Seiad (Sad) Valley – Monday June 21, 2021

Elaine and I raced 14 miles (5 1/2 hours) to make sure we got to the Seiad Valley Cafe before it closed at 2pm. Expected worse bush-whacking but only a couple big blow-down sections took figuring out. Nothing like yesterday though.

We both got an “Icee” at the store first thing. Cold and delicious! We then checked into the Mid River RV Park and found friendly folks that knew the PCT drill. $15 each for tent site, laundry, and showers. Great deal.

Our host here at Mid River RV Park, Bruce, discouraged us from following the PCT north from Seiad Valley. He said the water sources are poor, poison oak is common, the trail is very brushy, and the lack of shade is a concern. Hikers have been evacuated off this section due to heat injuries. He recommended the Seiad Creek Road as an alternative. We were considering it.

As we were waiting for lunch, we reviewed the weather outlooks. We were shocked! We had hiked through a heat wave earlier in the week, but another stronger one was on the way. We looked at our destination , the Ashland OR area and became very concerned. Temperatures in the area would be exceeding 100 degrees for several days in a row.

We know what it’s like to hike in heat. It’s not very pleasant. Warmth is one thing but excessive heat is another thing. Heat injury in the back-country is something we do not want to deal with. I sweat profusely which in itself is not terrible but the chemical imbalance it causes is.

So, to avoid that, we’re going to end our adventure here in Seiad Valley for the time being. The 155 miles we’ve done have been fantastic! We know we’re heading into less scenic areas. We’ll come back again when we can manage the transportation and there aren’t excessive heat warnings for days in a row. It may be a much different time of year.

For now, we’re arranging a ride to Ashland to get a bus to Klamath Falls and then retrieve our car at Crater Lake. We figure to cut our losses and head home with a great experience under our belt.