PCT: Zeroes For Days (6/24-6/30)

So here is the situation. Based on data and word of mouth, snow conditions aren’t better on the PCT south of Harts Pass campground. There is also a historic heatwave coming to the Pacific Northwest. For reference, Seattle is supposed to hit up to 108 degrees. So hiking in a heatwave while still in snow sounds not just awful but also dangerous.

Mousetrap, Victor, myself and a scatter of other hikers spend three nights in the North Cascades Mountain Hostel in Winthrop (6/24-6/26). I do a little work for stay the second night, shoveling gravel for two and a half hours to cover the cost of my bunk. I also spend time walking around the town of Winthrop, visiting the local library and a host of other little shops in the town.

After night three, the hosts of the hostel inform us the hostel is booked for the next few nights and we will need to find new lodging. It’s a tough spot to be in. I don’t want to cough up all my town money staying in hotels for a week straight here. But also the timing isn’t right for hiking, with the combination of the heat and snow. We could camp somewhere and not hike, but camping in 110 degree heat sounds like the absolute worse.

And so it occurs to me that I have a cousin in Bellingham, WA. Cousin Brad. Bellingham is about 3 and a half hours away from Winthrop. On a total whim I text him my situation. He replies sure, he can help out. So it’s agreed I’ll stay with him and his wife McKenzie in Bellingham for 4 nights to wait out this heat and allow time for more snowmelt. THANK YOU COUSIN BRAD.

I catch a ride to a small town called Rockport, somewhere in between Winthrop and Bellingham. Brad picks me up there and we head back to his house in Bellingham. It’s my first time visiting Bellingham and the stay is awesome. Brad routes me up a couple of trail runs on Strava to keep me busy in the mornings. During the days, I ride public transportation all over Bellingham, visiting an assortment of different book and coffee shops. In the evenings, Brad and I go to a beer garden in the port of Bellingham and catch a meal at plant based food truck called Sage Against the Machine.

After 5 days in Bellingham, I’m catching a bus to Seattle and then a ride back up Mazama. If all goes according to plan, I’ll start hiking the PCT again this evening on Wednesday, June 30th. A million thanks to cousin Brad and his wife McKenzie for helping turn a semi-stressful situation into an awesome stay in Bellingham 🙂