Stevens Pass to mile 2,442
Miles: 19
Messaged Hayden and found out he was in town and planning to get back to the trail without a zero, so coordinated to pick him up from the Dinsmores Hiker Haven (PCT hiker hostel of sorts in Skykomish) at 9:30AM so that we could hit the trail at 10AM. We arrived at Stevens Pass ski resort at 10AM, but relaxed and took time to chat with my mom, chat with thru hikers who had just arrived, use the facilities one last time, and for me to talk on the phone to my Uncle John. He wanted to hear how the trail was going and throw out the idea of joining me for a bit in Southern Washington. How cool!
We finally said our goodbyes and hit the trail at 11:30AM. We set out to do 15-20 miles in order to set us up to complete this 70 mile section in three days.
We hiked straight up the Stevens Pass ski hills and down the other side, passing innumerable bow hunters each carrying their weapons. It was still surreal to be hiking on such a heavily armed hill. It felt like the Hunger Games and that we were about to be hunted at any moment. Best to hike fast.
Hike fast we did, though we still stopped to chat with anyone willing along the way. I still so enjoy the chance to joke around and share stories with other hikers on the trail. We ran into Sherpa and Dr Doolittle (thru hikers who I met during the last section) and stopped to chat with them for a good 15 minutes. They were great company and happy for the leisurely chat.
The scenery this afternoon was gorgeous. We climbed three or four ridges, each with views of snowy ridge lines and distant mountains. Between ridges, we descended into valleys with little underbrush and a soft trail carpeted with pine needles. It was a lot of up and down work, but the kind of work that I set out on the trail to do.
I ate a new concoction for dinner tonight: a cheddar and broccoli Knorr rice packet with a packet of tuna salad and two mayo packets mixed in. It turned out to be creamy and delicious. Hopefully my ill-gotten mayo packets turn out to be good calories when I put them to use tomorrow.
Over dinner we discussed gun control in Australia vs the US. As close to a scary story as I'd like to get in the middle of the woods.