Today’s Miles: 27
PCT Miles Hiked: 403/2660
I awaken to the wind beating up against my sleeping bag. I slept pretty well last night cowboy camping, keeping reasonably warm despite being at a little over 7,00 feet on an exposed ridge. I make the brave journey out of my bag as the sun slowly rises, a few minutes past 5 am. When I stand, I see the sun beginning to shine light on Mt. Rainier and clouds well below the massive mountain.
Last night, I proposed to Victor and Grace the idea of doing a 27 mile day today to a spot called Lava Springs. This would put us 20 miles outside a town called Trout Lake. Trout Lake is about 12 miles from the PCT and requires a hitch but apparently it’s super hiker friendly. And it has a coffee shop and tacos according to Guthook comments. I wasn’t planning on stopping at Trout Lake, opting to make the 148 mile push from White Pass to Cascade Locks with a 6 day food carry. But Grace and Victor are planning on going in, and I think I’ll go with them if we all end up camping together tonight.
The morning is gorgeous and I walk along steady ridges that overlook lush valleys. Wildflowers are a-boom and pop with their vivid bright colors.
After a morning break, I hike a long stretch that descends and brings me down towards more marshy areas. Which means more mosquitos. I have to stop for lunch, I’ve hiked nearly 15 miles by 12:30, but you can’t stop unless you pitch your tent or you’ll be devoured. So I pitch my tent, eat a lunch of cold meat and cheese packed out from White Pass and a whole 85% Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bar, and then take a 20 minute nap. I wake up feeling very refreshed. I think I’m probably going to have to knock out these last 11 miles with no or very little breaks due to the bugs.
So I knock it out without breaking, catching up with Max-Heap on the way. We exchange updates on the past 24 hours and I come to my intended camping spot at Lava Springs. Max-Heap is going to keep going tonight and will try get an earlier hitch into Trout Lake tomorrow. Part of me wants to go with him, as I’m not sure Grace and Victor are going to make it Lava Springs. But my feet are killing me from all the miles today and a plan is a plan.
I’m glad I stop at Lava Springs because I’m joined by a group of 6 friendly northbound through-hikers. We do a feet cold-soaking contest in the spring, which is very very cold. Me and a hiker named Ladybug are the finalists, and we call a truce at the 5 minute mark exiting the water at the same time. One of the hikers produces a flask of whiskey for the winners of the contest and I take a pull. Like everything else, it tastes way better out here.
I’m chilling, eating dinner when I get a text from Victor on my satellite phone saying him and Grace won’t be making it to Lava Springs tonight. Darn. I think about trying to catch Max-Heap tomorrow morning and hitching with him into Trout. But I don’t know. I wasn’t planning on stopping there and I have enough food to get me to Cascade Locks, exactly 102 miles away. At the same time, a coffee shop and tacos!? I’ll see what time I wake up tomorrow and go from there.
Damn! Those views are somethin else