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Day 105 - Most Hiked Part of PCT. - Uphillhike
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04 Aug Day 105 – Most Hiked Part of PCT.

Posted at 18:23h in PCT Thru Hike, PCT Washington by

At mile 2409.2. Hiked 16.1 miles today.

I took my time at the Summit Inn organizing and running errands and eating another meal at the Summit Pancake House. With late breakfast, I didn’t feel that I needed to pack a lunch for today. I sorted through my resupply and took out some food items to lower the weight. I snared a dark chocolate bar and small tuna from the hiker box. I donated a large tuna, oatmeal, tortillas, etc to the hiker box. After reviewing everything, I felt that I had the right amount of food. My hiking goal today was to go a few miles more than 12. A 12-mile day would leave me 20 per day for the next 3 days to Stevens Pass. By hiking a little more than 12 today and a little more than 20 each of the next 2 days, I could hike a short day into Skykomish where I would enjoy the lodging and town food.

The first 7 miles of trail north of Snoqualmie was overrun by trail runners and day hikers walking to Kendall’s Catwalk. The Catwalk is a portion of the trail cut into a cliff and I suppose that it isn’t for people that don’t like walking on precipices. It really isn’t a sheer drop off at the edge and the trail is wide. The edge of the Grand Canyon is scarier. Another thing that invokes more fear is rounding a bend on the ascent only to be surprised by a runner hurtling downhill. I had to do a quick step or two to avoid collisions.

A view on the long climb toward Kendall’s Catwalk.

Straight ahead and around the corner is Kendall’s Catwalk.

A view looking back (south) at the Catwalk.

Ridge Lake. Dan and Kathy Bowden and I and about 7 others spent a rainy night here on the last night of our week-long hike in July 2015. My tent leaked that night and I was sleeping in a puddle of water. I threw the tent in the next trash bin. I have no patience for leaky tents.

Back to the present. I refilled my water bottle here with a dead fish nearby. Yum! Extra chlorine for that bottle.

The way forward. Nothing boring today. Only the spectacular!

Another lake.

Daily trail photo.

Part of a long traverse below Chikapin Peak. Probably the most spectacular long traverse on the PCT.

View looking back on Chikapin traverse. Catanka caught up with me near the beginning of this traverse and we hiked it together. I last saw Catanka at Rock Creek before Trout Lake. He has been hiking the PCT along while adding many side trips. The only reason I was ahead of him at this point was that he had taken time off to hike around Mt Ranier on the Wonderland Trail. It amazed me that he could complete the Wonderland Trail while hiking the PCT and already caught back up with me. Most people take a week to hike Wonderland. Catanka plans to hike the PNT (Pacific Northwest Trail) as soon as he reaches Canada. As I stumbled uphill on loose rock, Catanka led the way while talking nonstop about his planned side trips. He kept moving along briskly without seeming to feel the need to breathe. This dude is one super-excited and energized Hiker.

Over the crest of the traverse and on a new view and new traverse.

New views over the top are always exciting. What’s on the other side? That is what keeps me hiking.

Clouds building.

I heard a lot of thunder and started hiking faster. Every tent site I passed was taken. That was okay with me because more miles today meant fewer miles on my last day into town.

 

 

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