Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Mountain Motivation

It was difficult to peel myself away from Big Lake Youth Camp today. The breakfast was warm, yummy, and not oatmeal. A nice switch! The snack bar serves iced coffee, and the hiker cabin has couches. I finally left around noon before they sucked me in!


Out of Mt Washington Wilderness and heading toward Mt Jefferson. 


I haven't walked this far, but a dusty high-five to everyone that has! It's quite a milestone! (Get it? Because it's the mile number and it's made of...sorry.)


A parting shot of Sisters and Mt Washington. Hayrick Butte and Hoodoo on your right. 


Hiked along Three Fingered Jack. This bit mentally wiped me out. The trail gets very narrow, and is soft underfoot. It isn't the most difficult terrain, physically. But it sure isn't my favorite. 


I was rewarded with views of Mt Jefferson, and a glorious sunset to end the day. 


Monday, July 27, 2015

3 weeks and counting!

It's been great to log on when I can and see everyone's kind and encouraging words on Facebook. Thanks so much for keeping up with me! 

Today I got a bit of a do-over, as my awesome campsite was just a bit south of where I finished yesterday. The sun was out, and I headed back to the observatory to catch some mountain views! 

North and Middle Sister

Through the windows of the observatory. 

Can we talk about how much I love this patch?

Look very closely in the top quarter of the picture for a hiker for a sense of how massive this is. 

The lava fields are amazing to me. It felt like I was on the surface of a different, very inhospitable planet. But even though my feet, ankles, and a passing hiker complained, I was too awestruck to be grumpy about it. I never would have chosen to take a hike here, but I'm glad the PCT forced me through it. 


Mt Washington

Again, these burn areas with re growth coming in are so cool to me!

Mt Washington, other side. 


I hadn't intended to stop at Big Lake Youth Camp, but I heard they had free services, and I'm all about that. I had no idea how spoiled I was about to be. 


That would be a Frito taco salad with watermelon. Tomorrow morning we get waffles. A hot shower was also delightful. 


And this is the view from our PCT camping spot. It's chilly, but I hate to close my tent on this view! 

Misty, Twisty

No lake sunrise for day 20. We'll have to settle for a mountain sunrise from my campsite. 



I am glad I camped when I did last night. It never did rain, but the next section of trail was best tackled on fresh legs. 


The rock formations through the lava fields here are stunning. My calves felt stunning, to after climbing the switchbacks that made up this wall. 


The views were obscured nearly all day by clouds, but I did get this little peek. 


As the trail winds itself north, it gets more 'crowded'. Lots of day hikers, section hikers, some dogs to pet, and some trail runners. How amazing to have this scenery while you train!

Made it to the Dee Wright Observatory for an ill-communicated rendezvous with the family. 


It's a tower built from lava rocks, with tiny windows situated with plaques so that you can see specific mountains. Would love to come back on a sunny day. The sisters still only teased me. 


But I got to meet these guys!

This is Tom and Jerry. They pretended to be impressed that I walked here from Ashland. Then they told me they rode their bikes here from Bar Harbor, Maine! To celebrate Tom's 70th birthday. What?!

The best trail angels ever found me, and drove me right to a campsite that has a picnic table and is free. (I'm still kinda waiting for someone to come kick me out.) They brought the most thoughtful thing ever. A jug with piping hot water, soap, a washcloth and towel. You're darn right I took a makeshift bath in the pit toilet camp bathroom. AND a fresh change of clothes to wear! 


As a reward to these guys for being awesome and driving 3 hours home with my dirty laundry, a deer pranced through my posh campsite before these guys
left.  Already looking forward to seeing you again next week, dudes. Love you tons and bunches!

Enjoy the View!

Today probably would have been the most epic views of the trip so far as I wound my way through the bases of the 3 Sisters. But I was shut out by some of the Pacific Northwest's finest clouds. But you know what, Oregon? I'm not even mad. It was kinda nice to have some clouds after 14 days of the bluest sky ever. Portland friends may understand the feeling. 


So, instead of being bitter (which I think some other hikers were) about what I couldn't see, I focused on what was awesome about what I could. 


I ran into this couple yesterday, and I'm so happy I found them again. 

They sectioned hiked nearly 40 years ago when they were newlyweds. Now they're out here again. With the same exterior frame packs they used before! How sweet! Not sure if it will stick, but I gave them the names Mink and Marten. 

Dragonglass! 

Which is good, because the clouds are low and it's feeling like White Walker weather up here. Today's section went through the Obsidian Limited Entry Area. With the clouds on top of me, and the crazy gorgeous landscape, I expected a unicorn to prance by. Or maybe, after all these miles, a bear. No luck on either. 

Obsidian Falls


This creek has water from a spring that came from the base of North Sister. Might have magical properties. Filtered it anyway. 


I was snuggled down early after 16 miles, and Windscreen joined me! We met him at Shelter Cove before we left. Very great dude. I'm in my down jacket, down sleeping bag, double walled tent, and he contemplated cowboy (tentless) camping 
before putting up his minimal tarp. Basically a large poncho that can cover your pack, a hiking pole and a few stakes convert it to a tent that as Windscreen describes it, "perfectly fits a half-sized adult human." I feel like I'm in a Winnebago compared to him. 

Tomorrow I get to see my most favorite trail angel ever! Let's hope he doesn't drop my resupply box and run when he smells me!

Friday, July 24, 2015

Three Sisters Wilderness

Getting sick of lakes at sunrise yet? No? Me either!
Mac Lake 

Some seriously gorgeous terrain today. 


The camera is level. See the pitch of the earth? Thank you, amazing people who made a trail happen here. 


And here. 


And also here, where I was escorted from one patch of first to another by dozens of butterflies. 

But these gorgeous mountains stole the show. 




Hiked to Sisters Mirror Lake to camp. I've had the last two nights completely to myself, so it's weird that there are so many people here. (So many=maybe 20 around the whole lake.) A thru hiker named String Bean agreed. 


But, I'm working with 14 straight days of sunshine and a lake to dip my feet in. Can't complain too much!

Don't Move to Oregon. Seriously. It's Awful.

Though it was surreal to wake up by myself for the first time, Charlton Lake was a pretty great place to do it. 


All steamy and gorgeous at sunrise, I didn't even notice this guy hanging out when I set up camp last night!


Within the first couple miles, I was hiking through what looks like maybe a storm damaged area? Dead trees, but many of them still standing, with lots of saplings and wildflowers starting to fill in. 


The sparseness of the trees helped me get a view of Sisters, too.



So awesome. 

Many little lakes break up this section of hike. Met a thru hiker named Stone from Fredonia, NY rocking a kilt and clocking serious miles. 

Stormy Lake


Saw what I'm pretty sure was a mink or something like it near this pond. He was too quick for me!


Made it another 17 miles to Mac Lake. Picture from my tent because my feet are up for the night!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Sad start today as Neon left the trail to go back to real life. Though it was hard to say goodbye, I'm so thrilled that we were able to spend this time together. Some miles seemed to take hours, but the 2 weeks went by way too fast.


Huge thanks to Neon's trail angel (and husband) Mike, who brought me some much needed foot-patching supplies, lip stuff that doesn't taste like poison, (steer clear of Coppertone lip sunscreen. Ick.) and a special delivery of cookies! 

So Neon had been trying to find a lake to swim in our whole time together. A few looked promising, but weren't deep enough to actually swim. Naturally, now that she's gone, perfect swimming lakes abound. 

Lower Rosary Lake

You can't see him, but Bam-Bam, one of our friends from yesterday, is swimming out there. 

North Rosary Lake

It's a bit strange hiking solo after being with other people for so long. But I was never completely by myself today, as I leapfrogged with Mara and Knoll, they suggested I hit the ski shelter just off the trail. 

 #findlove

[Edit] As pointed out in the comments, this is a Love Rock. It is a movement started by a couple who tragically lost their daughters, and is meant to simply spread love wherever they are found. Learn more here: Love Drenched Life.

It was adorable, and nice to have the chance to catch up with other hikers who have passed us going north in the hiker journal. 

I wanted to push myself today, and succeeded in hitting my goal of 17 miles. I'm rewarded with Charlton Lake, where I can hear the occasional fish jump as I camp.