Swept Away

Dave Kinney, Kirk Haselton and Kirk’s friend Bret Burns hiked into the Anza-Borrego Desert with us. We enjoyed panoramic views over the low growing cholla, prickly pear and barrel cacti. The wide open views were of more mountain backdrops with sparse desert vegetation, though in the creek drainage below, now just a sandy wash, were live oak and willow with hints of autumn gold.

We may have blundered starting up north in June, but finishing down south in the desert has been just right for Cindy. In addition to escaping the New England cold, desert hiking on the PCT means less elevation change and sandy paths void of the rocky obstacles and wash-outs that frustrated Cindy up north. She still gets distracted more now than earlier in the hike, but occasionally the easy trail conditions allow her to stride out at a pace somewhat resembling the “good old days.”

Ironically, we yet encountered a vivid reminder of the problematic trail conditions up north. The open landscape enabled us to see two hikers approaching in the distance. We knew by their gates and packs that they were PCT southbounders, the only ones we encountered in these southern desert regions.

When we finally crossed paths we stopped for quick greetings and to wish each other well. I divulged that we had been up north hiking as well and an excited look came over the woman’s face. “You look familiar! Were you around Mt. Hood?” After we were done encountering northbounders in September I never thought we would run into any more thru-hikers we knew, but after she said “Mt. Hood” I instantly recognized the face and shouted out “Swept Away!”

Swept Away was the thru-hiker we met during the treacherous Sandy River crossing. Mike and I formed a chain to get Cindy across to the north bank. We then formed a chain with Swept Away to get her across to the south bank. She got her trail name because she was swept away early in the hike from a creek crossing. As boulders and silt moved out from under our feet she wanted to go back to the north bank. The last we saw of her was back hiking away from the river.

I wondered at the time if this latest treacherous crossing was the last straw for her and she was leaving the trail. I felt guilty that we had not done more to help her across, which I still thought we could have done successfully. I was ecstatic to see her now near the southern end of the PCT.

She filled in for me the gap of what happened. She took a side trail down to a bridge crossing of the river, the same bridge that got wiped out by that same storm and killed a man. Swept Away and others stranded by the missing bridge were picked up and brought to Timberline Lodge, where she continued with her hike.

Dave had been with us for a few days and already knew the story of Swept Away. I think he was as excited to see her as we were. Kirk and Bret marveled as well at this improbable reunion. Given our U-Hiking style of jumping all over the place along the PCT, the odds of encountering any of the handful of southbounders we met up north were very slim. How wonderful that the one we encountered was the one I wondered about the most. If you’re reading this Swept Away, Happy Trails and Congratulations!