Hikingsolo on the PCT: August 2017

Monday, August 28, 2017

August 24 - Final Full Day

Tomorrow we'll cross into Canada. We camped at Hopkins Lake just seven short miles from Monument 78, the official end to the PCT. Of course the trail continues another 8.5 miles into Canada where it ends at Manning Park's visitor facilities. Rumor has it that there is a free beer and a shower for PCT hikers. There is also a resort with a restaurant!

The walk today started out cold, 36 degrees. Within an hour it was closer to 50, but it never seemed to get warmer. We had two hard climbs to keep us warm, and one very steep descent down to the lake where we camped. The lake water was warmer than the air temperature.

All along the way the views were great.

Wilderness up to the border.

Fernando the llama, PCT Backpacker.

A bird see often along the way.

NoEnglish and Sun at the top of a ridge.

Lake below. Destination for today.

Sun and Brad trying to keep warm.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 23 - The Push

24 miles today with Brad, Sun, NoEnglish, and me getting into camp on the far northern end of the Cascades around 7 pm. We are 27 miles from the Canadian border and the final PCT Monument. Tomorrow we hope to be at a small lake just seven miles from the border and fifteen from Manning Park, British Columbia.

Brad has a flight from Vancouver to Detroit on Sunday. Sun is hoping to make a connection with a friend in Seattle who will pick her up in Vancouver. NoEnglish is hoping to go with Sun back to the Sierra to finish her journey.

I'm just hoping I make it without further injury. And I'm really looking forward to some time with my cousins. I know Betsy wants me in Tucson before she has to leave again so I'm sure I'll catch a plane South in the next week or so.

Our day today was pretty uneventful. Lunch was had at the top of a ridge overlooking a huge expanse of mountainous land. Camp was set up in the trees at a saddle in very dry high country near Hart's Pass. All in all it was a good and tiring day.

Somewhere down there are some hikers going down the three thousand feet we just climbed.

Sun following the trail to Hart's Pass.

The area around our camp spot.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 22 - Bears and Lions, Oh My!

Brad's sighting of small black bear was confirmed this morning on the trail by our camp. Small prints were seen all over the trail, with some turned toward the campsite as if the bear was looking in our direction last night. As I continued down the trail I continued to see tracks for several miles until they suddenly changed to larger bear tracks with very small tracks. I decided I'd better be a bit more alert if momma bear had some baby bears around. About that time I also saw a few cougar tracks along with lots of deer and elk tracks. The canyon I was walking in was very narrow with steep cliffs high above and a large creek running down it. It looked like the perfect corridor to observe wildlife movement. And, in fact, I noticed several wildlife cameras attached to trees and posts in the fifteen miles that the PCT traveled through the canyon.

Once close the highway 120 and Rainy Pass the animal tracks disappeared. NoEnglish and I stopped at a trailhead to eat and use the pit toilets. The trail paralleled the highway for a couple of miles before it crossed over to the other side. At that point we caught up with Brad and Sun as they were trying to get a ride into the town of Mazama. They were just getting a ride. Their plan was to go to town and get resupplied, do a little business, and then join us at mile 2598 to camp. They showed up at 6:45 pm. Sun went on to climb to the top of Mathew Pass while Brad chose to hang out with NoEnglish and me.

This part of the Cascades looks a little different from the area to the south. Fewer trees, more exposed rock, higher elevations and drier. The fire ban is a serious need here. There are almost no berries unless you walk in a very wet area, like in the canyon with the creek.

Washington has done a great job with the trails here. It's almost like they want you to leave with a great impression. That's not hard to do. It's a beautiful state.

A log crossing in place of a wooden bridge that broke and fell into the stream.

Beautiful view of far peaks.

NoEnglish glad for a moderate pace today.

More peaks.

Our campsite.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 21 - Stehekin to Six Mile Camp

Up at six

Real bathroom facilities

Pack up

Breakfast of eggs, potatoes, bacon, pancake, and a pot of coffee

Post office resupply

Mmmmm

Deb sent snickers, bacon, meats and pastas, pemmican, summer sausage, snacks, olives, cookies. Too many thing to mention. Yum!

Betsy sent PayDays (my favorite) and Canadian money- ooh la la! Even better than food! And some stuff I had previously thrown together.

NoEnglish took what I didn't want or couldn't carry. She thinks my trail name should be HikerBox. LOL.

Bus ride to the bakery.

Danish, Sticky bun, blackberry pie, and huckleberry ice cream. Stuffed for the trail.

Bus to trailhead with Sun, NoEnglish, and Brad.

Eleven fast miles with VERY heavy pack to Six Mile Camp.

Dinner

Bear hang. First one broke the rope. Three hikers food too much weight. Enough rope for two bear hangs!

Brad came in late with a bear sighting a mile away.

Oh Boy!

Brad and NoEnglish. Brads super fast covering up to 40 miles per day. Average is 24.

Checking out the Eclipse. 93% in Stehekin.

Rick and Sally came to talk. Met yesterday on the trail.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 20 - Stehekin Washington

One source said the shuttle to town left the trailhead at 10:00; another said at 9:15. So, being the optimistic hikers we are we believed the 10:00 source and got on the trail by 6:30. At three miles per hour we would be at the pickup point with time to spare. We missed the shuttle by 30 minutes, having arrived at 9:45. The good news was that our pace topped three miles per hour. The bad news was that the next shuttle was at 12:30. So what to do?

NoEnglish got some stretching in. Both of us had tea and oatmeal for a late breakfast or early lunch. We had a nice conversation with some people from Vermont whose niece lives and works in Stehekin. And we talked about what to do first, laundry or shower?

The shuttle arrived on time. We exited at the bakery where I helped NoEnglish pick out something to eat. It's really hard to tell someone what is in a pastry or sandwich if they don't speak the language. I learned that she likes moderately sweet pastries and is okay with most sandwich items.

We walked the two miles to the laundry/shower facility and then another few hundred feet to get change at the store. After showers and laundry it was back to the main part of town, a block away, to secure a camping spot in the National Park campground. Of course PCT hikers are free there and we get the group camp at the top of the hill nearest the horses. It was a great spot with restrooms right there and a view of the sky. After setting up camp it was back to the store and restaurant for dinner with other hikers.

Hikers at High Bridge Ranger Station waiting for the bus.

The bakery.

You can't see it, but the Chelan Lake is fifty miles long and the only way to Stehekin is by boat, plane, or trail.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 19 - A Day of Views and Chews

The day started with a climb that placed us in the alpine zone again. Every time we do this we go through the berry zones as well. Down low are the Salmon berries, then come incredibly red Thimble berries, huckleberries are included with the lower zones, and finally the blueberries appear near the top of the passes.

While stopped to pick a few huckleberries a hiker by the name of GoalTech passed by and stopped to talk. We exchanged trail names and stories. GoalTech thru hiked in 2011 and has been administering trail magic on his hikes ever since. He carries candy, Starbucks's coffee, and in a special bag hanging off his backpack junk food like potato chips. NoEnglish chose the barbecue potato chips and I went for the variety flavors of hard candy. Thanks GoalTech! Trail magic is always so awesome, especially when into done in the middle of nowhere like the Northern Cascades.

I saw a few unusual plants along the way today including giant mushrooms, a very broad leafed plant with a shock of red berries spearing past the leaves, and giant trees. SD to that the incredible mountain scenery and you know it was a great day.

21 miles today. 10 more tomorrow to the shuttle into Stehekin for my final resupply.

The Morning View from on the way up an 11 mile 3600 foot climb.

Great hair day.

GoalTech, the wizard and his magic.

About 8 inches across. Wonder if it edible?

The trail into a rockfall zone.

Huge cedar.

Not sure what it is but the red berries are at least six inches long making the leaves huge!

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 18 - Another Great Day in the Northern Cascades

The day started as usual: up at 5:00, headlamp on red, jacket on, contacts in, incidentals bag ready for headlamp when its light enough, socks and pants on, warm enough for short sleeves? (No), sleeping bag stowed, air mattress deflated and stowed, everything in the tent thrown outside in a pile, shoes on, tent taken down, everything in the pile placed strategically in the backpack, poop kit out, and you know the rest. Departure just before 6:00 am. Of course, NoEnglish already has her backpack on and is waving at me to get started first on the trail.

We start with a one mile 500 foot climb to the top of the pass. Then start a painfully steep descent. We pass by and greet three hikers still waking up at Mica Lake. Two hours later I call a break so I can eat some breakfast. NoEnglish is always in favor of 'eata time.' Eve passed below the cloud layer and put jackets on because it's cold and damp. Another hour goes by before we're on the uphill portion of our twin 3000 foot descent and ascent. The ascent only takes us two and a half hours but we need to find water before we can stop. By noon we have water and are set up trail side to cook (heat water in my case) lunch. Hot tea along with chicken teriyaki is on the menu for me. NoEnglish has something from a hiker box she can't adequately put into words spread on a tortilla.

Next is a 4500 foot descent to our expected camp spot on the Suiattle River, a glacial torrent coming off of Glacier Peak. The noise of the river is drowning out all else as I write this. The descent wasn't without surprises: we found blueberries and salmon berries galore! Yum.

Cloud layer below us.

Sunrise lighting.

Mica Lake

Descending below the cloud layer.

Huge bridge over the Suiattle River.

Our camp spot.

Next to camp is the bridge. We had to go under it to get to camp.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 17 - A Grueling Day - Glacier Peak

The day started out relatively dry, meaning no actual rain, but enveloped in cloud. Like at my sister Sherri's house in the Bay Area clouds move in and the trees rain huge drops. Everything else is wet with dew. The Northern Cascades are like that too. So within minutes of packing up and leaving I stopped to don my rain gear. No English did the same. That kept us from being drenched by the tree rain and the dew drops. Close to noon the skies cleared and we were able to shift to normal cool weather hiking clothes. For me that's a thin wool tee-shirt, shorts, hat, and gloves. On the up hills I sweat like a dog and on the downhills I enjoy a cool drying breeze. By the end of the day we had climbed and descended over 5000 feet on some incredibly steep trails. Most of our 24 miles was flat.

As I write this I'm not quite sure what to do. I can see the mist rolling in. We're camped at 5834 feet elevation, which is pretty high for northern Washington. If I close up my tent I'll get condensation on the inside as the outside of the tent cools causing my hot breath to condense. If I don't close it up the cloud could coat the entire tent, inside and out, and everything in it. If I leave it open and the cloud dissipates I could end up dry all over. Oh what to do?

Unfortunately we walked past Glacier Peak today and never saw it due to clouds. In the afternoon we were too close to see it. Maybe tomorrow.

Clouds moving by.

Our best view of Glacier Peak.

Flowers I've never seen before.

Selfie of the day.

NoEnglish ready to go.

Crossing a broken bridge which has fallen into a glacial stream.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 16 - No English

The day started out fairly early as I left camp at 5:30. At least one other camper was also up and moving about but not leaving anytime soon as their tents were still up.

Several miles down the trail I took a little detour to a nice lake to relax and have some breakfast. While there another hiker stopped in for the same thing so we talked for a while. After I hit the trail again it was uphill for about three miles.

As I crested out and made the corner for the downhill I came across my Taiwanese friend NoEnglish hanging out in the sun taking a break. We talked for a minute when she asked where I was camping tonight. I have her my expected destination and then took off. Later I saw her again and we solidified plans to camp at the same spot. It looks like we'll try to do this along our way to Stehekin.

Tonight we talked as we ate dinner. She's thirty-eight (three flashes of ten fingers and then eight fingers held up because she doesn't speak much English) and married with no children. Her husband also hikes, but works too, and encourages her to do these hikes.

It should be fun traveling together.

Glacier Peak in the distance.

Lunch spot.

Sometimes the terrain reminds me of the Sierras. Lots of granite.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

August 15 - Back on Trail After Delays

Last night I stayed at the Cascadia Inn of Skykomish. The room was very small with the sink next to the bed and the shower right at the foot of the bed. I could almost take a shower in bed. I woke up several times during the night as trains blasted through town. The tracks are feet from the hotel. This morning I slept in, took another shower, got my gear together and then went down to the lounge for a cup of coffee. The pot was empty so I made some and then watched a little TV. Very little since nothing on TV ever seems to change.

Around 9:30 I stopped into the Skykomish Deli for a breakfast burrito. Then it was over to the library to charge and use their wifi to update my phone, and to download some new podcasts. With permission of the librarian I left my stuff and headed for the post office at 11:25 to get my resupply box. The office is supposed to open at 11:30, but that clearly wasn't happening today. At about fifteen to noon the young postmaster rode in on his chariot to be greeted by seven patrons. By 12:30 I was on my way back to the library to get my stuff. Not exactly a quick turnaround.

As I walked back across the bridge toward the deli and Highway 2 I contemplated picking up a sandwich for the road. The deli manager is very hiker friendly and asked if I wanted to eat half here and have the other half wrapped for the trail. That was a great suggestion on her part. As I stepped out toward the highway the deli window opened and the other employee asked if I'd like the sign to help me get a ride? I was a bit puzzled. She then held out a poster sized sign that read in big red and black letters, "PCT HIKER NEEDS RIDE TO STEVENS PASS." I laughed and thanked her for the offer. With the sing in hand it took 30 seconds tops to get a ride for Doug and his eight year old son. They took me to the Pass and then backtracked four miles to get to their backpacking trailhead.

"Thanks!" to Doug and the ladies at the deli. Trail magic always seems to appear when you need it.

With a newly heavy pack full of six days of food I started my trek a little late in the day but that couldn't be helped. I made it ten miles to Lake Janos before calling it a day.

My destination in Canada.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

August 14 - Skykomish

I played leapfrog on the trail with the couple that camped close to me last night. I left just before they did, but they passed me when I stopped for breakfast. Then I passed them as I move a bit faster. Then they passed me again as I had lunch. And finally I passed them again and they said they wouldn't see me again as they were going to camp. We had a nice conversation before I took off for my last few miles.

My resupply is in the small Great Northern Railroad town of Skykomish, named after the river that runs next to it. The post office doesn't open until 11:00 which seems typical for these small towns so I'll have to rest up a bit. I'm not complaining! If all goes well I'll be back on the trail by early afternoon.

Lots of lakes in the Northern Cascades, even though the trail doesn't always come close to them.

Another lake.

The town of Skykomish is very picturesque with mowed lawns and flowers everywhere.

The river runs by it.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)

Monday, August 14, 2017

August 13 - Approaching 200 Miles To Go

As of today only 206 miles to the Canadian border. Another 12 or so into Manning Park. Not that anyone (me) is counting.

Today was a rather slow day after yesterday's marathon. Only 3050 feet of elevation gain and 5500 feet of loss. That's two thousand feet different from yesterday. Still, it was slow. I think my body wanted to eat berries more than hike. They were good!

Deep Lake along the way.

Deception Lake where I camped.

Typical trail. Mossy, green, and soft on the feet, or brutally rocky.

Hiker Trash in his tent. It's cold outside for a change.

Hikingsolo (aka Allen)