lukeludwig

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Pacific Crest Trail, August 2007

I did a solo backpack for 10 days and 200 miles on the Pacific Northwest Trail and Pacific Crest Trail in northern Washington. From Ross Lake I went east 30 miles to the PCT at Holman Pass and then south 170 miles to Highway 2
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Day 7: The trail over the next 50 miles was marked periodically in this manner. Early this morning I came to the junction where I had a choice: take the official PCT detour around the Glacier Peak Wilderness (50 miles long) or take the original PCT through the Glacier Peak Wilderness (45 miles). The detour is less scenic, has a 3-4 mile road walk, and 4 miles of it was currently closed due to a small forest fire. Pygmy from the day before had traveled it without seeing any signs of the fire, but he said the detour was overgrown. The original PCT is no longer maintained, has 7-8 rivers and creeks without bridges, numerous blow downs and washed out trail, and is also overgrown in areas. I decided to do the original.
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Day 7: The trail over the next 50 miles was marked periodically in this manner. Early this morning I came to the junction where I had a choice: take the official PCT detour around the Glacier Peak Wilderness (50 miles long) or take the original PCT through the Glacier Peak Wilderness (45 miles). The detour is less scenic, has a 3-4 mile road walk, and 4 miles of it was currently closed due to a small forest fire. Pygmy from the day before had traveled it without seeing any signs of the fire, but he said the detour was overgrown. The original PCT is no longer maintained, has 7-8 rivers and creeks without bridges, numerous blow downs and washed out trail, and is also overgrown in areas. I decided to do the original.

  • Day 6: Refreshed and back on the trail by 9:00 after eating a large breakfast. This is a new bridge built this summer over Agnes Creek. If this wasn't here I would have forded this river.
  • Day 6: Majority of day was mostly flat following the Agnes Creek river bed towards Suiattle Pass. Last fall this trail received a crazy storm causing a ton of blow downs. Here is a view of the river, with so many blow downs across it that you can't even see any water!
  • Day 6: More blow downs. I was lucky that the trail had recently been cut out in the last month.
  • Day 6: Here I am starting to climb out of the creek valley towards Suiattle pass. There was a light rain which made the vegetation damp and my shoes soaked. Met Pygmy here, who had done R&D on my Mariposa Plus pack. Also saw my first ever Pika and learned to recognize its chirp.
  • Day 6: Camped just shy of Suiattle pass, for somewhere around 20 miles on the day.
  • IMG_2593
  • Day 7: The trail over the next 50 miles was marked periodically in this manner. Early this morning I came to the junction where I had a choice: take the official PCT detour around the Glacier Peak Wilderness (50 miles long) or take the original PCT through the Glacier Peak Wilderness (45 miles). The detour is less scenic, has a 3-4 mile road walk, and 4 miles of it was currently closed due to a small forest fire. Pygmy from the day before had traveled it without seeing any signs of the fire, but he said the detour was overgrown. The original PCT is no longer maintained, has 7-8 rivers and creeks without bridges, numerous blow downs and washed out trail, and is also overgrown in areas. I decided to do the original.
  • IMG_2595
  • Day 7: I just crossed the Suiattle river.
  • Day 7: The log I crossed the Suiattle river on by sliding across on my butt. This log was ideal! No branches to get in the way, and just high enough off the water to not worry about dangling feet getting wet.
  • Day 7: The Suiattle riverbed was very wide compared to the current width of the river. Last fall there was a huge flood which completely obliterated the bridge. I assume at the time that the river spanned this entire riverbed.
  • Day 7: Blow down across the trail. There are some damn big Douglas Fir and Cedar trees here that make climbing over or going around blow downs a bit difficult.
  • Day 7: Glacier peak.
  • Day 7: A hoary marmot peaking out of its hole.
  • Day 7: The hoary marmot sneaked down inside as I approached. I could hear it breathing/growling
  • Day 7: This area was full of marmots. I think at one time I could see half a dozen. Many of them were screaching, probably at me. Their screach/scream/whistle is a high-pitched almost hawk like primal scream. They seemed mad. I really enjoyed moving through this area, and so I decided my trail name would be Mad Marmot.
  • IMG_2623
  • Day 7: Getting late. Another hour or so of light. Exhausted. Feet sore and wet. I need a place to camp, but I don't when I will find one.
  • IMG_2631
  • Day 7: I finally found a place to camp and it was perfect. On a knob facing the western sky, which allowed me to attempt to dry out my socks and shoes.
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