Aug 24

We checked out of our hotel room at noon which was the very last minute. It was another warm day especially to do more road walking. Since we decided to do the rail trail in order to connect our steps we had to walk towards Burlington. I quickly thought we made a mistake and should of stuck to the official route as the day was spent on pavement. We walked against traffic yelling to each other over the sounds of cars. This is when I wish I wasn’t a strong believer in connecting my foot steps. We passed lots of garbage and people staring strangely at us. We came to Highway 20 and before a long road walk again hundreds of cars we stopped at McDonalds for a caffeine rush and empty calories. It was nice to be in the air conditioned building, but the thought of the upcoming road walk was frustrating. If we would of stayed on the trail, we would be walking on active logging roads, private property crossings, and few campsites. Everyone ahead of us that we know took a hitch to pass this section. After our snack, we headed towards Burlington on Highway 20. There would be breaks in traffic thanks to red lights that allowed us to chat. Try finding a spot to pee on Highway 20… enough said. It wasn’t a fun experience, but a guy waiting in traffic was excited to see two PNT hikers. At least one car in the thousands we saw today knew what we were up to. We hustled onward about 6 miles to gas station where Peter came to pick us up. We met Peter and Charlie at the Goat Haunt Shelter in GNP. That was day two of our thru hike. They are a father and son team who started out hoping to finish the PNT this year, but a family emergency forced them off trail. They live in Burlington and reached out to offer us a place to camp for the night. We had a lovely time with their family. They cooked us a delicious meal and we shared trail stories over drinks! It was so much fun to catch up. They updated us on the group ahead of us and we realized we would never see any of them again since they have car support to skip all the road walks. Looks like it is just the two of us. Again, this trail would be miserable solo since everyone takes the rides over the crappy parts. Luckily, my partner and I have the same style, but if he wasn’t around I might have caved to peer pressure. But most likely I wouldn’t. We stayed up late chatting before we retired to our tent in their backyard for the night.

Aug 25

We shared a lovely breakfast with Peter’s family before packing up and heading back to the spot we left off. We continued along Highway 20 and walked over a bridge. We came to a casino with a well positioned port-a-potty. It didn’t smell too well, but did the job.

We continued walking along a paved two lane road towards the town of Anacortes. It was nice to be on a less busy road. We crossed a bridge over Fidalgo Bay where we stopped to have a snack and take in the sights. There were lots of options for food in town. We were craving Thai food so that is where we went. We ate in a tiny restaurant and drank lots of water. One of the harder parts of road walking is finding useable water sources that aren’t too polluted. We did pass a small gas station and store where we grabbed a drink and ice cream.

We linked back to the trail and joined a bike path then a nice section of trail. We were in search of a campsite, but nothing looked good. We continued along to Deception Pass State Park. I loved hiking over the bridge with numerous tourists giving us strange looks. All the road walks drain me, hurt my legs, but they lead you to popular tourist destinations and back to a trail that gets you far away from the sounds and scents of society.

We paid for a hike in/ bike in campsite. He ran to the store to grab a few beers and snacks. We happily enjoyed using a picnic table and having a place to call home for the night surrounded by other hikers and bikers.

Aug 26

Today was the first time we got to hike along the water. We left the campground and followed the shore along Puget Sound. The trail was marked trespassing allowing if walking through. It was a very pleasant morning walk that felt gentle on the feet and the smell of the salt water. The trail then turns on a paved road past many cute homes and fields of flowers. One local knew what we were up to and said that we were crazy. The trail then joined a major road as cars zipped by us at high speeds. I easily got sick of counting all the pieces of garbage thrown out of car windows. We passed an ice cream stand that wasn’t open yet before turning onto a much less busy road. We took a break in the shade off of the road. We had a snack and a woman stopped to ask if we needed help. A few minutes later a man drove by us, backed up, and then asked what we were doing. He told us not to camp there or litter as I explained we were just taking a break as it was 10am. It was an odd encounter so we quickly left. I’m pretty sure that vehicle drove by us again 15 minutes later. I just want to be on a trail! Oh wait this is the PNT. We walked around a military base for some time as cars zipped by us again.

A car pulled over to ask if we needed anything. We got to met Ultra Pedestrian and OBAL (one badass lady). They whisked us off the paved road and into town to a Taco Bell. They are well known long distance hikers who document their adventures on social media. They prefer the less traveled paths and never take hitches into town. They believe in foot travel only. We had a wonderful conversation and shared adventures before they dropped us back off on the road.

We walked past some a large military golf course before joining a section of trail that led back to the water. We walked past many homes as people waved at us as they ate burgers and drank beers. The trail then connected back to the road where we saw seal crossing signs and very expensive houses for sales that will someday be in the water. We walked towards the town of Coupeville and the “Happy House” which is run by a lovely wife and husband. Rebecca and John know how to take care of their hikers. We had a lovely bedroom with the most comfortable bed, best shower of the trail, and even better home cooked meals.

Aug 27

Today was filled with delicious meals, careful campsite selection for the Olympic National Forest, and relaxation. We never left our location at the “The Happy House.” Rebecca and John are such a lovely couple that goes out of their way to help out hikers. We spent a long time looking at the ONP map and selecting campsites. It felt so nice to simply relax at a home. Hotel stays are nice, but this restful day was one of my very favorites. Thank you two so much for your kindness! ❤️

Aug 28

It was difficult to leave the “Happy House”, but the last section of the trail awaits us. We said our farewells and began a road walk towards Puget Sound. The trail walks along a bluff then dips down steeply to the sandy shores. We slid down a bluff to reach the bottom and got sand down our pants. It was a beautiful and clear morning. The trail then climbed back up to a bluff with stunning views and lots of day hikers. We walked along a rode before heading to the ferry station. We walked up to a counter where cars drive up to buy their tickets. We purchased a ferry ticket from Coupeville to Port Townsend for a few dollars. My first ferry crossing of any trail as I wished they had a PNT sticker on the ferry. We choose a table inside where we sat down. I enjoyed going outside during the ride and looking back at the bluff we had just hiked. What a wonderful adventure we are on. Before I knew it, we had docked and were waking in a new town. We stopped for over priced Mexican food before exploring the history of the town. What a fun plan! I had reached out to trail angels who allowed us to crash in their guest room. We explored town before heading to their home where I was able to wash all the sand off my body. They have a young dog that I enjoyed playing with. We made a few phone calls to catch up with family and friends while relaxing for the evening. The Olympics are waiting for us, but we still got lots of paved road to go to get there.

Aug 17

I was awoken to my man packing up before 7am. I always pack the day before leaving town, but he enjoys relaxing all day. He was making so much noise as I finally told him to go take a shower and let me sleep. One of our only struggles in this relationship is he is a morning person and I’m not. I think we can handle it! 😉We grabbed some breakfast at the hotel then finished packing while watching our favorite trail show, Impractical Jokers.

We were concerned about the 52 mile hitch out of town. It took us almost four hours to get into town. We walked about a mile through downtown crossing a bridge. We stood in the shade on the side of the road and put out our thumbs. As the first car turned the corner, he said this is our ride. Surprisingly, the white van stopped and told us she was heading to Mazama which would get us up the highway part of the way. I sat in the front and chatted with her. Her two children a 3 year old boy and infant daughter rode in the middle while Paperweight rode in the third row. This is only my second hitch with kids in the car. She was a lovely person. She dropped us off and within 5 minutes we were chatting with David back to the trailhead. He was another interesting person. He currently lives in a tiny home he built with his wife. He is the father to two kids and was off for a few nights to go on a group backpacking trip including zen meditation. It was easy conversation and before noon we were back at the trailhead with 13 miles to hike.

We followed the Happy Panther Trail below highway 20. I enjoyed a turkey sandwich for lunch before we headed down the trail. To our left is Ross Lake which we are still walking along. Across the water, we could see Ross Lake Resort which are floating cabin rentals. We followed a gravel road until the trail turned right to cross the dam. Some flat concrete walking as we checking out the dam and the huge mountains to our left. The North Cascades are waiting for us. The trail led uphill until we took the junction to Ross Lake Resort dropping us back down 200 feet to the water. It’s $150 a night and you must book over a year in advance to stay here. It was a neat place with separate cabins floating on logs to be rented. We checked out the store and each had a cold soda while munching on licorice. It was nice sitting at a table under an umbrella watching boats comes in and enjoying the view. Two military jets flew overhead as well. It was a peaceful break, but we had 5 more miles to go to our campsite.<<<<<
ail wandered uphill again mostly in the trees with the lake always to our right. We crossed a few bridges. One was over a large waterfall and another had a strong steel bridge. This trail has had some beautiful bridges as I even got to eat a few thimble berries. We took a side trail to the Big Beaver Campsite which was about half a mile off trail. You must reserve campsites in advance, but it is free to camp in Ross Lake Recreation area as well as the North Cascades. Arriving at 6 to a mostly boat in campsite found us in between two sites, but with a view of Jack Mountain and a waterfall fed by snowmelt water. A group of 3 adults and maybe a dozen kids were to our left. This campsite has a boat dock and most of the campers did not walk here. We set up on a site and enjoyed our dinner on the ground since we did not have a picnic table like all the other sites for some reason. He packed out some Fireball whiskey so we sat drinking and talking until the sun set. I love days like today. We met kind people who drove us back to our trail, we relaxed at an expensive resort, and camped on the lake admiring a huge peak with a waterfall. ❤️ Aug 18

Before 6, the kids at the campsite next to us were packing up. I slowly made the moves to pack up and we succeeded at being on trail before 7. The hiking most of the day would be rolling, but overall easy. In the morning, we were among the giant Cedars. Our guidebook said that some were over 1,000 years old. The highlight was a large owl flying by and perching in one of the branches. It moved its head about checking us out for some time before we left. We also encountered many large frogs and slugs. The bugs are back as well unfortunately. I managed to fall down pretty hard this morning as well. I just tripped scrapping up my knee. We listened to our Podcasts and ate some berries towards our lunch spot. We stopped at a nice footbridge for a break. Thirty minutes in we hear some rocks falling and one fell down onto the bridge. We wondered if the trail switch backed above us or if a critter knocked them down. Five minutes later he exclaimed BEAR. A black bear was above the trail across the bridge and seemed to be coming down towards the water. I suddenly saw the baby behind her and we made some noise. She looked at us then ate some more berries slowly dropping down. She didn’t run and had no plan to. So we packed up quickly and watched until they disappeared out of sight possible farther down trail. We climbed uphill for a few minutes before finishing our lunch break. The mama bear could of cared less about us as we joked how she is a National Park bear.

We climbed uphill towards Beaver Pass where there is an emergency shelter on top. We had a few nice glimpses of the big mountains around us covered in snow and glaciers. Today we stay low not climbing over 3,600. We came to an option to do 2 miles along the trail or take a shortcut through a campground which is recommended. At first, we found ourselves having to ford strong Glacier melt water. Our guidebook said there was a cut log across it. We backtracked after spending some time searching for it. We found the spot as we each got a bit nervous. A huge tree had been cut and crossed high above the water. With pure focus, I moved slowly across hoping not to fall. It was such a tall tree. We joined a trail before coming to a few options. We walked along another tree before I dropped down to the water. He did a log step down to another one since our log rotted out at the end. He had to help pull me up to the trail. We cut 1.5 miles, but it was a bit terrifying. The last hour was spent walking along the stream towards Twin Rocks Campsite. We were set up and cooking dinner by 6. It was another good day of hiking surrounded by old growth trees and brought my bear total to 8.

Aug 19

Today is another favorite day along the PNT. We began hiking upwards toward Whatcom Glacier and Whatcom Pass. The higher we climbed the more waterfalls were evident. It was a stunning hike. The guidebook said we would climb 1,700 feet in a little under a mile.

I tuned into some music and moved uphill. There were some tight switchbacks, but I’m feeling strong these days. The trail was nicely maintained and recently trimmed. The pass was pleasant as we then dipped back down with even better views on the other side. We would leap frog 5 male hikers from here on. We took a nice break at a flowing waterfall enjoying the glacier views.switchbacks The downhill always is rough on the knees. We took our time and ate some berries. The highlight of the trip so far is a cable car ride over the Chilliwack River. We both put our gear inside then climbed in. It is a metal cable car with two places to sit across from each other. You then must pull yourself high above the river to the other side. We shared a lot of laughs and my arms got sore. We took a break half way through to take a video. I’ve never rode in a cable car before and looking down below it didn’t seem necessary. There was a horse ford much lower that you can take, but you have to experience a cable car ride at least once in your life. I’m sure in spring the river is raging. We climbed down from the platform back to the forest floor. We took lunch at a stream where we let our feet dry out.

The next task for the afternoon was to climb Hannegan Pass. We both listened to podcasts as we continued uphill for miles. The trail was nicely made and smooth hiking. This type of hiking reminds me of PCT days. I really enjoyed this climb and the entire day to be exact. We walked together the rest of the day admiring Ruth Mountain and the large glacier on the peak. We love the Nooksack Range! We spent a few miles discussing living in Washington someday. I find this state has everything you could ask for. I would love having these parks in my backyard. We made it to the trailhead parking lot in search of a campsite. The lot was full of cars and we found a flat spot near a picnic table. I rinsed off my legs at the stream while filtering water. We were able to throw away trash as well. We enjoyed dinner at our picnic table as a couple from Canada searched for their campsite. They finally asked if they could join us. They sat up nearby instead of one the other three sites. He did ask lots of question as to what we were doing, why we didn’t have a car, and where had we come from. He must of thought we were crazy as he offered us a flashlight since we were sitting in the dark at the table. We headed into our tent getting some rest after a gorgeous day of hiking. Aug 20

We walked along the dirt Ruth Creek Road that led to the main paved road. A couple stopped to ask if we needed a ride, but we declined saying that we had to walk. I don’t mind forest roads with minimal traffic over paved ones. We heard what sounded like a bear off the trail eating berries, but we couldn’t see him. We began attempting to hitch into Glacier. It took some time, but a nice woman offered us a ride. She would of taken us all the way into Bellingham if we wanted to. We stopped in Glacier to check out the store before deciding to go into Maple Falls where they have a better selection. We enjoyed our ride and did a quick resupply at a small grocery store in town. The one new restaurant in town isn’t open yet so it was back towards Glacier to grab some lunch. It took four cars for a truck with 3 young guys and a dog to stop. They drove us to the Chair 9 Restaurant in Glacier. They were out exploring and one of them was raised in Maine. It was another good ride as they dropped us off at the restaurant’s door. The food was decent, but way overpriced for the quality. We did enjoy the time resting in a booth, playing on wifi, and charging our phones. It did fill up our bellies too. We hitched out to the right of the restaurant waiting patiently until a friendly Canadian man rescued us. He compared our trails to his saying there just aren’t as many people in Canada for them to build bridges or maintain trails. He loves hiking in this area often, but highly recommends we check out a few spots in Canada. He would of drove us up the next part of trail, but we need to continue connecting our footsteps.

We began a paved road walk on Highway 542 for the next 8 miles. The road is curvy and all uphill leading towards the ski resort. We walked quickly and carefully. The shoulder was small and lots of people shook their fists at us while others waved. I love watching the people hanging on for dear life around the curves. We climbed out of the trees and high enough to see sweeping views of the snowy covered peaks. The walk was beautiful as I understood why so many people drive it. We found ourselves nearing the top with a sign saying a small restaurant is open. This was a treat. It’s the first time that they have opened it during the summer season. We each had a $3 Gatorade and shared a pint of strawberry ice cream. I even charged my phone and rehydrated after the fast 8 mile walk uphill. We checked out the ski map before heading on. This type of skiing is so different then the East coast. We joined the Wild Goose trail for 1 mile. It had large rock steps as we joked the road would of been much quicker. We climbed higher and higher looking down at lakes and the Kulshan Range. We came to Austin Pass where we began a downhill reprieve. It was getting late in the evening as we began hiking a trail for the first time of the day named Lake Ann Trail. What a gorgeous hike with more stunning views and no sounds of trail. Our trail turned to the right onto Swift Creek Trail. Our trail was not nicely groomed as our feet were getting wet from the melting snow. It was just us again walking this trail. We were searching for a nice campsite along the trail. We ended up going much farther downhill then we had planned. I wanted a campsite with a mountain view for tonight, but you can’t always get what you want. It was beginning to get dark and I was worried we weren’t going to find anything. Luckily around one of the curves, we found a perfect site as darkness closed in. Aug 21

Today we had a lot to look forward to. Our morning was mostly downhill towards a river. It is so peaceful in this area. We are fairly close to roads, but no one hikes this part of the PNT unless you are thru hiking. We came to Swift Creek and the infamous ford. I heard of this ford at the early stages of planning my hike. It can be impassible for most of the season. The old bridge was washed out many years ago. Other hikers this season had to turn back. I put on my trusty crocs and slowly crossed the chilly water. The water was us to high thigh. The rocky bottom was slip so I moved carefully. We took a nice break on the other side letting our feet warm up. At this very moment, the solar eclipse was beginning. The temperature quickly dropped and the sunlight slowly disappeared. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Sitting along a river as the eclipse happened. Our feet got very chilly quickly. After the sun returned, we laced up our shoes and continued onward. The trail led us to an old decommissioned forest road. We passed by a dirty diaper as I realized we must be close to a paved road. We had an option to visit Baker Hot Spring, but we choose to stick with the Baker Lake Loop trail. The other option would of allowed us to cut many miles. We were told how beautiful the loop trail is and of the big cedar trees in that area. So we decided to do the longer route which is also the official trail. A paved road quickly turned to a dirt road. We passed lots of people set up along the water camping out. A few cars passed as well. There is also a Campground along the road. The strangest part was an abandoned BMW with busted windows next to the road. We took a break at the trailhead parking lot for lunch. We took advantage of the privy and trash cans. We began walking along the trail. We walked past many large cedars during this section. Some of the biggest trees I have ever seen. They tell such a story and I like to imagine the thousands of people who have walked by them or lived among them many years ago. Do you ever wonder how many other people have enjoyed that same view of traveled the same footsteps you have? This thought and wonder often arises on my thru hikes. Also, I wonder if I will set foot here again or maybe the next generations of my family will. We crossed a huge bridge over a large river and continued hiking along Baker Lake. Our maps appeared to have the trail right along the lake, but the trail was above it most of the way with little access to the water for a quick swim like I had hoped for. The trail also had some ups and downs unlike the map. We enjoyed the serenity and views back at Mount Baker. We came to the first campsite to find a father and young daughter who didn’t seem to want company. So we continued along the trail. We are both drained physically as we dragged onward looking for a little spot to set up our tent. 4 long miles later we found a trail that dipped down to a campsite with a fire pit and bench. We watched the sky change colors and bonfires across the lake flicker. We sat outside as the sky got dark cooking dinner staring out at the lake. It was a long day of 25 ish miles. I enjoyed listening to the sound of water splashing on the banks. Aug 22

I have not been sleeping well since we left Winthrop. I think my body wants a bed with pillows over an air pad. I want desperately to sleep through the night, but I toss and turn waking him up. When we both lack sleep, we have a hard time getting started in the morning. Usually, I sleep very well on trail. We got a late start and continued on the Baker Lake Loop. The last few miles were beautiful as well with lots of gorgeous campsites. I’d hike in to this spots again for sure. Too bad I never got to dip into the lake this time.

We came to the trailhead parking lot to feast and throw trash away. Yes! I get excited about trash cans. We crossed Upper Baker Dam and stopped at a Campground entrance to use their bathrooms. We also filled up on water. We had a long debate at this point. We could continue on the official trail or take an alternate road walk that would lead to a rail trail. We have been debating these options since we began the trail. I still debate if we made the right decision. Taking the alternate skips Park Butte which has a lookout that is first come. We would be arriving on a weekend late in the day. This option would also led to active logging roads. So we decided to do the road walk with the promise of returning someday to camp at Park Butte.

So we walked for miles along a paved road listening to podcasts. The road wasn’t too busy, but I still had to turn off my podcast as cars zipped by. We ate lots of blackberries along the way. We were shocked when a car stopped and a woman said our trail names. She offered us a ride, but the hikers she was with earlier knew we wouldn’t accept it. One of the hikers we met on the CDT and the other I met on the PCT. We got excited that they might be near us, but we never would see them. She gave us a cold drink as we continued down the road. Nothing too exciting today. Paperweight did have to go a little bushwhack off the paved road to access some water for us. We looked for campsites off the road to find evidence of a homeless community so we choose not to camp here. There were marks on guardrails that led to nice sites that were littered with garbage. So we made it almost to the rail trail. We were forced to stay at a Campground since it was our only safe option. We paid $20. I enjoyed a nice warm shower and was happy I had packed out a small shampoo. We played with a cat as we planned out the next section at a warped picnic table.

Aug 23

We awoke early with hopes to get into Sedro Woolley for lunch time. We walked the paved road for under a mile before joining the rail trail in the town of Birdsview. The trail was pleasant walking past cute homes and a few small businesses. The best part was the delicious blackberries. The benches to rest on were also a plus. The temperatures rose quickly since we were at a low elevation and I was drenched in sweat. We took our last break at a bench overlooking farmland. A man was working the field on his tractor. It was such a pleasant morning hike along the rail trail. We passed by a large river with hills that had been recently cut. We made our way into the big town of Sedro Woolley after 17 miles of walking. We found ourselves at a hotel around one. Since we had showered yesterday our next stop was lunch. We walked out our door and a few steps into a Mexican restaurant which hit the spot. We did our town chores of showering, laundry, cleaning gear, organizing maps, and relaxing. We still had extra food since we cut off a day or more by doing the rail trail.

Paperweight’s former colleague who lives nearby came to pick us up. Nicky drove us to a neat restaurant called Train Wreck Bar and Grill in Burlington. We sat in the back and they have huge garage doors that open. The train comes zipping by every so often. We had a wonderful dinner as she shared her adventures. She works as a traveling OT and loves to go hiking as well. She treated us to dinner and I hope we cross paths again.

After she dropped us off, we watched tv late in the evening while munching on our left overs. It felt wonderful to have a comfy bed, pillow, and air conditioning tonight.

*Part two of our hike out of Oroville to Ross Lake, Highway 20 at East Bank Trailhead where we hitched 54 miles into Winthrop*

Aug 12
We were exhausted this morning like usual after a long section and heavy carry. Our morning started out with a bushwhack again. We had to find our way back to the trail. It took over half an hour and some big steps, but we made it back to the newly maintained trail. Thank you to the trail maintainers for all the hard work you do. We cruised along admiring all the recently cut trees. We laughed because in four days the section that was a nightmare yesterday will be cleared too. It’s all about timing! We were a bit off this time.

We took a morning at Soda Creek before rock skipping across it. The trail climbing uphill a bit and passed through the Pasayten Airstrip. We both zoned out to our Podcasts and I ate so many thimbleberries, blueberries, and huckleberries! We were in the forest most of the early afternoon and only had to jump a few down trees. We walked past Deadmans Lake which I thought was a funny name.

We followed many nicely graded switchbacks up to Frosty Pass. I love Washington! The trail climbed up to the ridge and rewarded us with huge views that I had been so close to on the PCT, but had never seen. As we looked at a mountain, we saw two bears munching away on berries. One was a black bear for sure and the other was more blonde. The second bear was farther away as we tried to see if it had a hump on its bad. We couldn’t tell, but it might of just been a sun bleached black bear. This makes 6 bears for me and 7 for him! 

Two bears in the photo above…

We crossed the pass and took a quick break. I noticed my fanny pack was wet and smelled like Deet. I had a small bottle of it in my pack and it had leaked. I forget to change the zippy bag out. It had leaked through the fanny pant and was eating away my spandex shorts. It was a mess! So I spent this break cleaning up everything in my fanny pack and trying to get the Deet off my leg. Yuck! 

The rest of the afternoon was better as we dipped down from Frosty Pass heading to the PCT. We hike 13.5 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail on the PNT. We connect at Castle Pass which is just a little over 3 miles from the Canadian border. I had so many emotions running through my body and mind. Tears rolled down my eyes as I was so happy to be on a trail that brought me so much joy and personal growth. I’m so happy to share a small piece of this trail with Paperweight. He still has to hike this trail someday and I think I might just have to join him. I ate my first PCT Washington blueberries. I hiked this part of the trail on October 2nd 2015 as fall was beginning. The views were breathtaking as always. We loved the graded, groomed, and well maintained trail. I had so many flashbacks of memories and people today. I felt at home! It was a indescribable feeling. I tried to convince him to just continue Sobo on the PCT, but we have unfinished business on the PNT.

We came to the junction to Hopkins Lake. I requested that we camp here since this was my last campsite on the PCT. It was even more beautiful than I remembered. We camped in a spot I didn’t know existed. There were over 8 tents already at this campsite when we arrived and most people were already inside around 7. After we were done eating, Sogood joined us. He is a 19 year old college student on his first thru hike. A wonderful person and we enjoyed his company. We took a late stroll to the lake to grab some more water as I couldn’t stop smiling. Our time on the PCT this year is short, but I’m so happy to be out here again.

Aug 13

It was a chilly and rainy morning on the PCT/PNT. It’s strange hiking southbound on the PCT. It is a different perspective for sure. Unfortunately, the rain clouds blocked some of the views. I wore my rain jacket for the first time on this trail. We climbed up the tight switchbacks named the Devils Staircase. Last time I flew down them. It was a morning full of emotions. We met over 15 hikers headed North most doing a section or jumping around due to the high snow year and fires. We saw dozens of huge marmots and little pikas all over the trail. Sogood joined us for a nice break where we admired Washington and watched the clouds begin to break up. We conquered Woody Pass and Rock Pass along the way as the sun came out thankfully. We will be back here again someday!

Holman Pass is where we turned right leaving my favorite trail for good. So it was back to PNT hiking and the 700 mile mark. It didn’t take long before we were climbing logs and getting beat up by the overgrown trail. The three of us just laughed saying “welcome back to the PNT!” Sogood had to part ways with us at our lunch break since he does much larger miles. We hope to cross paths again.

It was time to climb Pilot Pass which was steep with many berries to much on. We then found ourself at Deception Pass with lots of old bridges over a swampy area. We climbed back up to be rewarded with snow covered mountains and eye popping views! Wow!! We ridge walked together in search of water and a campsite. It was chilly at 6,200 feet as we found a spot protected by the trees. We ate dinner in all our layers watching marmots playing on the rocks and screeching at each other. We were sure we would have a visitor tonight, but they never arrived.

Aug 14

It was a cold night and morning. I did not want to get out of my sleeping bag at all. It’s funny though because within 10 minutes of hiking I’m warm and delayering. Our trail did not disappoint! We passed Devil’s Pass and began climbing towards Devil’s Dome. This is one of my favorite sections so far on the PNT. We climbed to the top to see Nohokomeen Glacier on Jack Mountain! There is a Loop hike here that we plan to come back to hike. Washington and the North Cascades is some of the best hiking out West!

The rest of the day was downhill towards Ross Lake. My knees felt the burn and my body craved more berries. Hiker hunger has hit hard now! The hike downhill was pleasant with views for half of the way before entering the trees. The trail brought us down to Devil’s Creek campsite. We began a nice walk along the banks of the lake. I loved the bridge over Devils Creek where we had a snack break and watched people boating below us. It was pleasant walking with views of new snow covered peaks. We were in awe!

It was a lovely day of hiking as we headed towards our reserved campsite at Ruby Pasture. We had walked along the East side of the lake all afternoon and walked off trail to camp near Ruby Creek. Tonight marks eight nights out of town. We have hiked 160 miles complete of epic trail. Such an enjoyable section. I have three granola bars left for the 3 mile walk to the road. Not bad! We love being out in the wilderness for long periods of time, but it makes us appreciate town even more. We are craving pizza, ice cream, vegetables, and meat! The best part is that more of the North Cascades await us. 

Aug 15

We slept in a little bit today being only about 3 miles to Highway 20. The hiking was easy as we could hear the highway since our campsite it seemed to be right there. We crossed an old wooden bridge that swayed a bit too much. We climbed the last 200 feet to the highway where we dumped our trash and began to hitch. We hiked 158 and haven’t been in town for 8 days. We made it!

Well we made it to the highway with hopes of a 52 mile hitch into Winthrop. We got discouraged for the first two hours as cars zipped by and one guy shook his hand at us. Everyone seems to be a tourist in fancy rental cars exploring the scenic drive. As I always say, it only takes one. Finally, a woman stopped to rescue us. She works for the forest service doing trail maintenance in the summer. So she knew about the PNT and we shared stories. She was heading to do a few nights on the PCT so she only could drive us to Rainy Pass. At rainy Pass we ran into a section hiker the PCT who is heading opposite direction towards Seattle. We chatted to and from across the highway as we are both trying to hitch in different directions. Luckily we got picked up first. I kind a man instead he drove us all the way into Winthrop and shared some stories with us.he was quite the character and also works as an Uber driver in Seattle. So when we get to Seattle we might just call him for a ride.

We were dropped off at the grocery store where we checked out hotels online. We have Newtown math or any guide information on the tourist town of Winthrop. We lucked out because right next to the grocery store was the Virginia resort. We checked in a bit before 11. After eight days on trail our first priority was not a shower but food. We went back to the grocery store and I would soon devour a orange marmalade chicken skewer, a container of potato salad, a cold fruit punch Gatorade, a Cobb salad, a few pieces of a chocolate Carmel bar, and began munching on a bag of potato chips. Then I decided to shower. The rest of her day was spent lounging in bed and going back to the store to grab some beer and dinner. The downtown areas where all the good restaurants are but we were too lazy to walk the mile into town today. You forget how much you love pillows, blanket, and a firm mattress. We really deserved this hotel after 160 miles. It was a perfect day.

Aug 16

We caved and took a zero day in Winthrop. The trail is waiting for us, but we do not have a deadline so we can take our time. We spent some time downtown. We did our laundry then walked around past all the stores on the wooden boardwalk. The town is a busy place with lots of tourists. It was a gold mining town in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. It’s a fun place to visit. Paperweight was able to buy a new hiking shirt and trade in a pair of Darn Tough socks. Lifetime guarantee! Some businesses allow you to trade them in. We both like this little town and the feel of it. We checkout the the real estate in most towns and here it is about 60,000$ for .2 acres. It’s a little too expensive for our taste.

We walked back to the hotel where we spent the rest of the day relaxing after resupplying at the grocery store. I have a new pair of Salomon shoes for the next section. I also switched out the frame of my pack. When I sent my Osprey in to be repaired last year, they sent me a brand new frame for free. I love Osprey’s customer service and their packs. I’m a lifetime customer! 

We also spent at least an hour looking over our maps and town guides. This trail has so many options and it is tricky to decide what to do. For example, you can walk a rail trail and cut about 100 miles total of trail. You can also skip walking around Baker Lake by doing a short road walk. Like I said, we don’t have a deadline. Neither of us enjoy being on roads or next to a main highway. We will stick to the trail for now and see when we finish our hike. I’m excited to explore more of the North Cascades. Life is good!

Two more photos of me on the PCT/PNT!

Here is the first part of our 158 mile section from Oroville to Ross Lake. It was a few long exhausting days…

Aug 7We both slept in as usual in town. We slowly made our way to a restaurant for breakfast then packed up our things. We began walking out of town a bit before 11. We really enjoyed our time in Oroville and the kindness from the owners at The Camary Motel. 

We walked a short bit on pavement to reach the Similkameen Trail which follows an old railroad bed. It was a nice flat grade along the river. After 1.5 miles, you come to a paved road junction, but we just kept walking along the rail trail. We crossed over the river and admired a huge log home on the other side. We saw 3 bald eagles soaring above and had stunning views looking down the canyon at the water. When we came to the end of the trail trail, we were greeted with a gate and no trespassing sign. We had screwed up as we were supposed to begin the paved road walk at that previous road junction. So we added an extra 4 miles round trip. We knew better and should of been looking at our maps. But we both enjoyed our detour taking a break in the shade to cool off before walking the road.

We both have 8 full days of food and an extra half day in our packs. My pack has not been this heavy in some time as I’d guess it weighs over 40 pounds with food and 2 liters of water. The paved road led us past a golf course, lots of sage fields, a few homes, and lots of activity on the water. We have never seen people searching for gold along the river banks. We could hear motors roaring from below and walked past many RV and tent sites right off the road. The sun was brutal and in the 90s. We had to take 3 or more breaks just to cool off. These road walks are tough at around 1,000 feet elevation. But this is what makes this trail so difficult. It is mental at this point. You focus on the steps and ignore the heat. Many hikers hitch hike this section missing one of the many reasons this is a difficult trail to thru hike. I was so happy when we found a piped water source right near a barbed wire fence where we grabbed a bit of cold water.

We passed more cow land and alfalfa fields. There were not many cars on this road either, but the ones that passed always waved. We still see border patrol cars on our road walks. There were also lots of dead snakes on the road. We walked through the small town of Nighthawk. There is a population of 7 people here, but it was a much bigger town during the mining era. We crossed the bridge after reading about the town on an informational site. A man from the first house on the right stopped us to have some cold water. Scott told us all about the town and his partners family that has lived here for many generations. The cold bottled water, comfy chairs, and two dogs made my afternoon. Scott was wonderful and his kindness made me so happy. All I needed was some cold water a little break to feel much better. We bid our farewells and keep walking. Thanks Scott and I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet Wendy. 

The evening miles led us past a mine and high desert landscape. We passed an old mine sight and a few abandoned buildings. We saw over 40 deer including some gorgeous bucks. As we walked close to the river, he pointed out a large black bear. What an eventful evening!

We had hiked 22 miles total by the time we arrived at camp and remember 4 were bonus miles. Our backs were very sore, we were sweaty, thirsty, and hungry. It was grueling and exposed road walk. We came to Palmer Lake and set up near the water. People were riding boats by the lake and an RV had a generator roaring until 10pm. We rinsed off a bit in the warm water before eating dinner. The sun appears to be on fire since there is smoke in the air. It wasn’t the most ideal campsite, but it worked out fine being right off the road. We were both exhausted today after 22 miles after 11. 

Aug 8

We woke up at 5 this morning in hopes of beating the heat. We crushed some pavement miles walking along the quiet road in the morning hours. On older man putting mail in the box said “you two are up early” as we walked by him before 7. We passed a mile or more of orchards. I couldn’t even identify some of the fruit, but I was craving a few of those apples. We hit 600 miles before stopping at the boat ramp area. We filtered more lake water, ate a snack, and used the privy before more road walking. The sun peaked over the mountain and our time of sweat free road walking ended. We passed more ran land before turning down Toates-Coulee Rd. We had to climb over a barbed wire fence and get down to the stream. It is likely contained with fertilizer run off, but we needed water. It didn’t taste too awful. We walked another two miles to the point where we turned off of a paved road. By the time we reached this point, we had hiked 27ish miles of pavement. Ouch! 

We turned onto Chopaka Grade Road which Scott had warned us about. We climbed a very steep and steady grade uphill in the hot sun. We kept saying “look how far up we came.” The smoke in the sky affected the view back to the valley and we couldn’t make out Palmer Lake, but we knew where it was. We passed lots of cattle in this area. The trail guide tells us we climb over a gate marked “no trespassing” but it is DNR land. We simply opened the gate and passed many new signs as well as a recent gate. We just continued onward hoping this is still DNR land. 

We had a long lunch break before beginning a climb. The trail was steep up to the cow trough which had bones of some small animal in it. Luckily, we got filter water from the pipe flowing into it. After this water break, I managed to get us off the trail. The guidebook warned that there were many cow trails and we sure took one. It took us a long time and some thorny plants to get back on the trail. The trail climbed steeply on loose sand as we were both exhausted from all the climbing and 7 days worth of food on our back. We came to the gravel road and wished we would of just walked the road instead of the “trail.” 

The road lead uphill to the Cold Springs Campground. We even passed a Christmas tree decorated with lots of found objects from the woods. We finally made it to the highpoint of the day and onto a trail. We crossed two newly built bridges of streams and dipped into a burn section. We ran into some forest service crew out with horses and doing some trail work. We found a campsite near a stream surrounded by small dead trees. We hiked about 22 miles today and our bodies are sore again.

Aug 9

This morning we were treated to a recently groomed trail. It was steep to start and led towards Goodenough mountain. Yes, I love that name. The trail followed what seemed like cow paths along sage brush. We even scared a few cows in the sage brush fields, but most didn’t seem to mind us. The suns is a bright orange today due to the smoke in the air. 

We crossed into the Pasayten Wilderness. We found where the trail crew had stopped working. They appear to be building fences soon to keep the cows out of the wilderness area. We are in a large burn section so we had to jump a few down trees. We were pleased to find a maintained trail again a bit after this point so it was smooth walking. It is eerie to see hundreds of dead trees standing all around and know at one point they will all fall down. The crew even chopped down a few big ones that hadn’t fallen yet. Thank you!! 

We came to Horseshoe Pass after some beautiful high elevation field and meadows. I feel like I’m on the PCT again as we were surrounded by big mountains that are unfortunately burned. We passed Rock mountain, Hagie Mountain, and Teapot Dome along the way. Cruising at a good rate thanks to the recently groomed trail. Scheelite Pass was unimpressive as we began dipping a bit lower. The black flies have been awful today as I killed at least thirty at each break. Have you ever taken the time to really examine bugs? I’ve been doing this a lot on the past few trails. There are so many species and strange looking ones. I watched a hornet tear up and eat a horse fly that I killed. I’ve watched hornets fight each other over dead bugs. Sometimes we get too busy looking at the mountains to examine the ground creatures.

We made our way to the location of the Tungsten Mine. There is a small cabin and a large living quarters still standing. Wolframite Mountain peaks out behind the camps. We spent time some time reading a few typed pages about the history of this mine from a personal account. It is difficult to imagine the struggles the men endured simply getting up to the mine from town. We tossed a few horseshoes, toured the old bunnies that are infested with mice and a big bunny. We decided to back track and camp at a nice site near a stream a bit before the mining junction. We are hoping the smoke clears us soon. 

Aug 10

The smell of smoke still catches me off guard every morning. We stopped by the mine site to use the privy and toss a few horseshoes. The morning started with a climb towards the pass. We hiked together talking about our options for next summer. There is so much left to see and a few more hikes we would like to conquer, but who knows where life will take us.

The sky was beginning to clear out as we climbed higher towards Amphitheater mountain and Cathedral Peak where we watched two rock climbers scaling the peak. We neared closer to Cathedral Pass and was rewarded with stunning views including looking down towards Upper Cathedral Lake. Now this is my type of hiking! We took a short break at the top before crossing to the other side of the pass. Beautiful!

We passed by the lake and enjoyed walking a nicely constructed trail with little elevation change for the first bit. Pieces of ash from the fire were floating about in the sky landing on the flowers and the many berries. It seemed like a slight snow storm, but was actually ash. We dipped downhill for miles and miles as my knees began to ache a bit.

We came to the old shelter that has a white Blaze on it. The only way it resembles an AT hiker is that is similar in design, but trust me all the AT shelters are much better maintained. I certainly wouldn’t sleep in there. There we some night campsites here, but we thought we could ford the Ashnola River tonight and camp on the other side. I put on my crocs crossed the water and searched for a campsite. Nothing looked as nice as the other side. So we forded again and set up away from the shelter.

We went down to the river to take a bath. Before I lost my nerve, I was in the water past my stomach. Our clothes are drenched in sweat making them crusty. My legs were filthy and a bath felt wonderful. I rinsed off cleaning my clothes and myself. I also think someone will walk by as I’m naked on the river bank, but not this time. I put on my sleep clothes and returned to the tent to dry out. The bugs were awful so we both jumped in the tent to review the maps. It was still early so we waited a bit to cook. The flies didn’t get any better so he let me eat in the tent. Today was a nice 15.5 miles of hiking, sleeping in, and having time to relax at the end of the day. 

Aug 11

This morning may have been the coldest yet. It still smells like smoke and our tent was covered in fine ash. We are in the canyon near a river so that had something to do with it. I actually got some use out of my down jacket. We ate then headed down to ford the Ashnola river. It was cold, but I expected worse. My toes were numb as I struggled to put on my socks and shoes. I threw off my jacket and began the uphill with goosebumps and little feeling in my toes. Thankfully I was sweaty and thawed out quickly thanks to the uphill towards Pevee Pass. Part way up the climb we came to a sign that said “Bridge is out” as we took the steep downhill and did a short rock hop. The former bridge was evident as it hung above the water. The note on the other side said “bridge is gone.” The uphill continued as I forced him to go first to clean out the spiderwebs. 

The packs are feeling lighter, but those few long days still have me a bit tired. I zoned out to a podcast as we climbed. Once we reached above tree line we could see smoky mountains in the distance. After another turn, we could see a clear mountain. We could watch the smoke moving over one of the peaks and looked ahead to clear blue skies. We may be escaping the smoke soon. 

We had a few up and downs today, but a good portion was on a ridge walk. I spotted our first coyote of the trip running downhill into an old burn section. We enjoyed the views from Bunker Hill as we watched the flames of the fire and looked into Canada from the other direction. It was so eerie to watch and unfortunate to know human error caused so many thousands of acres to burn. Don’t have a campfire if you don’t know how to put it out! 

The rest of the afternoon was a nightmare. Our guidebooks warned us of this section. Many years ago a fire raged through this area and the burnt trees are still falling. I’m guessing I climbed over 120 trees today. So many scares and bruises were added along the way. It was slow going and tiresome as the pack jerks around with every step. We took a break together at a stream exhausted and mustering up the courage to continue on. We had no choice since there is not safe place to camp. We did find a few raspberries and blueberries to brighten the experience. We came to the first ford where we carefully walked a fallen tree over the water. Embracing the ballerina in me! We then entered an every crazier section where the trail under the fallen trees disappear. We did a steep downhill bushwhack following others footprints then began stumbling around along the banks of the Pasayten River. 

We had enough of wandering around in the brush and down trees so we headed towards the water. We found a sandy beach where we took off our shoes to ford the river. The hope was there would be a campsite right on the other side. The water felt wonderful on all the scares on my legs. We were disappointed to find just more downed trees and no campsite in sight. It was about 8:30 and the sun would be setting soon. We ran into a trail maintainer who led us in the right direction, but we choose to camp before the bushwhack ended. We did not have the energy to climb any more trees. We camped between fallen trees along the Pasayten River. I was too tired to even cook a meal so I just had a few snacks and relaxed. It has never felt so good to lay down then it did tonight. 

Aug 2

We slept wonderfully at the Klondike Motel. We ate breakfast in bed and relaxed debating to take a zero or not. His ankle is still sore, but he wanted to hike on. Around 11, we left the hotel and walked out of town. We got off the main road and stood with our thumbs out for maybe 10 minutes. A couple about to celebrate their 42 years of marriage gave us a ride back to the Sweat Creek Trailhead.

An appropriate trailhead name as within a few minutes of the uphill I sweating. But I still smelt pretty good thanks to two showers in town. I always feel guilty at the hotel because after one shower I still leave dirt marks on the white towels. The uphill was steep and dusty. My shoes looked white most of the day. At times, the trail would pop out into a clearing looking back at the hills with a smokey haze. The scent of forest fire is not present today, but the sky and air quality tell a different story. We climbed uphill and split up at one point. He was behind me a saw a cub in a tree. I’m guessing I scared him up there. We took a break at a spring for over an hour. We ate town food- a pizza slice and deli sandwich. Yum! Always treat yourself the day out of town because you made it out. 

We couldn’t walk behind each other because of all the dust each of us kicks up. The trail is very steep for a few hundred feet in both directions. Lots of afternoon dips! I managed to lose the trail due to all the cow paths crossing ours. We walked across loose rocks and desert terrain downhill before hitting the trail again. We finally saw our first cow drinking out of Cougar Creek. He was scared and hid in the bushes while we drank some water next to the creek. We passed some private property near the forest boundary then started looking for a place to camp. We have a small section of NFS land before entering private property and ranches for miles. We found an old road and a flat spot. We ate another deli sandwich and relaxed after a quick 9 miles out of town. We camped just inside the forest boundary. Around 7:30, the closest property owner started up his generator and was jamming out to tunes. I read my book and worked on my blog for some time before my eyes got too heavy.

Aug 3

The alarm buzzed at 5, but we didn’t really start packing until 5:30. Surprising, we were hiking by 6 and it was chilly. I even wore my down jacket during breakfast. The temperature will be in the high 90s this afternoon. We walked by the first home to have an angry dog barking at us and follow us down the road. It was easy dirt road walking past dozens of no trespassing signs. Lots of old homesteads and trailers parked on both sides of the road. We then hit the paved road which climbed uphill for a few miles. Many gorgeous horses roamed land in this area and only a few car passed by. We watched a gravel operation for some time lucky to not be walking down that road. A huge boulder was pushed down and will likely be crushed somehow into small stones. The gravel trucks flew down the road towards us. 

We turned off the paved road and back to dirt. We passed some mucky water holes and got swarmed by mosquitos. It was awful! It was like the arcade game whack a mole! He has short sleeves so I was slapping his right arm while he watched his left. We couldn’t fight this many especially after slowing down to cross a cattle guard. We used our Deet for maybe the third time on trail and it truly made a difference. We were happy to come to a hill near a pond where we could take a break. It was only 8:40 and we had hiked 7.7 miles! The temperature was still pleasant as we ate and watched ducks swim and land on the water.

We made a mad dash towards the Lake Bonaparte Resort. We had two options to go by trail and never saw the official route. The dirt road turned to paved and around 10:10 we were chatting with the old guys out front. They told us that we just made it in time for breakfast. 11 miles down and time for a warm breakfast and of course a couple of cups of coffee for my man. He will certainly be flying up that mountain now.

We crossed through a campground where we filled up on water and tossed our trash. There were lots of people out fishing in Bonaparte Lake which is the most diverse lake in the state with many species of fish including crawfish. The climb starts on long gradual switchbacks. He spotted a huge frog that was the size of my palm on the trail. I have never seen one so big before on a trail. Then you join a forest road for a short time before the climbing is much steeper with over 100 feet gained every .1 miles. He was flying up the climb with his caffeine boost. I just took my time being drenched in sweat. We stopped at a nice spring to hydrate then continue our climb. It wasn’t too bad as it leveled out for over a mile. I ate the best huckleberries so far on the climb. Yummy! The last bit of the climb is steep on a rutted old ATV road. The trail is so dusty I kept my distance from him to inhale too must dust. We were soaked, but I insisted we climb the last .5 to the very top.

Of course, the view was ruined due to all the smoke, but it felt great to be on top of the 3rd highest point in Eastern Washington. We checked out the old cabin that was built in 1914 and the newer lookout tower. The views from this mountain would be spectacular without the smokey haze. There were thousands of ladybugs flying about as we took a break on the top. The next four miles brought us downhill. A few years ago micro bursts brought down lots of trees. Most have been cut up, but every year more fall. We climbed over, under, and around quite a few trees before resting on a bridge and filtering water.

We passed by an old cabin that is caving in, but I was impressed with it. I still dream of building a little cabin in the woods one day. We finished up our day by coming to a road junction. It doesn’t appear anyone has drove this road in a long time. We set up, ate dinner, talked about our next adventure, and then retreated to the tent. This is the first year I have packed out a paperback book… it’s nice to read at night, but I’m choosing to read instead of blogging. Oh well they will both get done at some point. 

Aug 4

We slept in a bit longer today not starting the trail until 6:40. The sky is even more smoky then before so we are getting concerned about the next section. The trail is a closed down road that is marked for cross country skiing. We crossed many cattle guards before finally hitting the paved road. Lots more “no trespassing signs” along the roads. We turned onto a nice dirt road for a short amount time passing farm land. Then we made a wrong turn up the wrong the paved road for almost half a mile before turning around. We walked about 6.1 miles along the paved road while listening to Podcasts. We passed a damed lake and lots of little cabins and retreats. I find it enjoyable looking at all these homes, the old cars parked on the lots rotting, the various no trespassing signs, and the lack of much traffic. A woman stopped to talk to us for a bit. She’s talked to a few other hikers over the past week and even gave one guy a ride. By lunch time, we had hiked over 10 miles and were back on a trail that at one point was a forest service road.

We followed the old road that was overgrown with grasses for almost three miles. It was so pleasant to be on a trail again instead of pounding the pavement. We followed former Road 100 which is now Trail 100 for the rest of the day past a locked gate meaning we shouldn’t see any cars. The trail gave views of the mountains in the distance. Also, it is a very rocky landscape with lots of thimbleberries to eat along the way. You come to a scenic overlook of the town of Oroville. You should also be able to see the Pasayten Wilderness, but due to the smoke from the wildfires you can only make out the outline of the mountains. 

We heard something off to our left in the trees making a lot of noise. We both yelled and it started to move quickly. We searched for it spotting the black bear’s butt as he ran up and over the rocks. I think we were eating some of his berries today. That makes 3 bears and 4 for him in the last week. I love bears. The next animal we encountered is my least favorite. I was playing music out loud and before I could register what was happening. There was a coiled large rattlesnake right off the trail to my left. I screeched and moved quickly up and off the trail. It was rattling so large and perched up meaning it could of easily struck me. I yelled “rattlesnake” as he watched it continue to rattle, but move away from the trail! I was no expecting that! I joked that now I no longer want to live in Washington. I have been expecting bears and maybe even a mountain lion. But not a rattlesnake. The last mile I was looking very closely along the trail for another one. We set up while being attacked my mosquitos. We both wore a piece of our rain gear to keep from being attached while we ate dinner. We hiked 22 miles today and were eating dinner around 6. We have a little less than 6 miles to town. So we had plenty of time to relax and listen to the buzz of mosquitoes, strange bird sounds, and other unknown sounds.

Aug 5

We slept in a bit, but we were walking by 6:45 towards town. We only had 6 miles to go and we were moving quickly. The sky appears a bit clearer as we walked through the Whistler Canyon. We turned a corner to find a full view ahead and the town of Oroville. We are in desert land with sage, tall grasses, flowers, and some ponderosa trees all around. We continued switchbacking downhill toward highway 97. We came to a large apple orchard that we walked next for a few minutes before hitting the parking lot. On the way out, we walked by the largest PNT sign yet, but unfortunately it had fallen over. 

We began a 2.6 mile road walk along the highway. Humans are disgusting as we saw chicken bones, dozens of cans, bags of trash, and other unspeakable things. It’s sad to be walking by beautiful mountains and rivers while being surrounded by trash. The traffic was flying by quickly, but there was a large shoulder. Before 9, we were in search of breakfast. The one place was closed due to a family emergency, the other only had pastries, so we walked a bit farther and ate a delicious meal. 

The next stop was the Camary Hotel! We caught up with the big group of hikers we have been around for a while. It was a nice day of catching up and eating good food especially Mexican from a food truck. We hung out at the Brewery and got to know Beads who we just met. 

Aug 6

Today was a pure zero day! Everyone left and we just relaxed. We chatted with Shutterbug and Sogood who just got into town today. We are preparing for a 158 mile section so a zero day before is essential. 

Here is our hiker bubble minus two other hikers. Everyone got a ride out of town so they will be three days ahead of us when we leave town tomorrow. We are staying “true to the thru” as Crocs would say. Connecting all of our steps from Glacier to the Pacific Ocean. 

July 26The best part of a B&B is the breakfast I learned this morning. Bert cooked up some homemade sausage gravy and biscuits along with fluffy eggs. She also had a huge pitcher of OJ. We had a nice meal chatting with her and the other hikers. I felt so at home here and hope to visit her again.

We each picked up a sandwich and a cold soda for the walk out of town. The trail walks out of town and over the Columbia River on the sidewalk over the bridge. We had to jump the guardrail on the other side and walk carefully on the shoulder. Then the trail turns onto a dirt road. So began another long dirt road march. We passed the race track and began climbing gradually out of town. They are repairing part of the road so many trucks came by kicking up dust, but the spray truck came by too making it a bit less dusty. It was easy walking at a steady pace. We stopped to hide out in the shade along a river for a nice lunch break. Mermaid caught up to us and chatted for a while. Everyone else had hitched out of town and as far up the dirt road as possible.

My stomach isn’t too happy with me so I walked slowly as the two of them got ahead and talked. The heat also still effects my hiking. It is so humid and in the high 80s at this elevation. We did take a short water break where I cooled down and felt better as we hiked on. Mermaid went off to camp at Elbow Lake. As we passed above it, it was not a nice swimming hole like she had hoped. As we had a water break she came by deciding to put in a few more miles. We also saw Iceburg again. He had started with two guys he met on a PNT forum and they are now both off trail. This is his first thru hike and he is a wonderful guy. 

We hiked on together for a while even taking a wrong turn having to backtrack. We caught up and shared stories. We all camped in a grassy area near a fire ring after the dirt road. This spot looks like a hunting camp. Iceburg had packed out 12 beers this morning and shared with each us. A semi warm beer tasted pretty good today. We all chatted until it started to get dark. It was another nice day on the PNT walking a dirt road. 

July 27

We woke up early to beat the heat. Around 5:00, we could hear logging equipment in the distance. We walked across the operation about a mile past our campsite. We had to wait until they noticed us to pass by since there was heavy equipment on the road. One guy asked “why the hell we were doing this?” I said we were going to the ocean. The rest of the morning miles on this road involves jumping off the road to let the trucks filled with logs by as they kicked up lots of dust. They do not spray the roads. We came across six other hikers packing up. They had all got rides a few miles or more out of town so we did not see them on trail yesterday.

At one point, there was six of us walking together down a road. This road was not the loggers route, but the locals still kicked up some dust. The two of us took a snack break since we were already 8 miles or so into the day. We came to the spot where you have two options. You can hike the Kettle Crest trail or head into the town of Orient. This section of trail is still closed on the NFS website, but Billie talked to someone on the phone that said go at your own risk. So that means it might not be maintained so we took the town option. They told us a few days later that it was maintained, but poodle dog bush was everywhere and made Bessie feel like she had an awful cold. I learned a few days later that I react to that awful bush as well so I’m glad we choose the other option.

We took a dirt road towards the small town of Orient. We crossed over a bridge as dozens of high school football players wrestled in the water. The town has a small store, a restaurant/bar, a few churches, and that’s about it. I did love the “town hall” which was a tiny building right off the road that I had to take a picture of. I enjoyed a cold root beer and some Italian Ice in front of the store. We also resupplied a bit fairly cheaply in this small of a town. The woman told us that we had to go for a dip in the Kettle River. Lots of people float down it 5 miles during the summer. We took a nice bath in the river dunking our entire bodies and washing our clothes. It was so peaceful as people often came by to float down the river. As we were drying off, the football team came back to ruin our quiet. I did enjoy watching them dive off of the rocks and have a tug of war. Oh to be in high school again.

Around 3, we were dry enough and off to the bar to join the other 8 hikers. We were the main customers for the lunch service and it was a fun place to hide out at away from the hot sun. It’s nice to be around other hikers in town since most of them hitch hike this is the only time we see them. We had a few beers and of course a burger.

Around 6, we started making moves back to the trail. We had an uphill paved road walk that would lead back into the National Forest. Even though it wasn’t too hot, I was dripping in sweat. We found the trail which is an old forest road. Iceburg was setting up above the trail and we just set up right on it. We hiked almost 20 miles today while swimming, eating at a restaurant, and resting for many hours. Thru hiking can be so tough some days. 😉

July 28

As we were finished up packing, Beacon and Mermaid came walking down the road. They stayed behind at the bar to hear Epic sing karaoke. It seems like he pulled his hamstring last night so him and Iron Eagle are off trail. So from the 16 of us that were at Polebridge on July 4th, only 8 remain. I told Paperweight that means only 50% are going to make it. Which one of us is out next? 

The first few miles the three of us walked along an old forest road together talking the miles away. We took a few breaks today for water together. I let them get ahead as I was feeling a bit off and couldn’t keep up. As the road joined an exposed road walk, I pulled out my umbrella to help with the heat. Another day in the 90s. Yuck! It did make a big difference as I listened to a podcast. The day was spent walking then drinking lots of water to rehydrate. Luckily, my shirt dries out quickly, but it only takes a few minutes to be drenched. 

As we turned the corner, we saw Beacon and his car. He rushed out of the car with his cooler. He handed me a cold fruit punch Gatorade so I sat down, took my shoes off, and sipped away. The four of relaxed in the grass at the trailhead until hiker midnight which is around 8 these days. I still had some daylight so I read a bit of my book. Mermaid came over with grapes as I ate in our tent for maybe the third time since we have had it. It was a nice relaxing evening after a quick 18 mile day. 

July 29

We realized after walking for a few minutes that we weren’t at the trailhead. We found a privy and the sign for the old highway. The trail follows “Old State Trail” which was the original state highway originally built in 1892. It was later abandoned after a safer and easier route was established. I tried to envision wagons traveling this route over 100 years ago. The trail connected back to the Kettle Crest as we climbed to the top of Copper Butte at 7,140 feet. The views were fabulous as always. The trail went pass Scar Mountain, Wapalossie Mountain, Jungle Hill and Columbia mountain climbing up and down. 

We ran into a few groups of horse back riders that chatted to us and lectured us on how to keep their horses calm. We made it to Sherman Pass to find Beacon and crew. Everyone is heading into Republic today from the east well we are going to headed in from the west in a few days. All of them are planning to skip the section of trail so we might see them again. Billie and Bessie just left town so will be seeing them for the next few days. We said farewell and crossed the highway. The trail climbed up words and after a few miles were awarded us with sweeping views. The section of trail is beautiful. It’s nice to spend the whole day on trail. 

The afternoon is full of even better hiking as we really enjoyed ourselves. We had a goal in mind but didn’t make it as far as we’d hoped for. We ended up walking along the ridge before dipping down on tight switchbacks as the sun was setting. My legs were shaky and the downhill wore out my knees. It was a tough end to the day, but the sunset was gorgeous. Without being a burn section, it would not have been as breathtaking. We finished the last bit of downhill and found a faint trail that would dip into the bushwhack. It was a bit after 8 and there was no way we were going to enter that situation before dark. We found a spot next to some other trail with a horseshoe marker. I was too tired to eat much so I just sat outside snacking while he cooked. It felt wonderful to lie down on my sleeping bag. I was exhausted and quickly passed out as an owl hooted nearby.

July 30
We both slept in a little later than we had hoped to this morning. Our morning started off with a bushwhack. It is all about picking the easiest route which is easier said than done. We had some tree hopping, overgrown bush swatting, and slow progress. Luckily, we made it to the old forest road then the gravel road. We took a water break at the road before busting out the next few miles listening to his music.

The PNT then joins the 13 mile trail. About a mile in, I spotted the first black bear of the hike running away from us. Billie and Bessie had scared it up a tree maybe half an hour before we saw it. We ate lots of berries today from blueberries, huckleberries, and thimbleberries. Sorry bears hikers need berries too! We took a break sitting in a berry patch just snacking away. The trail provides. The hiking was wonderful as well this afternoon and reminded us a bit of the AZT. 

We camped at the 13 Mile Trailhead. When we got there, Billie and Bessie were having dinner. We joined them at the picnic table enjoying their company before they hiked on a bit farther into the darkness. We did our chores and even threw stuff away in the trash can next to the toilet. We had the entire campground to ourselves tonight. Something was wandering around in the bushes, but it didn’t seem to want to bother us. So we were quickly asleep in a random campground in Washington.

July 31
Today was a usual PNT day in Eastern Washington meaning lots of road walking including some paved. After the campground, we had a little over 3 miles of paved road. We realized we had camped in the Indian Reservation due to a sign on the road. We jumped off the small shoulder as logging trucks came quickly down the road. We made it to the closed down campground. The privy smelled foul even from a far distance. We both filtered some water and prepared for the only bit of trail today.We had 2.2 miles of trail to hike. You climb quickly from the trailhead up on long switchbacks. The trail was rocky as I took my time not to slide off the edge of the trail. Lots of birds are singing this morning as smoke fills the sky. I was soaked in sweat quickly. It was in the 80s at this elevation this afternoon. We finished the trail part of the day and began walking dirt roads again. We both zoned out to Podcasts before meeting up at a road crossing with a flowing stream.

After lunch, we walked together for almost 3 miles on a paved road with few cars. Then we turned back onto a dirt road where no cars traveled. This area is a burn section so we both used our umbrellas for shade. The heat on this trail has been present most days. I haven’t used any of my warm gear recently and doesn’t zip up my sleeping bag at night anymore. 

We made it to spring where we lounged in the high grasses across from each other. After twenty minutes, I heard a noise across from us on the road. I was shocked to see a bear running uphill away from the room. Who knows who long he had been there maybe this whole time. We have been in bear country for so long and it is a nice surprise to see two in past two days. He let out a loud sound as the bear ran faster uphill.

After leaving our break spot, we entered the Okanogan National Forest saying goodbye to Colville National Forest after spending many days there. The hours seemed a drag a bit this afternoon as we neared our possible campsite. We hit 500 miles today as well. The water we planned to camp at was dry so we were happy we had packed up extra just in case that happened. We set up just off of the gravel road under some tiny ponderosa trees. This area was logged a few years back. I enjoyed my second cook meal on this trail before relaxing in our tent. We can hear many critters around the campsite tonight. I fell asleep listening to something outside being noisy and Paperweight snoring.

Aug 1

We fell asleep listening to some animal wandering around nearby. Around 5, I could hear a much larger and closer animal lurking. The alarm was set for 5:30 so I didn’t drift back to sleep for long. We were finishing up our dirt road march by 6:25. We are early risers on town days. We had a little over 6 miles to go.

The road was empty as expected except for the occasional deer and herds of cows. We made good time and enjoyed the cool temperatures. The sky is still smokey and we are eager to read up on the wildfires. By 8:30, we were standing on Highway 20 with our thumbs out. A support vehicle for a bicycle tour turned around and took us into Republic. We grabbed a bite to eat at Knotty Pine which was delicious and had huge portions. We met a thru hiker named Sogood as well. The owner of the Klondike Motel got a room cleaned for us early and by 10 I was in the shower. What a perfect way to start out a nero day. We had showered, relaxed a bit, clean all our gear, did laundry, resupplied, and were lounging by 2:30. The only other time we left our room was to pick up our pizza and breadsticks. It was in the mid 90s outside and smoky so we rested up in the AC. We had gone a whole week without a shower or bed so it a was a nice treat. Republic treated us well.

July 23It felt so nice to be cuddled up on the firm bed with a beautiful quilt covering us. We were smart choosing the room with the AC and slept great. I did not want to move an inch and it took some convincing, but I was able to sleep in a bit longer. We then had another breakfast at Cathy’s with Mermaid. Then we packed up quickly and began walking out of town.

The trail crosses the Pend Oreille River on a bridge that even has a sidewalk. The guidebook points out you can climb 400′ near the power lines to cut 1.7 miles of paved road walking. So we went for it, but it was a big mistake. We had barely made it up and I was drenched in sweat while getting beat up by branches. I was staying to the left of the power lines when I felt something poke my left leg. Then I felt it over and over again realizing I was being attacked by hornets. I swatted them away, but the damage was done. I had four visible stings as they were bloody and the pain was unbearable. I jumped back from where I was attacked and began to shake as tears streamed down my face along with the sweat. I’ve never been stung by that many hornets at once. It took me a few minutes to gain my composure before we struggled back uphill. We found a well traveled trail finally that slowly lead us to the top. So I would recommend staying to the paved road. Ouch! We stopped in the shade in someone’s driveway as I took a Benadryl and cleaned the wounds. 

We finished up our paved road walk and joined a forest service road. I felt a bit off today as my panic attack due to the bee stings took a lot of energy out of me. We took a break at a stream to rehydrate and have a snack before continuing uphill on the dirt road on many switchbacks. Today we will be climbing a vertical mile up and over Abercrombie Mountain. Paperweight got ahead of me as I took my time walking along the road listening to Podcasts. 

I made it to the trailhead to find him chatting with Bessie and Billy. I took a quick break here as well before we began the last four miles of climbing to the top of the mountain. I am feeling myself again and the climbing was wonderful. The trail was well maintained as flowers were blooming and berries were ready to be picked. We stopped half way up at a spring to fill up our bottles before busting out the last bit to the top. The higher we got the better the views. This mountain is the second highest in Eastern Washington. It is only one foot behind the largest peak in this part of the state. We could see the wildfire that we had to avoid last section burning in the distance. We could see for miles and miles. The Selkirk mountains, Canadian mountains, and many other ranges all around. The trail dips down .2 miles from the very top, but we busted up the last bit to the peak. Well worth the side trip! The last bit was along rocky scree that involved careful steps. Wow! This is why I hike! I live for these moments. It’s so rewarding to hike out of town to a hike peak in one day. We soaked in the views before heading back down.

The trail descended quickly and steeply heading back towards the trees. We scared lots of birds along the way that zipped out in front of us. Today is one of those memorable days on trail. We dipped up and down for a bit before hitting the switchbacks that would lead down to Silver Creek Trailhead. We hiked until 8:50 making the total miles over 23. It was a tough and rewarding day. We had a lovely campsite with a picnic table all for free. 

July 24

We both slept in until 7 this morning. We enjoyed breakfast at a picnic table and using a pit toilet. We walked 3.6 miles along a forest road chatting along the way. We then hit the paved Deep Lake Boundary Rd which is 19 miles long and leads into the town of Northport. The original trail was changed this year after a new owner refused access through his property. So all road walking today. Maybe 4 miles into the road walk I was checking out some of the homes and stepped on a branch the wrong way. I did something to my ankle and it ached the rest of the day. 

We took a break off the road at an old entrance to private property. He went downhill to get us water since my foot hurt. A truck drove by, turned around driving by again, and then pulled over. An older couple were worried if I was okay. I told them we were just having a lunch break and she brought me some fresh picked cherries to much on. Then my nicely bearded boyfriend climbed up from the water as her husband told her it was time to get going. She was such a nice woman and the cherries were delicious.

We continued onward as I hiked our first hobbling a bit on a few of the parts. I was shocked to turn a corner a see a general store. We were greeted by a large peacock at the front door we had to avoid. I had a cold soda and strawberry shortcake. We sat out front with the peacock and chatted with a local. Then it was more paved road. A car stopped and it was Beacon!! What a nice surprise. Our plan was to go only 5 more miles to a campground instead of the last 10 to town. My ankle was too sore to make it all the way in on the road.

We checked into the campground then went for a swim in the Columbia River. It felt nice to soak my ankle and my swollen leg from all the hornet stings. We were drying off on the beach when Mermaid and Beacon came walking towards us. They stopped in town to grab some beers and then joined us for the evening. The four of us had a lovely time at the picnic table chatting for hours. Another good day on the PNT.

July 25

We have only 5 miles left of a paved road walk into the small town of Northport. Most hikers take hitch hikes along the road walks. We still believe in connecting all of our footprints. The road climbed uphill more then yesterday then dropped us down. We busted out those last few miles singing to music and talking. We were rewarded with a scenic overlook of the river and the bridge. We did not think any restaurant in town served breakfast, but we walking into the Mustang Grill to find Bessie, Billy, Davinci, Mermaid, and Beacon finishing up breakfast.

Days spent in town always go by too quickly. After breakfast, we made our way to the Matterson Bed and Breakfast which is owned and operated by the lovely 71 year old Bert. She has 9 children, 45 grandchildren, and her 25th great grandchild was born that night. She was heading out for the day so she quickly showed us our room and bathroom letting us know there was beer in the fridge. We had a lovely bedroom decorated in sailor theme. It was cozy and exactly what we needed. We showered, looked at our maps, and lounged around. Mermaid’s husband, Johnny, came to visit. The four of us had a late lunch together at the Grill in town. We also spent time chatting with the other hikers in town. There were 14 hikers in town today! Only 4 of us did the brutally hot paved road walk to connect our steps.

We relaxed at the bed and breakfast for most of the afternoon. This is the first bed and breakfast I have ever stayed in and for $60 it was a steal. Around 7, we wandered down to the bar Kuks which has been open since 1888. It was taco Tuesday so only $1.50 for two. We also split a pitcher of IPA. We hung out with Nive and Charlie who live in London, but are moving to Boston in November. Then it was back to our quaint bedroom where we slept wonderfully!

July 17

We decided to wait until 11 to check out of our comfy room. Everyone else got an early ride out with the trail angel. We grabbed a fast lunch at Subway before hitching out of town. He joked it was going to be a tough hitch. A man quickly stopped to give us a ride out of town in his van that he lives in with his dog. He was a wonderful guy and is a woodcarver. He dropped us off at a junction that would lead back to the spot where Beacon picked us up. Our next ride was a younger man who moved a car seat for us to sit down. He hadn’t heard of the PNT, but was interested and went a little farther out of his way to get us back to our spot. I love hitchhiking. Yes, I know people find it to be scary, but I love meeting new people and sharing stories.

We could of walked down the paved road then back up another paved road or take a bushwhack down from the guardrail. That was our best option. We ended up finding a path after the steep path that connected us to the road we needed to be on. It was the original highway, but now no cars passed by. We walked a few other paved roads past farmland, cute homes, and lots of chickens running around. The trail joins a dirt road for a short section past a lake which was pleasant walking. We hiked together all day just talking about other possible thru hikes, dreams of places to travel, and other “real life” topics. 

We walked almost 11 miles to the base of the climb. As we were nearing the turn to the trail, Mermaid, Epic, and Beacon were walking towards us. They had got dropped off at this point this morning and had set up camp nearby. We joined them as well as Iron Eagle at the campsite. We got there a bit before 4 so it was an easy evening of conversation, laughter, and eating. The wildfire in the distance is causing the sky to be smoky, but we can’t smell it yet. We made it out of town and both of us are feeling strong. 

July 18

We said goodbye to the other four who decided to skip the ridge and stay along a creek for most of the day. Also, this area burned in 2015. The climb started up towards Parker Ridge on a beautifully groomed trail with many switchbacks. Many of the trees are burnt, but they are all still standing tall. We found the spring to be flowing nicely so it really wasn’t a long water carry like we expected. We climbed higher and higher towards the ridge. Huge granite slabs were along the cliff making the views extraordinary. We both agreed this has been the best section of hiking since Glacier. We reached the ridge after a 5,000 foot climb to be rewarded with mountain ranges all around us. Today included lots of exposed hiking so we both were drenched in sweat all day.

Lakes below us dotted the scenery. We even crossed a few patches of snow left over from the winter. Parker Ridge has been a magical hike for us. I love ridge walks! We both agreed this area could be explored much more. We grabbed some cold water from a melting snow bank before beginning the descent. We met two other thru hikers named Bessie and Billy on our way down. We came to another trail junction as the trail then became larger and better maintained. Lots of nicely constructed boardwalks as well. 

A steep 700 foot climb at the end of the day would lead up to our campsite. It was a bitch! After all the elevation gain we already had today this last bit really wore me out. It was also straight up from Pyramid Lake to our campsite. We finally made it to Upper Balls Lake after doing over 6,000 feet of climbing today. The lake was gorgeous and there were many options for campsites. We choose a spot where we quickly set up then went down towards the lake to eat dinner and enjoy the view. The water was chilly as I soaked my feet and rinsed off my legs. We ate dinner and right as were ready to go into the tent when Mermaid arrived. She had hiked 3 more miles then us on an alternative route with lots of water that avoided the ridge. She kicked ass today too. She joined us as Beacon, Epic, and Iron Eagle camped 700 feet lower at Pyramid Lake. It was chilly at our campsite as I wore my pants, my down jacket, and hat while eating dinner. We made it into the tent as it was just getting dark and we drifted off to sleep after one of our best days on trail so far.

July 19

Beacon came walking into our campsite around 7 and ready to conquer our next challenge. The trail enters a 5 mile “bushwhack” section. The four of us left together as we found a nice trail leading straight uphill towards the boulders we had admired from our campsites. The trail then disappears and you are left to pick the safest route across a slopped mountain with many rocks and loose sand. We hike a bit faster then Mermaid and Beacon so we left them at this point. I am also a bit anxious on this type of hiking, but I took cautious steps and did not panic. I sat and scooted on my butt a few time, I hugged trees, and I took baby steps most of the way. It wasn’t the worse hiking I have done so far, but still a bit terrifying.

(The photo above is the section we had to cross to get to the ridge walk)

We made it to the flat ridge where we waited and looked back trying to find the other two. As we were snacking, we heard Mermaid yell towards us words you never want to hear. Beacon, fell, hurt, bad, helicopter, and keep going! We did not think it was safe to turn around and go back since we could be injured as well. We took her advice and kept going. We worried most of the day about him and wondered what he had hurt. We found out days later that he shattered his left wrist after falling four feet. A rescue team walked up to him and helped him down to a trailhead. Accidents can occur at anytime and I’m fortunate to have had few incidents during the past 8,500+ miles. 

The ridge walk was the best and easiest part of the section. The trail then drops downhill to Lion Creek. This part was tricky. There was a trail for about half of the way downhill then we were pushing away large trees. I wore my only pair of long pants today which are long legged underwear. By the end of the day, I had three holes in them. We were getting beat up by branches and stepping carefully to avoid holes. It was super slow going. Once we made it down to the water it did not get any easier.

We spent 7 hours going a total distance of 5 miles. It was almost like a nightmare! We would find a trail then loose it. We climbed over dozens of trees and got attacked by hundreds of branches. It was exhausting! I’m glad I was not doing this section alone. I can only imagine the amount of wildlife living in this area. If I was grizzly, this is where I would live because hunters do not come out this far. We took a few breaks feeling defeated and slowly making our way out of the jungle. We escaped around 3 and took a well deserved long break along a natural rock slide. We watched birds swim, eat, and play in the water for an hour. It is very unusual to have only hike 5 miles by 4, but it was that type of day. 

After our nice break, we found pink ribbons on the trees which helped us find the poorly maintained trail. We then came to a huge campsite and an old forest road. The rest of the day was smooth sailing. This old overgrown road turned into a dirt forest road for many miles. We were able to easily hike 3 miles an hour. We passed the large Lake Priest where lots of people were swimming and camping. If it wasn’t so late in the day, I would of certainly went for a swim. We passed civilization and lots of cars along the road.

The trail turned off the road and the mosquitos found it. We were moving over 3 mph at this point looking for a place to camp. We entered the land of large Cedar trees along a stream. We got to the stream crossing and we decided to set up camp and cross in the morning. We were surrounded by old growth cedar trees and the sound of running water. We both rinsed off in the stream before we ate dinner. We both have some bad chafe after all the jumping over trees and unnatural movements. So a quick naked rinse was what I needed. We ate dinner then jumped into our tent to relax and discuss what a wild day it had been. We were exhausted and ready for bed early tonight.

July 20

We woke up sometime after midnight to the sound of thunder, flashes of lightning, and rainfall. I drifted back to sleep many times to be awoken by a bang. He joked in the morning that we watched the lightning light up my face most of the night. When we did get moving, we crossed the stream to find no trail on the other side. So we crossed back then walked up the trail which led into the creek and across to the trail. We were surprised to find Idaho Centennial Trail markers. We cross three other long distance trails on this hike- CDT, ICT, and PCT.

The trail was beautiful and well maintained. We then walked along Upper Priest Lake for many miles. There were lots of campers along the lake and a few dogs ran towards us. This is a gorgeous section of hiking. We took a break at the end of the lake to dry off. Due to the rain our shoes and clothes were drenched.

 A few miles later we found ourselves on a dirt road where we were able to dry off. We walked this road for many miles before entering the land of cedar trees. Huge, stunning, and magnificent! I felt like a tiny speck. We crossed a stream where my feet got soaked. Then it was uphill for the end of the day.

We got concerned that there would be no where to camp until we got to the top of the climb. We found a semi flat spot right off the trail where we decided to set up camp. The bugs were nasty so we ate quickly then jumped into the tent. Bessie and Billy walked past us and scared me as I thought it was a big animal coming up the trail. We looked over our maps and made our game plan for tomorrow before falling asleep. 

July 21

Our alarm was set for 5:08, but we choose to sleep then cuddle until 6. We finally got moving on the trail a bit before 7. I’m glad we got an early start today. We crossed into Washington and again found no sign. I love this state. It was lovely hiking in the fall on the PCT here and I’ve been wanting to explore more of the state since then. A little while longer we came to our morning obstacle. It took us 2 long hours to hike 3 miles on nicely switchbacked trail. The only problem was there was at least 70 down trees along the way. Then it turned into a muddy trail with high bushes all around. I only managed to fall once and it wasn’t off the ridge luckily. I felt like a gymnast hurdling, crawling, swatting, and jumping my way through this section. This trail is teaching me patience as well.

We came to a four way intersection where one of the trails is closed due to fire, one lead to a ridge walk, and the other downhill to a creek. We choose the downhill to the creek. This trail was recently groomed and full of large cedar trees. I can’t get enough of them. We decided to cross the creek early by doing a bushwhack that would cut 3 miles or so. The downhill was a little nerve racking. I picked my own route so I ended up losing him at the bottom. I should of stayed with him because his crossing was a bit easier. I had to cross at knee deep and then scramble up large rocks to get to the forest road.

We took a nice break on the road and talked to some USFS workers who asked if we were hiking the PNT. They also wanted to be sure we weren’t using the closed trail. We then had a long dirt road walk that would eventually bring us to Metaline Falls the next morning. The walk was easy and along the creek. We saw two large owls fly across the road then perch in a tree to watch us. The closer we got to town the more campsites and other people we came across. We continued on planning to camp at Mill Pond, but we found out it closed three days earlier for the season. So we found ourselves on a paved road just a few miles out of town. So we took a trail uphill and found a slanted spot along a river to set up camp. We didn’t have the energy to hike the last few miles tonight so we will save town for the morning.

July 22

Our campsite was not ideal as I slid around to the bottom of the tent all night. We got moving early this morning with Metaline Falls in sight. Besides our quick trail walk back to the highway, it was all fast road walking. I ate a few thimbleberries on the trail this morning. Yum! We walked past many other car campers along a creek before hitting one of the “most dangerous road walks of the PNT.” Maybe, we have just done so many road walks in the past few years that the small shoulder, guardrails, and concrete barriers don’t scare us anymore. 

We walked down into the small town of Metaline Falls. There are a little less then 300 year long residents here. We ate breakfast at Cathy’s which is one of the two restaurants in town. We chatted with Billy and Bessie as well. We then checked out the trail angels house which is also on the main road which is 5th Ave. We met her lovely daughter who would later explain much more about this small town to us. We decided to get a room at the Washington Hotel which was built in 1908. The owner was super hiker friendly and does a load of laundry for the hikers as well. We had the option to pick any room. The rooms are on the second floor and each is adorable. We picked the one with the AC. Each bed has a beautiful quilt on it and the rooms have furniture pieces from that time period. The floors creek under your feet and the hotel has a lovely feel to it. We did our resupply chores, took a shower, and relaxed the rest of the day. We did spent a few hours at the library enjoying the free wifi. We also did the walking tour of town checking out all the old buildings. I love small towns, but I don’t know if I could live in this one. It is almost like a ghost town with more then half of the stores on the main road are closed and mostly for sale. 

More hikers rolled in to town including Mermaid, Epic, Iron Eagle, Davinci, Roadrunner, and Tinkerbell. We had a late lunch at the 5th Ave Bar and Grill which is the only place open after 2. We watched the last hour of Matilda in the sitting room at the hotel and mostly just chatted with the other hikers. After hanging out at the trail angels, we all went to the bar. I had a beer, Epic bought us all a fireball shot, and Mermaid shared her salad with us. It was a perfect nero into town spent with great people in a place where you don’t have to walk far to get anywhere. 

July 10

Neither of us slept great last night as the AC was noisy and we would wake up sweaty then cold. We both prefer the tent. I had to do a walk down to the post office to pick up my resupply. It was about 1.2 miles as cars zipped by on the road. I grabbed my 12 lb box and attempted to hitch back to the hotel without any luck. By the time I made it back to the hotel, I was sweaty and my arms were sore. I spent the next hour and a half going though my box, organizing my food, packing, taking a cold shower, and watching one of the 15 tv channels. 

Paperweight, Turtle, and I took the short walk to the pizza place for the 11:00 lunch buffet. I had three helpings of salad, a few slices of pizza, and some fries. Not too bad of a deal for just $10. It was sad to say goodbye to Turtle who has been dealing with tremendous foot since the start of the hike. I truly enjoyed getting to know her and look forward to crossing paths again. Paperweight and I have been so happy to meet so many fellow thru hikers this year. We joke that we get sick of just talking to each other. A bit after noon we said goodbye to Turtle and the father and son. 

We decided to take the bike path out of town. It was a much safer option and allowed us to zone out into podcast land. I enjoyed all the quaint cabins along the walk. We dropped down from the road and under a bridge to join a rail trail. We found ourselves walking along a stream in the sand. It was very pleasant walking and a nice breeze. We ended up getting off the trail through since there were many paths. So we backtracked and joined a nicely oiled dirt road which rejoined to a dirt trail in the forest for a bit. After a quick discussion, we decided to just jump onto the paved road to make navigation easier. The trail would of joined the road shortly anyways. It was the typical paved road walk. Cars flying by, garbage tossed out of car windows resting for years along the side of the pavement, mile marker signs for me to know exactly how many minutes a mile I was doing, and the smell of the vehicles. 

We found Beacon a little ways up the road trying to get a hitch to the bridge. We continued onward and it was pleasant since there was a lot of cloud cover. The rain came quickly as we both put on our pack covers and grabbed our umbrellas. It rained on and off for the next hour or so as we stayed dry. The temperature also dropped even more making the evening miles pleasant. Our feet were sore and we knew we had to dip down from the road to get water. We walked along the guardrail then took a steep rocking route down to the water. We were sitting under a bridge along a highway filtering water and eating dinner. Four years ago I would of laughed at the thought of it. We each grabbed a bit over 3 liters for the next stretch before climbing up steeply back to the road.

We have slowly been waking closer to The bridge over Lake Koocanusa. This is the highest bridge and longest in the state of Montana. It is a beautiful bridge and even had a sidewalk for us to use. It is .4 miles long and the breeze was spectacular. I took my hair out of its braid and let it blow in the winter. I have done this on most hiking and it is such a freeing feeling. I loved this part of the road walk. We then joined a forest road climbing uphill towards our trailhead.

We finally left the road beginning the climb to Mt. Webb. Our guidebook told us where the first campsite was so we climbed uphill towards it. We found Beacon and Mermaid relaxing there. They had yogied some drinks and had saved us each a Bud Light. So after we set up our tent, we joined them as we drank a warm beer. What a day! We figured we did a little over 15 miles starting in the afternoon. I was exhausted and climbed into the tent to quickly fall asleep.

July 11

We all woke up around 2am to hear something running around the camp. I remember saying “it’s probably a deer” then falling back to sleep. In the morning, we had over 3000 feet of uphill to the top of Mt. Webb. I left last and took my time. There are a few ripe huckleberries so picking season is coming soon. The trail switch backed uphill for close to five miles as you get a better view of the large lake. I was dripping with sweat by the time I made it to the top. I peered into the windows of the lookout cabin and enjoyed the views from the porch. It was windy and I got cold quick as the sweat was still drying. We all had a nice snack break before getting back to the trail.

So many flowers are blooming! Along this path I counted 6 different types of flowers. The forest is colorful and berries are starting to ripen. We crossed a dirt road and walked a snowmobile path for a bit before stopping for water. We ate in the shade near the stream. The next part of the day we began climbing. It is a dense forest with tamaracks and spruces. The trail sent up then back down a few mountains. We calculated about 6500 feet of elevation gain today. At our next water stop, mermaid caught up to us. Beacon had grabbed a ride into town. There were lots of frogs in this water source as I counted five. The trail then had us climb straight back up followed by another steep down. We also did some log jumping as trees fall all the time on trail. 

We ended up finding a semi flat and not too overgrown campsite to set up. It was another tough day of hiking. We set up, ate dinner, and then slept the best nights sleep in a long time. 

July 12

The morning started with more uphill towards Mt. Henry. I love forest walking. We choose not to do the side trail to the top and took a ridge route options. Nice views along the way then the steep downhill. The downhill was at times on loose rocks dropping to Turner Creek. I took my time and felt some soreness in my legs this morning. When we made it down to the bottom, we sat on some rocks to filter water and eat breakfast. Iron Eagle and Epic slept in and came over to join us for breakfast. They are heading into Yaak today and we choose to skip it and hike 113 miles to Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Mermaid joined us as well as two USFS employees. The first guy was in charge of the chainsaw and were cutting down trees on our trail and other ones. We thanked them and chatted for a bit as they had a snack break with us. They said it’s nice to see people hiking this trail and they now cut down trees once a year after the snow has melted. We took a long two hour break here. Whoops!

The guys recommended we check out Turner Falls which was a short side trail. Wow! The water was falling down onto a pile of rocks almost creating two waterfalls. Gorgeous spot. The guys also recommended skipping the next PNT section to hike along the creek. The other part climbs uphill through a burn section where 6 foot trees surround you. We took the creek walk and crossed lots of nice wooden bridges. The sound of rushing water and the bright green plants was perfect. Also, the workers were ahead of us so no down trees to hop. The Montana section of this trail had been nicely maintained and better marked then I expected. Thank you to the forest service for all the work you do on this trail. 

The rest of the day was road walking for hours. We did take a late lunch along a stream as a few cars passed by us kicking up dust. The road was paved for a bit and this was the spot where we could of hitched into Yak. We wanted to save a little money and be out in the woods longer. Town is fun, but we live for the camping lifestyle. We passed lots of cute cabins and hunting properties. I noticed one for sale sign. We chatted to a man in a truck saying he was going out bird watching. It’s called “Yaak TV” to him. We slowly climbed uphill towards our next campsite.

We came to the bridge and West Fork of the Yak River where we planned to camp. We saw a lovely campsite with firewood right over the bridge, but then we saw the truck. So we debated what to do before we took off our packs and went down to the river. I filtered some water and got ready to go for a dip. I went in with my shorts and sports bra. It felt nice to rinse off and clean out all my cuts and bites on my legs. We both cleaned up as Mermaid came across the bridge. The three of us set up camp a little way from the bridge. Paperweight and I spent most of the evening looking at our maps, guidebooks, and discussing our options. Before we knew it, it was past 10 and still light out. We drifted to sleep!

July 13

Neither of us wanted to get out of the tent this morning so hiking didn’t start till 7:30. I left first since Mermaid and Paperweight still needed to grab some water. We are still following a dirt road so it is easy and quick walking. The trees allow for a mostly shady walk. Around 4 miles in, I saw a large hawk flying above me with a dead bunny or maybe a squirrel in it’s claw. I have never seen that before. I have zoned out to Podcasts most of the morning as the miles fly by. I carried out 2 1/2 liters since we are unsure if some of the tributaries are dry or running.

Mermaid and Paperweight joined me as I took a water break at a tributary. My man and I started walking out together and heard a large crashing noise. It was a tree off the road crashing to the forest floor. We walked together until we zoned out to our Podcasts. We came to the junction to the lookout tower where we took a water and snack break. We are back to a trail for 3.4 miles to the next water and lunch break. We walked together talking about life adventures. The trail went up and down slightly through a lush green forest as lumpiness were blooming. The last bit was a steep downhill on rocks. We ran into a hiker coming East who started in Northport. We asked him a few questions about water and such before parting ways. We also ran into Heather who is doing her thesis on the PNT trail. The three of us took a nice shoe off lunch break in the shade. We crossed into the 200s today meaning less then a 1,000 to go.

The next five miles continued on a forest road and was easy walking. A 3 mile per hour pace as we both listened to our own podcasts. We came to the Yaak River which is a little bit off trail. It was about 4 and the three of us decided to call it a day. We had originally planned a bigger day, but sometimes a campsite is just perfect. Our spot is on the other side of bridge along a dead end road. You can easily walk down to the water as there is even a hand rail to guide you. I thought about a dip, but decided against it after soaking up to my lower thigh. The water was cold and refreshing. So the rest of the day was spent relaxing, typing up these blogs, and listening to the birds sing and water flowing below us. 

July 14

We had planned on getting on trail early this morning, but 7:10 wasn’t a bad start. We each packed out three liters since it about 18 miles without a reliable source. The hiking started out very steep in a dense dark forest. It seems as though we were in a horror movie taking place in the woods. It was beautiful. The sun began to shine in through the trees the higher we climbed. We crossed a few bridges and nice running water. Things are reliable this time of year thanks to the snow melt. We continued pushing uphill as we came to a ridge with expansive views including a huge snowy peak out in the distance.

Next thing we knew it we were dropping down from the saddle back into the forest. Oh the PNT is full of ups and downs around every corner. Our next climb began as the trail turned more into a path. Soon we were out of the large trees and walking carefully over rocks. Rock cairns marked the way as we crossed a few patches left of snow. What a gorgeous area! We grabbed a liter each of snow melt water and made the last uphill push to the saddle which is our highpoint. The flowers are blooming as patches of snow still lingers. The marmots were screeching and bugs buzzing all about. This is my type of hiking! This is what I live for. High elevation, ridge waking, mountain views, snow, flowers, and a destination in sight. We took a nice break in the shade along the saddle snacking and drinking water. 

The downhill was marked as a bushwhack, but we were pleased to see a well traveled trail. I rubbed up against hundreds of bear grasses covering me in pollen. The worst part is when you are talking and inhale some pollen. Yuck! We cruised downhill and came across the first log book on trail where we signed in. 6 days ago 11 hikers signed in so I guess we are in between the bubbles. The “bubble” is used to describe a large grouping of hikers.

We continued onward walking many miles before taking lunch in a new state. We crossed into Idaho finding no sign and a similar trail. We gained an hour today as we crossed a time zone so we ate lunch at 2:00 instead of 3:00. The trail seemed to be much more rocky in this state and we found no PNT markers the rest of the day. It was nice hiking as the miles passed quickly. We came to a road intersection to find Beacon. He treated us to a cold beer and fresh fruit! What a treat. After Mermaid arrived, we all decided to push another 8 miles to total 24 for the day to go to the Fiest Restaurant.

So we were off moving quickly along the trail. A few spots were pretty rutted. The best part was the huckleberries and blueberries. If I wasn’t in a rush for a meal, I could of laid down and ate hundreds of berries. Our feet began to ache on the last two miles, but we made it down to Beacon and his rental car in plenty of time for dinner. 

We all had the salad bar and a meal. I would of been eating oatmeal for dinner since I’ve ate all my other favorites over the past few days. We have really put in the miles and skipped over Yaak to get in more miles. We deserved a cooked meal and a spot to rest. The owner is a trail angel and ended up giving Mermaid a key to a hotel room for free. Thank you so much!!

The four of us found ourselves in a beautiful hotel room with clean towels for each of us. It was close to 10, but we all showered and charged our devices while drinking a cold beer. Mermaid and I shared the cozy queen bed as the guys slept on their air pads. No setting up the tent or having to unpack the pack today made the 24 miles even more worthwhile. 

July 15

I did not sleep great last night as I kept waking up and looking at the alarm clock. I got up first and snuck to the bathroom avoiding steeping on the guys who were sleeping on the floor. On the way back, I realized it was getting late and we still had quite a few miles to do until town. So I got on the floor and gave my man a little cuddle. Everyone woke up and we began packing up quickly and eating a quick bite. It was a bit after 7 when Beacon dropped us off at the trailhead. It was sprinkling so on went the pack cover and out came our umbreallas. We walked the road he just drove us on before crossing the railroad tracks. We passed some land for sale, a few ranches and cabins for rent, and saw a young fawn in a field. We came to the end of a dirt road and began the climb up Mt. Bussard. 

The hiking continued uphill for a little over 7 miles on switchbacks. There were lots of ripe blueberries and huckleberries to munch on during the uphill. I felt very strong and motivated by town. The uphill trail continued on and on before joining an old road which is not traveled by ATVs and dirt bikes. At the top, we took a break waiting for Mermaid and to have a snack. I tried to dry off as well since my shirt was soaked all the way through. Even though there was lots of cloud cover it was humid. Mermaid showed up and shared fruit with us that she packed out from Beacon. What a treat to have watermelon on the top of a mountain in Idaho. 

The trail lead downhill to the highway. We traveled a trail with new wooden bridges and concrete slabs in the mucky areas. Then we found ourselves on a steep loose rock slid towards the bottom. There were parts with many rocks and then an old overgrown forest road. We passed a guy sleeping in his tent and lots of people out picking berries when we met a more traveled road. The rest of the day was a one lane dirt road past lots of people out picking. The trail dipped lower and lower into the heat. The official route cuts across Brush Lake, but the guide book says to avoid. It is a tough bushwhack. I did not even see an easy spot to attempt it along the road. I zoned out to Podcasts and walked quickly to get to town and also avoid mosquitos. Beacon was waiting for us at Highway 95 where he whisked us away from the mountains and into the town of Bonners Ferry.

We descended into town passed the old town with a new casino before entering the new town. We headed straight to the Oriental Garden for a Chinese dinner. Yum! Then a quick stop at the grocery store for beer and of course ice cream. Then we were off to the hotel where the four of us split a room. It felt wonderful to shower and clean my gear. We all chatted drinking beers and eating ice cream before bed. Tomorrow we zero.
July 16

Today was a perfect zero day. Thanks to Beacon’s rental car we barely had to do any walking. We did walk to a breakfast spot, the grocery store, and laundry mat, but none of them were more than .1 miles. We decided to get our own room for tonight and was surprised for $5 more at a cost of $64 a night with tax we could get the room attached to the hot tub. She locks the main door at 9pm and we would be the only ones allowed in past that time. Score!! Beacon drove us to the gear shop and we even scored a free hiking shirt for Paperweight in the thrift store bin. So we did all of our chores and checked into our room around 3. The four of us headed back to the other part of town for dinner at the casino. It was a delicious meal with larger portions then I expected.

The rest of the day was spent lounging in the large king sized bed and playing on the wifi. A bit after 9, we took full advantage of our hot tub while drinking a few beers and discussing our future. It is looking pretty bright with many more places to explore.

July 5

Polebridge was a tough town to leave. We woke up early and packed up our life. We had a quick breakfast and said goodbye to Oliver, the hostel owner. We began the road walk out of town. I’m thankful the roads are not paved yet. We walked the gravel road out of town as it is still part of the PNT. Lots of cars went zooming by and one guy yelled out “enjoy your hike!” We turned to our right seeing our second PNT marker and up on Haystack Creek also a dirt road.

We both zoned out to our podcasts on the road making the miles fly by quickly. We passed a creek and came out with 100s of mosquitos surrounding us. Thanks to my friend Amanda for dropping off my bug spray it saved my life. We took a quick snack break to eat some huckleberry bread from town.

Then more road walking! We were slowly climbing higher and higher. We came to the junction where the road ends at a trailhead. It was nice to be on a trail again even if it was a former road. The grasses are high and flowers are everywhere. We walked together and chatted. It was a nice stroll that turned into a ridge walk with lovely views of new places. We chatted with Peter and Charlie for a bit before we parted ways for the day. We continued uphill as they camped at a nearby lake that we later learned was beautiful. We found Turtle set up past a water source. We took a long break here filtering, chatting and relaxing as Mermaid joined us then Bear Claw and Iceberg. We walked a little less then a mile crossing one large patch of snow before Mermaid, Paperweight, and I called it. We camped near the Jack Link trailhead parking lot. We had a view of a sessional lake. It was a peaceful site and no cars would be driving up there due to the large snow bank on the road. Polebridge was fun, but it’s nice to be back on trail.

July 6

We joined back to a trail and began an uphill climb. Quickly, we were traversing patches of snow. I only managed to sink into one spot up to my knee. Since the CDT I am much faster and confident on the snow. It was fun climbing uphill along trail and snow. We slowly made up way up to a ridge. We could see for miles including the next climb waiting ahead of us. I love ridge walking. It is challenging, but the views make it worthwhile. We took our first break at the top of the ridge with 360 views into Montana and Canada. We could see Turtle ahead of us climbing the next hill. It was a pleasant break.

The rest of the day continued with steep downs then another uphill to the next mountain top. It was a calf burner for sure and we were happy to already have trail legs thanks to the AZT. I was leading at one point following footprints in the snow when we realized the trail was faint. We followed a game trail for a bit climbing uphill before realizing we were off trail. We consulted our maps as the three of us wandered around a mountain we never had to climb. We found our way back to the trail in about 45 minutes. This time I noticed an arrow before the snow patch ended leading to the left. We simply missed the turn. Oh well. We climbed back up before taking a break at a junction.

I had underestimated my amount of water for the day. I knew it was a long stretch, but didn’t account for the amount of sweat this type of hiking creatures. I left them first in search of water finding only a huge bear print and puddles of water near snow banks. I ended up scooping up a liter of water using my tent netting piece to filter out the big chunks before filtering with my Sawyer. These type of miles were fairly slow going. Later on we came to a small running stream thanks to the melting snow where I drank 2 more liters and packed some out. All day we had wonderful views, patches of snow to walk on, wild flowers blooming all around, and the strong smell of a pine forest.

The last climb of the day was towards Locke Mountain. I was dripping in sweat and fairly exhausted. We made it to the turn deciding we didn’t want to do the extra .2 to the summit which I regretted later. The next part of the trail was down down down to the river. My knees felt it and I took the lead moving fast downhill. There were a few fallen trees to jump over along the way. We ran into Bear Claw and Iceburg at the first running water source then we moved on to the bigger creek.

We found Turtle near the crossing of Blue Sky Creek. I forded it with my shoes on and the snow melt water was chilly. We had planned to hike another 5 miles, but decided to call it a day since we were all exhausted. Peter and Charlie, the father and son team, two fast ultralight guys joined the four of us. It was a nice evening of conversation before I retired early to the tent to continue reading my book. Another lovely day on the Pacific Northwest Trail.

July 7

The first five miles to the dirt road was quick and slight downhill on an old mining road. The trees and bushes have began to overtake the road, but there is still enough room for one person to brush through the plants. It was a pleasant morning walk. Everyone took a break at the next bridge and water source. We got to know Bear Claw and Iceburg a bit more. 

The next few miles were on the gravel forest road before turning off it to the left back to an old road that is also overgrown. We took another break at the bridge to rehydrate and relax while taking with Turtle. The next bit of hiking led us uphill towards Foundation Lake. The was a beautiful spot and Paperweight went for a dip as I choose to only rinse off my legs. Turtle, Charlie, and Peter choose to camp here tonight as the rest of us continued. The trail climbs steeply up towards Mt Wam. I mean steep as my calves burned I was reminded of the AT climb. This time Paperweight, Mermaid, and I did more climbing to the very top to check out the lookout tower. A husband and wife were there and they booked the tower back in July. In the summer, you can rent out many of these lookout towers for a small fee. They told us we could stay, but we just wanted to check it out. It had seen better days, but was a unique building. The views made it a magical place along with the flowers near the top. We said farewell and climbed back down from the Wam Lookout as the clouds looked a bit threatening and a few roars of thunder were heard. 

The afternoon miles ended up being much more difficult then we expected. We encountered large patches of snow that really slowed us down. My feet were also in a lot of pain as blisters were forming near my heels. I moaned a lot and moved carefully and slowly along the trail. We took a dinner break since we were getting exhausted. As soon as we sat down, it began to downpour. It did this on and off for the next thirty minutes. We hid under our umbrellas and ate dinner. I love my umbrella.
The break did not help my ankles, but made it worse. I moaned a lot and wanted to just set up camp, but also wanted to be closer to town for tomorrow. It took us an hour to do 1.5 miles so the map said. We came to the next stream which was flooded, still had snow piles on it, and remnants of an avalanche from this winter. So my feet got wet one last time as we claimed a spot near the bank along with Bear Claw, Iceburg, and Mermaid. We had hiked almost a 20 mile day through tough terrain after a difficult day the day before. We camped at an unnamed lake at the bottom of a rock face. We watched mountain goats walking gracefully along the rocks. 

The PNT is already proving to be a difficult trail in many ways, but that is why I love it already. I like not knowing elevation profiles from an app and simply having to climb what is ahead of me. It is strange to not have a water report like my last three trails, but I’m becoming better at reading maps. I don’t mind the forest roads that connect back to trails possibly only traveled by thru hikers. Montana is gorgeous and it’s great exploring it by foot for the second time on a National Scenic Trail. 

July 8
We woke up before 6 o’clock this morning to get our miles in. The end of the day yesterday was really tough and we assumed this morning would be the same. We started hiking around 630 and encountered many patches of snow. I was still exhausted from the day before and it took me a while to warm up. I managed to fall twice in the snow and once on a rock. I think I finally learned how to fall down gracefully. We crossed many flooded streams along the way. We climbed a bit above 7300 feet. We were rewarded with huge views of the Canadian mountains.

This section of trail is beautiful. We climbed up to the highpoint to find marmot scurrying around on the rocks. Then it was a quick dip down back to the wildflowers and the tall grasses. We didn’t stay down for long as we climbed up to the next saddle. We love the Kootani National Forest and would love to explore more of this area. We began climbing down hill over rocks and roots and a few over flooded streams. I haven’t had dry shoes in days. We passed an old mining operation and then joined the old mine road. We had really pushed the morning miles.

We turned a corner and saw Beacon sitting in the shade. He had hiked up to meet us and we caught up with him for a little bit. Then we all walked about a half mile together to the clear-cut that separates Canada and United States. We decided not to cross into Canada so we didn’t have to deal with border control. The trail took long switchbacks down the mountain often nearing the border again. It was a gradual descent. We took a half an hour water break at a steam resting our feet. Then it was a mad dash towards town. We hit the gravel road and began more downhill into the heat reaching the 90s in town today. 

A truck stopped to chat with us. It was a man in his late 70s who then told us he was a player for the Yankees. He gave us his baseball card and even though I’m a diehard Red Sox I will cherish his gift. We busted the miles listening to Podcasts again. The lower we got the less big trees to give us shade. I haven’t sweat this much in a while. Looking ahead I only saw one more patch of trees so we took one final break.

After our short break, I looked back and saw him talking to someone in a car. The next time I looked back he no longer had his pack on. Before I knew it the car was pulling up to me and Mermaid and Beacon were inside. She insisted they take my pack for the last 4 or 5 miles of paved road walk into town. It actually felt very nice to slack pack this section. It was in the 90s but there was a slight breeze every once in a while to make it bearable. We walked past farm land and some huge cows as we looked back at the mountains we came down from. The last 3 miles were excruciating for me. My feet were aching and I was so thirsty for some cold water.

The last 2.2 was on the main highway as cars were flying by at a high-speed. I considered hitching, but I sucked it up and made it to the hotel. Beacon welcomed us into the hotel and bought us a soda. We will be camping in the back of the RV park tonight but he insisted we take a break in his room. We both took a nice shower, lay down in bed, and rehydrated in a cool air-conditioned room. My feet were aching and looked pretty nasty. We managed our way down to the RV park where we set up our tent for $20. We didn’t have the energy to walk far so we crossed the road to the restaurant/casino. I had a huge chicken salad that hit the spot and way too many glasses of water. After dinner, we hung out in Turtle’s room for a bit. We hiked about 22 miles today and our feet feel the pain. Around 930, we started our laundry and hung out at the RV park. Around 1030, we wandered back to our tent and called it a night. We could hear the sound of the highway and the full moon lit up our tent, but we both crashed quickly. 

July 9

We choose to take a zero day in Eureka! It got very hot this morning as we are laying inside of her tent. A few minutes before 8 o’clock we decided to start packing up. I had taken down the rain fly and put a few things outside of the tent when suddenly the sprinklers went off. We were in a rush to move all of our stuff away from the sprinklers as we got a little wet in the process. The Internet in of the tent was completely drenched, but I guess it needed a wash. We spent the next hour or so laying in the grass letting all of our things dry out. About 15 minutes later, I was laughing about our situation.

We hung out for a bit by the bathrooms and laundry area organizing our maps and doing some town chores. Around 10 o’clock we were able to check into our room. Turtle joined us for an 11 o’clock lunch that actually turned into a brunch. I had a delicious omelette and enjoy their company when we saw Peter and Charlie coming in too. It’s great having so many hikers around there’s always someone to talk to and share stories about our hike. They told us they saw lots of mountain lion tracks which we hadn’t seen. That means it must’ve been behind us.

We made a quick run down to the grocery store to stock up on a few essentials for a day off including a six pack of beer, chips, and a few other treats. We spent most of the afternoon laying in bed watching TV uploading the blog and downloading pictures. It is in the 90s outside so we’re not planning to go out again. Okay except for dinner which was fun with 6 other thru hikers. We ended up having a party back in Turtle’s room as we hung out with two other thru hikers. We heard the rest of the hikers were at the other bar so 9 of marched in that direction. We ended up finding them in a casino, bar, and bowling alley. Enjoy the group photo. Iron Eagle, Bear Claw, Paperweight and I played one game of bowling while downing a few draft beers. I love days like this and the community of thru hikers. So many like minded individuals living a wild life together. Paperweight and I wandered back to our room where we ate our left overs then passed out.