Robert and Roslyn on the Pacific Crest Trail
As I write this, OG is driving our rental car southward towards Kennedy Meadows. We have just crossed into California. It is strange to be driving past places near where we hiked through a couple of months ago.
We will drive late tonight as it is quite a distance and we need to get to the Ridgecrest post office before 5pm tomorrow.
Today was spent packing supplies to be posted to various towns in central California. Our challenge is that all food and scented items need to be inside a bear-proof cannister, which itself weighs a bit over 1kg.
This map shows what we have to do (blue dashed line, northwards) to finish the last quarter of the trail. You will recall that we jumped around a few times so that we could hike where there wasn’t dangerous snow. It was disappointing not to be able to walk continuously north to Canada, but at least we have been able to keep hiking, and should be able to finish within our visa limit.Tonight Jean cooked up an elk stew with biscuits (scones) – delicious!
Today has been spent resting and shopping for supplies and enjoying the hospitality of OG and his wife Jean. We had a lovely dinner of chicken enchiladas, with their daughter and son-in-law.
Here are some stats:
Adrenaline was high this morning as we knew we only had 11.5 miles to get to the Canadian border, to finish all the PCT in Washington. Of course we still have to do the Sierras.
The scenery continued to be spectacular mountain views.
We got to the border monument at about 10:30 and we were cheered in by five girls already there. A further 4 guys arrived while we were there.
It is a good time to reflect on all the blessings we have enjoyed to date: good health, injury free, good company, hardly any wet weather especially in Washington, great scenery, etc.
Where’s the wall?
After eating an early lunch we walked another 8.5 miles into Canada to the town of Manning Park where OG’s wife was waiting for us.
After a shower we drove back to their home in Snohomish near Seattle. The re-entry through US border control was effortless.
A strong wind was blowing around us all night and in the morning we found that a fine layer of dust was covering our sleeping bags and no doubt our hair and faces too. We packed up and headed out at the usual time and were greeted by a biting wind which gusted harder as we headed up to a narrow ridge.
As well as the lovely dawn colours, we had a nearly full moon setting in the west.
Clouds were blowing over to block our views but lifted as we continued along and it cleared to a beautiful blue sky but the chill in the air continued.
After a couple of hours we arrived at Hart’s Pass where we were able to use a pit toilet and get rid of our rubbish in a bin at the ranger’s cabin. The ranger gave us some plums and pointed us to the continuation of the trail.
With perfect hiking weather, stunning views of mountains all around, and a good path bordered with wild flowers, we had an really enjoyable day. The end was an uphill stretch to a campsite right beside a granite mountain. Since there is no water for another 5 miles we had a water carry to camp.
Our total was 24.9 miles. Hopefully the weather will stay fine for our walk to the border tomorrow.
We spent a cold night and woke with the alarm at 5:20 to find that it was still quite dark and we needed a torch to get breakfast and start packing up. By 6am it was lighter but unfortunately we were in mist and clouds for the first few hours of the morning, missing out on some of the views as we hiked along an open path around the mountain top.
Around 10am we were quite high and the clouds started to lift a bit. Again we saw magnificent valleys and peaks.
Spot the hiker above!
Then it was down again to a river crossing in the valley.
OG was hiking a little behind us and caught up to us when we were having a break. He had just seen a small bear on the trail about 40′ away from him. It was probably eating huckleberries. It quickly left the trail before he could get a photo.
Then surprise surprise, another long climb up to about 6800′ where we saw more spectacular views.
Our campsite is high and it feels like it will be a cold night.
After a good cooked breakfast at the Stehekin Restaurant, we caught the 8 o’clock bus to the trailhead and commenced the final section in Washington. We started in Chelan National Park where the campsites are well maintained and have bear proof food safes.
After a couple of hours we stopped at the first of these campsites and sat at a picnic table for morning tea with a couple of other hikers – Doug from Canada and Ranger Rick (used to be a park ranger at Cascade Locks). There was a deer wandering around the campsite who didn’t seem very shy – animals in the national parks are generally less afraid because they are protected whereas in other areas they can be hunted in season.
The PCT trail here was very recently maintained and, although it was a long uphill climb for 19+ miles, the gradient wasn’t too steep and most of the rivers had bridges or log footbridges for safe crossing. A rocky creek supplied a convenient lunch spot and we enjoyed a pastry we had bought from Stehekin bakery.
We arrived at Rainy Pass at about 6:30 pm and were joined by Doug who is hiking Washington this year to complete his PCT hike.
Although the tent site at the trailhead has the convenience of a nearby clean toilet, unfortunately it is located right near a fairly busy road with loud traffic noise. A first for us on the PCT.
Getting close to Canada!
Well, with the enticement of town amenities to come, we were up and on the trail in good time. According to the trail app we were headed all downhill so there was no real hurry. We wanted to catch the 3 pm bus from the trailhead to the town and had 16.4 miles to travel.
Not long after starting we came across a patch of thimble berries ripe for the picking and dallied a while. Nevertheless at our 10 am morning tea stop we found we had completed just on 10 miles. We hastened on as the supposed downhill walk was not so much a downhill stroll but more of an undulating track following the river down to High Bridge where there was a road and a shuttle bus. Since we were making good time we didn’t bother to stop for lunch knowing that we would get to there by the early afternoon.
In the forest we came across a deer. We stood still to watch and photograph and, curious, it walked towards us but then jumped away. There were birds calling and squirrels and chipmunks scuttling along the path – it seemed like more wildlife than usual for this section.
We came to the trailhead and ranger station at 12:45 which gave us time to dry out our tent and sleeping bags, eat lunch and put some plans for the California section to paper. Half an hour before the bus was due we accepted the offer of a ride to Stehekin village in the back of a pickup.
Stehekin is a pretty community on one end of a large lake – Lake Chelan. The only way to get to it is by boat or by hiking in.
Now we have washed our clothes, showered and had a good meal at the restaurant and are camped on a hillside behind the National Park visitor centre.
The day started with a long downhill trail through the forests.
We went through a sheltered spot where we saw some truly massive red cedars and Douglas fir trees – it was quite awesome to see such ancient giants.
After crossing a fast flowing river (thankfully there was a bridge) we did another well graded but long climb. Once again we were rewarded with impressive mountain views.
We camped a few miles on from the summit in a grassy tentsite with views all around. There was even a thunderbox toilet with a view.
26.7 miles / 43km today, and we passed the 3000km mark.
OG eating dinner before pitching his tent
Initially the trail wound steeply downhill and we hiked through mud and water with vegetation hanging over both sides of the track. We had to push the branches aside to make our way through and it was difficult to see the rocks and slippery mud at our feet.
After the long downhill and then relatively flat but muddy walk, of course we had to go back up – another steep ascent but with the reward of more amazing mountain views at the top. We were able to see the snow capped mountains ahead and below us green meadows, rocky outcrops and a creek. The path that we were about to take wound down through the valley and then we could see the switchbacks of the next ascent on the mountainside opposite.
Broken but still usable!
The forests are full of interesting fungi.
We were warned by some day hikers who live locally that the ascent was tough but, although it was steep, the afternoon sun was on us and the trail was somewhat overgrown, it was not too difficult and we arrived at our campsite weary but happy at 6:30 pm after a tough 23.3 miles.