Pacific Crest Trail Through Washington

We backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) through Washington in July and August 2018. It took us 39 days and 38 nights. John was 65 and Jean was 64. We had been thinking about doing this portion of the PCT for quite some time and decided this was the year to do it.

What we soon realized was that our normal leisurely pace of about ten miles per day would require us to carry way too much food between resupply points.  It would not only stress our aging joints but also slow us down too much and we had some time constraints.  We didn’t want to start too early and be faced with a lot of snow.  But we also needed to be done by about mid-August to not interfere with a get-together with our two sons later that month.  The conclusion John came to was we would need to average about 15 miles per day not to have to carry more than seven days’ worth of food on a regular basis.  We were reasonably confident we could do it.

Fortunately, we had done a better job maintaining conditioning over the past winter than we had in previous years.  We were still full-time RVers at the time and spent winters at Jojoba Hills RV Resort.  While there, we hiked 6–12 miles twice a week carrying 30-pound packs while gaining significant elevation. We also did extensive backpacking in Grand Canyon the previous spring including three trips on more remote routes that involved a fair amount of off-trail hiking.

While trails and routes in Grand Canyon can be quite steep and rough, the PCT is our nation’s premier trail.  It was constructed for use by horses, so the grade is much more moderate than what one usually encounters in the canyon.  We have been on parts of the PCT in Washington in the past that can be classified as a superhighway in comparison.  However, in hindsight, we had unrealistically high expectations for the overall quality of the PCT.  

We planned to hike south to north as it is currently illegal to enter the U.S. from Canada on the PCT.  So, we completed the necessary forms and quickly received the documents we needed to enter Canada at Monument 78 on the PCT.  Unfortunately, there is no longer a Greyhound Bus route that stops at Manning Provincial Park in British Columbia to take PCT hikers back to civilization.  Fortunately for us, John’s sister was willing to drive up to Canada to pick us up.  However, we then felt the need to make a reservation at Manning Park Lodge so Elizabeth would have a guaranteed place to stay.  That meant even before we started the trip, we needed to decide the exact date of when we would finish.  John did careful calculations using Halfmile’s data on locations of water and campsites and created an extensive spreadsheet.  He determined if we started in early July we could finish on August 14.  So, he booked a room at Manning Park Lodge for three nights and we hoped for the best as we had no Plan B.

Prior to starting this trip, many of the decisions we needed to make revolved around food: primarily what to pack in our resupply, how much to pack and where to send it. Determining the location of our first resupply was the most puzzling. Getting off the PCT at Forest Service Road #23 and walking or hitchhiking to Trout Lake was an option but it would require a 13.8-mile one-way detour. We did not think that so early in the trip we would feel a great enough need for a shower and laundry to justify such a time-consuming detour. We also did not believe we could make it all the way from Cascade Locks to White Pass without resupply. It was over 148 miles. We knew if we tried to carry ten days of food our packs would be way too heavy, which would slow our pace too much.

What we decided to do was drive to a suitable access point and bury a 5-gallon bucket containing our food resupply and hide a shovel. We would of course retrieve both bucket and shovel after the trip. So, the day before we began, we drove out Forest Service Road 24 to the large parking area adjacent to the PCT and buried our bucket. Fortunately, there was a lot of disturbed soil where an effort had been made to block a dirt road to vehicular traffic, so it was easy to dig a deep enough hole. Our hope was that a bulldozer would not be going through there anytime during the following week.

After burying our bucket, we drove to Stevenson, Washington where we spent a noisy Friday night in a funky motel.  Early the next morning Elizabeth dropped us off in Cascade Locks in Oregon so we could walk across the Bridge of the Gods.  We wanted to be able to say we had done all of Washington so that meant we had to get to the middle of the bridge from one side or the other.

However, I was less than thrilled about being anywhere on this bridge after seeing it had no pedestrian walkway and motorists were way too comfortable with driving close to us.  I finally resorted to sticking my trekking poles out so at least motorists would be more motivated to avoid getting a nasty scratch on their car even if they were unconcerned about hitting me.

John was willing to stop briefly to take a photo of the Columbia River, but I just wanted to hurry up and get off the bridge in one piece.

It was such a relief to finally be able to get off the road and onto a trail.  Now all we had to do was walk.  We were beginning our trip in Section H – Cascade Locks to Highway 12 (at White Pass).  We were at PCT mile 2,146 and our destination, the Canadian border, was PCT mile 2,650, 504 miles away.

We wondered if we would see many northbound thru-hikers, AKA NoBos, but we knew we were well ahead of the herd, the bubble of PCT hikers who started at the Mexico border around April.  We were passed by a few thru-hikers and later learned that an early-season snowstorm in the Sierra had stymied the majority of NoBo hikers.  Those who had reached Washington State this early in July had either beaten the storm or had the skills necessary to navigate the trail immediately after it.

The weather was perfect; warm but not too hot and with no rain in the extended forecast. During those first few days when the trail took us up out of the valleys, we had views of the mighty Columbia River, …

… an angular Mount Hood, …

… a seemingly bashful Mount St Helens, …

… and the majestic Mount Adams.

When the trail went through the valleys it was often brushy …

… but the early summer wildflowers were beautiful.

I must admit those first few days were quite hard on us physically.  The reality was it had been eight weeks since we had last backpacked in Grand Canyon and, despite good intentions, neither of us had kept up with our conditioning.  Intellectually we knew we would get stronger fast, but it was a bit demoralizing in those early days.  We quickly learned that to make our needed miles we had to get up early and limit our breaks.  On some days, we needed to stop at a water source and eat supper quickly before packing up and hiking for a couple of more hours before finally stopping to make camp for the night.

It is the nature of a long trip such as this, especially one with a firm deadline, to be focused primarily on the number of miles one hikes each day.  We had a schedule to keep and could not afford to get behind on it.  In addition to the number of miles we covered each day I also made note of our elevation gain and loss as well as what PCT mile we camped near.  So, here are the first of our daily stats:

July 7 – 13.09 miles, 4,301 feet (of elevation) gained, 1,494 feet (of elevation) lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,157.
July 8 – 16.75 miles, 3,408 feet gained, 5,241 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,174.

I must admit neither of us was thrilled with this section of this iconic trail.  It starts at the lowest point on the PCT (the Columbia River) and goes up over ridges and down through valleys countless times.  While it goes through a lovely, forested area we both prefer to be above tree line where we can look out great distances and, most importantly, see mountains.

Our attitude was obviously impacted by our level of fatigue. We both regretted having let our conditioning slide leading up to this trip, and our feet hurt. However, our knees were doing fine.

I also soon realized the tumble I took the first day of the trip did more damage than I previously thought.  It happened late in the day when I was tired and had let my concentration lapse briefly.  I tripped on a rock and did a face-plant on the trail.  Fortunately, nothing seemed badly hurt. I didn’t hit my head and suffered only an assortment of bruises. So, I got up and continued hiking.  However, over the next few days I became aware of pain around my sternum.  While it did not bother me when I was walking, during certain motions it was quite painful.  Hooking and tightening the hip-belt on my pack as well as getting in and out of our tent was bad but going from sitting to lying or lying to sitting inside the tent was momentarily excruciating.  I normally have a high pain tolerance but it was worn down by fatigue and several times it brought me to tears.  It was a concern for both of us.

July 9 – 16.43 miles, 4,417 feet gained, 2,056 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,191.

On the fourth day of our trip, we allowed ourselves to sleep in a bit, meaning the alarm went off at 6:00 instead of the customary 5:00.  We didn’t have as far to go and there would be less elevation gain.  It was also overcast and temperatures were noticeably cooler.  A highlight of the day was seeing a yearling Black Bear near the trail.  He was untroubled by our presence or our voices, but the noise made by tapping trekking poles together caused him to scurry into the trees.

July 10 – 12.12 miles, 2066 feet gained, 470 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,203.

The next day we continued hiking through the woods past several small lakes …

… before encountering our first patch of snow.

The damp areas, which until recently had been covered by snow, were now home to countless lovely Avalanche Lilies.

A highlight of this day was getting a closer view of Mount Adams through the trees.  This provided us with visual proof we were making forward progress!

This was also the day we retrieved our first resupply bucket.  It was quite hot that day but fortunately we found a patch of shade to sit in while we organized our food.  Mosquitoes had been a nuisance, and I was prepared to set up our tent for a bug-free workspace but fortunately there was enough of a breeze to keep them at bay. When we were done, we placed our trash back in the bucket and reburied it before hiding the shovel again.  We then hoisted our now much heavier packs and continued down the trail.

Mosquitoes were a problem for us. We had not even thought of bringing insect repellent.  Our preference is to avoid using potentially toxic chemicals on our skin, but the onslaught weakened our resolve.  We began to fantasize about dousing ourselves in the most potent repellent we could buy at White Pass, which would be our first encounter with civilization but that wouldn’t happen for another seven days.

July 11 – 13.48 miles, 1,124 feet gained, 1,900 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,216.

The following day was supposed to be a bigger day, but we just didn’t get as far as planned.  The mosquitoes and flies were relentless.  Fortunately, we were able to take short breaks by streams where the temperatures were a bit cooler and there might be a breeze to give us some transient relief from the bugs.  To give you some idea of what it was like, the photo of the frog below was the only photo either of us took that day.  I took it quickly with my iPhone while collecting water.  John was carrying his heavy camera and a tripod but was just not finding the time nor the inclination to use it.  He started thinking about mailing it to his sister when we got to White Pass. But this was not a decision to be taken lightly by such an avid photographer.

July 12 – 13.85 miles, 2,912 feet gained, 1,968 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,230.

There was a heat advisory the following day so after getting up early we made a point of enjoying the brief period of the cool early morning temperature and the lack of bugs. As we had stopped short the previous day, we now had more miles ahead of us.  Fortunately, the trail through this burned forest was in good shape with no downed trees so we made fast progress.

We were also finally getting out of the woods and into a more alpine area.  We were getting more views of mountains; Mount Adams, …

… Mount St Helens …

… and even Mount Rainier.

We also got a distant view of the peaks in Goat Rocks Wilderness, an area we really looked forward to being in.  We are not alone in thinking Goat Rocks is the most scenic part of the PCT outside of the John Muir Trail through the Sierra Nevada.  That morning we encountered a couple heading southbound who had just come through Goat Rocks.  A question on our mind was how difficult it would be to get by Old Snowy, a 7,900-foot-high peak.  The PCT skirts a west-facing slope below Old Snowy just above the Packwood Glacier, but that section of trail is commonly covered by snow until very late in the season.  There is a bypass over Old Snowy but depending on the amount of snow it can be tricky to negotiate.  This couple reassured us that the bypass was no problem and that they did not need their ice axes, a piece of equipment we had chosen not to carry.  This was very good news for us.

Later that day we reached Riley Creek, our first stream crossing of the trip.  Neither of us had been willing to carry the extra weight of water shoes and we are also disinclined to try crossing barefoot.  So, we took off our socks, removed our orthotics, put our boots back on and waded through the pleasantly cold water.  Once out, we dried off our feet, squeezed what water we could out of our boots and put them back on over our dry (but not for long) socks.  Neither of us like stream crossings. At best, they take up time but at worst, they can be dangerous, even deadly.  This one just took time, but it was time we simply did not have.  We badly needed to make our miles to stay on schedule!

We had read about Riley Creek on Halfmile’s app, so we were prepared for it and once past it we believed we were done with stream crossings at least for that day.  So, we were unpleasantly surprised when we reached Adams Creek.  Halfmile had made no mention of it, and it looked more treacherous than Riley Creek.  It was midday during a heat advisory so we figured that snow melting had caused a much heavier flow in a creek that hikers must normally be able to rock hop across.  We spent valuable time looking for the safest place to cross which can be challenging with water that is filled with glacial silt.  It is impossible to accurately gauge the depth, the strength of the current and the placement of rocks on the bottom.  We made the best choice we could and John went across first.

He found the current to be quite strong and the water deeper than expected.  Being the prince that he is, John was willing to come back and carry my pack across for me.  There is one theory about stream crossings that heavier is better, but my balance is not as good as it used to be, and I was grateful to not be thrown off balance by my still-heavy pack.  The current was quite strong, and I had to forcefully plant my poles to keep them from being pushed downstream.  The flowing water caused them to vibrate.  Also, looking down at the rushing water can be a bit disorienting to the point of causing vertigo.  I moved carefully and deliberately, trying not to give in to impatience or to lose focus.

It was a relief to be across without incident.  Unfortunately, the mosquitoes continued to plague us and made good use of the times when we were seated and preoccupied with drying our feet and putting our socks and boots back on.

But a great thing about backpacking is the rewards can be great.  The trials and tribulations are a small price to pay for the privilege of being in such a beautiful area. I was reminded of a term I learned from a great book, Your Money or Your Life.  The Wow Factor.  The authors of the book suggest people should determine if an item has enough Wow Factor to justify its purchase cost before buying it.  While they were talking about financial costs the same principle can be applied to activities.  Whereas the costs (the misery) of this backpack trip were high at times, we both felt what we got in exchange was well worth it.  For us, this trip had a high enough Wow Factor.

We took a short break when we got to this spot.  John made good use of his camera …

… while I sat by a nearby stream …

… and treated water with our SteriPen.  The mosquitoes were voracious!

July 13 – 14.53 miles, 2066 feet gained, 1,661 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,245.

After breaking camp the next morning, we started out hiking through the woods, and the trail surface enabled us to cover miles quickly.  Which was great because it soon became hot and buggy and the trail became steeper.  We were disinclined to stop anywhere for very long and both just looked forward to getting to camp.

Something we learned early on during this trip was to not be picky about campsites.  As we were focused on making our miles rather than reaching a scenic spot we considered ourselves lucky if there was just someplace reasonably level, large enough for our tent and close to water near our mileage goal for the day.  Our camp that night met the minimum requirements, but it became our least favorite camp on the entire trip because of the swarms of mosquitoes.

After pitching our tent, we literally dove inside and spent the next 15 minutes or so killing the dozens of blood suckers that had come in with us.  Fortunately, our spacious three-person tent allowed us to bring all our gear inside and avoid opening the door unnecessarily. We also made good use of a now empty Mylar zip-lock food bag as a pee bag.  Anything to keep from having to open that tent door!

July 14 – 13.69 miles, 1,753 feet gained, 1,843 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,258.

The next morning we were awake early but were dismayed to discover the mosquitoes were too!  It was hard to leave the protection of the tent but once out we packed quickly and headed up the trail.  As we gained elevation …

… we loved the growing views AND we happily left the mosquito swarms behind.

We also entered Goat Rocks Wilderness and were delighted to be back!  We had been there the previous summer but smoke from wildfires obscured distant peaks and negatively impacted our breathing.  However, this time the sky was clear.

The wildflowers were gorgeous …

… and the colors brilliant.

We continued quickly on the excellent trail surface …

… toward Cispus Pass.

After crossing the pass, we could see Cispus Basin ahead of us.  It was a welcome sight as it was our destination for the day.

When we had backpacked here the previous summer, we had camped up the slope behind the clump of trees visible in the center of the photo below.  But to save time we decided to check out the campsites adjacent to the trail within the trees toward the bottom of the photo.  However, it was still quite hot that day and we were disappointed with the lack of shade in the conveniently situated campsites.

Therefore, we decided to go ahead and hike up to the shady site we had used last summer.

It is not far but it is steep.

While I put up the tent, John treated water.  I had finally remembered my water-proof gloves which helped provide some additional protection from the relentless mosquitoes and flies.

We realized this could be one of our favorite campsites of the trip and decided it was well worth pulling up short for the day in order to stay there even if it meant we would have to do extra miles in the days to come.  When we were here last summer, we counted at least 48 Mountain Goats …

… but this time there was not a single goat in sight.  I was disappointed by that.  However, I was so grateful for the clear skies and clean air.

That evening, while John went out to take pictures …

… I retreated to the protection of our tent to rest.

I must admit I reached a low point emotionally later that evening.  My sternum continued to cause pain with certain unavoidable motions, and I just felt worn down by it.  I began to think it might be wise for us to just stop and go home.  However, I did not want to be the cause of our quitting a trip we had been planning for so long.  Later that evening, when John removed his boots and discovered the beginnings of a large blister on his heel, I found myself secretly hoping it would get worse and he would want to call it quits. Of course, this just made me feel worse to be wishing an uncomfortable injury on him.

We ended up having a serious discussion about my level of pain.  His position was he did not want to be the cause of my being so uncomfortable so the decision whether we continued to hike the PCT or not needed to be mine.  He insisted he would be fine with whichever way it turned out.  We planned to be at White Pass in two days to pick up our resupply box and we decided to take a rest day, a zero day, there.  It would then be entirely up to me to decide whether we continued hiking on the PCT this year or made a phone call to get someone to come pick us up.

July 15 – 11.67 miles, 2,174 feet gained, 1,166 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,269.

We awoke to a beautiful morning! Things were looking up, John’s blister was better and tape proved to be adequate protection, and I was feeling more rested.  In addition, the early morning views did much to strengthen my resolve.

We made our way down the steep slope back to the trail …

… and carefully made our way across the snow bridge well above the tracks made by hikers the previous day.  The snow was rapidly melting in the high summer heat and neither of us wanted to break through to the water flowing beneath the snow.

We continued to follow the easy trail traversing Cispus Basin …

… past temporary streams …

… and a perennial waterfall.

We stopped briefly and looked back at Cispus Basin to where we had just been.  Looking back often provides backpackers with a satisfying view and a sense of accomplishment.

We also paused to look down at the valley …

… and to admire the wildflowers.  This Western Anemone seed-head was in its adolescence.  I knew later in the season the hair on the mature seed-heads would become longer and more flowing, but this one had a definite punk look to it.

What is amazing to me is that those tall flowing seed-heads originate from this nondescript flower.

The farther north we went, the farther behind we were leaving Mount Adams, so we made a point of enjoying the views while they lasted.  We talked about returning to the area in the future and doing a trip around Mount Adams.

As we approached Old Snowy, we began to wonder which way we would take to get around it.  Would we have to take the longer, slower bypass that goes over the top?  Or would we be able to stay on the PCT below it?

We started encountering some snow patches and found it soft but well consolidated with recent boot tracks.

We were now being treated to great views of Mount Rainier (views which were nonexistent due to wildfire smoke when we were there the previous summer).

When we reached the junction with the bypass …

… we decided to go ahead and stay on the PCT as it crossed the snow fields below Old Snowy.

Again, we found the snow soft but well consolidated with fresh tracks.  Crossing snow slopes always makes me nervous but we went slowly and carefully.

While we got across without incident, it was still a relief for me to be back on the rocky trail.

It was such a joy to be there!

As we continued, we discovered we were not yet done with snow slopes but as before, we were careful and had no issues.

We finally left the snow behind (most likely for the remainder of the trip) …

… and headed toward The Knife Edge.

When I first heard we would cross a feature named The Knife Edge my overly active imagination conjured up visions of a dangerously narrow trail with extreme exposure on both sides.  However, John had been across it before and reassured me it was no big deal.

And he was right.  It was even a bit windy, but I felt perfectly secure on this rather blunt knife.

We paused briefly and looked back at Old Snowy, grateful to have gotten by it so easily.

We needed to get to White Pass to pick up our food resupply the following day but there were still many miles between here and there.

John had been through this area before on a solo trip he did in 2014 while I was sidelined with a shoulder issue.

I was sorely disappointed to miss that trip and had to console myself by looking at his photos.

As great as those photos are, they are not an adequate substitute for how it feels to be there and see it in person.

The original plan for that day was to stop very briefly to cook and eat supper before continuing on for a few more miles.  Our hope was that mosquitoes and flies would not make this too unpleasant for us.  We headed to the spot John had camped in on his solo trip and when we got there, we discovered it was breezy, so bugs were not an issue at all.  It caused us to linger over our supper enjoying the pure pleasure of just sitting outside in the cool shade, admiring the views without the torment we had endured on other occasions.  Neither of us wanted to leave.  We quickly checked Halfmile’s app and determined we were 15 miles from White Pass.  However, we were counting on getting something to eat at the Kracker Barrel Store and we knew they closed at 6:00 PM.  So, if we camped here, it would be a challenge to get to White Pass before the store closed.  It meant we should get up at 4:00 AM and be moving at first light.

We decided it was worth it.  John went out to take photos while I set up the tent and then just rested.  While this had been a short day the cumulative fatigue was still with me.

July 16 – 7.05 miles, 1,897 feet gained, 1,803 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,276.

The next morning was glorious!

I was so happy we had decided to stop here for the night.  I felt like we were playing hooky from the regular grind of hiking the PCT.  This was the way we usually backpack, focused on the destination and the views from our camp rather than just on the miles.

We realized this would most likely become our favorite campsite of the entire trip and we were right.

We loved the view of the early morning sunlight reflecting off Mount Rainier!

Obviously, we were not on the trail at first light but we both felt well rested and optimistic we could get to White Pass in time.

The time we spent in Goat Rocks had not only strengthened my resolve, but it also renewed my spirit.

Despite being in a hurry, we still took the time to stop and look around in the distance …

… and down around our feet.

It was bittersweet leaving Goat Rocks behind.  We thoroughly enjoyed being there, but we had been backpacking for 11 days without a shower and wearing the same clothes.  We were also almost completely out of food, so we were both looking forward to taking a day off in some civilization.

We knew this would probably be our favorite part of the entire trip, the PCT through Goat Rocks.  But we also knew there was still so much for us to see in the days to come.

The previous day John was able to contact White Pass Village and make a reservation for us.  The woman he talked to, Zippy, was very helpful and she described a short-cut we could take through the ski area chair lifts.

Not scenic and it would mean we did not hike every foot of the PCT, but we were very pressed for time, so we decided to take it.  As luck would have it, a fellow who works for the ski area happened upon us with his ATV.  He didn’t have room for us, but he offered to haul our packs down to the Kracker Barrel.  He strapped them on and took off down the slope.  We briefly wondered if we would ever see our packs again, but we needn’t have worried. They were waiting for us when we got there.  We picked up our resupply box and John went to check into our room while I quickly grabbed something for supper.  We got there too late to order a pizza, so we gorged on fried burritos instead.  Not our normal fare but they weren’t our usual backpacking food, so they tasted delicious to us. And the shower was heavenly!

July 17 – 15 miles, 2,475 feet gained, 4,132 feet lost, we stayed near PCT mile 2,292.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first zero day!  After a big breakfast of bacon and eggs (purchased the day before at the store) we headed back to the Kracker Barrel to use their washer and dryer.  It was disgusting to see what the wash water looked like.  I would have washed our clothes twice but there were other grubby backpackers waiting to do their equally disgusting laundry.

The challenge for a backpacker is deciding what to wear while literally all of your clothes are in the laundry?  The answer is rain gear!  In the past we have relied on parkas and full side-zip rain pants but on this trip we both had Sierra Designs Cagoules and rain chaps.  The cagoule was long enough to provide adequate coverage for me.  However, John, who is taller (and has dangly parts), felt much less secure in his (especially when seated) so he soon retreated to our room while I finished the laundry.  Once it was done, I carried it and a pizza back to our room so we could gorge some more.

July 18 – 0 miles, 0 feet gained, 0 feet lost.

The next morning would be decision time for me.  With cell service I had been able to do a Google search on my sternum pain and determined I had bruised it on a rock when I fell.  I read bruised sternums were most often caused by car accidents, hacking coughs and contact sports (I guess hitting a rock while backpacking could classify it as a contact sport).  Treatment included rest, especially from the activity that caused it, and ice.

I learned that even with treatment it would take weeks to heal.  I discovered I could get in and out of bed with little pain by rolling on my side and dropping my legs over the edge before pushing myself up into a sitting position.  However, we were living in our motorhome at the time.  What I discovered was I wouldn’t be any better off there than I was in our tent.  Our bed in our motorhome has a wall on both sides so to get in and out of it I must sit up first and scoot to the end of the bed.  I tried this maneuver in the motel bed and determined it was just as painful as moving around in our tent.  I decided if I was going to hurt for weeks anyway, I might as well spend it doing something I love.  Therefore, I made the decision we would keep going.  As a concession, I allowed myself a regular dose of ibuprofen, so I bought more at the store.  Then, early the next morning, we said goodbye to White Pass and headed out again entering Section I – Highway 12 to Snoqualmie Pass.

The weather was noticeably cooler and there were fewer bugs.  Zippy had given John a can of insect repellent that a previous backpacker had left behind.  Even though we didn’t need it that day we were very happy to have it as the Kracker Barrel had been completely sold out of repellent.

The trail was mostly good as it went through the woods.

We needed to get across the Bumping River later that day and were gratified to see this log.  John normally has much better balance than I do and has less trouble with logs such as this.  However, he found that as the trunk narrowed toward the far end it started to vibrate under him, and he found it quite disconcerting.

I was apprehensive but John helped me out by sitting on the narrow end helping to stabilize it.  It’s funny but in the photo, it looks like such a nice big log, but it sure didn’t feel that way.  I do find looking down at the flowing water can cause me to feel some vertigo and neither of us had fully adapted to our increased pack weight yet, so I was relieved when we were both safely on the other side.

July 19 – 15.94 miles, 2,167 feet gained, 1,741 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,308.

The next morning, we awoke in a cold, damp, drippy, cloud.

While at White Pass we had sorted through our gear to see if we could lighten our load.  I had taken out my long underwear bottoms and my warmest hat and mailed it to John’s sister.  I now questioned if that had been wise.

But as the day progressed, we got glimpses of blue sky …

… and it appeared the clouds were trying to lift.

I was happy to reach the boundary for Mount Rainier National Park, but it sure seemed like this tattered sign was not up to the task of welcoming us to Washington’s premier national park.

The clouds continued to dissipate …

… and we took a welcome break in the warm sunshine.

We began to encounter some southbound PCT thru-hikers (SoBos).  They typically started in late June or early July.  As they could not enter the U.S. from Canada what SoBos often do is start at Hart’s Pass and hike north about 30 miles, tag the border and then backtrack.

While we were at White Pass John had made the painful decision to mail his big camera to his sister.  He would now be dependent on his iPhone for photography.  He has done this on only one backpack trip in the past, when we did Royal Arch Loop in Grand Canyon with our son, Dan.  It is a challenging route, and he was very motivated to reduce pack weight.  Fortunately, Dan is quite strong and did not mind carrying his own camera.  However, when John was editing all our photos from that trip, he tended to delete our iPhone photos in favor of the ones Dan had taken with his camera.  While I understood John’s rationale for not carrying such a heavy camera on a trip such as this, I knew when it came time for him to edit the photos, he would not be happy with them.  It is not that the iPhone takes bad photos, you just can’t look at them too closely.  But he edits and post processes all of his photos on a large monitor, so every defect jumps out at him.

What had started out as a cold, dreary day turned out to be clear, sunny and almost warm.

We continued and crossed Chinook Pass where we encountered a number of day hikers and weekend backpackers.  We intended to camp at Sheep Lake, but it is only 2 miles from Chinook Pass so we feared it would be crowded.  Fortunately, we found a decent site away from other backpackers.

July 20 – 14.7 miles, 3,315 feet gained, 2,323 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,323.

After a chilly, windy night we packed up and headed out again.

The sky was crystal clear, and sun was bright, so we now found hiking in the cooler temperatures refreshing especially as we gained elevation.

Once again, we stopped to look back at where we had been not so long ago.

We reached a pass and asked a fellow to take our photo. …

… before we descended to the other side and said goodbye to Mount Adams.

As we continued north, we knew we would also lose our views of Mount Rainier.

We then entered what is left of the forest after the Norse Peak Fire ravaged the area in 2017.

From what we could see of it in the distance it looked like firefighters were successful in protecting the popular Crystal Mountain Ski Area.

While we left some of our favorite mountains behind there were others to the north just beginning to come into view.

Wildflowers have a knack for coming back with vengeance after an area has been ravaged by wildfire.

When we entered this burned area …

… we did not yet know how extensive it was.

As this burn was only a year old, trail crews had not yet been out clearing any of the many downed trees.

There is an eeriness to walking through a recently burned area. It is like walking through a graveyard.

When we were up high enough to see in the distance, it was disheartening to look out and see how far the burn extended.

Late in the day we realized we did not have enough time, energy or daylight to get past this burn, so we began looking for someplace suitable to camp.  There is an added danger camping in a burn like we did.  Many trees are unstable and could fall at any time, but we were tired and out of time, so it was a chance we had to take.

July 21 – 16.13 miles, 2,453 feet gained, 2,647 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,239.


We awoke the next morning to complete silence.  There was no early morning bird song to greet us, only a deathly quiet.  Fortunately, we had found a patch of green we could pitch our tent on, so our gear stayed relatively ash free.  Once we were packed up, we were more than happy to get going.  We later talked to a solo backpacker, a Dutch woman named Marla, who had camped nearby in an established campsite.  She said it was like camping in an ashtray as the slightest puff of wind blew ash and dust into her tent.

We began to encounter even more downed trees.  What made it worse was the slightest touch left our skin and our clothing black from the charred wood.  So, we needed to give all the trunks and branches littering the trail a wide berth to prevent being covered in soot.  It was tedious and time-consuming.

Fortunately, this burn didn’t last much longer, and we eventually began to see green once again.

We finally reached the Urich Cabin.  It is a popular stopping place, and we could see several people lounging in chairs out front, but we chose to stop by the nearby creek to fill up with water and eat lunch in solitude.

We then entered another burn, but not a recent one.  A sign on the other side identified this as the Falls Creek Burn that was accidentally started by some loggers in July 1988.  It was discouraging to realize that in this micro-climate, the trees had not been able to achieve very much growth in the 30 years since this forest had burned.  It made us wonder how long it would take the forest destroyed by the Norse Peak Fire to recover.

The we entered an area that had been clear-cut by loggers.  It was another hot day, and we sorely missed the shade of tall living trees.  I have to say, it was an important educational experience for us.  I remembered back to the beginning of the trip and on other trips we have done where we have been dismissive of woodsy portions of trails.  After spending so much time hiking through dead trees, never again will I be critical of walking through a green, healthy forest because we have seen first-hand just how much worse it can be.

We knew before we started this trip that the section of the PCT between White Pass and Snoqualmie Pass was the least scenic of all the sections in Washington State but the reality of walking through a fresh burn was worse than we had imagined.  We really looked forward to being past it and in the mountains peeking at us from a distance.

Another challenge was there were, at times, larger gaps between water sources.  Normally, when backpacking in the North Cascades one does not have to carry much water at any given time.  We knew we needed to be flexible and were willing to cook our supper earlier in the day when we encountered water.  We would then pack up and hike farther to a dry camp.  But on this day, we simply needed to carry more water while hiking than we normally do in the Cascades and the heat and lack of shade made it that much harder on us to carry the additional weight.

On that same day we were faced with yet another new challenge.  Toward the end of the day, we reached where we had planned to camp only to find that all the flat ground was already occupied by many thru-hikers.  We were too tired to continue much further and there was no guarantee the terrain would become any more cooperative, so we then had to be creative.  John scouted around in the woods and found a patch of ground that was not too steep that was not too heavily covered in vegetation where we could pitch our tent.  We discovered by placing our packs under the ends of our air mattresses we did not slide immediately to the foot of our tent while we slept.

July 22 – 17.41 miles, 2,806 feet gained, 3,434 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,356.

This section of PCT continued to go through clear-cuts and past power lines.  It really does not have much going for it other than connecting the PCT to the south with the PCT to the north.

It was another hot day, and I took every opportunity to douse my head with cold water.  We also soaked our shirts at times.

July 23 – 17.41 miles, 3,661 feet gained, 4,766 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,374.

The next morning, we hiked up the initially steep and sunny trail …

… before it became shadier and passed alongside the lovely Mirror Lake. In the past, we would have stopped and taken a long break in such a scenic spot and John would have taken many photos.  As it was, I was only willing to stop just long enough to take my iPhone out of my pocket and take this one. Then I had to hurry to catch up with John who had continued walking.  It was a clear indication to me that he had not yet accepted his iPhone as his only camera, and he was on a photography strike.

The trail leveled out as we hiked through Ollalie Meadows.

Normally, it would annoy me to see an interstate highway while backpacking but we were excited when we got our first view of I-90 as it represented a brief return to civilization and we were ready for it.

As we descended toward the pass …

… we were dismayed by the deterioration of the trail.  We were tired and the steep loose rock and the thick brush really slowed us down.

But we could still enjoy the beauty around us such as this Foxglove.

Intellectually we knew we were getting closer, but it still seemed so far away.

Finally, the Summit Inn came into view, and we knew we were almost there.  We arrived in time for supper and gratefully sank into the cushioned seats in the restaurant and devoured the menus with our eyes before placing our orders.  Dinner consisted of steaks, baked potatoes (with extra butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon) with a green salad.  It was practically an orgasmic experience!

July 24 – 16.6 miles, 3,344 feet gained, 4,380 feet lost, we stayed near PCT mile 2,390.

We made good use of our zero day at Snoqualmie Pass.  Besides picking up our resupply box and Amazon order, we made regular visits to the restaurant and took multiple glorious hot showers.  As our next resupply was going to a motel in Leavenworth, where we planned another zero day, we needed to catch the Trailways bus at Stevens Pass to get there.  After John ordered the bus tickets, he was surprised to learn that we needed to have printed tickets with us as an email confirmation would not be accepted by the bus driver.  Fortunately, the motel clerk was willing to print them out for us.

July 25 – 0 miles, 0 feet gained, 0 feet lost.

The next morning, we were up early and, after another huge breakfast, we happily headed out again entering Section J – Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass.

We were excited because we were going back to the mountains and would soon enter the stunning Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Looking back, we enjoyed the very distant view of Mount Rainier, aware it could be our last.

Right before we reached the Kendall Katwalk, we took a short lunch break.  Other backpackers stopped there as well so it was easy to get someone to take our picture.  I had a reason for wanting Red Mountain to be in the photo with us as it had a part in an essay I once wrote about coping with my fears.

But we had miles to go so we soon continued onto the Katwalk.  This can be a treacherous spot when there is still snow present, but we were there late enough that snow was no longer a concern.

We love the aptly named Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

While mountains are our first love …

… we certainly appreciate the colorful lakes scattered among the dramatic peaks.

Later in the day we got one last look at Mount Rainier …

… but were compensated by our first look at Glacier Peak in the distance.

This proved to be a tough day for us not in terms of miles covered but in elevation gained, over 5,700 feet. In addition, our packs were back at their full weight.

The trail traverses a scree-covered slope, so the going was slow.

The views were great …

… but we were losing light too quickly while still traversing the steep slope.  I was tired so I began looking for a wide spot on the trail just in case we needed to stop and pitch our tent, but there was nothing we could even consider using.  So, as the sun disappeared, we got our headlamps out and kept going.

We finally reached a relatively flat area inhabited by several backpackers and one of them invited us to join their group and pitch our tent nearby.  We expressed appreciation but continued down the trail.  We prefer our privacy and are willing to work for it.  Locating suitable campsites after dark is not the easiest thing to do but we managed and I gratefully got inside my warm sleeping bag before making supper.  It had been a very long day, and I relished that moment when all chores are done and I can just lie down, zip up my bag and go to sleep.

July 26 – 14.3 miles, 5,771 feet gained, 3,621 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,404.9.

The next morning, we were up early (and got our first good look at our campsite).

It warmed up quickly and the mosquitoes were out in full force.  However, after getting our Amazon delivery we now had head nets!  We had some with us back in 2011 when we did the John Muir Trail but at that time, I did not feel comfortable wearing them while hiking so I only wore mine when we took breaks.  However, this time I was much more motivated, and I quickly adapted to wearing it while walking.  It was such a relief!

We descended quickly on the good trail …

… passing the lovely Spectacle Lake …

… and Delate Falls.

This was a popular stopping point for other backpackers so again it was easy to get someone to take our picture.

As we descended further, we encountered another burned section.  It became quite hot and we mourned the loss of shade.

But the abundant Fireweed, typically one of the first plants to colonize after a fire, was proof this forest had begun its slow recovery.

As we approached Lemah Creek, we encountered a volunteer trail crew associated with the Washington Trails Association (WTA). We stopped to express our appreciation for their efforts as they labored in the extreme heat cutting through large, downed trees with hand tools.  We were aware that the bridge over Lemah Creek was out so when we reached the creek we removed our socks and orthotics before wading across the creek, resigned to wearing wet boots for the rest of the day.

After crossing the creek, we began the long, hot, slow ascent through brush and over numerous downed trees.

We were dismayed by the poor condition of this premier trail but understood the lack of funding available for regular maintenance and the unrealistic reliance on volunteer labor using only hand tools.  No one wants to hear chainsaws in wilderness areas but there are just some situations when we would willingly accept the noise to facilitate efficient trail maintenance and reduce wear and tear on hardworking volunteers.  Given the large number of people now hiking the PCT it made sense to me that we should all be required to pay a fee for the privilege and the funds used to maintain it.

But, no matter what the challenges, we couldn’t help but appreciate the views we were getting of mountains!

We had planned to go farther on this day but were just too tired …

… and we stopped about four miles short of our goal to camp by a small pond.

Thanks to our head nets, our evening chores of pitching the tent and treating water were less of a battle.

July 27 – 13.42 miles, 3,743 feet gained, 3,426 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,418.

The next morning, we were up early and descended quickly on the good trail, but the day warmed up fast.  Clouds formed in the sky and surprisingly the air felt more humid than we are accustomed to feeling in the mountains.  We also heard some thunder in the distance.

But it did not dampen our enthusiasm for the views which included Bear’s Breast Mountain …

… and Deep Lake.

A common activity during the day was stopping to collect and treat water.  We always appreciated it when the flowing water also provided us with a cool breeze, but it did cause us to sometimes take a longer break than we had intended.

We continued down the brushy trail until we reached the valley …

… where we negotiated two easy stream crossings with well-placed steppingstones.

We stopped short of another stream crossing.  There was a couple of thru-hikers just ahead of us who planned to camp on the opposite side of the creek, so we decided to not cross the creek and instead used an established campsite.  However, had either of us checked our GPS before setting up the tent we may have opted to go just a bit further to be able to record a 19-mile day.  Instead, we were just short of that.  Oh well.

July 28 – 18.99 miles, 3,321 feet gained, 4,231 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,437.

The next morning, we continued down the good trail and soon reached what Halfmile describes as a Large creek with a potentially difficult ford.  Fortunately, we were able to talk to some SoBo backpackers who had just crossed it, and they recommended that we first head upstream from the trail before crossing the first channel.  We were then to walk down the rock bar in the center and cross the far channel lower down.

That proved to be excellent advice.

I had been apprehensive about this crossing, and we had both removed our socks and orthotics just in case we were forced to wade through the water but the rocks were not slippery, and rock hopping worked just fine.

A small but well-placed tree got us both across the remaining channel with dry boots.  In hindsight, we could have saved some badly needed time by not stopping to first remove our socks and then putting them back on, but we had opted to be safe rather than risk being sorry.  We had also planned ahead in order to do this ford earlier in the day before daytime heat increased snow melt.  I imagine getting across it was more of a challenge in late afternoon.

That day proved to be the hottest in the current heat wave and the mosquitoes were quite active.

But we continued to find those to be acceptable prices to pay for the privilege of being there for the views of mountains …

… and alpine lakes.

We continued but it was a hard day and my feet were feeling quite sore …

… so, when we reached an agreeable creek it seemed worth it to take the time to give them a cold soak. It struck me as funny that we had gone to a certain amount of time and trouble to keep our feet and footwear dry earlier in the day.  In fact, during the heat of the day my feet prefer cold wet socks and boots and enjoy wet stream crossings. However, once the sun drops I know they will want the warmth and comfort of dry socks and boots. I have had five surgeries on my feet (four were on the right) so I try my best to give my feet what they need so they are willing to continue doing all that I ask of them.

We continued down the trail past Deception Lake, …

… past some small streams …

… to Mig Lake where we camped for the night.

July 29 – 16.96 miles, 4,740 feet gained, 4,667 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,454.

We got up especially early that morning, 4:00 AM, but it was already quite warm, and the mosquitoes were out in full force.

Our destination that day was Stevens Pass and we hiked as fast as we could because we had a bus to catch.

Fortunately, the trail and terrain were cooperative …

… and we knew we were getting close when we encountered the ski area.

We arrived at Stevens Pass with an hour to spare.  We waited in the hot sun hoping the driver knew to stop for us, but we needn’t have worried.  The bus arrived promptly at 11:37 and pulled over to pick us up.  We gratefully sank into the cushioned seats for the drive to Leavenworth.

Once in Leavenworth we had to walk a short distance to our hotel.

After dropping off our gear, we walked down to Kristall’s Restaurant and Lounge for lunch.  This restaurant had been a common stop for John on outings with the Seattle Mountaineers, but I liked it because it was the closest to our motel.  We then did the longer walk to the Post Office to retrieve our resupply box.  It was quite hot in town and surprisingly fatiguing to walk on pavement.  Once back in our room we made good use of the laundry services and the shower before returning to Kristall’s for dinner.

July 30 – 7.37 miles, 1,652 feet gained, 2,261 feet lost, we had gotten off the trail near PCT mile 2,461.

The next day we had a few chores to do: organize our food and go to the grocery store to buy more food.  Not surprisingly, we had to make some adjustments to our daily menu as some food items in our resupply box were no longer palatable to us.  But we could not afford to short ourselves on calories.  We had both put on weight prior to the trip, but that buffer was long gone.  John was obviously having to tighten his belt to keep his pants up.  I don’t like wearing a belt under my pack’s hip belt, but I had packed a needle and thread so I could take in the waistband of my shorts as necessary.  At that point, I had done it twice.  In addition, we needed to mend the floor of our tent, and we began to question the wisdom of opting for one that was so delicate, especially without a footprint.

We also made good use of internet access for checking the weather forecast.  Then John checked trail conditions to the north and learned of two fires blocking the PCT.  One, the Bannock Lake fire, had a bypass over Cloudy Pass that would enable hikers to reach Stehekin.  This was good news for us as that was the location of our next resupply box.  However, there was another fire burning north of Rainy Pass and a section of the PCT was closed without a bypass.  So, at that point we were uncertain if we could continue our trip beyond Stehekin.  We would just have to wait and see.

The next morning was a leisurely one as the bus that would take us back to Stevens Pass would not leave Leavenworth until about 1:00 PM.  So, after we checked out of the motel we headed to Kristall’s for a big breakfast.  We lingered over it long enough that we could then order lunch.  This was a first for both of us.  It is truly amazing what our bodies can adapt to.  That we can go from eating just enough calories on the trail to being able to gorge to excess when off without gastric upset is remarkable.  We caught our bus and by 2:00 PM we were back on the trail in Section K – Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass.

Once again, we headed up the trail …

… and once again we adapted to the dramatic increase in our pack weight.

We enjoyed the cooler temperature and a noticeable lack of bugs.  We camped that night by Lake Janus.

August 1 – 9.62 miles, 2,002 feet gained, 1,885 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,471.

The next morning was cool and cloudy …

… but as the day progressed the clouds lifted …

… and we were treated to a view of Glacier Peak.

We then thoroughly enjoyed the crisp, clear air …

… and the panoramic views.

As we approached Pass Creek, where we planned to camp that night, we encountered several horses grazing in the meadow.  They were most likely pack horses which meant we could encounter a group of people camping with a lot of stuff.  We are not fond of sharing the trail with horses for several reasons.  Horses simply tend to damage trails and delicate meadows.  They can foul water sources and fill the air with odors from manure and urine.  When we arrived at Pass Creek, our fears were realized by the sight of large tents and folding chairs and the sound of a large, boisterous group of alcohol-infused people.  So we quickly collected water, continued on, and camped at a trail junction—not scenic or private, but at least relatively level and blissfully quiet.

August 2 – 15.71 miles, 4,021 feet gained, 3,857 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,487.

We knew there was rain in the forecast so were not surprised to wake up to a misty drizzle.

Finally, our cagoules got to be used for their intended purpose instead of just giving us something to wear while we did laundry.

We occasionally got very brief glimpses of Glacier Peak through the clouds …

… and we paused only briefly by Lake Sally Ann …

… before continuing in the misty rain.

In the past we would have both resented the clouds and rain for blotting out views of our beloved mountains but in the new normal in the western states of the annual fire season we understood how essential the moisture was so we hiked through it without complaint.

An unexpected treat for us was the beauty of copious water droplets resting on the wildflowers.

Fortunately, our iPhones were up to the task of such close photography.  Even if John still had his camera with him, it is unlikely he would have been willing to take the time to take it out of its dry bag on such a wet day.

Normally, on a cloudy day we would make faster progress due to the lack of photo opportunities, but the water droplets sparkled like jewels in the least bit of light.

We were more than willing to take some time to try to capture the stunning effect.

We entered Glacier Peak Wilderness sometime that day.  We had seen and heard a few marmots in the distance but none very close up …

… until I happened upon this curious fellow who posed for me.

Later in the day the mist turned to wind and rain and the temperature dropped.  We hiked well into the evening.  We both felt cold but neither of us was willing to take the time to stop and put on more clothing.  We finally made it over a ridge and dropped down far enough to find a suitable campsite.  It was quite late and we were both chilled.  But once inside our dry tent, in our warm bags with some hot food in our bellies, we were able to warm up.

August 3 – 15.84 miles, 4,383 feet gained, 3,157 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,503.

We were so happy to see clear skies the next morning!

But it took a while for the sun to dry off the vegetation, so we wore our rain chaps well into the morning.  We encountered a shallow stream but got across without trouble.

However, later we entered a wet area.  It appeared that a stream somewhere above us had altered its course and was now just running amok through the woods completely unconstrained by banks or rocks.

Rather than being able to step across a well-defined creek we were forced to navigate through an extensive wet, muddy mess.

The thick brush oftentimes made it more challenging, and we were happy when we finally left it behind.

When the roiling White Chuck River came into view, we were unconcerned as Halfmile indicated there was a bridge.

Well, technically there is still a bridge, but it has definitely seen better days.  It is broken in the middle and it will be lucky if it survives the spring snow melt next year.

Fortunately, previous hikers have piled up rocks in the low spot, and the water level was not too high so we were able to get across without getting our boots wet.

Later, the day had turned cloudy again …

… so we only got limited views of Glacier Peak.

As we made our way through a wooded section of trail, we began to encounter more downed trees blocking the trail …

… requiring us to take the steep, rough informal bypasses around them.

None were especially difficult; they were just tedious and time-consuming.

We had intended to get as far as Mica Lake that day but, between being short of sleep and the more demanding trail conditions, we were both quite tired.  So, when we reached Fire Creek…

… and saw this lovely spot we decided to stop early.

While I crashed in the tent John took some photos of the beautiful golden evening light.  During the night we heard some thunder and not long after we heard a helicopter pass overhead.  We wondered if it carried fire crew members looking for potential fires started by lightning. In my half-awake/half-asleep daze, I wondered how they would handle it if backpackers in the area needed to be evacuated.  But then it was quiet, so I went soundly to sleep.

August 4 – 12.3 miles, 3,603 feet gained, 3,768 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,515.

We awoke the next morning feeling better rested than the previous morning.  We had benefited both physically and emotionally from the shorter day, me to rest and John to take some time with his photography rather than just doing snap and go.

While this trip and the schedule we needed to keep felt like a job we never lost sight of the bigger picture, the views!

After hiking for a while we reached Mica Lake.  It’s a lovely spot and it would have been great to have camped there the previous night, but it is a popular stopping place so we undoubtedly would have had to share it.  And we would have arrived after dark and too tired to enjoy it so we knew we had made the best choice for us to stop early at Fire Creek.

As we continued on, we were dismayed to begin seeing the smoke and haze emanating from fires to the north of us.  We could also smell smoke for the first time.

Fortunately, visibility improved as we descended but we knew it was just a temporary reprieve.

It’s funny, but when I look at the photos we took on this day it all looks quite pleasant.  However, my notes state this day was hard. It was hot,the trail was steep and incredibly brushy.  So, I thought back and then, I remembered.  It was bad.  The fact I didn’t take any photos is a clear indication of how frustrating it was and how unwilling I was to stop and record it.

There was even a point where John had missed a switchback that was obscured by several downed trees and had gotten completely off the PCT.  Fortunately, I was above him on the steep slope and saw him bushwhacking well below.  I yelled down to him and got him headed back toward the trail.  I then waited for him to catch up thinking we had best stick together for a while.  I also wrote about our feelings of uncertainty.  Even if the trail was open north of Stehekin, I wondered if the air quality would be so bad it would be unhealthy for us to continue.  We had not encountered any SoBo PCT thru-hikers for many days nor did we have any cell service so we could not get any current intelligence about trail closures.  At that point in time, the future of our trip was still completely up in the air.

But, we just kept going and as we rounded a ridge we began to get views of Glacier Peak again.

Our plan had been to stop near water, cook/eat supper quickly and then hike a while longer.  But when we reached this spot …

… we decided to camp instead.  We decided we deserved a scenic campsite and could probably afford to take another short day provided we could really make up some miles in the next few days.  I must admit, once again, we both felt like we were playing hooky.

August 5 – 12.3 miles, 4,950 feet gained, 4,452 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,528.

The next morning, we were up early …

… and the views reaffirmed we had made the right decision to come up short to camp in such a scenic spot.

The trail gently descended through meadows, so we made good time.

While there was some haze in the sky …

… we could still thoroughly enjoy the views.

We quickly descended to the valley floor and entered a thick old-growth forest.  While some of these giants had succumbed to natural forces …

… most were still standing.  Unfortunately, our photographs didn’t capture how it felt to be in their immense presence.  We felt very tiny and insignificant.

We finally encountered a SoBo thru-hiker.  However, Airborne was a member of an elite group of thru-hikers.  He was a Yo-Yo, meaning he had started at the Mexico border, hiked the PCT all the way to the Canadian border before turning around to head all the way back to Mexico.  Fortunately, he was willing to stop and talk with us for a few minutes as he was the first hiker we had encountered who had done the bypass over Cloudy Pass.  He said the 11-mile section between the PCT and Holden Village wasn’t too bad, but he had nothing good to say about the 17-mile section between Holden Village and Stehekin.

He had also hiked on the section of PCT north of Rainy Pass that was still closed due to fire.  He was aware that was illegal, but he obviously felt that completing his goal was worth taking the risk.  However, he told us the trail was fine, there was no smoke and, in fact, the fire was contained and firefighters were packing up to leave the area.  He thought all that remained was for Rangers to reopen the trail.  This caused us to feel more optimistic about being able to complete the trip as planned. We continued with lighter hearts as we approached the Suiattle River.

We were relieved to see such a substantial bridge.

August 6 – 18.29 miles, 4,435 feet gained, 5,594 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,546.

We camped that night in the woods at the Buck Creek Trail junction.  The next morning the trail took us up and we got a parting view of Glacier Peak.  I felt a bit shortchanged as Glacier had been obscured by clouds much of the time when we could have had great views of it.  But John assured me we could come back and spend more time in the area in the future.  The trick would be to find the magic window of time between snow and wildfires.

When we reached this spot, PCT mile 2,550, it was time to get off the PCT …

… and take the fire bypass on the Hart Lyman Trail over Cloudy Pass.

The distance from this junction to the High Bridge Ranger Station on the PCT (in red on the map below) is 20 miles with a modest elevation gain of 1,817 feet.  However, the bypass (in black) is 28 miles with much more elevation gain and loss on an unmaintained trail.  It was a bit discouraging as we could ill afford the time needed to do the additional miles …

… but on the other hand, we would have been grateful for any bypass that would enable us to get at least as far as Stehekin.

And I do have to say the hike over Cloudy Pass was gorgeous …

… and I loved this view of Lyman Lake!

John had been in almost this exact spot when he did a solo backpack trip in September 2013 when I was sidelined with a broken wrist and he took the below photo on that trip.  Comparing the two photos really helps illustrate how much the angle of the sun, the cloud cover, etc., affect what one sees.  It reinforces the desire to return to beautiful locations to photograph them under varying conditions.

The trail down from Cloudy Pass was initially fast so we made good time.

We loved seeing these waterfalls and wished we had more time and John’s big camera and a tripod so he could photograph them properly and truly do them justice.

The wildflowers were also gorgeous, especially the Scarlet Paintbrush …

… and one of my personal favorites, Mountain Bog Gentian.

This bypass also took us by beautiful Hart Lake …

… and a lovely cascading falls from its outflow. Then the trail deteriorated, becoming steep and brushy, obviously completely unmaintained.  It made my knees very unhappy!

Our destination for the day was Holden Village and we weren’t sure what to expect.  We had talked to a few hikers who said we could get a meal there and perhaps even a room for the night.  One person described Holden Village as a Lutheran Cult, not in a negative way but it did not reassure us.  However, we were low on food and all we could do was keep walking in hopes of getting there in time for dinner.  Because we were now off the PCT we could no longer rely on Halfmile to tell us our elevation gain or loss, so we had to estimate it.

August 7 – 14.21 miles, ~2,000 feet gained, ~3,200 feet lost

Holden Village is unique and I can’t even begin to adequately describe it.  In a nutshell, it is a religious retreat located on the site of a former copper mining town situated in the mountains west of Lake Chelan.  When we first arrived, we were uncertain where to go but a helpful person directed us to the main building where we could check in.  The friendly woman in the office encouraged us to head directly to the large, crowded dining room while she determined if they had a room available for us.

We were completely overwhelmed by the large number of people, the chaotic activity and the cacophony of voices.  We worked our way through the food line and loaded our plates with whatever they were serving; hot dogs, salad and potato chips.  After dinner we learned they did have a room available.  It was quite hot and the two-story dormitory style buildings are not air-conditioned so we moved through the evening in a hot, humid haze.  We took showers and while I did laundry John did some badly needed repairs on his boots.  Neither of us is at all religious so I did not feel like we belonged there, but John is not shy like I am so he easily entered into conversations with other guests who seemed quite interested in us and what we were doing.  Neither of us took photos as it just did not seem appropriate.  If you want to know more about Holden Village you will need to go to their website.

While we were there, we had a decision to make.  We needed to get to Stehekin to pick up our resupply and there were two options available to accomplish this.  The first was we could continue hiking on the bypass for another 17 miles of steep and brushy trail, reported to be worse than what we had already done.  As my knees were already sore, I did not look forward to that option.  Or we could take a six-mile bus ride to Lucerne, which is essentially just a dock on Lake Chelan, where we could catch a boat to Stehekin.

I must admit a bus and a boat sounded great to me but John initially rejected the idea.  He had wanted to walk the entire way to Canada.  However, I expressed concerns about my knees and my fears that the additional steep, brushy miles required by the bypass could jeopardize my ability to complete the trip.  So, he reconsidered …

… and we took the boat to Stehekin.

It was discouraging to see the thick smoke hanging over the lake.  At this point, we were still uncertain if the PCT north of Rainy Pass would be open.  If not, we would be forced to take the boat to Chelan the following day and ask someone to come to get us.  Then, hopefully, we could come back in September after both of our boys went home but that was not the ending we wanted.  Fortunately, shortly after the boat docked at Stehekin John was able to talk to a Ranger and learned, to our great relief, that the PCT was then open all the way to the border!  So, he got a permit for us to camp that night in North Cascades National Park.

After eating lunch in a restaurant, we walked down to the post office to retrieve our resupply box.  The Postmaster in Stehekin is quite a character.  We talked to him briefly and he commented on the dramatic increase in the number of resupply boxes he was now handling compared to previous years.  His office was overwhelmed by boxes, and we wondered how he would ever find ours.  However, after John mentioned he had put some bright green duct tape on the corners of our box, he knew exactly where it was located, under his desk.

We then found a nearby picnic table to organize the food from this, our last, resupply box.  Later that evening we needed to catch a bus that would take us up to the High Bridge Ranger Station to rejoin the PCT.  We didn’t have time for another sit-down meal but we hit up the store for snacks and ice cream.  We were both in good spirits because our decision to take the boat to Stehekin rather than do the 17 challenging miles of the bypass trail had put us solidly back on track for finishing the PCT on August 14.

Once at High Bridge (PCT mile 2,569.42) we hoisted our heavy packs and headed out.  It was still quite hot, and my knees were hurting so it was slow going.  In hindsight, the saggy bunk bed I slept in at Holden Village was not the best thing for my knees.  In the tent I routinely place a stuff sack with my clothing in it under my knees to relieve pressure on them.  Unfortunately, I had not even thought of doing that in the funky bed.  Live and learn!

There are only a limited number of places to camp along the PCT in North Cascades National Park.  Fortunately, we didn’t have far to go but it had been a long, complicated day.  It was dark before we reached our destination, the Group Camping area at Bridge Creek, but it was a relief to be completely on our own again.

August 8 – 5.03 miles, 1,217 feet gained, 688 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,574.

We moved slowly the next morning.  In daylight we could see we shared the Group Camp with many teenage boys.  We learned they were part of a YMCA Leadership program for male teens, and we talked briefly to the young couple in charge.  They were patiently waiting for these young guys to get their gear organized and packed, but it looked like it was going to take a while.  After a brief chat we finally got moving ourselves.

The heat was incredible and we took every opportunity to soak our shirts.  About midday we treated our feet to a long cold soak.  Just as we were leaving, we ran into Marla, the Dutch woman we had met in the area burned by the Norse Peak fire.  We only talked briefly about our respective adventures before parting ways, but in a way, it was like reconnecting with an old friend.

We continued and could not help but notice the smell of smoke in the air.

Late in the day I was initially concerned when I saw this washed-out bridge.  I really didn’t want to get my boots wet so late in the day …

… but fortunately, by going upstream a bit we spied this nice big, flattened log.

August 9 – 12.24 miles, 1,242 feet gained, 3,332 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,586.

We were up early and resumed hiking where we crossed a creek using another log.  Unlike the one we had encountered the previous evening, this one was oddly tilted but at least it didn’t vibrate when we were on it.  We heard traffic during the night …

… so, we knew we were not far from Rainy Pass.

As we continued up the trail in Section L – Rainy Pass to Manning Park, BC …

… we were now faced with the reality of what these last few days of our PCT trip would be like.  Even though the trail was open and there was no active burn in the immediate area we were still seeing (and smelling) the result of other fires burning in the western U.S. and Canada.

It was disheartening as we crossed Cutthroat Pass in the dense haze as we knew this was such a scenic area.

But unfortunately, this has become the new normal for the western states.

We had been relying on Halfmile’s app to determine where our next source of water was located but it tended to be more conservative, and earlier in the trip we often encountered seasonal streams not mentioned in this app  But as it got later in the summer, many of the seasonal streams were disappearing so we had begun to also consult Guthook which included more. On this day we experienced a first, a seasonal stream Guthook mentioned, and one we had been counting on for water, was bone dry.  We only had about four miles to go to the next water so we weren’t in danger of dehydration, but it was uphill and quite hot so we both felt uncomfortably dry.

The next water indicated ended up being a tiny spring tucked high up in a jumble of rocks, but we gladly took the time needed to collect it.

After filling up with water we continued the long trek over Methow Pass.  We promised ourselves we would come back sometime in the future during the brief window of time between snow and fire season to see what we were obviously missing.

August 10 – 17.37 miles, 3,621 feet gained, 3,918 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,603.

The next morning, we were delighted to see a truly blue sky accentuated by genuine puffy white clouds.

The temperature had dropped and we hiked in refreshing comfort.

Later in the day, the clouds continued to build and darken.

We assumed there could be rain in the forecast, and it did drizzle a bit, but it did not dampen our spirits. Compared to hiking in smoky heat this was sheer pleasure.

This sign, the first we had seen indicating the distance to Canada, was a welcome sight.  We continued the short distance to Hart’s Pass where we planned to camp for the night.  When we arrived, it became obvious the small campground was quite full.  Fortunately for us, a fellow who had already pitched his tent in one site had explored the area beyond it and determined there was another tent site situated in the trees and he invited us to use it.  We did so, gratefully.

August 11 – 16.54 miles, 3,643 feet gained, 2,192 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,619.

The night had been quite cold and damp, so it was hard to leave the comfort of our sleeping bags and tent.  But we wanted to hurry up and finish so we got back on the trail and hiked out in the cloud that enveloped the area.

We wore our rain gear and while it did not actively rain the air was quite damp.  When we stopped for a mid-morning break, we got out the stove to heat water and treated ourselves to hot cocoa.  It did wonders to boost our spirits.

Later in the day it appeared the clouds were trying to lift.

Once again, our eyes were drawn to the beauty of thousands of gem-like water droplets displayed on the foliage …

… and seed-heads of wildflowers.

Once again, we got to witness the spectacle of the sun reflecting in the droplets.

We didn’t get as far as we had intended that day.  As soon as John stopped just briefly to take a second look at a sloped patch of dirt that was barely large enough for our tent he couldn’t get me to take another step.  I was done in.  It was our last night camped on the PCT in the U.S., but it was not a comfortable night.  It was the coldest we had experienced and the presence of nearby smoke was very irritating to our lungs.

August 12 – 15.32 miles, 3,058 feet gained, 3,286 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,635.

We were slow getting going the next morning. It was an interesting combination.  On the one hand, we were ready to be done with the whole thing.  On the other, there was a weariness that caused me to just want to sit down and rest.  But what John wanted to do was stop and talk at length to anyone we encountered; other backpackers, rangers, etc.

As we hiked in the haze that morning …

… we wondered about the status of nearby fires.  We later learned this section of PCT north of Rainy Pass was soon closed again due to new fire activity.  It was only luck that placed us right smack in the middle of the very brief period when this section of the PCT was open.

Fortunately for us something changed that day, perhaps the wind shifted, and the result was the air became much clearer.  And the trail was quite good (for a while) so we made fast progress (for a while).  Unfortunately, the trail deteriorated dramatically several miles before the border.  It was canted sideways, slippery and often completely obscured by thick brush.

I have to say it was rather anticlimactic when we finally reached the nondescript break in the trees marking the U.S.-Canadian border ….

… and calling this post a Monument seemed just a bit pretentious.

However, reaching the official northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail was a very satisfying experience.  I was so happy we had pushed through all the aches and pains and had just kept putting one foot in front of another.  We were not thru-hikers, doing the entire trail from Mexico to Canada.  We were classified as section hikers, those only doing a portion of a long trail.  I later learned we were also lashers, short for Long Ass Hikers, those going at least 500 miles.  Since we were section hikers rather than thru-hikers, I initially wasn’t going to sign the logbook. But then I thought, What the hell?  Even though we had only completed a portion of this iconic trail, we both felt quite proud of our accomplishment.

It was interesting being in this location, this international border.  We knew once we crossed over into Canada it was illegal for us to re-enter the U.S. at that location.  The penalty for doing so included a $10,000 fine. Yet there was no big sign warning us about that.  We had the necessary paperwork to allow us to enter Canada but there wasn’t a sign mentioning the need for it.  I almost wished there had been a Border Patrol agent there to welcome us, but we left the U.S. and walked into Canada without fanfare.  We had a few more miles to go that day to reach a camping area.  Once there, we kept walking past the multitude of vacant sites until we spied a single site on the opposite side of a creek.  It was oddly fitting that a journey which began with our risking our lives crossing a bridge ended with our needing to cross an oddly mangled bridge with jury-rigged supports. It made me long for a log or some rocks.

August 13 – 18.55 miles, 3,413 feet gained, 4,581 feet lost, we camped near PCT mile 2,653

The next morning, we continued the trail that would take us to Manning Park Lodge.  We arrived in time for lunch and proceeded to gorge ourselves at the restaurant before returning to our room and taking showers and naps.  Back in Stehekin, John had let his sister know we were on track to finish on August 14 as planned and he had contacted her earlier that day to verify she was coming up to meet us.  She arrived before supper, so we were able to replace our filthy backpacking clothes with clean town clothes. Then it was back to the restaurant for more gorging!  I knew I would not be able to keep eating like that for much longer but it was sure fun while it lasted!

August 14 – 4.87 miles, 338 feet gained, 146 feet lost, we slept in Manning Park Lodge.

Trip total – 505.55 miles, 111,597 feet gained, 107,905 feet lost.

Technically, we were not “thru hikers”. We were classified as “section hikers”, those only doing a portion of a long trail.  I later learned we were also “Lashers”, short for “Long Ass Hikers”, those going at least 500 miles.  But this trip did give us a small taste of what doing a PCT thru hike is like; focused on miles, camping only after hiking enough miles for the day, and getting to resupply points on time. We would like to backpack all of the PCT but section hiking better suits our hiking style and our priorities. It allows us to enjoy more scenic campsites, and it gives John more time for photography. Since this trip, we have done 316 miles on the PCT in California. We know we may not have enough backpacking years in us to achieve our goal, but we will keep working on it!

All photos from this trip are on Flickr.