Washington!
After a cold night of whipping fog at Indian Springs, I hurried 15.7 miles down a 4,000-foot drop this morning to Cascade Locks, the Washington border, and a night at Best Western! It took me 20 days to walk the length of Oregon (457 miles), including a four-day injury timeout; with luck, the remaining 510 miles across Washington will go just as fast.
I took a spectacular route today down Eagle Creek, used by most PCT hikers in this section, highlighted by a series of incredible waterfalls. While admittedly a bit jaded by scenic vistas after 2,150 miles of continuous hiking, I thought Tunnel Falls was pretty cool – the trail had been blasted out of solid rock across a vertical cliff, right behind the torrent, with at least seven American Dippers lurking just downstream.
Noah, congratulations. Enjoy your visit with your mom. So I have been reading a few other blogs and I have an update for you if you don’t already know. Rusticus and Malto made it to Canada last Saturday. I don’t know about Blaze and the Colorado Boys, but awhile back Rusticus said they were just in front of them, but since Blaze and the Colorado Boys don’t have blogs/journals or I just don’t know how to find them, I can’t say if they have also made it to Canada (and maybe you already know). Rusticus started 4-19-11, so you are right on schedule since you didn’t start until 5-19-11. And in fact you are ahead since it probably won’t take you a month to get through Washington. I am only telling you this, because I think you can make it. Rusticus did talk about having to cross downed trees that have not been cleared as their biggest obstacle, and some interesting trail finding techniques where there “wasn’t a trail”, but other than that, he didn’t sound like Washington was all that difficult. So this is a word of encouragement. I hope your knee holds out while you are pressing on.
You are awesome!!!
Sounds like you are cook’in Noah…only 500 more miles…you’ll breeze through it! Good thoughts for your knee!
Jeanbb
Hi Noah, big congrats on hiking California and Oregon!
Dang! Just missed you with my trail magic. I was at Wahtum Lake on the 29th and 30th. I did meet up with Balls, Sunshine, Egg Man, Tom Tom and Sparrow. Good Luck through the last stretch.
hey there. i came across your blog as i was researching the PCT. i’m thru-hiking it in 2012 so i’ve been reading a lot of people’s blogs. thanks for the awesome updates and pics, i am so stoked and i can’t wait to do it next year. hope your knee cooperates with you, and good luck in washington! Aloha