PCT Day 18: Spectacle Lake (7/11)

Today’s Miles: 23

Total Trip Miles: 282/2690

First thing in the morning, I walk by a group of 4 tents. Boyband, a tall hiker with dark features, is sitting on a log eating oatmeal. We exchange greetings and as I look around the camp, I don’t see any activity coming from the other tents. Maybe I’ll see the rest of that group later today or maybe I won’t.

I make a big 2,700 feet climb that offers spectacular views of Waptus Lake. Around lunchtime, I turn the corner and find myself face-to-face with a female backpacker and her dog. The backpacker looks to be her in her late 20’s and is heading the opposite way of me.

“Is this the PCT?” she asks me. I nod and she tells me that her phone died which had her maps saved on it. She was out doing a weekend loop trip with her pup and is trying to get back to her car this afternoon. I offer her my external charger so she can get her phone powered up and take a look at her maps. As we wait for her phone to charge, I tell her about the PCT and she tells me about her awesome border-collie companion, her time spent living in Hawaii, and deciding whether she should apply to grad school. Her name is Kara.

It’s determined Kara needs to walk in the same direction I’m going, so we hike together. Her dog runs agilely ahead and behind us, smoothly jumping over any logs in the trail. We talk about different places in Washington and she tells me I need to see the Enchantment Lakes, a set of prestine Alpine Lakes in Central/Northern Washington.

The time flies hiking with Kara, and after about an hour and a half we reach a junction where she’s going one way and I’m going the other way. “Nice hiking with you,” I tell her in earnest.

“Likewise. Hit me up when you come back to Washington and we can check out the Enchantments.”

I give her dog one last pet and make my way continuing on the PCT. Based on Kara’s recommendation, I make a half mile side trip off the PCT to Spectacle Lake. It’s the most gorgeous lake I’ve seen on my trip so far, with beautiful rock islands splitting the lake. I swim, nap, and snack there, and head out around 4 p.m.

I’m getting close to Snoqualmie where I will resupply and for sure take either a zero or a nearo. I haven’t had a shower or a meal since Stehekin, about 160 miles back, and I’m spent. How close should I push tonight? It’s 6 pm and I’m 15 miles from Snoqualmie. Another few miles I decide. And then I can get an Alpine start tomorrow and arrive in Snoqualmie in time for lunch tomorrow.

I end up on a very long ridge walk where there really is no camping. I pitch my tent on the edge of a switchback and am offered a spectacular tent view of the sunsetting and Mt. Baker in the distant. As I’m laying in my sleeping bag trying to sleep, I see the lights from Snoqualmie in the distance. Tomorrow, I think. Tomorrow.