Cascade Locks, OR Mile 2144

I crossed the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River and into Oregon yesterday.  Washington has been much colder and wetter than expected, but that helped keep the bug activity down and there have been some sunny breaks for mountain viewing. It seems Washington weather is more often cloudy and drizzle than an all out rain.   I've been fortunate to meet many nice people on and off trail.  I started meeting a slow trickle of fast northbound hikers just south of Snowqualmie.  Overall Washington has been a delight!

The gang at the Dinsomore's Hiker Haven in Skykomish outside the Cascadia Inn, the local breakfast spot.  

To Stevens Pass Mile 2462

About 200 miles of hiking done so far.  The first five days of hiking south to Stehekin were amazing with beautiful weather, stunning snow capped mountain scenery and tolerable bugs.  The last six from Stehekin to Stevens through the Glacier Peak Wilderness were more challenging with cold and wet weather conditions, some snowy passes, overgrown trail, and limited views. Wet feet for 6 straight days and finally started getting some blisters.

The picture story:

Don and Pat, Warm Showers hosts, with cyclist, Penn, who put me up north of Seattle and drove me up to the East Bank Trailhead.

Plans for the Pacific Crest Trail

I'm flying to Seattle tomorrow for a go at a southbound hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). If all goes as planned I'll be hiking by Tuesday 6-28. My plan is to start at the East Bank Trailhead near Ross Lake, and hike 30 miles on the Pacific Northwest Trail to the PCT at Holman Pass.  Apparently starting in Canada and hiking south into the US is not legal, so this seems like the simplest way.  I'll miss 15-20 miles and the CA-US border monument, but I can't imagine that section will be too much different than the 30 miles I'll be hiking on the PNT.

I'm mostly packed and ready. A full gear list is below. I'll be around 10 lbs for base weight, and likely be carrying 10lbs of food on average.  Water doesn't look to be in short supply in WA and OR, so hopefully I won't need to carry much.  Southern CA will be different, but at that point I should be able to hike big days.  The two luxury items I'll have are crocs and a sit pad (2 sections of z-rest).  Nine ounces for these. 

Eating Wild

Hiking up to Bertha Lake in Waterton Lakes National Park (Canada) a nice older couple introduced me to the the Saskatoon berry, Amelanchier alnifolia.  They resemble blueberries, but are actually in the rose family. I soon discovered the huckleberry, then the thimbleberry.  I quickly fell in love with eating wild berries, and through Waterton Lakes, Glacier, and Teton National Parks, any chance I got to get off my bike and go for a hike involved a lot of berry picking.  Roadside berry patches also proved distracting while riding, and sometimes the picking was too good to pass up. Often I couldn't help but pull over and wade into the bushes, passing drivers staring at me like I was a bear. 

Hiking the Appalachian Trail I spent a lot more time thinking about what plants I could eat.  Once the berries started to appear around Virginia my picking began and I ate and learned more plants as I moved north.  Wild food is wonderful.  It is a source of nutritious water dense calories that you don't have to carry or pay for, and I'm eager to keep learning more.  Similar to drinking water straight from a mountain creek, it gives me a deep sense of satisfaction, a most intimate way of communing with nature. However, it's not all sunshine and raspberries.

505 of the Appalachian Trail's Roughest Miles in a Pair of Walmart Running Shoes that Cost $16.87

Blisters, plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, torn muscles and tendons are all painful and good ways to bring a hiking trip to a grinding halt.  Can the right shoes or boots make the difference in preventing injury and pain?  If so, who would dare to skimp on footwear while undertaking a thru-hike? I did, and my only regret is not doing it earlier.

If you've thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail you have probably heard of or met, Warren Doyle.  If not, he leads thru-hiking trips with the support of a couple vehicles leap frogging north on the trail in sections, with Warren hiking each section southbound while the group hikes northbound. If you are hiking northbound you are likely to bump into Warren and company at some point, and I was fortunate to cross paths with Warren many times in 2015. He wasn't exactly what I expected. Having heard about a man that hiked the Appalachian Trail 16 times (prior to completing his 17th trip in 2015) I was surprised to see the lack of fancy equipment he used. His glasses were held together with tape, he was using an 70s era ski pole for a hiking stick, and had Frog Toggs rain gear and Starter running shoes, both from Walmart.