September 4 - 9: Stehekin to Canada!

As I mentioned in the last post,

I was sick all night 9/2 so we ended up staying another day to make sure there were no lingering affects. The staff at Stehekin are incredible and show so much care and concern. It's obvious we are more than just dollars to them.

Also as I mentioned in the last entry, the weather forecast was for rain. When we left Stehekin it was actually pleasant. We only went about 5 miles the first night, landing at Bridge Creek CG. Originally, we had planned a leisurely week with 15 mile days but with the threat of rain and anxious to be done we started pushing. We have to use Jeff's rain fly anyway due to his broken zipper. Our second day out (9/5) we did an 18 mile day. It did rain overnight and a little as we broke camp but other than wet brush it was ok. We made it to Rainy Pass where imagine this, it started raining. "Shorts" passed us. We met trail angel/hiker "Meander" who told us he had trail magic ahead at Harts Pass. He just finished the trail a week or so earlier and shared tips of what's ahead. The washouts are tricky but doable, same with the bridge. There is a bus that runs from Manning Park to Vancouver once a day in the morning. The last news made us decide to push harder so we didn't have to stay an extra day there. I am so anxious to be done. This will be one of the few big things in my life that I've finished. We had two log crossings and a suspension bridge already so I was being tested early.

It rained the night of 9/6. No let me rephrase that...it RAINED. It rained, then the thunder and lightening started and GREATLY INCREASED. It didn't just rain, it poured BUCKETS. It splattered under the rain flys, splashing water and mud up 3 feet on the inner screen and soaking us on the inside. EVERYTHING was wet. Our sleeping bag was wet through, there were pools of water on the tent floor under our mats and everywhere and yet the storm raged on and on. It was so loud we'd shout to each other. It was a horrible storm--no exaggeration. The lightening would blind us while the thunder rocked the mountain simultaneously. All we could do was just lay there and pray it would pass soon. It didn't. Miraculously we managed to sleep a little. The thunder and lightening subsided around 3am but the rain continued. Our sleeping bag managed to dry (we LOVE our Feathered Friends bag!) Everything else was still wet though and remained that way for days. My first thoughts as I woke were that if we're going to throw in the towel (if we had one), now was the time as we weren't too far past Rainy Pass an easy jump off place. There was no discussion though--we were this close to finishing we weren't going to quit. We put on our wet shoes and our rain coats, packed up camp and hit the trail. We later heard it was a big storm that actually created a slide that closed the HWY at Rainy Pass. We wouldn't have been able to get out if we had quit!

The next day was challenging. The trail wasn't so bad even though there were multiple washout/slides. We were wet and cold and discouraged. If we could just hang in there a few more days. I've never wanted to be a high-mileage hiker worse. A 40 miler would be nearly done...we hiked until nearly dark then set up our rain soaked camp. Views??? This section is supposed to have some of the most spectactular views of the entire trail and all we see is rain and fog...its sad to think that looming behind the clouds are beautiful mountains. Occasionally there'd be a break and we'd catch a glimpse of mountains we can't identify. Haloed in fog we could rarely see the entire mountain but the fog added a special effect to a beautiful scene.

It continues to rain, just as forecasted although it seems to lighten up. We hope for sunshine and are rewarded with momentary glimpses that warm us briefly and give us hope. We make it to Harts Pass where Meander has set up camp. He has a wood stove under cover and we sit in chairs and eat our lunch huddled near the comforting warmth. As we make our way through our tuna and chips Meander gives us reports of the slides/washouts ahead. Even though the National Parks have issued warnings, Meander says they are passable. Other hikers are doing it. Just go slow. Follow the footsteps of those ahead. We'll be fine he says then after that the rest of the way is easy! Taking deep breaths we leave the warmth for the trail. We are blessed with sightings of grouse, marmots and picas. The weatherman claims there is sunshine in the next few days. We cling to that message. Right now, I just want to get warm and dry. Everything is wet and dirty and I'm discouraged. The end seems so close yet so very far away. We stop early in order to get more rest before facing the rough trail ahead. We met Mermaid who we met earlier in So. Cal. She and her friend warn us about the washouts/slides. Very difficult. Allow extra time. Go slow (as if there's a choice!) We also meet Cool Ranch who is flipping back to Rainy Pass. He's crossed the area twice now and he also warns us that its tricky and to allow plenty of time. He tells us the major trouble spots are all in a mile section around mile 2648. The are a lot of them but only about 6 are treacherous with the northern most one being the worst. At least it has stopped continuously raining. Thank God for that. We make camp at the base of Tamarack Peak and hope it won't rain all night. It stops shortly after we go to bed and does not start again.

Even though the rain has stopped there is heavy dew and fog and it's cold. Our feet have not been dry for days but the sun brightens our moods and we feel good and ready to face what will likely be the toughest part of the trail. We hope to do an 18 miler today leaving only about 15 to finish! The day starts out good a we start to cross small washouts--2-3 feet deep and 6-10 feet wide. Good practice. We breeze through them gaining more hope and confidence with each one. Then we come to the dreaded mile. The trail is about a 45 degree slope on a side hill. The washouts are ugly dark ravines running from the top of the hill to the bottom, about 500 feet. We have an option of climbing down loose rock to the creek at the bottom and then scramble and bushwhack our way up the other side of the slides. Although a little safer it really doesn't gain much. We agree the best option is to stay on trail and cross each one as we come to them. The slides each consisted of loose and unstable rock and deep ravines. We'd have to climb off trail and over the burm in order to find the best way to get into the ravine. Then we'd make our way across the bottom and up the otherside where we'd have to army crawl uphill back to the trail where we'd go a short distance before doing it all again. It was horrible. The rocks would slide and roll. We had to test each step. TBG is my hero and once again I dub him my KISA (knight in shining armor). One time I got stuck and unable to move. I needed to move my right leg in order to slide down the ravine but if I did I'd slide the wrong way down the hill. The rocks I was leaning on were shifting. He came back to me and basically lifted me down. Another time I rolled my pack down to him dislodging large rocks that narrowly missed him. He'd climb ahead then reach back to help and encourage me. I don't know how people crossed alone. The largest slide was about 50 feet wide and at least 20 feet deep with sides nearly vertical. We later met Gourmet who told us he and his friends tackled this stretch at night with headlamps- just for fun. Not me. This was one of the hardest and scariest things I've done. Most of the other hikers we've since met agree that it needs to be made safer or detoured. Each rain only serves to make it more unstable and dangerous. The slides were pretty recent (3 weeks or so) and all the rain this week only loosened things more. I'm just glad we made it and it's behind us now. We are so glad some of our pre-hike training included doing "Insanity" --Shawn T would be proud!

As a reward of our hard hike we camped a little early on Lakeview Ridge with a fabulous view of the sunset. It's our last night on trail and we experience a myriad of feelings. I am sadder than I expected to be but I'm happier to be nearly done. It's cold and breezy but dry that night. The fog moves in as we make camp enveloping the world beyond 1/2 mile but not before I am able to catch some photos of the sunset. We go to bed happy and awake in the morning to a beautiful sunrise. What a blessing for our last day. We are a bit melancholy as we do things for the "last" time. In 8 miles we'll be at the terminus--and Canada! After that we'll have another 9 miles to Manning Park and a shower and hot food. Then? Then we start the next adventure...going home.

The day is perfect. Sunny! My shoes finally dry and I work desperately at each water crossing to keep them that way. The trail isn't as easy as we had hoped or envisioned but we're on cloud 9 anyway. We're nearly done! There are more washouts/slides to deal with. No where near as bad but enough to require cautious attention. We arrive at the terminus without fanfare. In the center of a small clearing, the terminus stands as an unceremonious marker of the end of our journey. I'm surprised that it doesn't evoke more excitement.

The remaining miles are pretty uneventful and seem to drag by. Then as we take take a break about 5 butterflies drift in landing on our gear, backs, legs, heads, hands and fingers. We try to take photos before they leave. A few miles later a family of 8 grouse greet us and let us get close enough to almost touch them, a hoary marmot couple comes within a few feet and pose for photos, a pica with a mouthful of greens stops to wish us well and finally just as we reach to road to Manning Park a doe grazes - only about 10 feet away. It's like the trail is saying good bye and we feel blessed and sad to say farewell.

At last we are done. Maybe not with the entire PCT but with Washington and our journey. It's time to go home and back to the real world. I spend the last miles hiking and reflecting...but that's a new blog entry...

Stay tuned for final thoughts and photo updates. We guesstimate that we have 30,000 plus photos that need to upload so we're a little bogged down. We promise though that we'll get some posted soon so keep checking back!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement on our journey--you have played a vital role in our success and we appreciate it.

As usual, we love hiking!
KOKO & The Bald Guy

I apologize for the topsy turvy photos! I still have technical issues! I just hope you are viewing on a laptop or phone so you don't have to turn on your side to view!

Fall is coming with all the brilliant colors

Our only suspension bridge. It was more of a struggle getting to the bridge than it would have been to cross the water, but the bridge was fun.

Many bridges suffered a hard winter. We did NOT cross this one!

We crossed the river on this log instead of the last bridge.

Mountains and sunshine--what a great combination!

The rain increased the water levels making even little falls more spectacular.

A typical rainy/misty view

Grouse were plentiful but rarely stood long enough for photos

Sometimes we were grateful that we couldn't see too far ahead!

Interesting rock formations. Wish we'd payed more attention in Geology class!

We're pretty sure there's a mountain out there...somewhere.

Again we were blessed and encouraged with rainbows

Misty beauty

New mountains after the pass

Strange fungi

Mountain, mountain, come out from wherever you are!!

Some of the few deer we saw. (To the right of the trail in the trees)

Typical trail conditions

The dark "rivers" are some of the slides/washouts

TBG enters a small washout

another view of the slides/washouts

rainy trail

our single patch of blue sky--funny how much that tiny bit of blue can brighten the day.

Like hearts, I had a thing for feathers. It was easier to take photos than to try to save these guys!

Lovely views

Curious locals

More curious locals

Enough sunshine to get warm! Yahoo!

some more slides/washouts

 A small washout

TBG moves ever forward and closer to Canada

When in "bloom" these plants look like "Whoville" from "Horton Hears a Who". We called this the naked Whoville!

Sunshine and mountains--the perfect combo!

The rain stopped...finally

Now we can see something!

Our last sunset on the trail

more of the sunset, looking the other way

After sunset...sunrise!

Our last campsite

Morning views

Almost there!!!

The Northern Terminus, finally! Notice the borderline in the background!

The butterflies that came to wish us well.

PCT obstacle course, jump from one log to the next, then to the stumps (that you can't see) then the board walk!

Canadian spider

One of the 8 grouse that we spent so much time with

The deer that came to wish us well as we neared Manning Park.

Manning Park, warm food and showers! We've arrived at our final destination. Next adventure...getting home.