Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass

September 10-Wednesday-Six Months of Retirement. 

The nero and zero were almost too wonderful. I didn't leave the hotel room for the trail until I had to at 11:00. The trail was rocky and there was a lot of climbing.  The rest of the family left at 7:00.  At one point I thought I would try to catch them, but it became evident early that wasn't going to happen. They did 21 miles, I did 15 miles. 

Today marks six months of retirement. The decision to retire was extremely difficult for me. I loved my job, where I was living in Montana, the community, the people at work, and I loved the land.  The place was/is incredible. There were numerous plus and minus pages around the house with the advantages and disadvantages of retirement. 

No single point on the charts made the decision. My sister-in-law died in a car accident on January 3, 2013. She was young, in her forties, and had all kinds of plans of things she wanted to do. She didn't get to do them. Life is short, and we never know how short. Both of my parents died in their fifties, and I'm fifty-eight. 

I'd wanted to do the PCT for quite a while. When I was the District Ranger at Happy Camp I made it a point to hike the PCT through the District. Those section hikes whetted my appetite.  Then, just before I went to my job in Montana, I joined Staci (Hotshot) for the first 110 miles of the trail. I was hooked, and more serious that I would hike the trail someday. 

I certainly questioned my retirement decision. After a while on the trail though I started realizing how right the decision was. The pressure was gone. Sleeping through the nights became normal. Tension in my chest was gone. Instead of mulling over work concerns, the big worries were where the next camping spot was, when was water coming up, would it rain, how steep the trail was going to be, and how sore were my feet. They were all easy issues to deal with. They were all concrete. Dreams were of the trail and a soon to be granddaughter, not of work. 

I miss being around my co-workers, but the trail folks I've met have been so fascinating it has helped the transition. 

I don't miss meetings. Being outside is way better than meetings, even on rainy, steep, ugly days.  It just seems I was meant to be outside more. I'm happier when outside.  

After six months my conclusion is I made the right choice in retiring. 

The zero day, sandwiched between two neros, helped my body and my attitude, immensely. For the entire hike I have taken 26 zeroes.  That's about a one per week average, but they were very, very, very inconsistent. There were many zeroes in Sourhern California, way fewer (three) n the middle of the state, then the big seven day zero right after getting to Oregon. One real zero per week would have been infinitely more sane. 

Leaving the amenities of Snoqualmie Pass. 

The first few hours of the day's hike was forested, then the trail went up into great views. 

Extremely difficult trail building here reminiscent of the Sierras. 

September 11-Thursday-Playing Catch Up Again

Because I only made it fifteen miles the previous day, this would be a 25 mile day. That's challenging in Washington. The trails are rocky, and there's a lot of up and down.  It is, however, beautiful. 

There was no problem finding water. 

A note along the way let me know where the camping spot would be for the evening. Teddy Rose and Trail Kandy added their touches. 

I hiked for quite a while with Teddy Rose. She is one determined and tough young woman. 

The blister on my left heel returned with a vengeance. I hobbled in to camp late and in pain. It hurt much worse than a typical blister. 

I got a needle from Princess with plans of popping it, but quickly ate and went to bed instead. Sleep was out of the question, the blister hurt too bad. It had formed under a large callous. Finally after 10:00 I decided to puncture it. On my third try the needle went through the callous and it was instant relief. From misery to elation in an instant. I was exhausted, and with the throbbing gone immediately fell asleep. 

September 12-Friday-More Washington, Challenging Trails and Beautiful Scenery

Princess did some more work on my blister in the morning. It was successful, and made hiking possible. 

A twenty mile day was planned, which sounded great. It was Washington however, and twenty mile days are challenging in this state. 

Big Dirty does not use poles either!  There aren't many of us. Apparently there was another hiker, Ewok, who didn't use poles and played an instrument similar to a Handpan that my son-in-law plays. I wish I had met Ewok. 

Big Dirty has hiked the entire trail, including the Sierras, in sandals. He brought up that very few people this year have been able to go straight through, footstep by footstep, all the way from Mexico to Canada. A great number got held up by the fires. Others got caught up by the other closures. Especially now the trail is full of hikers who skipped Northern California. I feel so lucky to have been able to do it footstep by footstep. 

A group of four southbound section hikers warned me about a terrible ford that was coming up right ahead. This was it, not very terrible. It's all a matter of perspective. I wonder how they would have described some of the fords in the Sierras. I didn't even get my feet wet on this one. 

An island in Deception Lake. 

September 13-Saturday-Stevens Pass

I got a very early start, and was greeted with a beautiful sunrise. 

Autumn colors are starting to appear. 

Hiking into Stevens Pass I passed into this mountain biking trail at the ski area. It was getting a lot of use. What a great way to use the ski area in the off season. 

After fourteen miles I met up with Theresa!  The others made it to the truck soon thereafter. There was time for a couple of meals, a hotel room, and to resupply for the next, notoriously tough, portion of the trail. Only one more resupply, at Rainy Pass, remaining. The reality is starting to set in that this hike really is going to end someday...and someday soon. 

Nero and a Zero

September 8-Monday-Nero

My last zero day was August 7th. The week of August 1-August 7 were zero days for putting in trail miles, but they were very busy and active days at the start of the Northern California fires. The last real relaxing zero day for me was July 25, after arriving at Etna Summit. For the entirety of the hike I have not needed a break so much. My feet especially hurt, as if needles were poking them. 

With an early start I was able to hike the ten miles in to Snoqualmie Pass by 10:30. The trail cuts right across the ski trail runs of Snoqualmie Pass. 

Quite a gathering of hikers was forming. 

With the visit from Glitter, who drove up from Seattle, everyone in the family except Moxie was present. Moxie has left White Pass and seems to be catching up. She definitely has the ability to finish with the family.  

Glitter, in the blue, came up to greet everyone. It was wonderful to reconnect. 

 

Teddy Rose and Firecracker were energetic and doing some serious joking around. Teddy Rose is a modern dancer, maybe this was a modern dance move she learned in college. 

We were all relaxing and loosening up. 

Laundry and drying of wet gear were the key actions of the day, in addition to eating, elevating my feet, and watching mindless TV. My plan was to watch Gilligan's Island re-runs and sleep. I couldn't find Gilligan's Island, but was able to find the History of Soda Pop on the History Channel. It was just as mindless as Gilligan's Island and had the same effect, an afternoon nap. 

My friend John McDonald came up from Bonney Lake and we had dinner and visited. What a nice visit. 

September 9-Tuesday-Glorious Zero

Finally a zero. 

Lazy, Lazy, Lazy. 

Every part of me needed this day, but especially my feet. 

I keep reading and hearing about the major fires on the Klamath National Forest. My thoughts are with everyone there. Nancy Hood, who has been a lookout on the Klamath for as long as anyone can remember, more than fifty years, lost her house in Scott Bar to the fire. She is one a fantastic person and the source of infinite historic information of the Klamath River vicinity. I know the love folks have for Nancy will gush forward. 

Jaclyn Rainville and Mark Witherbee came up the hill from Issaquah, Washington with my food resupply and to visit. Every Rainville provided support on the trail!  Great friends who fortunately decided to live scattered along the length of the PCT. Mike and Sharleen in Southern California; Christa, Kyle and Brady in Etna; Ben and Carly near Portland, and; Jaclyn and Mark in Snoqualmie. Wonderful support. 

Resting with feet up at Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, mile 2402. 

Chinook Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

September 6-Saturday-Early Start and Big Plans

The campsite for the night had been awesome. There were many mountain goats above us on the rocks. What an odd scenario that the large mammal I've seen the most of on the hike has been mountain goats. The camp was too awesome, it was filled with thru-hikers. 

Friday I visited with Double Tap a little bit. He was really cheerful. He had just taken a double zero when he got to White Pass. He had planned to just zero, but it felt so good, and he felt he needed more rest, that he stayed an extra day. I was dripping with jealousy as he told me how good the two day rest made him feel. 

It seems most hikers are on edge these days. The long hike, and the exhaustion, are making the nicest people less nice. It seemed to start around the California-Oregon border, but has been intensifying as the end is approaching.  

What would attitudes be like if the incredible number of kind people weren't along the way providing encouragement and support?

Waking up at 3:30, unable to sleep, I hatched a plan to get me a double zero at Snoqualmie Pass. It would require two 30 mile days, one Saturday, then one Sunday, and check into the hotel Sunday night. So I got up at 4:30, started hiking at 5:00 by headlamp, and started putting in miles. 

The advantage of hiking early is experiencing the sunrise. Another advantage is the wildlife. I scared up a herd of elk. No elk hunters were around until later. 

Nice morning views of the sun hitting Mount Ranier. 

I made it to my first stopping point, Urich Cabin, a little after ten.  This was about 13 miles and it was early.  I was feeling good. I slowed down considerably after this stop. 

The view from the front porch of Urich Cabin, looking at Government Meadow. 

Mount Ranier is spectacular and photogenic. 

A surprise couple of trail angels, Kevin and Karen, greeted me at a logging road crossing. Karen was explaining the food options to OG. 

Kevin setting up the perfect shot, with Mount Rainer as the backdrop, for a couple of thru-hikers, Peanut and Dozen. 

They have nice trail magic, which is well received and appreciated. 

I couldn't make it the thirty miles originally in mind, so stopped after 25 miles. I camped with Halfmile and had great conversation while cooking dinner. 

The 30 mile days are over not just because of the Washington trails. The days are getting shorter. Hiking some in the morning and the evening with a headlamp is fine. Hiking too much in the dark cuts into one of the main reasons for hiking, to see things.  

Halfmile had just met an odd character on the trail. A guy hiking with red ski boots, aluminum foil fashioned like a hat or helmet on his head, and irrationally talking about his motorcycle. The guy then bailed off the trail, down into steep territory. As he was telling the story of this strange character still in the vicinity I got the sense Halfmile was glad I joined his camp for the evening. 

September 7-Sunday-Trail Magic Times Two

I woke up early and decided to get a couple of hours hiking in before breakfast. There was a rumor of trail magic at Tacoma Pass. After four miles I arrived at the pass. The rumors were true. 

Not Phil's Dad was the trail angel. His son, Not Phil, was a PCT thru-hiker a few years ago, and that got Not Phil's Dad into the trail angel game. He is very good at it. There was a lot of great food, hot coffee, and plenty of interesting  conversation with other thru-hikers, and with Not Phil's Dad. The disadvantage was I got stuck in the vortex. Two hours later I finally got on the trail again. 

Two of the hikers had recently been to Kenya. One had been there for a year. I picked their brains for information useful for my trip in November with Hotshot to Kenya and Tanzania to hike/climb Mount Kilimanjaro.  

A few hours later I was looking for lunch items and was surprised that I still had some Snickers left in the bottom of my food bag from Mr. Snickers. This topped off my lunch. 

Immediately after eating I hiked down the trail and came across another trail angel. The number of trail angels in this area is becoming comical. The entire state of Oregon only had one set up like the four recent set ups in Washington.  The fact that it was a weekend made a huge difference. The Stumbling Norwegian was getting ready to close down as we were leaving.  He lives in the Seattle area and this is weekend fun for him. 

Stumbling Norwegian had an impressive lunch/dinner spread at Stampede Pass.  In true thru-hiker form, I ate again.  A hamburger, potato chips, soda, fruit, and pastries tasted great. It was incredible. This vortex trapped me for about an hour and a half. Halfmile caught up with me and we headed to camp eight miles further up the trail. 

I ate so much there was no need for dinner. This makes four trail angels in three days, unprecedented.  On the  typical day it is an effort to just maintain weight. I'm convinced I actually gained weight today, even with hiking 24 miles. 

The end of week 23, at mile 2392 on the shore of Twilight Lake, ten miles out of Snoqulamie Pass. Laying in my tent, listening to an elk bugle.  

A 25 and a 24 mile day was not enough to get me to Snoqualmie Pass, but it got me close enough to allow for a short nero. While my plan wasn't fully successful, it will still allow for more rest. 

I am so ready for the upcoming needed break. 

White Pass to Chinook Pass

September 4-Thursday-Easy Twenty

A night in a motel at White Pass for resupply and recuperation was perfect, but could have been longer. Everything dried from the rain. Tidy Camper did a combined laundry. Dick Eastlick drove us to the town of Packwood for dinner. 

It was hard for me to get going in the morning. Going slow, enjoying a few cups of coffee, and visiting was so nice. The others headed out about 8:00. I didn't get on the trail until a little before 10:00. When I finally got on the trail it felt great. I made good time and caught up. It was a relatively easy twenty mile day. A light pack made the difference. Dick agreed to meet us Friday at Chinook Pass so only one day of food was carried. What a nice feeling. There was plenty of water along the way too, so not much water weight was required. 

I was thrilled to meet Halfmile again on the trail. The last time we were together was just before reaching the California-Oregon border. He is hiking alone now because Deb (Staying Afloat) got off the trail in Ashland, Oregon and is now trail angel support for Halfmile. He joined the family for the camp at Two Lakes for the evening. He didn't sing much. 

It was fun just to sit around in the evening as we finished early. We sang. Princess played rugby for ten years in Germany. She knows some quite interesting rugby songs. The songs she sang were not church appropriate. Then, ironically interspersed, we sang many songs that were church appropriate because everyone knew the words, like Amazing Grace. 

In late afternoon I entered Mount Rainier National Park. 

The hard Oregon dirt had broken my cat hole shovel. It is challenging, but possible, to still dig a six inch hole with a two inch shovel. Theresa sent a replacement shovel that was delivered by Dick Eastlick. I had forgot asking her for a replacement. It was like getting an unexpected Christmas present. Sometimes it takes very little to excite a thru-hiker. 

September 5-Friday-Ranier National Park

I left early before everyone else and was treated to elk bugling, and a beautiful view of Mount Ranier to the west with the morning sun. The bugling elk brought back memories of the Gravelly Range in Montana. What a great morning. 

I saw a cow elk, but the picture shows nothing. It was a wildlife morning. Getting an early start definitely helps with wildlife viewing. Elk, deer (a beautiful buck), grouse, many other birds, etc, made the morning fun. 

On the east side of the ridge is National Forest land, and it's hunting season. We shared the trail with some bow hunters looking for elk. Any bugling elk on the east side of the ridge ( outside the National Park) was probably a hunter :).

We made it to Chinook Pass and reconnected with Dick (Mr. Snickers) for our resupply and had lunch. It was such an easy hike to this point with light packs. We were so lucky to have the help from Dick. 

Life is good