Day 80 – Running for Cover

I slept well enough. It did not rain, so my tarp was unnecessary. Rain is in the forecast today so I have rearranged my pack for bad weather. My sleeping cap and fleece are packed with my clothes and put in a waterproof compartment. My rain jacket is in an outside pocket. It is cool enough that I will wear my wind jacket and rain pants.

Cloudy skies

The early day has clouds on the horizon.

I am hiking close to the burned section that almost closed the PCT. The fire is no longer active in this area, but brown smoke from the active section still hangs in the air. The fact the Washington has a great deal of elevation changes in its landscape leads to some pretty dramatic shots this morning.

The hike today goes up from Porcupine Creek to 7000 ft. It stays there for a while before descending to 4000 ft after which it goes back up to 7000. Total elevation gain is 5200 ft – a big day. But I really want to get to Canada. A big day will put me close to Hart’s Pass – the last public access before Canada. So up I go.

Let’s hike together

Hiking at these upper elevations can be pleasant if the trail is not too rocky, not too hot and not too smoky. Today is none of those. Let me take you on a journey. It begins as we ascend from Porcupine Creek. We pop over a saddle and see this.

It sort of reminds me of Red Pass. The view is a big open-ended bowl. You can see the trail ascending on the left. We go around the corner up there and see this.

Now we are on the backside of the ridge we climbed in the last photo. It is getting rockier as we go up. See the trail on the left. When we pop around that corner we see a big valley below with another ridge on the right. My trekking pole points to the pass we are heading for – Methow Pass.

But first we have to descend this rocky ridge we are standing on using about 10 switchbacks. The trip to Methow Pass takes almost two hours because it is about 4 miles away. When we reach the Pass, you’re out of breath and need a break. I go on ahead. Our journey together is over. Hike your own hike.

Blowdown boulevard

From the pass I descend a long way, back into the world of forests. On the way down I meet a frustrated young lady who warns me that there are “a lot” of blowdowns ahead. What is a lot? 25? 50? 100? I start counting. By the time I get to the bottom, I have counted 67 trees down over the trail.

At this point in my hike, traversing blowdowns can be problematic, but rarely is it difficult. If you look for the wear signs from previous hikers – trampled underbrush, a burnished log – you can usually find the fastest way through quickly. Blowdowns are like road closures – inconvenient but manageable with the proper signs. The blowdowns stop when the signs of trail maintenance begins.

Lunch

I stop for lunch along a creek.

The forest has views, too.

Inhospitable

The afternoon presents my second climb. I could have camped at low altitudes, waiting for MT and Jazzy, but no, the opportunity to hike farther is too much to resist. I press on. It is more comfortable to hike, too. The weather turns cold and rainy as I go up. The clouds start to fill the valleys and pretty soon I am surrounded by clouds.

I cross expansive talus fields as the temperature drops. I am getting cold but my camp is just ahead.

The camp I have chosen is crappy. Fallen trees are everywhere and the place feels broken. The rain has loosened rocks on the high scree field above. Every so often, rocks come tumbling down.

I find a site that is clear of deadfall, and relatively flat. I put up my tarp and carefully put all my stuff under it. It is windy, raining and about 48 degrees. I am shivering and I realize that I have to get warm fast or I am going to have a problem. I take off my wet clothes, get into my quilt and put on dry clothes. In my quilt I am wearing two shirts and a jacket, hiking shorts, rain pants a hat and socks. I am still cold. I open my food bag and eat whatever I pull out of it. I start to feel better. It is not raining too hard, so I think I will be ok now. I just need sleep and warmth. I wrap my quilt around me and pray for sleep, for the rain to stop and for morning to come.

• August 20
• Startinge mile: 2594
• Ending mile: 2617
• Daily PCT miles: 23
• Total PCT miles: 1245
• Animals: Eepers galore