PCT Day 153 – 157: Recovering our rhythm in the Glacier Peak desert

Day 153 – Zero at home

After getting home the night before, I felt disoriented to be back in my own house. The next morning, through coffee, we reviewed the smoke and climate reports and saw that air quality improved significantly the next day. Although we were at home, we decided to treat it as a stop in a random city: wash clothes, replenish and rest. My mother took us to the store and Rei to collect some things, and we spent the afternoon watching movies and snacks. It was difficult to be at home to know that we were so close to finishing the path.

Day 154 – Stevens Pass

Our friend turned into the Avi cannon left us back on the early path in the morning. We decided to go ahead to Stevens Pass, which meant losing another 35 miles. It was disappointing, but the air was clear now and we knew that we would return to finish the Wilderness Alpine Lakes section later since it is in our backyard.

At the beginning of the path, we met our friend Rocksie, whom we had not seen from Oregon. A few miles, we find boots, Rainier and Target, friends we had not seen from Kennedy Meadows South! He quickly felt like a meeting. Dozens of other hikers also chose that day to return after the delay of smoke, creating an animated bubble.

We walked about 20 miles, climbing hard and passing several beautiful lakes. We have lunch with friends in one of the lakes and managed to hook a camp that night. We had our friends and ended the night looking at The Baneo Before falling asleep.

Day 155 – Rain and Sun

We woke up with a soaked tent, condensation that dripped everywhere. After packing, we descended for several miles before starting a long climb. The rain rolled as we climbed, and we stopped to throw our jackets. I had exchanged my FrogGoggs, with a hole, for a more resistant Rei jacket while I was at home. It wasn’t so light, but it remained better.

We walked through constant rain for miles before it finally stopped, just when Glacier Peak appeared in sight. Not long after, we pass the 2,500 mile score, only 150 remaining miles! We had lunch in a pond with friends, we try to dry our team soaked under a brief sun, but the clouds rolled too fast.

Trying to dry our team while the sun was still out!

Later, we found even more friends we had not seen from the desert. While the path climbed along a misty breeding, the marmotes looked through the fog. Finally, the clouds cleared, revealing an impressive valley below, outside a fantasy novel.

We met with Goose, a friend we had not seen from Mount Shasta, before passing to the camp. With so many hikers, we care about space. The first camp seemed full, except for a place by the private, but Rainier took me to some places hidden above. Indeed, we find a perfect place. We established the camp, we had dinner and slept at 7:30, The Baneo Lulling each other.

Day 156 – Milk Creek: The final PCT exam

We had no idea that the day ahead would feel like the final exam of the path. The Milk Creek section of Glacier Peak Wilderness is known for its explosions, water crosses and long climbs, and was up to its reputation.

Only one of the many coatings we had to climb

The day began with some explosions and a cold Creek cross, just a preview of what was to come. Then came a long climb, where we stopped in a water source and we met the hikers we had not seen in weeks. In the pass, we rest with friends and enjoy smoked but still surprising views.

The descent was followed by a lunch next to the stream with boots and Rainier, before more coatings and another exhausting scale. I distracted myself with a garbage podcast: My trail taste in podcasts has definitely gone down! Six miles later, we cry the climb to the amazing mountain views, complete with marmotes and pikas.

We expected to push 27 miles, but the endless obstacles slowed us. At dusk, the next camp seemed full, and we feared two more miles of explosions in the dark. Fortunately, we saw a narrow place embedded between two tents by a steep ravine. He was not glamorous, but he saved us from the night he made the disaster. We established the camp, we ate quickly and crashed, exhausted.

Day 157 – 100 miles for the end!

I woke up sore and tired: Milk Creek’s glovelete had exhausted me. The day began with two miles of coatings before leveling in the Pacific Bosque of old growth. We walk with Rainier for a moment, then we started another long climb from Washington. In the upper part, they expected the incredible views.

We reconnect with Rainier, Boots and Target, who had just seen a bear. Chowder and I have only seen three bears in total, all in Yosemite. Shortly after, we reached a great milestone: 100 miles for the end! He feels surreal. The path has been our life for five months, and now the end is close enough to tell it day by day.

In the descent, I slipped and hit my ankle and knee, just another reminder of how much I am waiting No Fall after the train. We rest briefly, then we advance, anxious for the availability of the camp after the fight last night. For our relief, the next camp was almost empty, with a dozen open places. We hooked a site in front of the river, we had dinner and got into bed early, with the aim of reaching the city at 9 am the next day.

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