Day 102 (31 August)

Miles 1872.1 to 1901. Six Horse Spring Camp to Diamond View Lake.

We decided last night not to set an alarm clock this morning and sleep in. We really deserve a nice little sleep in! When we finally get going it’s close to 8am and we are pretty sure we are not gonna catch up with BigBro this time. He’s probably miles away now and chances are we won’t see him again. He texted us earlier recommending us to take a trail alternate to the PCT which would cut a few miles to the Shelter Cove Resort, our next resupply stop where we are meant to pick up some packages. In light of Dario’s health we actually consider taking this alternate just to get him to a doctor sooner. The sooner the better. He is throwing up a lot now and running off to the toilet, or behind a bush respectively, every 20 minutes. Diarrhea and nausea, I feel so sorry for him.

We decide to take the alternate, but take our breakfast break just at the Windigo Pass junction where we will leave the PCT for the next 17 miles. We are in the company of 5 different chipmunks who we feed with some nuts and watch them stuff their faces with up to 4 nuts per cheek. Then they hurry off to dig a hole for the nuts and save them for the winter. We wonder if they will ever find them again. :-) We also fill up at the water cache that is maintained by a devoted trail angel there and then start hiking on the alternate. We are hoping that Dario can do the total of 23 miles today which will get us right into Shelter Cove, and hopefully to a doctor. The alternate is called Oregon Skyline Trail, promising pretty views and flat terrain for the most part.

It does stay flat for the most part but is devoid of any views really. It still is pretty though, we pass by a lot of ponds and rather thin forest making it a sunny and bright hiking day. If only Dario wasn’t feeling so sick. It’s really getting worse and worse now. I try to make sure that he stays hydrated but it’s hard. We keep taking many breaks all day.

Suddenly Trooper shows up behind us. We thought he had left Mazama Village way before us and are astonished to find out he’s been tailing us that whole time. Together with him we keep hiking on the OST and decide to camp at the same spot as there is no way Dario can keep going much longer. Trooper makes it there way before us because Dario is really at the end of his tether and can hardly move. We are camped at Diamond View Lake, which is a beautiful lake 5 miles out of Shelter Cove. We will hike that in the morning and hopefully find a ride to a town called Bend from there. It’s still light out but freezing cold and we go to bed without dinner because it ended up being an exhausting day and we are both knackered.