After leaving Lassen, the trail took me toward Mount Shasta which reminds me of Mount Fuji in Japan. Once I heard that Mount Shasta, Fuji and Mouna Kea are three volcano goddesses in the Pacific Rim and they talk with each other. To me, these three mountains are sacred. For that reason, every time when I had a view of Shasta, I prayed. I’m thrilled that the trail is taking me closer and closer to Shasta.
The mountains are so much greener with many streams. There are parts of the mountains that remind me of the rainforest and temperate forests. I enjoy walking in between these two different types of forest, thinking that I’m definitely heading towards Canada!
Another interesting thing is that I have been getting afternoon thunderstorms quite often since I began traveling for the Northern California section. The evening before arriving at Castle Crags, it hailed! A couple from Denmark were ahead of me and they kept going so I hail-marched with them. It got very intense at one point and we were hit by hail that was a size of green peas! We found dry spots under dog wood, waited and kept going and it was over. Walking in the rain is my least favorite thing when backpacking but it was incredible to live through the teaching of nothing is permanent and things change constantly. The next morning I caught up with the couple again and we walked together for the last one hour talking about our values of connection and nature before getting to the Castle Crags State Park. I treasured the great conversation with them because it is rare for me to feel connection with people on the PCT. What a fantastic way to end this section!
Appreciation: for Graci for hosting me for the night at her lovely home and dropping me off at the Old Station trailhead in Lassen. For abundant water and less elevation gain and loss for making the trail life easier. And for so much green shades everywhere for forest bathing possible.
Best learning: Meet Microaggressions with patience and nonviolent communication. In 2016, my friend who is black, and her partner walked the PCT. When I asked her what the most challenging thing was, she said microaggressions. Now I understand what she means. Things like hunger, heat, cold, water scarcity, hailstorm, thunderstorm, lightning storm, post hauling snow, high altitude, ticks, mosquitoes, rattlesnakes etc. are the things that many people talk about as a challenge. Yes they are and part of what I signed up for. These challenges are something that everybody experiences, regardless of their backgrounds. Microaggressions are an additional challenge that BIPOC and people who have marginalized identities may experience on the trail. As of 2023, the PCT is so white. I deal with comments like: “hi, Cantonese, or Mandarin?” “what is your nationality?” “what you’re eating is interesting.” “Whaaaat!? You have chopsticks?!” “I know other oriental people who hike.” A French hiker said, “Wow, your English is really good and you sound American.” I had to teach them that there are many Americans of color who are born in the United States and yet not considered as Americans. At this point, of course my English sounds good because I am American, and I am Japanese. Microaggression usually comes from very good intention and they sting. It is not a big deal if it only happens to you once or twice. If it happens daily or often, you’re constantly getting this message from the world that you don’t belong. This one minute video explains really well about microaggressions. When I heard a comment: “hi, Cantonese or Chinese?” I almost threw a fit because I was loosing patience. I guess my learning is that patient needs to be constantly practiced and meet with microaggressions as an opportunity to practice nonviolent communication. Self-compassion is also important to acknowledge and care for the invisible thousand cuts. Otherwise, it may be the thing that makes me leave the trail.
Challlenges: in addition to the constant microaggressions, another snow traveling that I named “Little Fuller Ridge” because it reminded me of the treacherous San Jacinto’s Fuller Ridge post-holing snow travel. The 5.7-mile stretch of north ridge was completely covered with snow with many down trees. It was exciting, exhausting and most challenging. Lots of afternoon thunderstorms and lightning storms almost everyday.
Disappointment: loosing my patience over microaggressions that I was thinking and talking in my head violently.
Exciting moments: I enjoyed so much of being sandwiched between two incredible mountains: Lassen and Shasta. Finding another sacred spring near wild roses. Wildflowers.
