Trekking to Timberline

Transcribed September 4, 2013

From the Journal:  July 23, 2013
We left Cascade Locks yesterday and walked 14 miles up the Eagle Creek alternate route to Indian Springs Campground.  The terrain was beautiful, a lush green valley with water running down the center.  The highlight was definitely Tunnel Falls, a narrow ribbon of water cascading from the cliffs above.  The trail is carved out behind the falls, so you walk through a tunnel of chiseled black rock which is dripping water from the falls above.  The surrounding rock walls are covered with bright green moss and ferns.  The mist from the falls drenched me as I walked past, which just made me laugh with joy.  The whole scene was mystifying, like something out of a fairy tale. The last two miles were steep, and evening wore on to night as we reached camp.  As the days get hotter, evening hiking is very comfortable.  The late afternoon sun is beautiful, as the golden rays hit the greenery below.  I was so tired last night that I fell asleep before even finishing the pizza we packed out from town.

July 24, 2013
I am relaxing in the Timberline Lodge after a day of much more sitting and eating than walking.  We woke up to the sunrise at Paradise Park early this morning.  The nearly full moon was still in the sky and the first rays of sun were rising behind Mount Hood.  All of the surrounding mountains were lit up in soft pastels.  I am rarely motivated to be up for sunrise, so it was very special.  We walked six miles into the Lodge, which was painful as my blisters are flaring up again.  We got to the Lodge shortly past 10 to discover that the breakfast buffet was open until 10:30!  We went from walking to having delicious Bloody Mary's and amazing food in less than five minutes!  I love it!  The rest of the day we swam, napped, caught up with loved ones, and had dinner looking out at Mount Hood.  It has been a peacful and rejuvinating day.

Yesterday ended up being too chaotic to write about before bed so I will try to catch up now.  Most of the morning was uneventful.  We were planning on a 26 mile day because we had a specific campsite in mind near Mount Hood.  We took the alternate to Ramon Falls, which was beautiful.  The water cascaded down the rocks in so many different streams and rivulets.  When we got back to the junction with the PCT, we somehow headed the wrong way.  We dropped about 1,000 feet and then saw cairns to cross the Sandy River, which we did need to cross.  Once we got to the other side and found ourselves on a trail overgrown with Devil's Club, we realized our mistake.  After a very discouraging few moments we picked ourselves up, crossed the river on a precarious twig of a tree and made our way back up the trail.  At this point, our stubborness kicked in and we decided that since it wasn't getting any darker, we might as well hike to the camp we had been looking forward to.  We crossed Sandy a third time (now in the dark) and started climbing ever closer to Hood.  As we got higher, the moon rose above a ridgeline, bringing the silhouette of the mountain into view.  You could hear and hardly see roaring waterfalls below us and the stars starting popping out.  At this point it became difficult to be upset about much of anything.  We turned our anger and frustration into determination.  The evening really reinforced how well Ben and I work as a team.  So we made it to camp at nearly midnight and cooked dinner and ate chocolate and watched the moonrise.  We cowboy camped (slept without a tent) for the first time.  Drifting off under the night sky was a beautiful end to the day.

"Empty yourself and let the universe fill you."
"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." (Confucius)



A River Crossing Earlier on the PCT

 

"Tree Pose" finding peace within

 

The feet that are doing the walking

 



Guest Writer

August 10, 2013

I was fortunate enough to join Rach (Hot Mess) and Ben (Smooth) for the leg between Trout Lake and Cascade Locks!  I absolutely loved it and fell into the rhythm easily.  I need to be clear, I was very tired at the end of each day and happy to end each day with a nice camping spot and great food, but, I cherished the day to day walking.  We had talked of me joining them for a leg and had considered some of the earlier sections but from the sounds of their snow travel I didn't want to slow their pace or worse yet, become a liability!  They worked together so well during those challenging snow covered miles - it was amazing to read Rachel's journal and see Ben's photos/video - even then, the story is hard to really grasp.  They KNOW what they went through, the rest of us can just try to imagine.  The section I walked was comparatively very tame - perfect for me! 

Mike and I drove to Trout Lake the night before and stayed at a lovely B and B - Kelly's Trout Creek Inn.  Trout Lake closes up fairly early but we arrived in town to enjoy taco night at the Cafe which is attached to the service station.  The tacos were so good, and though we hadn't hiked we had traveled a long section on a gravel road before FS 23 becomes paved so ice cold Coronas also hit the spot!  We were up early to drive back to the trail head as Rach and Ben estimated they would be coming out about 8 am.  Even on the trail they are on time!  They emerged a little before 8 and we drove back in to Trout Lake for a mega breakfast at the cafe!  After breakfast they went to the grocery store to add to the resupply box we had driven down and then once more we drove back to the tail head.

It was the highlight of my summer to back pack with them for five days and four nights!  I really enjoy hiking and had done back packing in my college days but it has been over 30 years since I've spent more than one night on the trail!  So, four nights!  Not, only was the terrain very friendly to me, but the weather was perfect!  Most of that section of the PCT is within the forest on fairly cushioned trail, the rest of it brings you out on ridges to view the world unobstructed!  I felt as if I was traveling through an enchanted forest!  It was very interesting and motivating to start walking with Mt. Adams so very close and then, four days later see how far away that same mountain had become!  I am finishing up a Naturalist class with the Mountaineers so was happy to pass on knowledge of some of the plants I've learned, but, it seemed for every flower I knew there was one that I didn't know!  I came home with some homework and have since passed on answers to the queries in resupply boxes. 

Rach and I talk about how the trail "feeds our soul" and that was certainly reinforced with my small time on the trail.  I was very happy to turn my phone completely off and hesitant to turn it back on when we got to Cascade Locks.  I always brought up the rear and perhaps with a finite number of days ahead for me "on the trail" I was more easily able to "be present" without a lot of looking back or thinking forward.  Rach introduced me to yoga over four years ago and it has been instrumental in assisting with the grief over the death of my son, BJ.  The practice emphasizes "being present" and  "finding comfort in the discomfort" among so many other teachings, and I really try to do both.  So, those days really allowed me the best opportunity to "be present" and keep my mind from writing scripts that do not serve me well. 

I was so impressed with Rach and Ben!  They had to be in so much pain with their feet.  I've not ever had blisters like they had, and yet, they just kept walking.  They started out hobbling, treading so very carefully, but, within half an hour had found their pace and seemed to be walking almost effortlessly through the pain.  I admire their deep friendship and care of each other. I respect their sense of adventure and the priorities they have set at this point of their life.  When I was Rachel's age I was pregnant with Rach!  That, was most definitely a beautiful thing.  And, within two years I also was a mother to BJ - being a Mom is without a doubt the most rewarding facet of my life....but, it is just one way to do it.  To work so had to be able to take a break from your working life, plan and execute a 2600+ mile trek seems very hard to really allow one's self to do but is rewarding in every way! 

Thank you Rachel and Ben for letting me share a small section of your journey!  Thank you for taking so much of the gear from me that I felt as if I was just carrying a day pack!  Thank you for the mochas every morning, the delightful "second" breakfast, the amazing dinners (quesadillas and humus wraps - I mean really!), the endless high spirits, the alphabet game ("Q" is always a tough one!), the music at the end of the day when our biorythyms were low, and so much more!  If there was ever a time in my "adult" life when I felt like letting the mortgage payment go and leaving the the youth of America in the hands of a younger teacher - this was it.  I think that speaks to how rich your travel has been and will continue to be.  Happy trails, namaste, and much love - Mom (Great Blue Heron)

Avalanche Lily

Loved her mosquito head cover!

Tiger Lily

 

The Enchanted Forest....can you find Rachel?!

Following Rach through a golden field

Breakfast at Cascade Locks!

 



Trout Lake to Cascade Locks

Transcribed July 25-27, 2013

From the Journal: July 17, 2013
What an amazing day! The feet put up quite a protest this morning but we only had to walk an hour before Mom, Mike and Cooper were there to greet us. We went in to Trout Lake for breakfast - coffee, huckleberry french toast, eggs, sausage and hash browns. We went to the store to get a few snacks and re-organize our gear. We ran into Billy Goat and got to chat with him for a few minutes which was cool, like meeting a PCT celebrity. He hiked the trail for the first time in 1989 and hikes at least part of it every year.

At about noon, Mike dropped us off and we started walking with the third member of the wolf pack. Today we were mostly in the forest. My body is exhausted from Adams and appreciated the gentler terrain. Mom is a wealth of knowledge of our surroundings and such positive energy. It is so nice to have hours to talk instead of feeling rushed and playing catch-up. We saw so many frogs today, they seemed to be hopping across the trail around every corner. Right about sunset, we popped out of the woods into a meadow filled with beargrass. The light was fading behind Mt. St. Helens, which is the peak filling our skyline this evening. We made camp, watched the stars and ate huckleberry pie that we packed out. My soul is very content. 16 miles with Mom today and 2 miles this morning.

July 18, 2013
We are having so much fun today! We woke up in a very dewy meadow with very wet tents and sleeping bags. We had our first hot breakfast on the trail with REAL coffee! We continue to be in the forest with occasional views. Mom is a weath of knowledge about the flora that we pass by and is so excited about the naturalist class that she is taking. It is easy conversation between the three of us, which makes the miles pass fast. We had a very scenic lunch at Blue Lake and did our laundry. The sunlight glistening on the rippling teal water was beautiful. I'm a little regretful we didn't go swimming, buy my feet seem too fragile to walk while wet. They are still healing from the half step back of climbing Adams. After lunch we climbed high enough to have beautiful views of Hood, Jefferson, St. Helens and Adams. We dropped down to lower elevation (about 3000 feet) this evening and walked until about 8:30. Our mileage was about 19 for the day. It is awesome to see how naturally Mom adjusts to the pace of the trail. We might just have to keep her until Mexico!

July 19, 2013
We are camped by Trout Creek and I am exhausted. I felt very fatigued and a bit let down the last six miles this evening. I have two new blisters and I'm frustrated that my feet don't seem to want to toughen up yet. The walking today was relatively easy and we went 18 miles. Mostly lowland forest with plenty of wildflowers and plants to identify. We walked past some old growth trees whose bark was scarred with remnants of a distant burn. We had lunch at the Panther Creek Campground, Ben has family who are camp hosts there. They showed us wonderful hospitality. We visited and had chicken salad sandwiches, chicken noodle soup and root beer. They even sent us off with leftovers for dinner! Thank you Gary and Sally!

As of this evening we have hiked over 500 miles, which I am very proud of. Mom is being the best "on trail" trail angel and giving me a foot rub so really, life is pretty darn good right now.

July 20, 2013
Tonight is the last night I will spend in Washington for a while. In a way it makes me sad to leave my home state and I am also excited for the next chapters of this journey. It was another pleasant day of walking, in lush green forests. We climbed up on a ridgeline this afternoon to views of St. Helens, Rainier, Adams and Hood. It is amazing how far away the Washington Cascades look, proof that I have walked a pretty long way so far. We planned a longer day to make it to the next water source and ended up going 23 miles. Blue Heron was a rockstar! Walking downhill my blisters were speaking up as the evening wore on. We found a great campsite just when I felt like I couldn't take another step. We had wonderful quesadillas and soup for dinner and then laid back and watched the moon and stars through the trees. Seven miles to Cascade Locks tomorrow.

July 22, 2013
Yesterday was such a whirlwind I never had time to write, so I thought I would catch up this morning as I wake in a comfy bed and have a cup of coffee. We walked out of the forest yesterday with the Columbia River right in front of us with Oregon on the other side! It felt very surreal. Somehow I had imagined it as a pedestrian bridge, which it definitely is not. Cars were going by, which made everything seem fast, as it often does in town. The bridge is grated, so you can see the waters of the Columbia far below your feet as the wind whips you around. I found this to be very exhilarating! We paused to take photographs at the "Welcome to Oregon" sign and ceremoniously threw BJ's ashes to the wind right at the state line. Over on the Oregon side of the river we relaxed, ate breakfast and ran into Nat and Jane! Ben's Dad arrived in town shortly thereafter so we ran a few town errands and then went to the beautiful Skamania Lodge for a drink. It it the strangest feeling, after days on the trail, to be sitting on a veranda overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, having a glass of wine. It makes you feel very lucky. We had amazing Mexican food for dinner (steak fajitas and smoked pork chili verde) and finished the whole thing off with ice cream cones before heading back to the hotel. Mike (my stepdad) showed up with all of the gear, and so began the frenzy of reorganizing and resupplying. We soaked our aching feet in Epsom salts, which felt amazing. I wish it was possible to soak them everyday, they feel better this morning than they have in weeks. I am off to breakfast, to visit Herman the Sturgeon and then get back on trail this afternoon. Thank you to Jon, Mom and Mike for visiting and making our welcome to Oregon so special and to Mom for walking this unforgettable leg of our journey with us!

 

Morning in the Meadow

 

Moving Away (South) from Mount Adams

 

Continual Foot Care

 

Blue Lake - A Perfect Ledge for Diving and Filling Water Bottles

 

 

Mount Hood

 

Coming Out of the Forest

 

Bridge of the Gods

 



PCT Plus

July 24, 2013 (transcribed)

From the Journal:  July 13, 2013
We are camped at Lutz Lake, about 13 miles south of White Pass.  The morning was gloriously relaxing.  We sat at the Kracker Barrel and had lattes and danishes and deli sandwiches and pizza.  We hung out with Nat and Jane, two southbounders we met a few days ago.  There were several section hikers that came through as well and we had a little impromptu hiker trash gathering.  It was so fun to talk with people and hear about their journeys.  We walked out with Nat and Jane at about 12:30.  They are a super awesome couple from Alaska.  We walked up and over the ski area and eventually climbed into the Goat Rocks wilderness.  It is stunning - views of Adams and Rainier, dramatic craggy ridgelines, the daunting knife edge in the distance which we will cross tomorrow.  It is fun to have new company and have a bit of a group to hike with.  We had dinner together and swapped stories.  Today was a very good day, and a wonderful start to out last Washington leg.

July 14, 2013
The moon guided us into camp tonight after a truly stunning day of hiking.  We climbed up to nearly 7000 feet with spectacular views of Mount Rainier.  Wildflowers of all colors dotted the hillsides.  The trail follows a narrow ridgeline, which was luckily free of snow.  We took a break to revel in the sights and left BJ on top of the world with a view of one of his favorite mountains.  At times it feels as if the trail is ready to crumble under your feet so it is imperative to step carefully.  The trail comes to a junction where you can traverse the slope or go up and over Old Snowy Mountain.  Ben and I chose the traverse, Nat and Jane opted to go up.  It sounds like they chose the more enjoyable route.  Our snow crossings weren't bad but climbing across the loose talus was like walking on pieces of broken ceramic, like the earth is breaking away under you.  We rejoined our friends on the other side and crossed the Packwood Glacier.  I was sad to leave the views of Rainier but they were traded for the silhouettes of Adams and St. Helens.  We dropped lower for a few miles before entering a lush green valley crowned with breathtaking cliffs.  We passed above and below rushing waterfalls and climbed over Cispus Pass.  There were a few snow traverses, which are rumored to be our last.  I took a short slide on the backside of the pass but was able to arrest quickly.  We had dinner at one of the many Sheep Lakes and then Ben and I walked another four miles.  The light was beautiful shining through the trees.  We caught glimpses of Adams, illuminated pink in the alpenglow with a crescent moon rising behind.  The beauty would literally stop me in my tracks.  Today was 17 miles of reveling in the beauty of this country.

July 15, 2013
As of today, we have been on the trail for a month.  It feels more like home each day.  I felt overjoyed all day, walking with our friends, listening to music, taking breaks, soaking in the views.  Most of the day was easy forest walking with occasional views of Rainier and the Goat Rocks behind.  We stopped at Lava Spring, a water source with a spring flowing under the lava rocks flanking Mount Adams.  We had dinner next to a cascading waterfall at Killen Creek right at the base of Adams.  I'm laughing as I write this, thinking it sounds too good to be true.  I will say there are mosquitoes and my feet still hurt.  After dinner we climbed up the High Camp Trail.  Ben and I decided to transition to snow, while Nat and Jane stayed on rock.  The slope was a lot steeper than it looked and too steep to safely traverse as we had intended.  We headed up.  Ben believes it was at least a 50 degree slope.  It was very hard for me to stay calm and control the climbing mind space, but I managed.  We made it safely to the top of the slope to admire the sun burning red and illuminating the skyline with Rainier and St. Helens dominating the horizon.  There is layer after layer of mountains.  Adams was lit up a rusty red in the alpenglow.  Yesterday we admired her from a distance, tonight we sit at 7000 feet ready to carry over from Northwest Ridge to the South Spur in the morning. 

July 16, 2013
I am so exhausted but it was such an incredible day that I have to get it down on paper before I go to bed.  First of all, we had our longest day in hours today - 17, from 5 am to 10 pm.  I have no idea how many miles, but we were able to carryover Mount Adams, which was amazing!  Our net elevation change was nearly 14,000 feet, which explains my throbbing feet.  When I woke up at 4 light was just starting to touch the edge of the eastern sky.  We gained elevation, Rainier and St. Helen's glowed in the first rays of sun.  The flanks of Adams shone a rosy pink.  It was an exquisiste morning, the first sunrise I have seen on the trip.  I love my snooze button, what can I say?  We slowly and steadily climbed up the ridge.  A lot of the climbing was on loose volcanic rock and soil, so that you take a step forward and slide half a step back.  The route was less complicated than it appeared from below, it kind of revealed itself to us as we went up.  I got noticeably lethargic from the altitude between 10,000 and 11,000 feet but was able to drink, eat and push on.  At about 11,500 feet we transitioned back to snow and topped out at 12,281 feet.  The views were incredible!  We had Rainier and the Goat Rocks to the north, St. Helens to the west, and Hood and Jefferson to the south.  I truly felt like I was in the heart of the Cascades.  Ben and I dispersed BJ's ashes - he is now on every major peak he climbed except Hood....weather was coming in, it was cold, windy and snowing, so we quickly headed down.  We made good time, walking and doing some epic glissades until we got to a protected spot for lunch.  Toward the end of our break rain clouds and distant thunder and lightening rolled in.  Just a reminder that we're still in Washington.  There were some steep snow slopes on the descent that I honestly didn't have the mental reserves for.  I am so excited to get rid of my ice axe tomorrow.  We finally made our way down to the trail that circumnavigates Adams, walked 6 miles back to the PCT, then made it another 4 miles before setting up camp on the trail yet again.  The last part of the day was spent walking through a more recent looking burn.  The moon shining through the dark and skeletal trees casts a ghostly beauty over these woods.  Nat and Jane camped about a mile back.  It was sad to say goodbye, we have had an amazing time with them through the Goat Rocks and Adams.  It is amazing how the trail can bond you.  I'm sure we will see them down the trail in Oregon.  Tomorrow morning we only have to walk 2.5 miles before meeting Mom and Mike for a hot breakfast and real coffee!! And then Blue Heron will get to walk with us for five days.  I am so excited!!

Note: I do not have any access to pictures from this stretch, a small limitation.  I do have pictures that Rach sent me that include photos from Hart's Pass up to Snoqualmie Pass.  I will include some of those which are a testament to the amount of snow and beautiful (though exhausting) terrain they've crossed.

 

Rach on one of the many snow traverses - trail up ahead!

 

 

This may be one of the "death" traverses

 

 

Campsite with solitude and a view.....priceless!

 

 

Approaching the knife edge

 

 

Day Journaling on June 29, 2013

 

 

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!

Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

July 3, 2013

I didn't have a chance to write yesterday, so I will sum it up briefly. There was less snow and the trail was easier to keep. We had lunch at Lake Valhalla, which was a deep sapphire blue with pieces of snow floating amongst it. Mom and Dad walked out to meet us and it made my heart leap with joy to see them coming up the trail. We had burgers and milkshakes at the 59 Diner and ran errands in Leavenworth. The dropped us back off at dusk. It was hard to say goodbye. I cry every time I get back on the trail. I wonder if it will get easier as I get further from home.

Today we entered the land of lakes. We are in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. We walked up and over Stevens Pass, underneath the chair lifts. I always think ski resorts look so desolate without snow. And there is noticeably less snow today.  There has been a shift in the landscape, you can tell we have left the North Cascades. The mountains are greener and less rugged. We had lunch beside Mig Lake. It makes one feel so rich to have an abundance of food again. We climbed up Trap Pass with stunning views of teal Trap Lake below. We continued on past surprise Lake and took an alternate route up Surprise Gap. it was a bit of a climb up steep snow, but we both agree we've gotten a bit desensitized to the snow. Looking north behind us, Glacier Peak was illuminated in the fading daylight with Glacier Lake just below us. We descended to Deception Lakes, where we are camped on a little piece of land surrounded on three sides by water. This is probably my favorite campsite so far. I saw the lake and had an overwhelming urge to get in, even though it was nearly dark and not getting any warmer. It was freezing, and also exhilarating. I finally feel clean after not showering for 12 days. I got really cold afterwards, but Ben made me tea and hot tortellini that Blue Heron (Mom) brought us. We turned off our headlamps and took in the stars. There literally take your breath away. I feel very lucky. 18.5 miles today.

July 4, 2013

I am sitting at Peggy's Pond tucked between Cathedral Rock and Mount Daniel. It is so serene here, like I am hidden away in this little pocket of the mountains. The day was productive and the miles gentler. We walked 12 miles by about 230. The main obstacle of note was crossing the Mount Daniel runoff. We went across as a team with me holding onto Ben's pack. The water was thigh deep and very powerful. It was so scary feeling like you might get swept away. This evening we are planning to walk partway up Daniel to see the fireworks. It is so nice to have this afternoon to soak in the beauty. I have been meditating on the difference between simple and easy today. The trail is far from easy but I revel in the simplicity.

So our firework viewing was thwarted by high winds. We walked up and watched clouds roll over the summit like illuminated golden smoke. I leaned into the gusts and stood transfixed. Nature puts on a pretty good show herself. If things always worked out the way we planned, we wouldn't have seen a lot of the things we've seen.

July 5, 2013

The unofficial first day of Seattle summer dawned gray and cold and windy. We carefully made our way back down the climber's trail leading from Peggy's Pond back to the PCT. The weather quickly improved and we were able to stay suited down (no ice axe and microspikes) for the rest of the day. The miles went by quickly for much of the day. We descended to Deep Lake and then skirted around Waptus Lake. It was easy to get lost in my thoughts as I walked through warm green meadows filled with wildflowers. We gradually climbed back up to about 5,700 feet. We had a delicious dinner of tortellini with pesto and snap peas (thanks Karen!) before continuing on our way. The mountains were especially stunning. I look across the valley at ominous looking black summit blocks with flanks of white snow stretched out below. A layer of clouds sat just above the peaks, and with the sun just behind the clouds, it gave the appearance of a halo. The trees in the foreground had been the victim of a forest fire, casting a dark beauty over the scene. We descended again, which wrecked havoc on my feet. We are literally camped on the trail, which is good because I was about to just lie down. 25 miles today.

July 6, 2013

The first few miles today were very painful. I have huge blisters underneath the balls of my feet, which makes it feel like my skin is ripping off every step I take. We took a break at Spectacle Lakes and took care of my feet. We ran into snow near Park Lakes. Looking over at Chikamin ridge, there were steep scree slopes covered with snow in areas. We crossed some of them, but the route ahead looking treacherous. We ended up dropping into the Gold Creek Basin, which was a frustrating three hours of descending steep snow, scree, and bushwacking. We finally hooked up with a real trail and walked the last miles out to Snoqualmie Pass. It was a beautiful area of the section to miss, but definitely worth it to take the safer route. We are staying at Hyak tonight, and will spend tomorrow with family and friends. I am so excited to have a day to spend with family and friends!!!

The Geographical, Physical, Mental and Emotional Ups and Downs of the PCT

July 4, 2013 (transcribed)

From the Journal:  June 28, 2013
I am exhausted.  It seems like so much happened today that it couldn't have possibly fit into a single day.  I woke up today and the sun was out!  It was glorious!  The moon was also rising (or setting) above the rock band that hugs the little lake we camped next to.  The first few hours of the day were spent climbing snow up to Fire Creek Pass.  There were two hummingbirds flying around us on the way up, which I believe to be Aunt Cathy saying "hello".  This is the second time I've seen hummingbirds in an unlikely snow-covered landscape, the other being on Ruth Icy with Mom last summer.  We also saw two fighter jets soaring and doing tricks amongst the mountains.  Looks like a fun job.  The mountains today are unbelievable, by the way.  I'm afraid I might trip over my own feet because I can't stop staring.  We are right next to Glacier Peak.  We haven't gotten an unobstructed summit shot, she kept shooting off lenticular (halo) clouds.  On the other side of the pass, we descended in the snow for awhile, did a few death traverses and scrambled up some steep brush before it became evident that we had miles of snow covered traverses ahead.  Also, very important, we got to walk up this incredible narrow snow ridge to the top of the pass.  It was scary at times and very exposed but also exhilarating.  There was even a little rock scramble/climb near the top.  Anyway, instead of miles of death traverses, Ben worked out a route that took us down to the valley and eventually met up with the Kennedy Ridge Trail.  Basically this entailed hours of bushwacking up and down very steep terrain.  For example, you know you're on a steep slope when you get to your creek crossing and it's a waterfall instead!  Eventually we made it back to the trail.  I literally felt tempted to hug the tree bearing the PCT sign.  At this point it took 12 hours to walk 8 miles.  And then another 1.5 hours to do 3.5 - 4 more miles.  We hiked until 9:40 and are camped by another creek.  Now my feet are dry and my belly is fuller so I'm a happy camper.  44 miles to Stevens Pass.

June 29, 2013
Day journaling for once.  We are sitting on a ridge waiting for a party of backpackers to bring us some extra food.  They even offered to bring it up for us so we could take a break.  It is warm and sunny, it feels so good to sit and take in this landscape. 

Glacier Peak is off to my right and the other 360 degrees is filled with countless unknown and beautiful peaks.  There are layers of blue and white mountains, sitting below the blue and white cloud filled sky.  It is like two worlds sitting on top of each other, or maybe the same world reflected back on itself.  I sit here and feel my whole being fill with peace.  We left some of BJ in the neighborhood, it is an appropriate place for him to live on. 

Travel continues to be slow going.  We were on the trail an hour this morning before hitting snow.  It was relatively flat before we began the climb up to Red Pass.  We were able to go straight up the snow without difficulty.  At the top there was trail for a few glorious feet before we turned a corner to view yet another death traverse.  We did one traverse, then opted to go up and over the ridege, which offered breathtaking views.

As I type, Dwight, Rachel's cat is on my lap....couldn't resist adding the photo!

 

June 30, 2013

It seems like each day is more exhausting than the last.  There is so much snow that any view of the trail is obscured for miles at a time.  We walked 14 grueling hours today to go 12 miles.  Thank God for the extra food we got yesterday, we have been rationing as is.  We just had a PB cup and four gummy worms.  It was actually hot today, with hardly a cloud in the sky.  It feels so good to be warm.  We caught our first glimpse of Rainier today.  One of our breaks we sat on a rock outcropping and looked south at the mountains we could identify - Daniel, Stuart, Colchuck, Dragontail, Prusik, Chair, Guye, Snoqualmie - we are headed their way!  The trail is testing me, but I feel strong.  It feels right to be here.

 

July 1, 2013

Today has been a whirlwind, another kind of day that seems like two or three.  It was another gorgeous blue bird day, which makes it hard to complain about anything else.  There was a beautiful red hummingbird flying around camp last night.  I woke up to brilliant stars and again early this morning to the first rays of light touching the sky.  We walked mostly on snow, and had some Ramen, down climbed some steep willows, lost and found the trail repeatedly, had a PayDay dipped in PB and Nutella, climbed up a steep snow slope only to get cliffed out and find a way down through more steep brush.  I think it is a combination of the heat, exhaustion and limiting calories that I feel a little delirious today.  I notice at 4 or 5 pm I feel completely drained but I do seem to get a second wind that carries me until dark which is when we've been hiking until.  These days if you're looking for the PCT, you will likely find a river.  There is a ton of run off with the heat the last few days.  These are the moments when things get very frustrating, we have trouble keeping the trail and when we do find it we can't even walk on it without getting soaking wet.  And, then this evening we made our way to the top of Grizzly Peak and found ourselves in a meadow of glacier lilies with the most picturesque mountain views surrounding us on all sides and I feel on top of the world.  That is the funny thing about this trail - even when you are hot, cold, wet, scared, bleeding, hungry, thirsty, tired or lost, it is still hard to imagine a place I would rather be.  It is certainly a lesson in perseverance.  We have a little over 10 miles into Stevens Pass and the miles have started moving a bit quicker over the last two or three.  It felt good to hike this evening, to watch the sky change color, the sunset casting a rosy glow over the snow slopes.  We walked near Heather Lake, one of my childhood favorites with Mom and Beej.  It's the first lake we've seen that wasn't snow covered.  I get to give Mom a hug tomorrow.  I am having a wonderful time and Ben and I have really been working well as a team and making each other laugh, but it is hard to be away from my loved ones.

 

 

The Two Man Wolf Pack Emerges at Stevens Pass - get to hug Mom