Mount Rainier
The PCT doesn’t get very close to Mount Rainier, but I skirted the National Park boundary’s eastern edge for 30.9 miles today, with intermittent views of the impressive peak looming off to the west. This area is known for damp and rainy weather, but I ain’t seen it yet – Washington, so far this September, is cloudless and warm. Keep it coming!
Apparently, a forest fire completely shut down a big section of trail this week in northern Oregon, near Mount Hood, and many PCT hikers are now stuck behind it; I slipped through there just a couple days before the closure. Glad to have avoided that mess.
Noah, congratulations on getting the job. People have been asking me on your next adventure. So what are you going to do between when you finish the PCT and January? What about writing a book about your PCT adventure? People have been asking me about that too. It looks like you only have a couple of weeks left? You should be able to do that, as you have been putting in high miles for the last couple of weeks.
Diane
Wow, Noah … I have been following your blog all summer and have really enjoyed reading about your experiences out there on the trail. Great writing and pictures! After the last two entries, however, I want to say you are starting to sound rather “elitist.” Describing people’s descriptions of outstanding beauty in nature as “ad nauseam.” Really? Guess you have seen so much scenery this summer you are no longer impacted in the presence of grandeur. Moreover, you are “glad to have avoided that mess” in your home state, referring to the devastating forest fires by Mt. Hood and Mt. Washington. You go ahead and feel smug about passing through that area ahead of the “mess.” I for one am praying for rain to help quench the flames and bring relief to the hundreds of firefighters risking their lives so that people like you can continue going on adventures to see the beauty. Just don’t get calloused about what you are seeing!
2250 miles!!!
I think your writing is great and you can say whatever you want to say. The comments by Lorene are a little extreme — she is reading a lot into your words, but we don’t have to read much into hers. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t change a thing. Your blog will continue to be read and appreciated by many. If someone doesn’t like what you’re writing, they should stop reading it. Until they’ve hiked 2200+ miles in your shoes…
I too am glad you missed the fires in OR! (And, that doesn’t mean I don’t think of and greatly appreciate the fire fighters for their job.) Continued safe travels and good weather!
Sorry, Julie (and Noah), I DID sound too harsh there! Just been freaking out about how much of some of our favorite back country is being burned-up, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up. Guess I just read the blog at the wrong time. Sorry! I DO enjoy reading your blog, Noah … I have GREAT admiration for what you are doing! Keep it up for the last leg (no pun intended) and you will have wonderful, well-deserved bragging rights… actually, you already do! (And I promise to only make nice comments in the future.)