October 14th 7:03 PM

I MADE IT!!!!!!!!! Coming out of Skykomish I encountered more beautiful trail up to getting into Stehekin.(and a small wildfire right outside of the town!!!) Stehekin is a small town/resort thing that is on a lake. Thats about it. There are no roads going into the town. The only way out is by boat or barge (which is coincidentally how they get their groceries and other things). Stehekin was tons of fun especially because there was a solid group of 10-12 hikers all of us getting ready for the last stretch to the border. In some instances to much fun. Over a early night of drinking two hikers decided to arm wrestle. Cowboy lost bigtime and one of the bones in his arm broke. Insert 'oh shit' moment. We're all in a town with the only available exit being a long boat ride. Only 80 something miles from the end of the trail. The smart and responsible thing to do would be to go to a doctor get it figured out etc. But its the middle of October in Washington and snow could dump on the trail any day. Cowboy decided that the end of the trip was more important. His crew of friends divided up most of his pack weight, he fixed a sling for his arm and took on out to Canada. Stupid maybe but walk 2500 miles with the end in sight and evaluate it from that perspective. 

That last stretch tested all of us. The hiking was still Washington style - Ups and Downs over some pretty craggy mountains. The only difference between this section and all the rest was the fact that the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The temperatures were hovering around just above freezing to freezing and everything was in a cloud, including me. And then the rain started. About two and a half days from the border and it didn't really let up the entire time. I hiked over 2500 miles with almost no rain, its about time I dealt with some. Conditions were hypothermic so the only way to fight it was to keep hiking and keep moving just to stay warm. It sucked. The last day I had a decision stop at 20 miles for the day four miles from the border and cross in the morning and do the other 8 miles to Manning Park (civilization) OR say screw it and get to the border around darkness which meant more time wet and cold and potentially get hypothermia. Guess which I chose................with six miles left to the border I thought I'm finishing this beast tonight. Around 7 PM with darkness surrounding i turned a corner and there it was, The US-Canadian Border and Monument. Spins and I both had the same idea quick photo, sign the register and walk the extra 0.2 miles into Canada and get camp and more importantly warm clothes on. I could hear some hollering in the distance and my buddies whom I've hiked with for quite some time were already hunkered down celebrating with two or three more hikers behind me as well yet to finish. 

It was pretty bittersweet. Oh look there's the border. No big epic mountain finish like on the AT with Mt. Katahdin. But it's not about the destination; it's about the places and faces that you experience along the way. The next morning the clouds parted to a beautiful and sunny day.....goes to figure. Everyone got up and huddled over to the monument and we all realized that we all made it, even Cowboy with a busted arm. Pictures were taken and celebrations began but we still had to hike 8 miles to Manning Park, the closest road. It was a weird 8 miles of wow I'm done the PCT but still hiking. I digested some of the trip on those 8 miles and came out to Manning. I hung around with my friends everyone figuring out their exit strategy from Manning, the closest actual area being Vancouver, a 3 hour drive west. Spins, Shepdog, and myself we're headed to Vancouver tonight, it was cheaper than Manning and that was the decisions that was made.

So the three of us smelly dirty hikers are standing on a road in the middle of nowhere Canada with a sign heading to Vancouver and little traffic. Then it started to drizzle and ontop of it, it was getting late and would start to get dark in a few hours. Chances were slim but belief was high and a car pulled over and gave us a hitch all the way to downtown Vancouver. And that was it. I sat in a cheap hotel in Chinatown in Vancouver, BC when it sunk in....'oh shit it's over, I'm done. I just did the PCT.' My mind was racing but along those 8 miles to Manning Park I was already dreaming up my Continental Divide Trail thru-hike for 2013. 

Leaving Skykomish - 10/5

So today one year ago I finished the Appalachian Trail. One year later I wouldn't have guessed that I'd be back out in the woods freezing my butt off again. I told myself on the AT that my hiking days in October were not to be repeated, it was cold and wet over in Maine. Luckily it's just cold here.

Jerry was kind enough to drive us over to the post office so we could grab our resupply boxes and then went out to breakfast with us. He dropped us off at the deli and very soon it's back to the trail to get closer and closer to Canada.

Into Skykomish - Mile 2476 - 10/4

Woke up and got moving around nine and slowly climbed up and down just to go back up again. The terrain is putting a hurting on my feet. Dirty socks an tight shoes have created a nice network of blisters and sores on them but it's definitely bearable because I'll be at a trail angels place tonight, the Dinsmores. Hiking to the pass was pretty standard and then we darted hitching in the wrong direction. A super cool girl, Jenna, picked us up and after quite a few miles informed us that we were going the wrong way. So we were like just let us out and we'll hitch but she insisted on turning around an driving us over which was super nice of her. She ha been driving for a few hours from Bellingham back here to visit family and we were really grateful for the ride. She dropped us off at the deli and said we have a place in Bellingham to stay when we're done if we swing through. We got into the deli just before close and got some huge sandwiches they hooked us up! Then they were nice enough to drive us over to the Dinsmores where we were treated so well. Jerry and Andrea did our laundry and it was so nice to be clean. The hiker lounge had bunks, cotton clothing to wear (so comfy), a woodfire stove and hundreds of movies! We popped in a movies and called it a night a warm and comfortable night of sleep. Back to the trail with 186 miles to go only a weekish left!

Super Sketchy Night Hiking - Mile 2455.6 - 10/3

Another cold morning, the lake was covered in ice around it with mountain lion cub and momma mountain lion tracks ten feet from my tent which was reassuring...

Got to moving pretty quick and hiked all through the day. It was a little smoky something I'm really sick of at this point but it didn't affect the views. It was a good thing to because this northern cascade stretch is some of the most scenic hiking I've done since the Sierra's. With the fall weather comes shorter hours of sunlight and we found ourselves hiking into the night again. The whole night was ridgeline hiking on steep cliffs. Not to fun. Ontop of that there was a multitude of down trees to go over and under. Then we got to the river crossing. It was about 8:30 and all I saw was fast whitewater and boulders everywhere crap crap crap. The two options were ford through the water an it was way to cold to do that I don't want hypothermia and the other option was to jump over the water a decent distance from rock to rock. Well damn time get jumping haha and made it obviously otherwise I wouldn't be typing this up right now. After that fun adventure I had to hike another few miles to camp where it was just a tiny bit warmer than the night before but it made a heck of a difference. 20 more miles and I'll be in Skykomish tomorrow.

Brrrrrrrr Beautiful Brrrrrrrr - Mile 2430.7 - 10/2

Well luckily the rain stopped by the morning. But it was still really....I mean really cold. Packing up a wet tent in cold weather is GREAT for your hands. The only way to get warm is to hike. And that I did. The hiking is getting a lot more difficult but with it is very beautiful scenery all around. Climbing and decending ridges around lakes up in alpine country with vibrant fall colors is rewarding but when you stop to rake a break it gets cold fast. So short breaks were taken and hiked into the night. Tonights hike was up twenty switchbacks to a potential campsite hopefully. When we got there there was a small lake and we camped there for the night and set up our wet tents and by the time they were set up all the moisture froze instantly. And then Spins saw eyes. I was to cold to care and so was she so I fell asleep and it was really cold. But I had all my clothes on and slept alright.

Leaving Snoqualamie - Mile 2410 - 10/1

After meandering around the pass all morning and afternoon it was time to get back up to the mountains and I really mean up! The entire eight or so miles to the campsite was uphill and I was able to catch a good glimpse of the sun setting down on Snoqualamie and the clouds moving into the valley. Then it got dark and I was in the clouds which made visibility pretty crappy which was nice considering I was hiking on the side of a cliff. When I got camp set up the drizzle began and it started to get a bit heavier and consistent throughout the night. Hopefully it stops in the morning I don't like cold windy rain.

Snoqualmie Pass - Mile 2402.something -10/1

Holy Crap it's October!!!!!! And it's still sunny and 70. I love this fall weather. I resupplied at a gas station of all places and currently stuffing my face with huckleberry milkshakes and fantastic corndogs. Oh I ate breakfast here to. Time to head out soon and get back on trail. Under two weeks to go!!!

Beautiful Scenic Day - Mile 2399.5 - 9/30

So the other type of day is when you wake up and there is no fog and the day turns out beautiful. It's the day before October and it's sunny 70 degrees with a cool light wind. This is perfect fall weather. In the morning it was pretty much uphill but I came to a wonderful spring which I haunt seen many of recently. I continued along uphill for the rest of the morning and with the clear sky could see actually see Rainer in the distance! It was pretty exciting out of the big three mountains (Adams, St. Helen, and Rainer) I finally saw one of them! With such a nice day and so much uphill I took it easy and ended up yet again hiking into the night this time until around ten pm. Just like the beginning of the day, the end had a bunch of steep uphills as well but nothing to serious. With the dark it was impossible (not really night hiking demotivates me pretty quickly) to find the spot to camp near the lake so i made due with a little spot on the aide of the trail. Tomorrow morning is Snoqualmie Pass and more importantly a bunch of food.

Foggy Cold Damp and Foggy - Mile 2374.6 - 9/29

So you can tell how the day will turn out in Washington the second you wake up. If there is a misty fog around in the morning the weather is going to suck. It was misty this morning.

With the mist comes droplets of rain off the trees and pretty freaking cold winds. It stayed like this until around two in the afternoon. But in the morning about five miles in I got to a cabin/shelter where a bunch of drunken 30 something year old guy were waking up a little rough around the edges. They hooked me up with a bratwurst and chili which really hit the spot being so cold. Afterward I passed another group of car campers and the clouds broke into logging country. The underbrush though gave beautifully vivid autumnal reds, yellows, and oranges. Then a ear shattering plane flew low over which happened to to a fighter jet. Not only did it scare the shit out of me but it left my ears ringing. Then another flew over again. The test of the day was windy and I hiked up in and through a few clouds. Coming down Blowback mountain the pass gave a cool show of clouds blowing through it an spinning down into the valley. Hiked into the night yet again and set up camp only to be hassled by a brave fearless mouse that did not realize or care that I could squish it at any instant. So I left a few crumbs out for him and he left me alone for some of the night. Luckily the elk were calling all over the place as well.

Trail Magic'd - Mile 2332.3 & 2350.1 - 9/27-28

So started the day around normal time and it was chilly! The mornings hike was hazy from a fire as well which meant no good view of Mt. Rainer, as usual fire has screwed me out of another view. Coming down the mountain towards Chinook Pass there were tons of dayhikers out enjoying the nice weather. I stopped and had a bunch of great conversations with quite a few people before getting to the note. Right before the pass there was a note for PCT hikers saying there was tons of food five miles down the road from Sam from Ollalie campground who I met down by Mt. Jefferson. I didnt know it was her until she pulled up. Down at her camp she had tons of food, snacks, soda and beer. Two other hikers were already there and had been there for a few days. With the word of the group behind us coming in tonight as well I stayed and all of us had a good time hanging around for the night. Even towards the end of the trail little hiker bubbles of people form and are able to have a nice night of fun all of which is thanks to Sam who is quite a generous trail angel.

After pancakes in the morning I put in a solid day with a partial view of Rainer and I hiked into the night a little bit and escaped a potential day off at Sam's trail magic.

Leaving Packwood - Mile 2322.8 - 9/26

So I tried to leave the bustling logging town of Packwood yesterday afternoon and after around two hours of hitching Spins and I got another night. This morning was looking pretty similar until a guy in a huge semi pulled over. At first I thought he was just pulling over to get out tithe gas station but he honked his horn and swung the passenger door open. The guy was transferring fruits and veggies from Yakima to Olympia forthwith farmers market and normally didn't take this route but did today just our luck!

The hike out was pretty uneventful and of coarse as it started to get dark we entered Mt. Rainer National Park and it was pretty country. Lucky the moon
was bright and as I turned a corner u came across the darkening silhouette of Rainer with the sun set behind it and clouds darkening overtop it. It was a pretty remarkable sight. I hike for a few miles more with the sounds of elk calling everywhere until I got to camp and called it a night.