Sometimes, the bad times is actually the good times. The things you can go laugh about after all is said and done. That stretch from white pass to Snoqualmie was definitely one of those adventures. Lots of challenges, misfortunes but memorable fun.
The trip started after I stepped out of Packwood. I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the mountain goat bakery and finished my blog post for last week. Getting a hitch back to white pass ended up taking a hour or so. Eventually, a gentleman with a truck pulled over to my joy and relief. Turns out, he only lives down the street from here but he’s going to go out of the way to take me up there! I was beyond grateful.
The rain started as we were driving up. The constant misty drizzle. By the time I started hiking, I knew there was no stopping and I was in for a cold and miserable day. I trudged along, too wet and cold for breaks. Every 5 minutes seems to last 2 hours. Soon enough, the trail is starting to form rivers and ponds and I gave up at all attempt at keeping my feet wet, trudging along and careless of the puddles.
The rain was unrelenting and by the time it was 2, I was shivering. My only warm clothes was my rain jacket, no other layers to keep me warm since the only other clothes I have is my puffy. The only saving grace is that my rain jacket was keeping my upper body dry.
I turn the corner and saw two friends that left the same day I did sitting under a tree. As I approached, they said, “we are thinking of staying here.” Seeing them there pretty much made up my mind for me. I’m not hiking anymore.
We each searched out a spot with no puddle on it and started setting up. It’s pretty incredible how well my flat tarp works in the rain. I quickly made the A-frame set up after so much practice and soon enough I had a dry (relatively) space to myself.
So I tucked myself into my sleeping quilt and started to try to warm my body back up to normal. After a bit of shivering in the damp clothes, I eventually found myself toasty warm, eating chocolates and watching an episode of The Punisher on Netflix.
In the middle of the night, I suddenly woke to something ruffling my hair. Something alive. I shook awake and looked around to try to figure out what was going on. Then in the shadows, I saw something dart by and then disappeared into the night.
What the heck was that?
I turned on my headlamp and started looking around and then I discovered the mouth shaped hole in my bivy mesh. Oh no, that little B@#*#&rd chewed through my bivy! I left the chocolate inside my bivy and went to bed. Then I panicked and looked at the bag of chocolate, oh thank God he didn’t get to the chocolate. The expensive gear is one thing, but getting a thru-hiker’s food? That’s unforgivable.
I got up and looked around. Then I saw him. The mini-bear (mouse) looked at me with absolute contempt, snickered and then ran off. I could do nothing other than give him an obscene gesture and shake my fist in frastration.
Then being so tired. I went back to bed.
The mini bear visited me one more time. He really liked my hair but didn’t bother going for the food bag right next to me so I guess I don’t have to burn down the forest to teach him a lesson. (too soon? Too soon). Forest fires are bad, don’t start them for any reason.
After the rain, comes the sunshine
The next morning. I woke up to drip drop sound of water collected from the tree hitting my tarp but it seems like the rain has tapered off. I begrudgingly put on my wet shoes and started packing. I then realized that my pct 50 year anniversary pin was no longer there. I found the back part of the pin but the front is no where to be found. No! That mouse! Not my pin! Is forest fire acceptable now? You took too much from me, my nemesis!
There’s nothing to do now. Because of the horrible progress the day before, I must now hike 30 miles each day for the next three days to make it to Snoqualmie pass to go visit Seattle. It’s gonna be a hard stretch.
Fortunately, the day was incredible and definitely mood lifting, the sun finally came out of the clouds and every turn of the corner revealed more beauty.
The vibrant stream right next to the campsite
The sun finally. This was from when I first started hiking. So cool to see sun beams breaking through the fog
Mount Rainier in full details
Other hikers marching through the beautiful landscape
It was fairly uneventful till the evening. With 3 miles to till camp, I was more than eager to get there and finally relax after the long day.
There was a family with a few children camping at a spot next to the trail so I stopped and we struck up a conversation. After a few minutes, I said my good bye and started walking away. In 10 feet or so I came across a downed tree and started stepping over it. As my second foot went over, my shoe got caught. I barely held my balance as I felt the mesh of the shoe ripped. I regained my balance after freeing my shoe, looked down at the long gash and screamed “Oh F@&#!” before I realized I was definitely still within ear shot of the family I was talking to. I didn’t even dare to look back as I hurried away, hiking way faster than usual.
So in the same stretch, I ripped my shoe, lost my pin and had a hole chewed through my bivy. Probably the most casualties I have had in one stretch of the PCT. Plus, I had to hike 85 miles in 3 days which definitely did not make this stretch relaxing. But, there was plenty of plus side. The mountains, beautiful forests and the plentiful berries that kept slowly me down. This eventful section will definitely be one of the high light of the trail.
