Kathryn Beals

paintings

The Pacific Crest Trail

High Sierra Cloudbank Painting by Kathryn Beals

In July of 2008, we set off on a long trek through the High Sierra section of the Pacific Crest Trail in California. The Pacific Crest Trail runs all the way from Mexico to Canada, and some hikers complete the whole thing in four months. We had to stop after 100 miles when I injured my foot, but we got to do what is arguably the most beautiful section. We set out with a week's worth of food at a time, and mailed resupply packages to be picked up in small towns along the way. Before the trip, we trained for altitude, counted every gram in our packs and cut off extra tags and straps to save weight.

We hit the trail during an unusually rainy period so there were far more bugs than normal. We ate our meals out of the pot, moving in circles since the bugs would swarm if we stood still for too long. Our daily miles were planned around where water was accessible.

The West Coast Trail in the temperate rainforest had a feeling of constant regeneration, as fallen trees were absorbed by the forest and new plants sprouted up in their place. In contrast, the High Sierras have a still, ancient, almost alien feel. The landscapes above the treeline look like the surface of the moon. As Mark Twain said of the Sierras, "This is the air the angels breathe."

We spent one amazing night high above the treeline in the rocks. There was an eerie stillness and we could see the whole valley for miles as the sun went down. We both got nosebleeds from the altitude, and we were too sick to eat much of our dinner. However, when we went to sleep I had a vivid dream of going far underground into a room filled with water. Inside the room I saw everything I had ever lost. Altitude causes sleep disturbances and vivid dreams, and I'll never forget that one.

Painting of Mt Whitney, California