TD Grad hits mile 100 on Pacific Crest Trail; Snake, Earthquake & Pie
Celia Peterson a 2019 graduate of The Dalles High School marks her 100 mile marker on the Pacific Crest Trail on Tuesday.
By Dad/Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., April 16, 2025 — Celia Peterson and Jensen Douillard have hiked more than 100 miles on the Pacific Crest trail since starting the 2,650 mile journey on April 8th.
The pair made it to Julian, California on Monday at mile marker 77, but not without a few bumps in the trail.
Peterson, a 2019 Grad of TDHS, said they hiked out to the highway to catch the 11 mile hitch into Julian on Monday morning as they were looking forward to free slice of pie at Mom’s Pie House - a PCT tradition. Meanwhile here at CCCNews headquarters we got a call from Victor Johnson who pointed out that Julian was the epicenter of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake at 10:08 a.m. that morning.
I immediately called my wife fearing the worst. Celia happens to be my daughter. My wife Peggy contacted the couple who were having their pie, apparently unaffected by the rumbler.
Celia said they were riding in the car toward Julian, and did not even notice the ground shaking.
“Welcome to California,” was the popular response to the quake.
Even so, the Associated Press was on the story and interviewed Peterson and Douillard in Julian.
Life of Pie - Douillard and Peterson enjoying some Apple Pie at Mom’s Pie House in Julian, Calif. on Monday, April 14.
“We’re going back on the trail,” Peterson said after having pie. They were both pretty sore after 7 days on trail.
“My body’s good. We’re sore. But nothing too bad,” she said.
The weight of her backpack at about 30 pounds was causing some shoulder discomfort but she was getting used to it.
The two started from the southern terminus of the trail at Campo, California on April 8th and got about 7 miles in the first day.
They’re surviving on ramen, dehydrated potatoes, and freeze dried meals from Bowl & Kettle made by Sarah and Brett Bowlin of Texas who hiked the PCT with my eldest daughter Emily/Zombie in 2022. Their trail names are Mickey D and Fizz.
Jensen said he was surprised how lush the desert was at the start of the trail and they have been stunned by the wide open spaces, sunsets, cactus and reptiles.
At the outset of their hike, Celia said a snake lay sunning itself in the center of the trail and refused to move upon their approach.
The couple said they had to jump the snake to keep moving forward.
They have also been meeting many people along the way and camped with two hikers from the United Kingdom, one from Denmark and one from Finland on Sunday, April 13.
They have been met with some high winds that have kept the tent flapping at night and they are also adjusting their hiking schedules so that they are traveling in the mornings and evenings to avoid the heat.
“Jensen and I are keeping together and talking a lot,” Celia said. “And it is so beautiful and picturesque.”
