PCT Prelude: Olympic National Park and Transit

After a few days excited to say goodbye to family members, I took a red -eyed flight from Richmond to Seattle and slept a few hours in my car rented in a Walmart parking lot. My trip began with a quick excursion to the Olympic National Park before heading to the PCT. Although I knew that this park justified a longer visit, I thought I should avoid one day to go to review it and, hopefully, return for a visiting properly longer in the future.

I had to drive more than 7 hours of round trip for the visit, but it was worth it. I went directly to the Hurricane Ridge Park to walk Mount Angeles, a popular 6,454 ‘peak. Although the walk was only 5.6 miles, it ended up being a real challenge, since the vast majority of the 2,200 ‘elevation gain was kept for a nervous struggle in the loose rock to the top. The views justified the effort (and the rip in my only pair of shorts for the PCT)!

After the exhausting climb, I returned to a lower elevation and decided to add a much easier path through an exuberant forest near the northern limit of the park. The moments in Time Trail were full when I arrived, but provided a welcome opportunity to stretch my legs after they destroy them (especially my knees) on Mount Angeles.

The path passed through a peaceful forest of ancient growth located by Lake Crescent, a great deep lake carved by glaciers during the last ice age, which ended approximately 11,700 years ago. The lake formed about 8,000 years ago, when a large landslide of the Indian stream sprinkled, allowing the water to fill the blocked valley. Due to the erosive power of glaciers, the maximum depth of Lake Crescent is 624 ‘, which makes it the second deepest lake of Washington. I would also visit the deepest (Lake Chelan) in Washington during my PCT replenishment in the city of Stehekin.

After a relaxing walk, I made the long return trip to Seattle, stopping on the way to collect some last -minute PCT supplies (a fuel boat, smart water bottles, caramel bars, etc.). I returned my rental car and stayed in the best motel 6 I could find … probably my last night in a bed in a time!

In the morning, I started a long transit day to get from Seattle to Mazama, a great logistics challenge! Fortunately, my research was easy for a commentator on the PCT Facebook page that basically did the entire task for me. I used four (!) Different transport services to reach the city of the Mazama path. I met some friendly locals along the way, as well as my first partner through Hker! His name is Jitka, and she is a Denmark’s ultramarathon broker who has made the John Muir Trail and the majority of the trail of the Apalaches. She is a beast!

During our penultimate transport for the day, we were received by the smoke of the forest fires that came out of the hills to our west. All our phones began to buzz with forest fire alerts, and a siren exploded in the next city, when we were making the connection with our last transport service. None of the locals seemed worried, and by the time we arrived in Mazama, the alerts ceased. Later we discovered that this fire did not represent a threat to the road.

After our last stop, we walked towards the Lion’s den in Mazama, who is led by an angel of trails named Mary. Mary provides incredible service to the community through life, opening her property to hikers to stay and providing daily ferries along the incomplete path to Hart’s Pass on the PCT (a discouraging 40 -minute trip in one sense). There is a hut with cargo stations and Hawaiian clothing to borrow, and the property is adorned with signed banners (for the class of each year), painted rocks and flags of many countries.

We made a quick tour of the property, we took a meal in a near restaurant and met other hikers. I was exhausted 9 hours of travel time, so I installed my store just before sunset (supposedly, near the place where the bears like to attack the garbage) and I went to sleep.

The next morning, the list of ferries scheduled for 7 am for the PCT was full, so I decided to try my luck with Hitchhiking to the trail. I stopped first at the local bakery to drink coffee and food, which did not disappoint.

I felt relieved to be collected only by the second vehicle that happened to me on the road to Hart’s pass! Mike de Bellingham, a local hiker and backpack, gathered me generously and he is a jewel of person. I really appreciated his experience in the area and orientation, and I immediately felt more prepared to assume the way.

After weeks of planning, I was finally at my destination and I was ready to face the PCT!

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