From Donner Pass (Truckee) to Quincy
&
From Cottonwood Pass to Bishop Pass.
12/Aug/2025 to 07/Sep/2025, 19 hiking days.
---- Car ride to the parking lot Eazzypark Rijnlanderweg 1050, Hoofddorp.
---- Shuttle van from the parking lot to the airport.
---- KLM flight KL605 from Amsterdam (AMS) to San Francisco (SFO), direct flight, 09:50-11:45, 992€/p incl backpack.
---- BART train ride from the airport to Mc Arthur, 0h48.
---- Complimentary bus from Mc Arthur to Emeryville, 0h10, every 15 minutes.
|---| Avalon Public Market, Emeryville, room, 98.93$/2p. Hyatt House, Emeryville, 210€/2p.
Thursday 14/Aug/2025.
Emeryville (San Francisco) to Truckee journey & HIKE 1.
 |
| On-time arrival of the "California Zephyr" train. |
 |
Truckee, train wagons must halt one at a time at the
station because of the reduced size platform. |
 |
Donner ski ranch where we'll continue on the PCT
(it's where we ended in 2022). |
HIKE 1.
From Donner ski ranch to the first campsite.
1.4 PCT Miles (2.3km).
 |
Start of this year's PCT section hike
(PCT Mile 1154.5). |
 |
Looking back to the road from Truckee
and to Donner lake. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
Transportation:
---- Amtrak train "California Zephyr" from Emeryville to Truckee, 8:25-14:01, 5h36, 51.30$/2p.
---- Complimentary TART shuttle to the Safeway supermarket and the outdoor gear shop Tahoe Mountain Sports.
---- Hitchhike ride to Donner Ski Ranch near the trailhead.
|---| Tent setup 2.6km behind Donner ski ranch, PCT Mile 1155.9, 39.326855N 120.320210W.
Friday 15/Aug/2025.
HIKE 2 - To the Unconformity Spring.
8.3 PCT Miles (13.2km), +503m, -222m.
 |
| Tunnel under the Interstate 80 freeway. |
 |
Collecting drinking water along the freeway
at the Donner Summit rest area. |
 |
| Peter Grubb hut. |
 |
| Round Valley. |
|---| Tent setup near Unconformity Spring, PCT Mile 1164.2, 39.389333N 120.376795W.
Saturday 16/Aug/2025.
HIKE 3.
8.8 PCT Miles (14.2km), +342m, -468m.
 |
| Oatmeal breakfast. |
 |
| Collecting water from the Unconformity Spring.. |
 |
| A still surviving snowbank. |
 |
Use trail to Snowbank Spring,
marked by the white water bucket.
|
 |
Collecting water from the Snowbank Spring,
"Best water of the world". |
 |
| Scenic view of the valley. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
|---| Tent setup, PCT Mile 1173.0, 39.424898N 120.443943W.
Sunday 17/Aug/2025.
HIKE 4.
12.6 PCT Miles (20.3km), +415m, -803m.
 |
| An unexpected hunter encounter. |
 |
| Silly picture. |
 |
| Reaching Jackson Meadows. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
|---| Tent setup near Jackson Meadows Reservoir, PCT Mile 1185.6, 39.510953N 120.535960W.
Monday 18/Aug/2025.
HIKE 5 - From near Jackson Meadow reservoir to Sierra City.
11.5 PCT Miles (18.4km), +232m, -911m.
 |
| Wild gooseberry. |
 |
| Meeting german hiker Alex ("Skipper"). |
 |
| Milton Creek. |
 |
| Haypress Creek. |
 |
| A refreshing dip in the creek. |
 |
| View onto tomorrow's challenge. |
Sierra City.Census: 235 inhabitants.
 |
| Library. |
 |
| Country Store. |
 |
| Hotel. |
 |
| Hiker talks. |
|---| New Sierra City hotel, 120$/2p.
Tuesday 19/Aug/2025.
HIKE 6 - From Sierra City to Sierra Buttes.
7.6 PCT Miles (12.2km), +827m, -19m.
 |
| Country Store. |
 |
| 1200 Miles marker. |
 |
| Tent setup, far from a noisy Mushroom Party. |
Transportation:
---- Hitchhike ride from town to the trailhead along CA 49 (PCT Mile 1196.5), 2.6km.
|---| Tent setup on an old road, PCT Mile 1204.1, 39.595645N 120.663073W.
Wednesday 20/Aug/2025.
HIKE 7.
7.7 PCT Miles (11.3km), +398m, -404m.
 |
| Tamarack Lake. |
 |
Pumping drinking water
at Packsaddle Campground. |
 |
| Deer Lake. |
 |
| Dinner kitchen. |
|---| Tent setup, above Deer Lake, PCT Mile 1211.8, 39.648825N 120.667083W.
Thursday 21/Aug/2025.
HIKE 8.
10.5 PCT Miles (16.1km), +481m, -587m.
 |
| Sunrise. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
 |
| Long Lake, Silver Lake and Round Lake. |
 |
Collecting water at Pauley Seep,
reached by a steep 100 yards use trail. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
|---| Tent setup, 0.3 Mile behind A-spring, PCT Mile 1222.3, 39.718612N 120.758358W.
Friday 22/Aug/2025.
HIKE 9.
11.0 PCT Miles (17.7km), +599m, -665m.
|---| Tent setup on an old road near Whiskey Spring, PCT Mile 1233.3, 39.767113N 120.858207W.
Saturday 23/Aug/2025.
HIKE 10 - From Whiskey Spring to Quincy La Porte road.
3.2 PCT Miles (5.2km), +135m, -205m.
 |
| Whiskey spring. |
Quincy.
 |
| Rich Bar Tap & Kitchen. |
 |
| Resupply. |
 |
| The motel for tonight. |
Transportation:
---- Hitchhike from the Quincy La Porte Road (PCT Mile 1236.5) to East Quincy (31km), then a 4.4km hike to Quincy.
|---| Gold Pan Lodge, motel room, Quincy.
Sunday 24/Aug/2025.
Zero Day.
Stay with Trail Angel Inge.
 |
| Inge's cottage. |
|---| Trail Angel Inge's cottage, Keddie Resort, Quincy.
Monday 25/Aug/2025.
Trailangel drive to Chico (135km), and Chico to Bishop journey (542km).
 |
| Saying Goodbye to Inge. |
 |
| Bishop, arrived there just before midnight. |
Transportation:
---- Trailangel ride from Quincy to Avis Rentalcars in Chico, ~140km, 60$.
---- Rentalcar ride from Chico to Bishop, ~550km.
|---| Eastside Guesthouse and Bivy, hotel room, Bishop, 172.86€/2p (148.20€).
PART II.
Cottonwood Pass trailhead to Bishop Pass trailhead, 9.76 Miles (157.9km).
Because of the massive destruction by the Dixie Fire (2021) between Quincy and Burney Falls, we decided to interrupt our hike at Quincy, and rather jump to the missing High Sierra section between Cottonwood Pass and the Bishop Pass cutoff.
 |
| PART I, 136km. |
 |
| PART II, 157.9km. |
Part II itinerary:
Tuesday 26/Aug/2025.
Bishop to Cottonwood Pass Trail trailhead & HIKE 11.
7.3km, +417m, -0m.
 |
The rental car, parked at the
Cottonwood Pass Trail trailhead. |
 |
| Horseshoe Meadow. |
 |
| Cottonwood Pass, 3392m. |
|---| Tent setup at Chicken Spring Lake, PCT Mile 752.0, 36.455668N 118.225845W.
Wednesday 27/Aug/2025.
HIKE 12.
10.9 PCT Miles (17.6km), +365m, -642m.
 |
Morning routine...
recovery of the bear-resistant containers.
|
 |
| Mount Guyot, 3749m. |
 |
| Crossing Rock Creek. |
|---| Tent setup near Guyot Creek, PCT Mile 762.9, 36.507177N 118.343563W.
Thursday 28/Aug/2025.
HIKE 13.
10.0 PCT Miles (16.1km, +671m, -510m.
HIKE 14 - Forester Pass.
12.0 PCT Miles (19.4km), +834m, -904m.
 |
Forester Pass in the distance
(at the right hand side). |
 |
| Approaching Forester Pass. |
 |
| Getting closer. |
 |
| At the Forester Pass, 4009m. |
 |
| Follows a long descent. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
|---| Tent setup at PCT Mile 784.9, 36.729450N 118.371400W.
Saturday 30/Aug/2025.
HIKE 15 - Glen Pass.
11.7 PCT Miles (17.7km), +735m, -815m.
 |
| At the Glen Pass, 3635m. |
|---| Tent setup at Arrowhead Lake, PCT Mile 796.6, 36.827580N 118.409762W.
Sunday 31/Aug/2025.
HIKE 16 - Pinchot Pass, Arrowhead Lake to Bishop Pass Trail.
12.9 PCT Miles (19.3km), +502m, -861m.
 |
| Early birds. |
 |
| Woods creek suspension bridge. |
 |
| Looking back (South). |
 |
| Reaching Pinchot Pass. |
 |
| At the Pinchot Pass. |
 |
| View (North) towards Lake Marjorie. |
 |
| Descent towards Lake Marjorie. |
|---| Tent setup near to lake Marjorie, PCT Mile 809.4, 36.942055N 118.424272W.
Monday 01/Sep/2025.
HIKE 17 - Mather Pass.
11 PCT Miles (17.7km), +618m, -742m.
 |
| Sunrise. |
 |
Approaching Mather Pass
(the saddle above the lake). |
 |
| Mather Pass. |
|---| Tent setup above Upper Pallisade Lake, PCT Mile 820.4, 37.052192N 118.471387W.
Tuesday 02/Sep/2025.
HIKE 18.
13.1 PCT Miles (20.9km), +522m, -877m.
 |
Same place two years ago,
also on a rainy day (10/Sep/2023). |
 |
| Giraud Peak. |
 |
Luxury dinner balcony,
right in front of our tents. |
 |
| Tent setup. |
|---| Tent setup at an altitude of 2950m along the Bishop Pass Trail, 37.095210N 118.580915W.
Wednesday 03/Sep/2025.
HIKE 19 - Bishop Pass Trail.
10.6 Miles (17.2km), +705m, -646m.
 |
| At the Bishop Pass, 3649m. |
 |
| Starts the long descent from the Bishop Pass. |
 |
| The Bishop Brewery. |
|---| Eastside Guesthouse and Bivy, Bishop, 130$/2p (112€).
Thursday 04/Sep/2025.
Zero day: car recovery from the Cottonwood Pass trailhead.
 |
| Guesthouse office. |
|---| Eastside Guesthouse and Bivy, Bishop, 130$/2p (112€).
Friday 05/Sep/2025. Bishop to San Francisco journey (528km, through the Sonora Pass).
 |
Recovered my rain jacket at the post office,
sent from the Sierra City hotel. |
 |
Along the return road,
Kennedy Meadows North. |
Transportation:
---- Rentalcar ride from Bishop to Millbrae (San Francisco), along the Sonora Pass, ~520km.
|---| The Dylan at SFO, hotel room, Millbrae, 116€/2p.
Saturday 06/Sep/2025.
San Francisco to Home journey.
 |
| Flight announcement. |
Transportation:
---- Rentalcar ride from the hotel to the airport.
---- KLM flight KL606 from San Francisco (SFO) to Amsterdam (AMS), 13:45-09:05 (next day).
|---| Economy Airplane seat.
Sunday 07/Sep/2025.
San Francisco to Home journey (Cont'd)
MAPS.
 |
| PCT major trailheads. |
 |
PCT overview map, California.
|
 |
| PCT overview map, Full. |
Part I maps.
From Donner Pass to Quincy La Porte road.
 |
| Section 3, leg 4. |
 |
| Section 4, leg 1. |
 |
| Section 4, leg 2. |
 |
| Section 5, leg 1. |
 |
| Section 5, leg 2. |
 |
| Section 5, leg 3. |
Part II maps.
From Cottonwood Pass Trailhead to Bishop Pass Trailhead.
 |
Section 8, leg 4.
Cottonwood Pass trailhead to Cottonwood Pa |
 |
Section 9, leg 1.
Cottonwood Pass to Crabtree meadow. |
 |
Section 9, leg 2.
Crabtree Meadow to Forester Pass. |
 |
Section 9, leg3.
Forester Pass to Glen Pass. |
 |
Section 9, leg 4.
Glen Pass to Pinchot pass. |
 |
Section 9, leg 5.
Pinchot Pass to Mather Pass. |
 |
Section 9, leg 6.
Mather Pass to Bishop Pass. |
