8/17 – Day 120
8.3 miles from Cascade Lock, OR to Table Mountain Junction
A man wearing what appeared to be a raccoon furry suit ran through camp blasting music in the morning. C’mon hiker trash, time to get moving. We packed up and left Thunder Island before bumping into a man from a local church hosting a hiker breakfast. He offered us a ride and we indulged in their buttery pancakes.
Throughout this hike, we have been shown kindness by people of many different backgrounds and beliefs. After feeling a bit of pressure that we stick around for a sermon afterwards, I wondered what, if anything, could be said about those who show kindness with no strings attached, versus those who do so with an ulterior motive.
As enjoyable as Trail Days was, the lack of showers, laundromats, or charging stations in Cascade Locks meant we were behind on our town chores. We spent the afternoon charging our devices at the coffee shop and managed to beg the Cascade Inn Motel to do laundry.
We did not leave until after 3:00pm, following one last meal at Eastwind Drive-in. All told, we were probably the last the very last hikers to leave Trail Days and finally cross the Bridge of the Gods into Washington. What a surreal feeling to step into the final state of the PCT.
We took a long break with Ass Cactus, Snake Eyes, 100 Grand, and Stag, the lot of whom were too hungover to hike any further than 4 miles out of town. We had a meta conversation about the thru-hike, bringing up how it feels like we have been out for just a week and a full year simultaneously.
We chose to hike on a bit further at 7:30pm. Since Trail Days had just concluded, a whole new bubble has formed. While many hikers shuttled back to where they were on the trail before heading to Trail Days, there were plenty, like us, hiking north into Washington today. This meant that every possible flat spot was occupied with a tent well before we passed. We were forced to improvise on a lumpy patch of underbrush.
8/18 – Day 121
26.8 miles from Table Mountain Junction to Panther Creek Road
We started the day with a brisk, three mile climb in the foggy morning. My first impression of Washington was that it was steeper than Oregon, but the terrain was glass. A smooth trail was way more important than a mellow grade when it comes to making miles. The trail was confined to a dense evergreen forest for majority of the day.
We passed close to a dozen thru-hikers whom we had never seen before, and only a dude named Beer Run who we knew. At a peaceful spot on the shore of Rock Creek, we took a long lunch and ran calculations on our pace to help us estimate a finish date for the PCT.
We wondered what “slowing down” even looked like at this point. There was nothing to do except hike. When we hiked for a full day, we generally went between 20 and 27 miles and that was not going to randomly change. Ultimately, we hoped to take at least one more zero day and more guilt free days into or out of town.
We continued down a lengthy hill for much of the afternoon. We crossed over a number of small footbridges, including a sturdy one across Trout Creek, before landing in a small campsite for the night around 8:30pm.
8/19 – Day 122
19.5 miles from Panther Creek Road to Indian Racetrack Trail Junction
After hiking less than 0.1 miles in the morning, we came upon our first trail magic of the day: a man named Scrounger. He had a popup canopy setup with drinks and sandwich ingredients. Scrounger was a PCT veteran who had first hiked the trail way back in 1977! He showed us the original California PCT Guidebook, then told us some great stories about how he and 30 others dared to thru-hike in ’77 without phones, GPS, FarOut, or ultralight backpacking equipment. He was a great dude.
Sometime after 9:00am, we started our hike and immediately resorted to headphone use. I listened to podcasts on urban planning and environmentalism. Spout has been churning through her own favorites. Music is nice on occasion too. After finishing another profound read, “The Overstory” by Richard Powers, I have been struggling to find another audiobook to dive into. An unexpected boon to life on trail is being able to read or listen to so many books, which pairs well with how much time Spout and I have to chat about new ideas, or just walk and think in silence. Nature is a truly inspiring place to spend every day.
Audible content is also a tool we use to distract ourselves when going uphill. There was plenty of that today. We crossed Panther Creek and began a 9 mile, 4,000′ climb. Conveniently smack dab in the middle was another road, with another trail magic. Four folks were flipping crispy hotcakes. “Breakfast all day”, they told us. One of the guys told us about his successful journey to summit the highest peak in every U.S. state.
We hiked maybe 7 miles by noon, but knocked out the remainder of the hill after leaving the second trail magic. Mt. Adams was the next big, up-and-coming attraction and we caught a few good looks through the trees.
That afternoon, we reached another important milestone: 2,200. The PCT was officially our longest hiking trip ever, surpassing the 2,194.3 miles we completed on the AT in 2022. With less than 500 miles to go, the end was in sight. In many ways, it felt like we had already made it. Just a few more weeks to soak it all in.
Spout said, “hotdogs for dinner?” Then, at the next trailhead, we came upon our third trail magic. Four members of the electrical workers union were grilling up hotdogs and beans for the hikers. They had the most elaborate setup of the day because they were planning on being there for over a week. We made good conversation with them over dinner.
Receiving trail magic three times forced us to slow down. We hiked 19 miles then decided to camp “early” by 7:00pm or so. Having extra time in the tent was nice.
8/20 – Day 123
22.4 miles from Indian Racetrack Trail Junction to Trout Lake Creek
Without an alarm, we found very difficult to wake up this morning. Now four months into this hike, sleep is a luxury that we could not ever seem to have enough. We started walking after 9:00am.
Huckleberries were on the menu for breakfast, delicious, convenient, and free. One of the trail angels yesterday told us that high-end restaurants in Portland pay over $50 per pound for the tiny fruits. If that was the case, Spout has more than paid back the cost of the thru-hike through foraging alone.
We worked our way through the Indian Heaven Wilderness. The vast majority was within the cool, shaded forest. However, we were treated to at least a couple of shots of Mt. Adams beyond the branches.
Towards the end of the day, we passed three separate pieces of paper marked, “Trail Magic / beer, food, vibes.” Following the arrows at the next road brought us to Jessica, Nicolette, and Slip n’ Slide. They were supremely chill hosts and cooked us a multi-course meal consisting of penne, smoked sausage, and vegetables. It was, without a doubt, the most delicious trail magic we have received yet.
After saying goodbye, we made it another five miles to Trout Lake Creek. A good stopping point for a short hike to the road to catch the Trout Lake shuttle tomorrow.
8/21 – Day 124
5.8 miles from Trout Lake Creek to Williams Mine Trailhead
We set an early alarm to give us enough time to hike five miles to the road to Trout Lake by 8:30am. The trail went straight up a steep hill, for apparently no reason, before letting us down easy by the trailhead. There were at least ten hikers waiting for a ride. Some friendly residents of Trout Lake were providing the transportation.
We stopped first at the Station Cafe. It seemed a tad overpriced, but the food was decent. Juke Box, Snake Eyes, and Stag joined us at an outdoor picnic table. After eating, we migrated to the local market, which was a genuinely awesome hangout spot. 100 Grand, Ass Cactus, Beer Run, and plenty of others were kicking back on a slow day. Throughout the afternoon, empty boxes of six-packs accumulated on the table.
We resupplied at the market (great selection), but I passed on the showers and the long queue for the washing machine. We also attempted another repair of our broken tent zipper. Honestly, it was just really nice to hang with a big group of hikers when no one seemed to be in a hurry for once.
A family in Trout Lake was hosting a pot-luck and posted fliers inviting thru-hikers to “bring their appetites.” They probably did not expect over 30 of us to show up, but they were prepared with an array of delicious food. Spout and I filled small plates, while children ran around. Trout Lake was such a lovely town with a wonderful community. It certainly left an impression on many of the hikers.
After spending nearly the entire day eating or drinking, we hitched back to trail at 7:00pm. Snake Eyes, 100 Grand, Spout, and I made it less than a mile further. We camped near a dirt road together and shot the shit until dark.
8/22 – Day 125
19.8 miles from Williams Mine Trailhead to Lava Spring
We slept in and hung around the campsite until 8:00am, when Jukebox, Stag, and Ass Cactus rolled in from town, following an unsuccessful hitch attempt the night before. A Canada jay pooped on 100 Grand’s sleeping bag.
The group formed a seven person train as we hiked north. Washington has been a revival of trail culture. I could not possibly complain about the number of hikers in the bubble after PCT Days; it was fun. There were over a dozen hikers ate lunch together at a campsite near Sheep Lake.
There were a few miles through burned trees as we climbed east towards Mt. Adams. Then, the trail skirted the western perimeter of the volcano from above 5,000′.
Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood were both visible. The great reveal of Mt. Rainier was not much later, notably more prominent than any other mountain on the entire PCT. Heil to the king.
The trail was a delight with endless views from the base of Mt. Adams. We stumbled upon Lava Spring, a delicious water source with a tastefully designed swimming pool. We were happy to call it there and others joined us at a nice campsite beneath a lava rock spill.
As sunset approached, I scrambled up the jumble of rocks with a few of the others to get an astounding view of Mt. Adams and the gnarly Lava Glacier on its north face. Meanwhile, Spout worked a crossword puzzle with Snake Eyes, who found himself hooked on the quick dopamine hits after solving a string of clues.
8/23 – Day 126
25.2 miles from Lava Spring to Snowgrass Creek
The hikers who have made it this far north all possess the distinct ability to “turn it on” when required. Wake up, snooze, wake up again, drag your feet getting out of bed, take your good ol’ time packing up, but when it is time to hike, lock in. The group at the campsite scattered at different times in the morning and did just that.
The first half of the day was confined to a green tunnel, with a few spaced out ponds and lakes to break up the monotony. We passed the once great volcano, Potato Hill, which was now a lowly mound.
The temperature ramped up, combining with some steep climbs to work up sweats we had not experienced since NorCal. We entered the Goat Rocks Wilderness, then began a drawn out climb towards Cispus Pass.
When we finally broke treeline, we were presented with a dramatic view of Gilbert Peak and a sweeping valley below. Spout and I tagged along with Snake Eyes to clear Cispus Pass. The descent was truly remarkable.
The area was busy with weekend warriors and thru-hikers alike. We passed several occupied campsites and had to continue hiking until something presented itself. We joined Jukebox, Snake Eyes, Stag, and Ass Cactus in a random meadow that had a sweet view of Mt. Adams under a cotton candy sunset.
There was a new moon, which meant an incredible night sky that I stayed up a bit later to observe.
8/24 – Day 127
20.2 miles from Snowgrass Creek to Clear Creek Trailhead (Packwood Inn)
The nearby campsite was occupied by a large group and four llamas. Before we left, we made sure to stop over and pet them. Turns out, the group was part of an organization that supports people with Parkinson’s disease. The llamas were capable of hauling heavy loads and traversing mountainous terrain, great companions for the disabled hikers.
The landscape today was simply spectacular. It began with a moderate climb towards Old Snowy, entirely above treeline.
I saw a fuzzy brown rodent poking out of the rocks. I looked at him. He looked at me. I winked. He wrinkled his nose. After many long weeks, I was finally reunited with my marmot friends.
Clearing a thirty yard snow patch brought us to a ridge with a dominating view of Mt. Rainier and a fantastical landscape. Here, Spout, AC, Stag, and me took the “stock alternate” route, which climbed steeply up the side of Old Snowy. Then, we scrambled 0.2 miles to the summit.
The Old Snowy descent and the subsequent two miles of the PCT traversed what was known as the “Knife’s Edge”. We hiked along a razer thin ridge dropping off to either side. The experience was unbelievable, somewhat sketchy, and featured epic views of just about everything: a 14,000′ volcano in Mt. Rainier, an expansive valley, the McCall glacier on the side of Old Snowy, and Packwood Lake.
The going was slow (not complaining), but we eventually descended the ridge to a meadow overflowing with colorful wildflowers. We cameled up at the stream, then enjoyed a few more scenic miles before slipping back under treeline.
There was one pesky climb remaining, 1,700′ up then down over the course of ten miles. Near the top, we were treated to one more in-your-face view of Mt. Rainier in the hazy afternoon. We hiked pretty much nonstop to reach the highway at White Pass by 5:00pm.
Just a half mile down the road was the Kracker Barrel gas station (Spout talked a day hiker into giving us ride to save 10 minutes). We arrived in time to eat pizza and hang out with the other hikers. There was free camping behind the joint, but we decided to hitch into Packwood, WA and split a motel room with Juke Box, AC, Snake Eyes, and Stag.
The stench of six hikers marinated in the room. When someone left and came back in, there was a putrid greeting. I found myself going nose blind in five minutes. Fortunately, we had a chance to shower and the motel staff took care of laundry. We stopped by the Packwood Brewery for a drink, but mostly just laid around the room on our phones.
What’s Next?
Central Washington is upcoming. We will pass through Mt. Rainier National Park and work our way into the north Cascades. This might be the last post I make before finishing the hike, and the final few will be done after.
How’s It Going?
I recently learned about “Christmas Toes”. Many hikers report numbness in their toes that will stick around after a thru-hike until Christmas. I have a minor hiker hobble and some numbness, but overall feel like my feet are handling the hike well and much better compared to the AT.
Mentally, I feel great. Since entering Washington, the hike has been more fun than any other stretch. There is a great group of people around us and I am enjoying every step of our final state.
Food & Resupply
I have witnessed the devolution of thru-hikers’ diets. Linguini (Chef) who adopted the name by cooking up elevated trail meals, told us that he now ate Annie’s mac & cheese, “every single night”. Our friend Doc confessed that he resupplied for three days with only PopTarts to eat.
Junk food is easy to eat, so we do. The preservatives make it last forever, it is usually high calorie, and has plenty of sugar for energy and salt for electrolytes. A bag of Cheetos is always sticking out of my backpack leaving town. I could eat hundreds of Peanut Butter M&M’s every day if I had them. Spout and I steal Oreos from each other during our breaks.
We crave natural foods too. Spout packs out hummus and pretzel chips, or the occasional avocado. Bananas are amazing before getting on trail. We never should be leaving town without a sandwich of some kind; lettuce, tomato, and onion. Yes sir, those are the vegetables for the week.
The endgame of thru-hiking diets is to survive. Eat whatever trash food you still do not hate. Somehow, I can still stomach Clif bars, Complete Cookies, Bobo’s oat bars, Nature’s Bakery fig bars, and ProMeal bars. If all of those bars were available at a store I would be happy with that resupply. Peanut butter tortillas are a decent lunch option. Flavored cashews or almonds are great snacks.
Our dinners have not really changed too much from the beginning of the trail. I ditched couscous a while ago. We do not cook the Sevilla brand refried beans nearly as often, but I still personally prefer them over our other staples of mac & cheese or fish pie (packet of salmon mixed into Idahoan potatoes).
Gear Changes
- Spout replaced her tattered sun hoodie with an REI Sahara