Crater Lake" and section 19 - "Crater Lake to Willamette Pass." I have also updated the "Itinerary" link so you can see when Henry expected to reach his resupply points matched with the actual dates he arrived and departed a specific location. Note that the original schedule was set with no days off and trail conditions often dictate the pace...snow slows progress and clear skies allow faster foot movement for our friend. Enjoy! August 3 Henry called from Fish Lake to say he is moving well along the PCT in Oregon. I've posted August 2 under section 18 (Ashland to Crater Lake). August 2 I've just returned from my visit with Henry in Ashland. We were very lucky to stay with family friends--Doyne and Connie Mraz--we were treated as royalty! Henry was given the best in food plus much emotional support. He left Ashland this morning around 9:30am refreshed for the 900 miles ahead to Canada. I've posted journal notes for "Seiad Valley to Ashland." July 28 Henry called from Seiad Valley yesterday. He was taking his first full day off since I left him in Truckee. All is going well. I've added July 20 to the "Old Station to Castella" section and posted journal notes into the "Castella to Seiad Valley" section. Enjoy! July 20 Henry arrived in Castella at 10:30am. The food box and shoes box were at the post office so he will rest the night and begin the trek to Seiad Valley in the morning. All sounded good! I've posted notes in the "Old Station to Castella" section. July 15 Henry called from Old Station last night. He had to stay the night in a motel (or rest up as I call it) as his resupply box hadn't arrived. It was sent priority mail and took 3 days instead of 2. So far it has been very seamless sending resupply boxes so I think things are going good in that department (staffed by Cynthia and Loie)! I've posted notes to the "Belden to Old Station" section. He should make Castella by July 20. July 10 Henry arrived into Belden at 3:30pm and is staying in a small resort and eating some solid meals. He sounded happy to have a rest spot but ready to hike the 88 miles to Old Station (due east of Redding) tomorrow. I've posted the remaining journal entries into section 13 (Donner Pass to Belden). July 7 Henry just called (8:30am) from Sierra City. He along with Shirt and Packrat arrived yesterday at 5:30pm after a 25 mile hike. Today they head out for Belden. Journal notes are updated through Sierra City or section 13 (Donner Summit to Belden). July 5 I'm back from Truckee having found Henry in good spirits. As I waited in the parking lot at Donner Summit on July 3rd, he came running down the trail and said the PCT merged with a parking lot one exit later along Highway 80. So we jumped in the car and went down one exit where Shirt and Packrat were waiting. It was great to see them both. All three looked tired but in good shape. Coming down the summit they had experienced 100 mph winds so a day off seemed well earned. We invited Shirt and Packrat to stay with us in Truckee at the home of generous friends. It was fun listening to the trail talk. Lots of interesting and sometimes unbelievable episodes. We had a good weekend together and plenty of food was consumed. I left the three of them at the summit around 2 pm today and all three seemed a bit slow to get out of the car. They are 44% done! My next visit will be in Ashland approximately 570 miles from Truckee. I reposted the journal entry for June 9 as it was cut off in the original transmission. There is a bear story Henry wants you to read! June30 Received email from Henry that he departed Echo Lake (south Lake Tahoe) at 2pm today after spending a fun time hiking from Carson Pass to Echo Lake with close friends Mike and Eric. Journal notes for section 10 (Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass) and part of section 11 are up. I'll be visiting Henry at Truckee on Saturday, July 3. June 17 Henry called at 1:30pm today and had arrived at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite. His voice sounded strong and he was eager to eat. We'll connect tomorrow outside the park in Lee Vining. I posted the journal notes for Tehachapi to Kennedy Meadows and Kennedy to VVR. Enjoy! June 11 Henry called from Vermillion Valley Resort (Lake Edison) sounding very tired. The passes were quite snowy so he did much rock scrambling. He didn't rest at Kennedy Meadows so arrived a day earlier to VVR and was told he is the first PCTer to get to this point for the current season. I think he'll be glad to rest up then head out to Yosemite on June 14. June 7 Henry arrived at Kennedy Meadows on June 2 and sent back a package of unneeded things and a note about arriving. Since there is no public phone we won't hear from him until June 12 when he should reach Vermillion Valley Resort (3 days from Yosemite). He said his feet are feeling better and the running shoes really have helped. The weather sounded cold! May 28 Henry is repaired (blisters under control and new shoes with a 4E width) and happy to be entering the southern Sierras. I found him a bit worn at Tehachapi Pass when I picked him up on Tuesday May 25. But he left yesterday with a renewed spirit and his heaviest pack (7 days of food) of the trek. We'll rendevous again on June 16 in Yosemite. The section 6 journal entries are posted now (Agua Dulce to Tehachapi Pass). May 19 Today is Henry's birthday! He transmitted journal notes from a ranger station last night, so they are entered into section 5 (Wrightwood to Agua Dulce). Section 4 has been entered as well (Big Bear to Wrightwood). Check the photo of Henry at the beginning of the trail posted by Mike and Jill (thanks!) in section 1 (Campo to Warner Springs) May 8 Henry called at 4pm to say he had safely arrived in Big Bear City. He decided on a taxi ride to cover the 5 miles into Big Bear Lake where he had a room in a motel. Time for larger shoes and rehydration after several 90 degree days! May 1 Henry called from Idyllwild and he sounded happy to be in town for some real food. Snow on the trail slowed his pace from 3 mph to 2 mph. Getting rested up for a few days is the game plan. Read the newly posted journal notes under the section "Warner Springs to Idyllwild." Keep those emails coming into <hshires@pocketmail.com> ! April 27 Just posted the first few days of Henry's journal (Campo to Warner Springs). He seemed in good spirits when I picked him up at Scissor's Crossing, just east of Julian on Highway 78 on Monday, April 26. Messages sent via his pocketmail address are very uplifting for him. Thanks and keep them flowing. He called tonight (April 27) to say he made it safely to Warner Springs through one of the drier portions of this PCT trail. The flowering yucca are amazing (a joint observation).He will head out to Idyllwild in the morning. A few blisters and a good spirit seem to be with him. April 21 I'm on my way from Campo. Check back for updates.