In the spring of 2022 Paul started his lifetime dream of doing the Pacific Crest Trail. This page will show photos and videos of his adventure. Special thanks to Anne his wonderful wife who has provided these items.
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Comments by Paul's friend Scott to Anne and other followers on Face Book:
Anne Kinney Stephens
Scott Gehrman! Love the “Grey-Beard- Loose -Pants” name! One of his buds is now known as "Starfish", so it fits with the Sponge-Bob theme! The crew is calling him "Creator" because of all the doohickey's he sewed and made. I'm sure this will quickly devolve into "Crater" or "Creature" as time wears on:-)
Anne Kinney Stephens
Scott Gehrman! Love the “Grey-Beard- Loose -Pants” name! One of his buds is now known as "Starfish", so it fits with the Sponge-Bob theme! The crew is calling him "Creator" because of all the doohickey's he sewed and made. I'm sure this will quickly devolve into "Crater" or "Creature" as time wears on:-)
Paul and Crew on their Zero Day at an Air BnB at Big Bear Lake (@ mile 300) , doing "the group-epsom-salt-foot-bath". I couldn't get the audio, so hope this is G-rated:-) For some reason I think they might be singing bawdy sea-shanties.
Paul at mile 300 near Lake Arrowhead. He's doing it!
Yikes. That's a Big One.
Thru-hiker dilemma..."Hmmm....what to wear while washing your clothes?". The thoughtful owners of this Air BnB in the little town of Wrightwood (mile 369) provide this lovely lounge-wear while waiting for the spin-cycle. Paul and his current trail family posing for the photo:-)
Paul has posted the second video of his hike: Julian to Idyllwild. You can view it on www.youtube.com "Paul Goes Walking" (Facebook doesn't let me post the direct link).
From the top of Mt. Baden Powell
As Paul is walking, I'm finishing up the semester and doing the resupply duties. Making and sealing power bars...packing everything into large flat-rate boxes ($21.50 gets there in 3 days), and mailing them c/o General Delivery to the next post office or town along the trail. This is a typical resupply: 5 dinners, electrolyte and hot drinks, about 5 protein bars/day, dried fruit/jerky, olive oil pkts., tuna, sardines, oysters, the ends of t.p. rolls, detergent sheets and some supplements. The Halfmile Trail Notes have been invaluable
The Man, The Myth, The Legend....
The Pacific Crest Trail, staying true to its name:-).
Paul is now in Acton (Mile 444). 2,206 miles left to explore:-)
Paul is now in Acton (Mile 444). 2,206 miles left to explore:-)
Paul just passed mile 500 this morning..lots of wind! His
"Tramily" has evolved a bit...Some folks went ahead; others hunkered over an extra day in town due to the recent storm, and a few have had illness and bum knee issues and took a few more days off trail. Despite that, there are always great folks to hike with. He'll be in Tehachapi on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"Tramily" has evolved a bit...Some folks went ahead; others hunkered over an extra day in town due to the recent storm, and a few have had illness and bum knee issues and took a few more days off trail. Despite that, there are always great folks to hike with. He'll be in Tehachapi on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Snow Angels
Paul passed mile 650 today and came into sight of Mt. Whitney! His feet are a little worse for wear, but he's doing it! Next resupply drop is Kennedy Meadows South, then Lone Pine where they'll head up Whitney. Still evaluating the snow levels after this most recent storm.
Paul has made it to Kennedy Meadows South...Mile 700! Gateway to the Sierra. He's following the South Fork of the Kern River. Next food drop is Lone Pine. This Thursday will mark 2 months on the trail. He's completed 26% of the trek!
Turn up the volume for this one! The snake is almost impossible to pick out… so well camouflaged ! In other news,, our eldest ( Sean) got engaged yesterday!!! We’re so happy❤️we adore Alison. Another Ali😀
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For all of you ENH Alums, Paul said the site is very reminiscent of the Bunny Club out in the Kelso Dunes:-) Happy memories!
Paul made it to the top of Mt. Whitney today! 14,505'. Now back to the PCT and headed to Bishop.
Paul and the Tramily have just completed one of the most iconic stretches of the PCT: Whitney, Forester Pass (13,153'), and Kearsarge. Laying over in Bishop for several days, then back on trail at Onion Valley and on to Mammoth!
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Paul has passed over Kearsarge and Pinchot passes and is now in Kings Canyon.
I am finally back in phone contact with Paul. He spent the last week hiking from Mammoth to Yosemite. Scott Gehrman was able to get 9 permits for the crew to hike up Half Dome at sunrise this morning and spend one night in the Valley, so they are relaxing at HouseKeeping tonight:-). Up next: They'll take the hiker bus to Tuolumne Meadows on Monday, and continue the trek through Glen Aulin and north to Sonora Pass. His next resupply is Kennedy Meadows North.
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Paul’s cousin, Karen (Baumgartner) Gibson and her husband Jeff cooked up a bbq chicken feast and worked some amazing trail magic for Paul and friends on Ebbets Pass this week. We’ll be celebrating his birthday in Truckee this weekend..
Paul’s camp on Granite Chief tonite…. Picking him up at Donner Ski Ranch tomorrow! First time we’ve seen each other in 3 months.
Paul atop Tinker's Knob on his birthday. He texted me yesterday morning from this perch and Tule and I hiked in to meet him near Mt. Lincoln (Sugarbowl). Had a fun lunch at Donner Ski Ranch with a slug of thru-hikers from around the world. Resting and cleaning up in Truckee this weekend.
This is a short film that one of the hikers (Sundance) made on the trail… beautiful footage of the high Sierra and a really nice interview with Paul. Lucas Chin: youtube
Hi Friends! Just a heads up that the 25 or so members of Paul (aka Kreative")'s extended "Tramily" are now in the hood! They will be walking through the Philbrook/ Chester area starting tomorrow through next week, so if you are in the area and see some scruffy hikers, many will be looking for a hitch down from the "T" in the High Lakes to Philbrook, or from the highway 36 trail crossing (near St. Bernard Lodge) into Chester for their resupply/laundry etc. I met many of them last weekend at Donner Ski Ranch and they are a lovely, funny, smart, international crew!
https://www.facebook.com/1117156318/videos/414014244004154/
Halfway there
The Tramily walked off trail at Philbrook for the 4th-6th of July and spent a few zero days with us at the lake. Fun crew! 22 people total, and set a new record for bodies in the hot tub:-)
Hey Tramily! Thanks for the beautiful bouquet and framed group photo from the zero days at Philbrook. They arrived yesterday....So thoughtful and such a nice surprise, and no small effort to pull that together from the trail (special thanks to Lara and Marta). Hope to see you all again in Amsterdam next summer! Stay cool in Oregon and keep ahead of those fires!
Paul will be in Etna this Friday. Mt Shasta in distance.
To Be Continued