More excitement awaited me after crossing the Knife’s Edge in Goat Rocks Wilderness. I had a detour to face and decisions to make to get me to the trailhead and the end of my 500-mile adventure.
PCT Washington
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My most exhilarating day on the PCT in Washington was hiking through Goat Rocks. My day was full of epic views, mountain peaks, and steep terrain.
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The PCT from Mount Adams to Goat Rocks passes through a variety of forest, some lakes and offers up the occasional view. Plus the weather took an unexpected turn.
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The PCT through the Mount Adams Wilderness is a spectacular section of trail. I only had 10 miles to hike along the PCT and threw in a two-mile detour to get closer to the Adams Glacier.
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After a few weeks’ delay due to smoke I was back on the PCT in Washington. I had 65 miles to hike through the Mount Adams and Goat Rocks Wildernesses to complete the trail.
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Reaching the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail doesn’t mean the hike is over! There are 8 more miles yet to reach Manning Park Lodge where hikers can find fresh food, showers, and a ride back to civilization.
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My last full day on the Pacific Crest Trail. I hiked through a variety of terrain and a variety of weather to reach the famous monument at the northern border.
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I decided to take it easy a couple days before reaching the Canadian border. I spent the day leap-frogging with my trail friends as we hiked a bit less than 10 miles, explored a lake, and enjoyed “cocktail hour” in a beautiful alpine meadow.
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A challenging day on trail for me and my fellow thru-hikers. We had to contend with heavy smoke, hot temperatures and waterless sections of trail. But thru-hikers are resilient and you never know what joy might greet you at the end of the day.
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An inspiring day, hiking from pass to pass to pass beneath steep mountain ridges.