This post originally appeared on The Trek, which you can read here .

If you want to see more from my 2025 PCT thru hike, make sure to check out my Instagram (@annamckinney22) and TikTok (@magicinthemountains) for daily vlogs!

*these posts are coming straight from trail, I apologize in advance for typos!*

Day 125: August 10, 2025

Location: Northern Oregon
Start: Tentsite and Pond – 2043.3
End: Tentsite – 2072.6
Miles: 29.3
Ascent: 3294 | Descent: 5099
Sleep: Tent

Another good day on trail. We woke up around our normal time and were hiking by 6:30am. Our campsite was very dusty and we were covered in dirt when we rolled out. We stopped to talk with Andrew a bit and promised to catch up more at Olallie Resort.

Just past our campsite was a rock cliff we got to walk along. It was beautiful in the early morning light, especially glancing back towards Mount Jefferson. We only had about a half mile on the trail before we took a blue blaze down to the resort. The Horseshoe Saddle Trail was hard to find because it was in a burn zone with tons of downed trees. There was no actual sign and we missed it at first, but thankfully Truffles checked FarOut and got us on our way.

The trail was faint through the blowdowns but marked with blue ribbons intermittently placed. We kept an eye on FarOut but made it just fine. The trail itself wasn’t long and brought us out at Horseshoe Lake where we connected to a gravel road. We walked along the road for several miles and got to pass by two larger lakes. We walked by dozens of car campers emerging to start their mornings and even a couple of National Forest campsites, one complete with a pit toilet which I took advantage of.

We made it to the “resort” just after 8am. We briefly saw Gooey and U-Turn who had camped at the lake the night before. We walked over to the store in hopes of getting drinks. I’ve learned by now not to expect much in terms of luxury at these backcountry resorts, and Olallie didn’t have much to offer in terms of amenities. They have a store and cabin, all of which are totally off grid. Somehow, though, in the store is a fridge with cold drinks, so Truffles and I both got sodas to drink by the lake.

The lakefront view was unmatched! The peaceful dock lined with boats floated placidly on the water with Mount Jefferson looming in the background. We lucked out and found two Adirondack chairs facing the water to sit and enjoy our beverages. Other hikers came and went and we spent some time talking to Andrew and Cheese Head. Just before 9am we decided to get a move on and I reluctantly gave up my throne.

It was a short walk from the resort back to trail. The terrain for the rest of the day was very easy with only a couple of bumps along the way. It was hot and we were hiking through a burned area, so we got sweaty fast. The morning went by quickly thanks to my Dr. Pepper buzz and I felt like we made good time.

Around noon we stopped at Trooper Spring for water. This spring was a boxed spring that was more of a seep with water rising up out of the earth in a swampy area with a clear pool just deep enough to fit my CNOC bag in. Despite its less than appealing appearance, the water was cold and tasted great. We sat in the shade back at the trail to filter and decided to go another 2 miles before eating lunch.

We packed up our water filters and made the quick uphill trek to a road where FarOut comments promised there were logs in the shade. We got there around 1pm, found the logs, and proceeded to eat lunch in the shade. Just before 2pm we set off again with 13 miles left in the day.

Thankfully we were mostly out of the burned area and were mainly in tree cover the rest of the day. We climbed a hill, walked flat for a while, then had a long descent to Warm Springs River. This would be our last water source so we took our time filling our bottles in order to dry camp. The water was so cold and crisp here and actually flowing, unlike previous murky sources.

My pack was weighed down by 4 full liters of water, but we started moving again around 5pm. We only had about 5 miles to camp, but we had to go uphill then downhill again to get there. The uphill felt hard with a heavy pack, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other and got it done. The last couple miles Truffles and I both agreed we were just ready to get there.

We arrived at the unmarked campsite just before 7pm. There were a couple people already set up, but the area was large and we were able to get a spot and still feel like we had plenty of space. We set up the tent together then Truffles started dinner while I set up our sleep stuff. We ate together quickly and then got inside the tent to get ready for bed. It’s amazing we did almost 30 miles today and still made it to camp before 7pm. It felt good not to have to rush at camp and to get to relax a little bit. Another big day tomorrow!

Day 126: August 11, 2025

Location: Northern Oregon
Start: Tentsite – 2072.6
End: Timberline Lodge – 2100.0
Miles: 27.4
Ascent: 4356 | Descent: 2485
Sleep: Tent

Another milestone day! We woke up eager to get to Timberline Lodge. We were on trail around 6:30am and had a super gentle start to the day. The trail was either flat or downhill pretty much all morning which made for smooth hiking.

After just a few miles we saw a sign advertising trail magic! We rounded a corner and heard a doorbell chime as we walked up to an old pull behind camper with chairs circled around and other hikers lounging about. Carbs was the gracious trail angel preparing pancakes and coffee for the group of hikers assembled. He had a handwashing station and was serving up humongous pancakes and strong percolated coffee.

We joined Andrew and Cheese Head along with Queen and an Australian lady we recognized from the desert. Several other hikers filtered in and out including multiple sobos and Gooey and U-Turn. We all sat around enjoying the food and company for a long time. A random horse and its rider even stopped and Carbs made pancakes for them as well. We spent nearly 2 hours relaxing and enjoying Carb’s hospitality before packing up and heading on.

The trail followed the edge of Timothy Lake and we saw people out enjoying the water as we hiked by through the trees. It was starting to get hot at this point and we talked about jumping in the water but never actually stopped. We left the lake and crossed Crater Creek where we got water before taking the short side trail to Little Crater Lake. What a neat side quest! The trail was very short and put us out right at the Little Crater Lake. This newly 40’ deep hole was filled with ice cold spring water that was the most vibrant blue color. We could see whole trees lying upside down in the water, it was tempting to jump into!

Once back on trail the trail began to climb. We’d be tending uphill the rest of the day and it was difficult in the heat. We saw lots of day hikers and crossed several dirt roads but kept on chugging along. We stopped for lunch at a spring and campsite. We ended up eating with Andrew, Cheese Head, and Lauren the section hiker. It was cake to eat as a group and we sat around chit chatting just prolonging the inevitable.

Finally we found the strength to shoulder our packs and continue on. We had to do several more miles of ups and downs before beginning to climb Mount Hood. My pack felt heavy and my shoulder was bothering me so the afternoon felt like it drug on. We crossed several paved roads, all of which had picnic tables we could rest at near the trailheads. What a welcomed break spot on a hot afternoon!

We stopped around 5pm at Barlow Road for a snack and to enjoyed the picnic table. Andrew and Cheese Head arrived and we spent a while discussing parasitic worms and pull ups before beginning the 5 mile climb up to Timberline Lodge. We had sat at the picnic table for nearly an hour by the time we started hiking, and it looked like it would be a steep climb. We knew it was going to be a late evening…

The first 3 miles went by much more smoothly than I expected. We were definitely going uphill, but it wasn’t nearly as steep or slow going as it looked on the elevation profile. Truffles and I made it to the stream and Tentsite in less than an hour and filled up before pressing on for the steep final 2 miles.

The climb was tough but it was short. The most annoying part was the final mile of sand we had to traverse. It was a steep uphill section and it was impossible to get good footing because of the deep sand we were having to walk through. It felt like trying to run on the beach in all the loose sand. It was aggravating but we got through it, and our spirits were lifted when we turned a corner and Timberline Lodge came into view.

We leap frogged back and forth with Andrew and Cheese Head as we made the final push to get to the trees overlooking the lodge. The trees held several campsites where hikers were tucked away for the evening. As we were nearly there, the sun was setting and we got the most incredible sunset with views of Mount Jefferson in the background.

We made it to the trees above the lodge and found a descent campsite. We got the tent up and cooked dinner quickly. I was tired and decided to eat dinner in the tent while Truffles went to socialize with Andrew, Cheese Head, Gooey, and U-Turn. Excited for breakfast in the morning!

Day 127: August 12, 2025

Location: Northern Oregon
Start: Timberline Lodge – 2100.0
End: Lolo Pass – 2117.3
Miles: 17.3
Ascent: 2968 | Descent: 5472
Sleep: Tent

What a wonderful day! It felt so good to sleep in this morning. Breakfast didn’t start until 8am so we slept in until around 7am just to give ourselves enough time to pack up. We walked down to the lodge just before 8am and I was so thankful to have access to flushing toilets!

As soon as the dining room restaurant opened there was a line of hikers trying to get in. We had gotten a reservation and were able to sit with Gooey, U-Turn, Cheese Head, and Andrew. There was an impressive spread for the all you can eat buffet: pastries, grits, sausages ham, fried potatoes, bagels, eggs, pancakes, fruit, and biscuits and gravy. We all settled in with our first plates of food and I was so thankful to get a cup of hot coffee with cream and sugar!

We would spend the next 2 hours working through multiple plates of food and slowly eating ourselves into a stupor. Truffles and I agreed that we each got our $32 worth. Our group migrated from the dining room into the large and cozy lobby area inside the hotel. Countless other hikers were spread about in the lobby huddled around power outlets. I found a spot to charge my stuff and made myself very comfortable in an arm chair. We played on our phones and made calls to loved ones. I chatted with Trevor/No Name for a while but mostly passed the time working on my blog.

Around noon Truffles and I slowly started making moves to begin hiking. We packed up our stuff, refilled our water bottles, took pictures of the iconic lodge, and eventually were off.

The trail away from the lodge took us under the operating ski lift where we’re surprised to learn that there was a small slice of snow that people were still skiing on even in August! We passed countless day hikers and folks doing the Timberline Trail on our long descent. Sections of the trail were very exposed, but we were mostly in and out of the forest. We passed tiny flowing creeks and springs coming out of the side of the mountain. I loved all the greenery and water because it made me feel like we were back home.

The trail went down steeply to the Zigzag River where we then had to go uphill steeply. We continued to see people but kept cruising. We saw multiple viewpoints looking pack towards the towering Mount Hood before beginning the long descent down towards the Ramona Falls Junction. We decided to take the blue blaze alternate past Ramona Falls and it was awesome! The falls itself was tall with a good amount of flow but it wasn’t rating whitewater. Between the water and the greenery I felt like I was in the Smokies, and that feeling continued as we hiked down the trail along foot bridges.

We crossed a river on a log bridge before beginning the steep climb the round out the day. This section was so steep and uphill that it felt like we were back on the AT! It was just missing rocks and roots in the trail. I honestly enjoyed the climb, though, because I feel like I found my rhythm and was able to put one foot in front of the other without too much effort.

About halfway to the climb we stopped at a stream to get water since we planned to dry camp. There were several other hikers coming and going but we didn’t talk to anyone else. The final push up the hill was tough with extra water, but we got it done and were happy to begin the descent to Lolo Pass. We talked to pass the time and before we knew it were nearing the parking lot.

We passed a sign for trick magic and were so happy to see a bunch of hikers gathered around a guy grilling. The train angel (who I’ve forgotten his name!) had coolers full of soda, beer, ice cream, and was grilling hot dogs and had chips and all kinds of condiments to go along with the dogs. There were about 10 hikers hanging out and we all talked and ate until it was nearly dark. The trail angel had done the PCT in 1977 and the AT in 2017. We talked about the AT a lot and how different hiking in the 70s was compared to now.

As it got dark we thanked the trail angel and went to set up the tent and get ready for bed. I had been looking forward to Timberline Lodge for a long time so it feels good to have made it to that milestone. I could had sat at the lodge for hours and definitely want to go back one day. It’s also cool that it’s located at mile 2100, we don’t have much further to go! Next stop: trail days!