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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Walking To Beautiful

8/21/13
PCT mile 2505-2520   -  15 mi

During the night last night I happened to get up and there were so many stars I couldn't see anything familiar. They covered the sky in amazing profusion!
My tent was wet inside from condensation so I used my microfiber towel to mop it out and wring easily a cup of cold water off the inside walls.
Feet taped up we were on the trail by 7 as the sun hit the backdrop of cliffs behind the lake. We climbed up and up to a place called Kodak Mt where you could catch long views of ridge after ridge that ranged off into the distance. Around long, open, meadowed hillsides we dropped down & then climbed back up again. We began to see the glacier peak again and came to a sign that told us we were entering Glacier Peak Wilderness, there is a rugged, remote feeling here although I know there are trailheads,  we haven't passed a road or sign of civilization access for days. No cell service, no way to contact anyone. 
Our first sight of the glacier.
Oh boy, are we in for a surprise!
Down the trail to one of the most remote sections yet. 

We missed our water source but found a small freshet. Using a Ziplock baggie we filled it with water and I filtered from that. Low bush blueberries were all over but we didn't pick any, we sought shade for "almost lunch". As we were snacking 2 men came around the corner and stopped to chat.  One was from Vashon Island, Washington where my Aunt & Uncle lived for years. I told him my Aunt used to own a book store on the island called Books By The Way. To my surprise he said he used to own that store, he'd bought it from the 2nd owner!  He'd heard of my Aunt but had never met her. What a small, small world!
After snack we hiked over White Pass which we could see from our lunch spot a mile away, almost above tree line we can see for miles.  Over the White Pass we hiked along a high slope for a long way, climbing 1600' along the slope with the hillside dropping away at our feet. Just the kind of high exposed trail that makes Peggy nervous. The gentleman from Vashon Is. told us the glacial peak was Sloan Peak and the long group of mountain peaks beside it was called Monte Cristo Massif.
I am on the trail with the Monte Cristo Massif in front of me.
The ever climbing trail up to Red's Pass from White Pass.
You can see the Massif on the left and Sloan Mt on the far right of the photo. The mountain slope falls a long way down to the bottom if you dare to look left as you hike.There were other hikers coming down and it was sometimes  tricky finding a place to let them get by.

Once we got to the top of Red's Pass we cold see down into the next valley, it was starkly beautiful. Look closely to see where the PCT goes down this valley. It switchbacks in the left of the photo. We rested for a long time at the pass and chatted with a Canadian couple that love to hike in Washington. Many of our US park trails meet other wilderness trails for loops and new vistas which is unlike their provincial parks that don't share trail systems.
 Meanwhile, the 2 men we'd talked to at "almost lunch" came hiking up.  We got into more conversation with them and one asked me if I wanted fritos or chocolate? I wanted Fritos (I've been hungry on this section, didn't plan enough food for lunches) So he handed me his baggie of Fritos and I started eating them. Peggy interrupted me saying "I don't think he was giving them to you just offering you some!" Oh, I was so embarrassed! He took the baggie, took a few for himself and just gave me back the baggie.  He said he was going home tonight and could eat what he wanted so I should go ahead and take them and not to feel embarrassed. Sheesh! I can't believe I did that!  Peggy said, "Way to yogi food, Jane!" We got a laugh out of that for days! 
Here I am sitting next to the man who bought my Aunt's bookstore and whose Fritos I ate!  Never offer a hungry hiker your food unless you're willing to lose it all!
There are 2 older men hiking the Steven's Pass to Stehekin section that we've been leapfrogging with since yesterday.  They showed up at the pass about 1/2 hr after we got there so we chatted with them a bit then took off from Red's Pass down the glacial slope.  It was scrubbed clean by glacial activity and there are boulders strewn about, small freshets of water trickling from snowmelt that will merge in a river that I can hear in the distance. Areas where greenery has grown and sprouted wildflowers. I imagine this area is covered with snow for most of the year until it melts and lets the flowers have their moment. 
This photo is taken from downslope looking up at Red's Pass which may be one of my favorite spots on the trail so far. This was my "beautiful place".
Gentians blooming as we made our way down from Red's Pass.
Glacier Peak at last.

Down 3 miles to 4000' elevation where we found streams both clear and glacial that drained these tall peaks.  Down into the valleys from Red's Pass we saw flooding & avalanche evidence from the 2003-2005 storms. A lot of work had been done in this area to open it to hiking again in 2010. We reached a river where you can still see the old bridge hanging in the rocks where the flood left it. We're on the new bridge looking up.
Notice the water color, it's glacial melt with particles of ground up rock powder suspended in the water. It looks milky.
Evidence of avalanche and flooding.
We ended up at the Baekos River at a nice campsite. We had to wear head nets because of flies and some mosquitoes.  This river shows great devastation from flooding with dead trees choking the river bed but the river has found a nice way through it. We washed up and laid clothes in the sun, filtered water, rinsed off feet which were DIRTY!
You probably didn't need to see them but this is the real dirty deal!
The 2 older men came through looking for a campsite but left because of the flies. 
After cooking dinner we had to eat in our tents (darn flies), I had Red Lentil Curry soup rehydrated over instant rice. 
The river was loud in our ears all night.



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