washington

Day 7: Lake Valhalla to Lake Janus.
The morning of my seventh day on trail I woke up in pain. My legs were so stiff, particularly my shins. As I got moving, got my pack on, and hit the trail, I realised that I likely would be unable to keep going. I came to the conclusion that it was the end of the road for my time on trail.

Day 5: Deception Pass to Mig Lake (14 miles)
Today was a fantastic day for scenery and the trail reminded me a lot of hiking the John Muir Trail. I crossed over 3 passes and saw half a dozen alpine lakes.

DAY 4: Waptus River to Deception Pass (14.8 miles)
Today’s miles were fueled by berries. Thimbleberries, blueberries, and huckleberries carpeted the trail side. Not only did they help me keep going, but they gave me a reason to slow down. To see the little things that this world offers. The juicy, sweet, and tart little things. 

My second day in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness would take me 2500 feet up, through an alpine cirque, and then 2500 feet down. I’d pass through some lovely meadow, by a couple alpine tarns and then back into the montane forest.

DAY 2: Ridge Lake to Lemah Creek.
Today’s hike is brought to you by the word “wow.” Today’s section was a truly incredible trail. Already the Alpine Lakes Wilderness outweighed my expectations.

Section J of the PCT is a pretty popular backpacking route for Washington hikers. The trail travels exclusively through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass. I was ready to be back on trail and excited to traverse this exception section of Washington’s PCT.

Day 7: Powerline Corridor to Mirror Lake (13 miles)
Day 8: Mirror Lake to Snoqualmie Pass (8.3 miles) 
My last couple days on trail for Section I passed in a bit of a blur. There were a lot of ups and downs, dirt forest roads, clear-cuts, douglas firs, and the occasional stream crossing to keep it interesting.

Day 6: Blowout Mountain to Powerline Corridor. I woke up this morning to a windy, wet world. The cooler weather provided a bit of a relief from the sun. I also saw things a bit differently as I hiked my 15 miles for the day.

Day 5: Crag Rock Spring to Blowout Mountain. Today I hiked 17 miles. Seventeen!!! That’s the most I’ve ever hiked in a day. I’m definitely getting my trail legs. The trail has also mellowed out a bit, allowing me to travel more easily.

Day 4: Bear Gap to Arch Rock Spring. The views along today’s trail were awesome as I travelled along a crest a couple ridges east of Mount Rainier. The clear blue skies and unique terrain made for a fantastic day.