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!!!