Memories from September 5
I didn’t want to get up this morning. This is something of a first on the trail but the intermittent rain and view occluding clouds had me pretty well down. At first I thought the light was too bright for overcast skies. Then I looked out saw grey instead of blue. What’s the point of hiking a National Scenic Trail (the PCT’s official name is Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) if you don’t see it and the wind up cold and wet? Also, my air mattress has had a slow leak since the night before Stehekin.
Eventually I got moving. Exercise helped and at least what I could see was nice. Also, the rain was kind enough to limit itself to intervals of 5 min or less at a time.
Suicide bomber tree?
Eventually the clouds began to clear enough and I started getting almost giddy. The terrain is strangely like the desert but richer somehow.
Also, I get to Canada tomorrow. Wow.
There was trail magic at Hart’s Pass. I saw Salty which I hadn’t expected to again. His sawed off Crocs have been augmented with a tread he got somewhere to deal with all the rocks. I wound up trading stories with some thru-hikers from 2014 until there was a patchy blue sky instead of rain and headed out in great spirits.
The clouds came back but never followed through on their menacing.
Larches! These things look evergreen but eventually turn bright yellow and orange like something from Dr. Suess.
Sometimes the clouds are as interesting as the terrain.
I camped about 20 miles from the Canadian Border. After all this time, I still have trouble pitching my tarp unless I can tie at least one guy line (but preferably 2) off to a tree.
Isaac Takes A Hike 