PCT Day 34: Rejoining the PCT (7/27)

Today’s miles: 20

PCT Miles Hiked: 534/2660

The nice thing about cowboy camping is packing up camp is ridiculously quick. Roll up your sleeping bag, put on your shoes, and start walking.

I have another 8 miles remaining on the Eagle Creek trail before it links backup with the PCT at Wahtum Lake. It’s a pleasant 8 miles as morning hiking so often is. The scenery is a nice change of pace and the trail continues to feature various waterfalls. At one point, you are walking in a tunnel that leads you walking right underneath a gushing fall.

I arrive at Wahtum Lake and take a break there, pulling out my food bag. As I’m breaking, two ladies in their mid-30’s approach me. One is very excited and asks me all kinds of questions about my hike. When she states she thinks she could never walk across the United States, her friend points out I’m not walking across the United States. That would be east to west, and I’m walking north to south. When we are about to depart, the excited lady offers me half a ham sandwich. Her friend replies, you’re not offering him my half are you? It’s a funny duo and I do get half a sandwich out of the conversation.

There was a historic windstorm last year in an area I’m heading into and I’ve heard some horror stories about down trees. I begin hitting some down trees that require some maneuvering but nothing too bad so far. In the midst of this, I run into a NOBO lady hiker who tells me “Just wait for ahead, it gets much worse.” I think about it for a moment and consider it a curious statement, as she hasn’t been where I just came from.

The worse never really comes and I make steady progress until 5:30 pm. I decide to call it a night and camp in a clearing that has space for about 4 camp sites. It’ll be dry camping tonight, as water isn’t for another 6 miles. I eat, read, play some chess on my phone, and before I know it it’s 8:30 pm. Solid day. It didn’t necessarily feel like the most wild thrilling day I’ve had on trail, but not everyday is going to be that. Also, I’m happy to cut back my miles a bit. Stopping to take more opportunities to swim and ending the day earlier make for more times to relax. I’m going to keep that in mind as I continue my journey.