Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail August 23

Trip Miles: 496.73

The rain started early today, 4:30am. A wet day in store, I slept in long enough to hear the rain pause. I packed up and was hiking by 6:30am.

I hiked the morning in my rain skirt, which kept me dry as it rained (lightly) off and on. As I passed folks headed southbound, there was no real conversation because of the rain. Everyone wanted to get where they were due.

I was glad I had already hiked this section, not as big a need for pictures. I could find some old ones with better weather on my computer! I did notice, however, that although the views were the same, the trail itself seemed unfamiliar. Is that because when I am hiking with friends, I don’t look down as much? Hmmm….

I made it to 2646 and the meadow below Rock pass by 1pm and stopped for lunch. Big decision, set up camp or keep going? The skies in one direction looked like it would clear up but in the other, no. With wet feet and an ascent ahead to warm me up, I pressed on to the top of Rock Pass.

I must say, even with the clouds, this is one of my favorite passes. As I stood here, looking both back from where I had come and on towards Canada, the enormity of what I have done began to hit me. This is it! Of course, little did I realize, I had one more adventure ahead. Ironically, I took a video at this point and said it was all downhill from here. How true, how true.

The next section, between Rock Pass and Woody Pass, held the washouts that I had been hearing about since Stehekin. This area already holds some fame and the earlier thunderstorms had only added to its precariousness.

Heading down, long grey swaths from multiple avalanches of scree had been carved in the slope and covered the descending switchbacks on this side of the pass. This meant climbing over piles of loose rock on the trail as I descended. No biggie, just more effort and careful footing.

Then the fun began.   As I made my way across to start up Woody Pass, there were about 8 or so sections where the trail was simply gone, washed away down the hill.   They are about 10 feet across and varying depths up to 9 feet or so. I could see where others had gone straight down to a depth more manageable to cross but mind you, it was all loose rock and dirt. Not a single sure footing to be had.

For me, I began the process of ‘skiing’ the scree down, crossing the gulleys at a shorter depth, then scrambling the scree back up. It was a true off road experience. Not impossible but physically exhausting. Luckily my pack was under 20 lbs at this point. My poles were pretty useless.

The last one I did was the worst, sending me at least 60 to 70 feet down (I’m not sure, another hiker reports 120ft) from the trail. This is where it all went wrong for me.

Folks have started setting up markers to show you the best place to cross. After this last one, it appeared that folks had gone straight for a bit. However, it also appeared they had gone through a brushy section. Looking back now, I should have just gone back up at this point.

Needless to say, I spent the next 30 minutes or so crawling through thick brush on an angled slope so I was walking on limbs and not the ground. I was literally climbing up the middle of two streams to get back up to the trail. At one point I was thinking at least I had my orange shirt on so my body would stand out when they came to search for it. Don’t worry; no threat to life, just maybe limb. Bear Gryllz has got nothing on me.

I emerged back on the PCT covered in debris and was surprised that my laundry was still attached to my pack and my sunglasses in the outside pocket for how many times I had fallen or been horizontal trying to get back up. Good grief, one last thrill before I get off the trail.

Completely wiped at 3:30 pm, but ready to be in Canada at this point, I went up and over Woody Pass, barely noticing the amazing mountain landscapes so that I could get as far as I could.

I dragged myself on autopilot to Hopkins Lake at mile 2654. Not sure how I did it. I could see from above the lake already held some campers, so I took the spur trail down and took first flat spot I saw.

There I met Marcy and Steve, a father daughter team who started at Stevens Pass (who asked if the 3 women hikers were my friends!) and 2 guys on a loop through Castle Pass. Soon another arrived, Diesel, a thru-hiker from Atlanta. Hopkins Lake must be some kind of holding pen for PCT hikers headed north to the monument?

I decided to have dinner with Greg and Nate (the two loop hikers) because they had a fire and was able to pawn off some food on them because they were short and I had more than enough to get me to Canada the next day. Good trade, I think.

I talked with Steve and Marci about crossing the border together tomorrow, their time of departure at 7am beat Diesel’s who wanted to leave at 5am. Living up to his name, I guess.

I’m not sure if it was the stress of the day or that it was the coldest night so far but I had a hard time getting warm once in my bag and warm clothes. I spent some time shivering before I finally was comfortable. I think it’s a sign that I am done and ready to be home.

First post: Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal July 20 &21, previous post: Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal August 21 &22.  Look to next Thursday for the last day of my journey on the Pacific Crest Trail!