Atlas of Plant Basedthe PCTwaterabout
A waterfall and pools under the Highway 49 bridge on the North Yuba
NO. 13 OF 26 · NORTHERN CALIFORNIA · DAYS 72 to 78 · 146 MILES TRACKEDPHOTO #1716 · DAY 74, THE NORTH YUBA · ROUTE APPROX.
146 miles tracked·7 days, July 2021·20.8 miles a day·ended by the Dixie FireNorthern California, leg 13 of 26

Truckee to the fire closure

Back on trail after three zeros, through the Donner Summit crowds and the North Yuba pools, and off at day 77 when the Dixie Fire closed the trail.

Three zeros ended the only way they can: “3 zeros and back to trail,” 21.9 miles, with Lake Tahoe falling away behind the crest. New shoes, a bear-proof Ursack where the rented canister used to be, and legs that had forgotten nothing.

Day 73 went “through crazy Donner Summit,” and crazy is the right word in July, when every trailhead within two hours of Sacramento is full.

Every quoted line is from 2021, verbatim.

Lake Tahoe from the crest
Tahoe from the crest, day 72 · photo #1699
Atlas flexing on a boulder at the Yuba pool
the Yuba pool, day 74 · photo #1719

It took one more 27-mile day before the Strava title could exhale: “finally out of the high traffic zone.” That day ended at the pools under the Highway 49 bridge on the North Yuba. There’s a photo of me flexing on a boulder there. I’d earned it.

Day 76 pushed 28 miles toward Quincy through old burn scar, and day 77’s title made it official: “hopping off trail due to fire closure.” Sometimes in 2021 the trail was a bus seat.

Start // back on trail above Tahoe, day 72
Water // the North Yuba pools at Highway 49
Finish // off trail at the fire closure, day 77
the ridge toward Castle Peak, day 72
the ridge toward Castle Peak, day 72
above the Middle Fork Feather, day 75
above the Middle Fork Feather, day 75
poles over the smoke, day 77
poles over the smoke, day 77
the closure skip, day 78
the closure skip, day 78

keep walking

Leg 14: the skip to Burney being written
Northern California, leg by leg every leg in the section →