Snoqualmie Pass to White Pass

July 23, 2013 (transcribed)

From the Journal: July 8, 2013
We left from Snoqualmie Pass this morning.  Mom walked out with us 3-4 miles which seemed to make saying good-bye easier, more of a gradual transition.  It's strange because I thought it would be most difficult to leave Snoqualmie.  We continued on after Mom left.  I feel quiet today and thoughtful.  Mostly in a happy way, though leaving loved ones is always a challenge.  Only a few patches of snow today.  We are walking through newer forests that have been logged in recent decades.  It is still beautiful in it's own way.  I call it a forest of new beginnings.  Lupine and paintbrush and bear grass are sprawled out underneath the trees.  We are camped on a forest road with a view of Mount Rainier.  She's a lot closer since the last time I saw her.  20 miles today.  My feet started hurting near the end of the day but less than I expected.  The zero day yesterday was good for my body, heart and soul.

Walking from Snoqualmie Pass

 

 

Walking from Snoqualmie Pass - Beaver Lake

 

 

Final goodies to add to pack as Mom heads back to TH - popcorn and cherries!

 





July 9, 2013
Today was uneventful in most ways, which is certainly not a bad thing.  It is nice to have a mental break and let the miles float by.  We did have to start paying attention to water sources, we had a 15 mile stretch without water today.  I guess this is the downside to traveling with no snow.  Both Ben and I are having a really hard time with our feet, maybe the aftermath of very wet conditions and traveling off trail in steep terrain.  We were noticeably limping by the evening and ended up setting up camp on the trail.  It is tempting to push for more miles but I feel like we will be worse off the next day.  We met three northbound section hikers today, they made it sound as if there is less snow ahead.  Despite blisters, my spirits ae high!  We had mac and cheese burritos and chocolate for dinner and I'm headed to bed early.  19 miles today.

July 10, 2013
When we woke up this morning our feet were still in horrible shape.  It took over an hour to drain and bandage blisters.  We hobbled 4 miles to a much needed water source and another 5 to Urich Camp.  My feet are bad but Benny's are worse.  We both have blisters under the balls of our heels.  At Urich Camp there is a log cabin built by a snowmobiler's club.  I turned the corner and felt like I was Laura Ingalls Wilder in "Little House on the Prairie".  So we have been sitting on the porch since 2 pm, resting our and feet and watching the world go by.  Two groups of people four wheeling came by, one of which gave us grilled hot dogs and fresh water.  Nat and Jane, two southbound hikers came through and we were able to swap stories about our experiences so far.  They seem really awesome, it would be great if we caught up with them soon.

July 11, 2013
I woke up in our log cabin to a cool and misty morning.  I looked out the window and saw two bull elk grazing in the meadow.  They let us take a few pictures before gracefully running off.  It was sprinkling on and off for a few hours before the clouds lifted to reveal another beautiful sunny day.  We met two northbound hikers who had left the Mexican border in early April and skipped a few sections, including the Goat Rocks.  We are getting very mixed reviews of the snow conditions in the Goat Rocks, which is two days south of us.  We got a little off track and ended up walking up a wrong pass, but when we got to the top Mount Rainier was right in front of us, dazzling white in the sunlight.  It's nearly impossible to fret about a detour when you're rewarded with such a view!  Dad walked up from Crystal Mountain and walked with us for a few hours.  It was very exciting to turn a corner and have family there!  Dad turned around about 6:30, we made soup and then walked down to Chinook Pass.  Feet are painful, but tolerable to walk on.  We made 23 miles today.

 

Meeting up with Dad on the Trail

 

 

With Benny on the Trail



July 12, 2013
Today was our longest day yet - we walked 30 miles into White Pass!  Surprisingly, my feet appear to have been mostly cooperative.  It was cold and grey this morning, it never really warmed up but it didn't rain.  We had a really unique view of the southeast side of Mount Rainier with Little Tahoma in the foreground and much of Rainier shrouded in clouds.  We dropped lower for the latter part of the day, into a marshy wetland dotted with lakes (and filled with mosquitoes).  We are now stealth camped behind the motel and will pick up our resupply packages in the morning.  Since we're already here, we will even get to sleep in a little bit!