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Gone to Green

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Burney, CA
Gone to Green

60+ years old & chasing outdoor adventures. Hi, I’m Ellen! Outdoor enthusiast, marathon runner, medical professional, and proud dog mom. Life is not a contest.

I’ve learned important things while out in the wilderness:
• Time spent outdoors is the best psychotherapy in the world.
• Personal growth is accelerated when you step out of your comfort zone.
• Average people are capable of above average achievements.
• You are never too old to learn, grow and stretch your limits.
• Don’t’ compare your journey to others. We are each unique. Hope you find some g

reat information to give you the confidence to get out and explore our magnificent world.

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” Napoleon Hill

08/05/2026

This emergency button is located along the trail as you descend into Hauser Canyon, around mile 14.5 of the PCT. If nothing else, it's a reminder of how hot the desert can get in southern California.

Luckily, I was hiking in mid-March so the temperatures weren't too bad yet.

07/30/2026

Fire season is here and this time it hit close to home. Less than 2 miles from where I live, actually.

It only took 40 minutes for the fire to grow from 1/4 acre to 17 acres, at which point the responders were able to get it under control.

It's incredible to see firsthand how firefighters are able to respond so quickly to dangerous situations. There were several local fire departments involved that provided both ground and air support. They even used our community's lake to get water.

Because of the courage and dedication of these firefighters, our community can rest easier.

To the hikers following my account, I highly recommend downloading the Watch Duty app if you haven't already. It provides real-time alerts and live map tracking for fires and other natural disasters.

I recall the anxiety I felt last year hiking around a huge fire near the PCT in northern California. Fires can grow very rapidly and should never be taken lightly.

Stay safe, everyone!

07/28/2026

This was my fifth day hiking the PCT and the first time sleeping alone in the wilderness.

Throughout the afternoon, hikers came and went. They stopped for water, looked around, chatted for a few minutes, and then kept hiking.

I figured someone would stay. It was a great location with room for several tents and water just a few steps away. But one by one, they disappeared down the trail.

Then the sun slipped below the horizon, the last bit of daylight faded, and it finally hit me - I was really going to spend the night out here by myself.

It’s a strange feeling. Not quite fear, not quite excitement. Just the realization that for the first time, no one else was coming.

When morning came, after surviving a terrible attack of absolutely nothing, I packed up camp and simply moved on, feeling a little more at home in the wilderness.

07/23/2026

Yeah, I know. Every hiker likes to do gear reviews but I get it now. When you carry everything you need for survival on your back for hundreds of miles, you develop strong opinions about what is really necessary, what can be left behind, and what you would do differently.

I now have opinions about every single thing I carried, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. I’ve only listed a few of my gear items in this post but I might do another one soon.

Let me know if you’d like more details or if there is a specific item you’re interested in.

07/21/2026

Lake Tahoe is one of those places I can visit over and over and never get tired of it. With good restaurants, beaches and hundreds of miles of trails, it’s not possible to get bored here. And it’s dog friendly too 🐶

My latest hike of the PCT was supposed to end at South Lake Tahoe but I fell short of that goal. I had booked a hotel in advance so we decided to go anyway and relax for a couple of days 😎

07/08/2026

Day 6: William’s Cabin to Belden
Miles hiked: 5.8
Total miles hiked: 44.2

It’s hard to believe I was hiking the same trail today. There were no tree blowdowns, no crazy creek crossings, no overgrowth today. Just 6 miles of downhill hiking with constant beautiful views 🤩

Over the last 2 days, I have descended 3200 feet to reach the tiny town of Belden (pop. 15). Once I arrived, I had another 1.5 miles of walking along a highway to get to a campground where I could do laundry, take a shower and eat at their restaurant.

While walking along the road, a man in a pickup truck pulled over and asked if I needed a ride. My first instinct was to be cautious, but it turns out he is the trail angel that left the sodas in the trough at Cold Springs.

I continue to be blown away by the goodness and generosity of people who want nothing in return for providing support to the PCT hikers. These people are true angels and I’m very grateful for the services they provide ❤️

07/05/2026

Day 5: Sierra/Cascade Divide to William’s Cabin
Miles hiked: 5.3
Total miles hiked: 39.4

I slept in this morning because I only planned to hike 5 miles. I knew the trail was going to be tough today but I still took my time having breakfast and breaking down my camp. I even stopped to take a lot of wildflower photos and to just enjoy the day.

Well, it took me 9 hours to cover that distance. Yikes!

It was so grueling in so many ways. The tree blowdowns continued to steal my energy and gouge painful scratches into my legs.

There were areas with chest-high overgrowth, causing me to get lost several times. And because I couldn’t see the ground beneath me, I kept tripping over rocks. And did I mention this is prime rattlesnake habitat?

And then I had a significant creek crossing that took a long time to ford.

This was definitely not a day I’d like to repeat but it’s the reality of hiking through severely burned forests that are in recovery.

I’m camped at a location called William’s Cabin where there is no actual cabin. Just a few lumpy areas to pitch a tent.

And I’m not here alone. Im camping with two other women who are also hiking solo. Love the girl power out here 💪🏻

07/03/2026

Day 4: Cold Springs to Sierra/Cascade Divide
Miles hiked: 7.2
Total miles hiked: 34.1

Although there were some areas where the trail was a complete mess, I’m just happy I didn’t have to deal with anything life threatening today 😝. Throughout this week, I’ve been including photos to show that it’s not all beautiful vistas out here. Wildfire devastation is brutal but it’s also amazing to see how a forest regenerates itself.

This trip is the first one where I’m hiking southbound on the PCT while everyone else is heading north. It’s a strangely lonely feeling. Instead of getting to know the people around me over days and weeks, every encounter only lasts a few minutes - just enough time to wish each other luck and wonder where the other person’s adventure will lead. The people I meet are carrying the experiences of the miles I have yet to hike, while I’m carrying memories of the miles they’ve yet to see.

I had to shoo another deer away from my tent tonight. It’s a little unnerving how little fear they have for humans. Apparently they are attracted to our saltiness from sweating so much. I’ve heard stories of hikers waking up in the morning to find their socks missing or the straps of their backpacks chewed on by a salt-obsessed deer 🧂

The entire PCT from Mexico to Canada roughly follows the spine of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains. Tonight I’m camped by a sign marking the divide between the two ranges. This means I should start seeing a shift away from volcanic rock to solid granite.

That’s what I love about the PCT. It’s not just one trail, it’s a collection of completely different adventures connected by a single footpath. Each section has its own personality, although this one has been very temperamental 🤪

07/02/2026

Day 3: Humboldt Summit to Cold Springs
Miles hiked: 6.6
Total miles hiked: 26.9

I reduced my mileage today to help give myself a bit of a rest. My body feels like it was hit by a bus. 🚍

In these past few days I’ve become quite the expert on tree blowdowns. There are basically 4 types. There are small, low to the ground trees that are easy to step over.

Then there are larger, higher blowdowns that I can still step over but I have to do so slowly and carefully. I end up with a lot of scrapes on my legs from these ones.

Next are trees that are too big to step over but I can still scooch over them on my butt. I get most of my scratches from these ones and sometimes they are covered with ants that bite 🐜

Finally, there are the huge behemoths that are always challenging and sometimes dangerous to navigate. These are my least favorite and they make me question my life choices 🤪

It felt good to finish my hike early today and have lots of time to relax at an ice cold spring. Some kind soul left sodas inside a trough where the spring water flows into. I never drink soda but I quaffed down a Dr Pepper in less than 5 minutes. It was the best thing I tasted all week 😋

Hopefully I can get through this tsunami of blowdowns and find better trail conditions soon.

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