I got up at 6:30, and already almost everyone else was gone. Banjo was still inside his hammock when I left an hour later.

The trail had nice ups and downs today. Some of the ups had a bit of steep switchbacks, bit most of the times they ended quickly. The weather was great, and the views were very nice. We got a glimpse of Glacier Peak, which we’d see more on the coming days.

I made a short break up on Piper Pass, and then headed down. I was surprised to see Banjo down in the valley. Apparently he took a wrong turn somewhere, and then walked down a big stone pile to the valley. I carried on, climbing another steep pass, and caught up with Tick Tock, Dewey and Ball Buster. I stopped for lunch and they left, and then Banjo came along. We hiked the rest of the day together.

About 2 miles before the highway we caught everyone again, along with Slacker. Down at parking area we had our final encounter with Copper Tone, and I got ice cream.

Hitching down to Skykomish was a pain. At the end a couple of section hikers we met earlier on the trailer went out of their way and took us down, and we met up with the others at the Cascadia Inn diner for dinner.

Another hitch into Baring finally got us to the Dinsmores, where we’ve met a lot of other hikers. Cheese is here - I haven’t seen him since Tehachapi, and Elijah, which I probably last seen in Idyllwild. Lighthouse is here - he managed to get his sleeping mat, luckily.

Is that Glacier Peak?
Is that Glacier Peak?
Trying to hitch down from Stevens Pass, with Banjo and Slacker
Trying to hitch down from Stevens Pass, with Banjo and Slacker
A healthy dinner at the Cascadia Inn
A healthy dinner at the Cascadia Inn
Don't get too excited. I'm just wearing loaner clothes while doing laundry.
Don't get too excited. I'm just wearing loaner clothes while doing laundry.