A Story About A Horse

By Tyler Socash 

IG: @tylerhikes

"Do you want to know the most beautiful thing I've ever seen?"  I was enthralled. The legendary Billygoat, a 76-year old man who has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail 9.5 times, was about to unveil a masterpiece.  I was honored to sit adjacent to him at Timberline Lodge.   With a twinkle in his eye he summoned a memory that had our entire breakfast table riveted... 

Arriving at Timberline Lodge is no easy task for thru-hikers.  Sure, you can easily drive there, or fly your helicopter there as Steven Tyler did a couple hours before I arrived, but hiking there is another matter. Southbounders start in the Columbia River Gorge, scarcely above sea level, and hike up to 6,000ft in a hurry.  From the Lodge you're only 3.6 miles from the top of Oregon — Mount Hood. 

Mount Hood - 11,249ft. - has a ~5% chance of erupting in the next 30 years.  

Before leaving the Cascade Locks Post Office and setting out for Timberline, I met a guy who had been chasing me down for 400 miles.  "What's your trail name?" a stranger asked me.  "Future Dad!" I responded with enthusiasm.  My name is typically met with laughter or an appropriately presumptuous, "Congratulations!"  This time I received a response that I hadn't heard before... 

"So you're 'Future Dad.'  I've been trying to catch you since Stehekin!"  His name was Mantis, and at 6' 5" I just met my tallest hiking partner, new best friend, and newest PCT character.  He looked relieved to meet me, as he hiked throughout much of Washington alone — the typical PCT southbound experience.  

From my perspective, meeting Mantis happened at the right time.  With Wildfire and Half Jesus taking some zeros after reaching Oregon, I was able to venture south with my new hiking partner.  We saw stuff like this:

Behind Tunnel Falls on the Eagle Creek Trail!

Tunnel Falls - Oregon's most popular trail. 

Mantis and Future Dad swimming beneath Tunnel Falls!

Ramona Falls!  This place is awesome!

Mantis and I are compatible hikers.  We both enjoy the views, we hike relatively fast, and we swim a lot.  We seem to make the most out of every trail mile, which is something that I appreciated about my journey thus far with Wildfire and Half Jesus.  We all embrace the awesomeness of nature around us. 

I felt like we arrived at Timberline Lodge exactly when we were supposed to.  While in line for the breakfast buffet (I was first in line, hikers talk about the Timberline buffet all the time) a woman asked me if we'd be interested in forming a PCT table.  The Awesome Principle forced me to say, "Yes!" without hesitation.  She quickly added, "Well you're in luck.  You are about to meet a legend."

I knew who he was.  I had seen that long white beard before.  It was Billygoat.  Only one person has hiked the PCT more times, but no one has spent as much time hiking on trail as him.  Once when asked where he was from, Billygoat famously replied, "Here," referring to the trail. 

I was awestruck at first.  Mantis and I were eating the famous Timberline breakfast (unlimited smoothies and everything for $14.95) next to the guy that the guidebooks mention.  Billygoat has made a lot of lasting memories over the years.  He has done the Appalachian Trail multiple times, walked the Erie Canal, hiked the Colorado Trail four times and climbed most of the 14,000ft. peaks there...  He's on track to hike 50,000 miles by the ripe age of 80!  With all of the time he'd spent outside, I knew he'd have some epic wildlife stories, so I asked about his favorite moment while hiking. 

The room felt heavy, and all other sounds muffled out when Billygoat turned to me and asked, "Do you want to know the most beautiful thing I've ever seen?"  I leaned forward, swallowing a mouthful of chocolate chip pancakes, obviously interested in what would come next.  "I was walking the Continental Divide Trail near the Great Basin in Wyoming.  Remote.  Vast.  Endless."  It was as if Billygoat had been transported back. I leaned closer.  "The basin was filled with 200, yes, 200 wild horses!  Wild horses that were galloping and playing as if they didn't have a care in the world!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  Five of them broke off from the herd and decided to get a closer look at this man who was watching them in admiration.  They slowed from a canter to a trot when one of them approached me individually.  The mare flicked his mane while looking right at me.  Do you know what that horse said?  He was saying, not in English, 'Come on, come play with me!'  It was a beautiful thing.  That horse was talking to me!"  Billygoat flicked his head, imitating the horse's beckoning.  We dared not to interrupt.  "And I replied to him, in English, 'I would, but I can't run that fast.'"

It was a powerful story.  It brought a tear to my eye.  I felt lucky to hear it.  I hope to hear more stories like that. 

A lot happened after leaving Timberline, too much to mention here.  I experienced amazing trail magic (ask me about my 2nd Timberline experience in person), I camped on the actual Oregon Trail at Barlow Pass, I even hiked with Billygoat for part of the next day.  These are stories  that I'll treasure forever.  

Mantis and I hiked past the next intimidating Cascade, Mount Jefferson, together.  We heard about a camp site that we couldn't miss, and we even hiked 34 miles one day to get there.  This was our spot...

Mount Jefferson at sunset, Oregon's second-tallest peak.  Sweet volcano!

My last view north of Mount Rainier (far left), Mount Hood, and Olallie Butte at sunrise.  

The trail south to Three Fingered Jack. 

Oregon has been spectacular so far.  This whole journey has been so fun!  I'll update you all again soon.  I apologize in advance if I quote Billygoat for the rest of my life. 

I recently bumped into a woman from Wyoming while on trail.  Before parting ways I asked her, "Does the Great Basin in Wyoming really have hundreds of wild horses roaming around?"

"Yes it does.  And it's the most breathtakingly beautiful thing you would ever see..."