After PCT Days we(Tio, Fancy, Pippin, Captain Crunch, Gemstone, Simba, and Navi) drove back to Fancy’s Parents Farm and slept. Simba, Captain, Navi, and Gemstone left the next morning to head back to trail. Tio, Pippin, and I decided to spend a night and enjoy the comforts of indoor living, mainly because it was pouring rain and wasn’t predicted to stop for the next few days. We got back on trail late the next day and had to make it to Stehekin to meet up with Fancy and the rest of our crew.
The trek out of Snoqualimie was pretty rough. Lots of elevation change and the weather was unrelenting. We were wet and very cold. The days started with us in our separate tents not wanting to get up till there was a break in the rain. I don’t think we got moving before 11AM once during this leg of the journey.
We were so cold that when we got to Stevens Pass, Pippin had his sister come pick us up and take us back to their place. We go dry, we got clean, we got fed, and we got roped into baby sitting for them the following day. So another zero in Washington and I’m almost going to double the amount of zero’s and nero’s taken on trail in this state alone. We had a blast baby sitting though and it was nice to relax. We even decided to have Fancy come deliver us Tio’s and hers two person tent which all Pippin, Tio, and myself all crammed into until Stehekin. We left with a unfettered enthusiasm for the trail to come, after all we where just a short week away from Canada.Stevens Pass to Stehekin was an amazingly beautiful section of Trail. The North Cascades didn’t disappoint. It was challenging though, the rugged terrain and poor weather continued. Tio joked that if the Sierras turned us to Marble, Washington turns us into a work of art. I countered If the desert made us marble, and the Sierras made us art, and Oregon made us a master piece then I think Washington is a Wrecking Ball. To some extent this was true. All of us where pretty exhausted upon reaching Stehekin.
Stehekin was a cute little town and the weather finally clearing up made it all the more enjoyable. Lake Chalan was an amazing swimming hole and The food while pricey was delicious and lets not forget the bakery. World Famous Stehekin Bakery has some of the most delicious and butter filled pastries you would ever encounter. Due to my ignorance of how lacking on resupply Stehekin was I mainly packed out pastries and pizzas. At first it was delicious and I dropped a lot of weight very quickly. Then it turned into me getting very sick and fatigued as my body tried to metabolize immense starches and fats it wasn’t used to consuming. With 30 miles to go at Harts Pass I considered quitting for the first time. It was that bad. Luckily Legend, a trail angel, was there to take me to town and let me rest at Ravensongs, another trail angel, for the night at which I felt well enough to push forward to the border.
I caught my friends having lunch and got to enjoy their company before pushing for our final camp of the PCT. There we met two thru hikers from the 70s. They shared a wealth of knowledge with us as well as shared in our final moments on trail.We woke up early and chilled around the morning fire before moseying on down to the Border. It was fairly anticlimactic. Just a big clear cut path with a monument. Not to mention the 8 miles we had to walk to get into Canada.Manning Park Canada was nice. I splurged and split a hotel room with Pippin which included access to a heated indoor pool, two hot tubs a dry sauna, and a steam room. LOVELY. We got a ride back with GG and her husband to Seattle area. I spent the night at Fancy’s farm again and then took a bus to Portland.
After spending half a year of my life on trail I’m currently having some difficulties re adjusting to life after trail. but I’m invigorated by the awareness to this wonderful community of thru hikers and an alternative lifestyle that will always welcome me with open arms. When people tell me I’ve just had a once in a lifetime trip I can’t help but to think, “it’s only ‘once’ if I don’t go on another one.” After this I know I’ll be out there again on a long walk, I can only hope its sooner rather than later.