This is definitely the hardest section in Washington. The original plan today was to complete the two miles we didn’t do yesterday, and then do about 23 more, with a lot of climbing in between.

Most climbs today weren’t as steep as yesterday’s, but they were still “up”. The weather was excellent, and we met many weekend hikers, including two hunters out looking for a bear. I am on the bear’s side.

We met Two Bad Dogs, a couple who hiked the trail last year, and got snowed in around here in mid September. They ended up taking an alternate that got them to the Canadian border, but not at the official PCT monument. So this year they came back to stitch up some sections they had to walk around last year, and to hike again some sections they did not get to see at all, while hiking through them in blizzards and snow last time.

We finally reached our original destination at 16:20, a muddy creek with a broken bridge over it. Lighthouse was talking about doing 2 more miles for a while, even though they were all climbing up. We figured we can do it, and push a bit more on the next couple of days, in order to get to the Stehekin shuttle by 9:15. So we climbed these 1500 feet at the end of day. It wasn’t fun.

We found an OK campsite just before Glacier Creek, and settled in for the night. I’m laying a bit slanted now, but I only have to sleep here for one night, so I don’t care.

2500 miles down
2500 miles down
Itsy bitsy spider
Itsy bitsy spider
And a marmot stalking us
And a marmot stalking us
Lighthouse stretching
Lighthouse stretching
The broken bridge
The broken bridge