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Mile 2,476 – Stevens Pass, Skykomish, WA
Whoa… we have made it to the Dinsmores, famous trail angels here in Baring, WA. We set out of Snoqualamie Pass on Friday and climbed 7 miles to camp beside well-named Ridge Lake. [singlepic id=84 w=320 h=240 float=right]The weather was clear and afforded great views of the towering distant Mt. Rainier. Jagged peaks and steep deep canyons surrounded us, and for the first time we got an impression of just how rugged the Northern Cascades are.
The weather didn’t hold out for long and we soon found ourselves in normal Washington fashion, where it mists and drizzles all day long. The sun does occasionally make an appearance, but does not really hang out long. The past section had a lot of elevation, including much of the trail that crossed skree, or rock out-croppings, known as boulder fields.
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The rocky trails make for difficult walking with limited visibility compounded by slippery surfaces. However, we managed to make good time in hopes of sleeping in a dry shelter and drying out our gear.
We are happy to have company and motivation in our friends Cliffhanger and MilkSheikh – see their journal online (http://www.otenonfoot.tumblr.com). They also give us their extra goodies that they don’t want to carry upon resupply which supplement the goodies we have been getting from our beautiful friends and family.
The rain is the toughest challenge that we currently face and we purchased some inexpensive and cheaply made ponchos that held up for about 30 minutes before they tore and looked more like shreaded crate- paper stuck to our wet bodies.
Tomorrow, we will depart for one of the toughest stretches on the trail, as we pass through the Glacier Peak Wilderness en route to Stehekin, our final town stop. Here we will demolish ridiculous quantities of baked goodies from the famous Stehekin Bakery.
We are excited that Canada is in sight, a moment we have been dreaming about since we departed from the border of Mexico. It is hard to believe we are only 190 miles from the border.
~ Swift
“You have to REALLY want to get to Canada.”
Early on in our hike, Swift told a story about when he attended a workshop at REI where an Alumni thruhiker presented his travels along the PCT. After his presentation, Swift asked him a bunch of questions about the trail. The presenter emphasized that you REALLY have to have a burning desire to make it all the way. 30 mile days. Everyday. Blisters, sore muscles, icy cold rain, mud, a non-stop hunger, and overall exhaustion. Today is our 140th day on the trail. All day, everyday I picture the border and bursting into tears as I hug the Northern Terminus… somehow it keeps me going.
I am overwhelmed with excitement to see family and enjoy the warmth of the indoors (I really miss knitting of all things!). But as I look around at this trail family we have found, I am tearful knowing that our journeys, as hard as they have been, are coming to a close.
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Tonight, we relax in the shelter of the Dinsmore’s trail garage and watch a movie together, happy to be cozy with full bellies. Rain pounds on the tin roof as we all relax for a night before heading back out to endure the rain yet again for the next four days.
I sit here unable to put the emotions I feel recapping our entire trail into words. Earlier today, I was reading the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s magazine and stumbled across an article written by Alice “Stone Dancer” Tulloch. Stone Dancer has been section hiking for years and lost her husband while hiking part of the trail in Deep Creek, Oregon in May of 2006. I felt a need to share her touching words.
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“We come to the Trail for lots of reasons. Beneath them all, we want to find out what’s really important in our lives. The PCT answers us. It’s a place where life is stripped to essentials. We shed not only ounces and grams, but the mental and spiritual clutter of our ordinary lives.
There is a place on the Trail, about two to three weeks out, where suddenly we notice the quiet in our heads. Body, gear, and terrain have entered the rhythm of simplicity. We have slowed down to the speed of life. It feels good. Our only troubles are immediate, like that nagging pain in _______ (name a body part).
In that silence, we wrestle with the demons of our past and discover they are phantoms. They are like wraiths clinging to the brush that claws at us when we struggle through overgrown places on the Trail. In every hot, tired step we are undeniably physical beings. At the same time, our spiritual selves soar and sink like the path ahead.”
Beautiful words – Thank you Stone Dancer. I could continue on and on but others need to use the computer. Four days (hopefully) to Stehekin and then Four days to the border of the US and Canada… we are almost there.
~ Buckeye
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