We made it back out to the trail, almost a year later, to finish Washington Sections J and L (the two sections we missed due to weather last fall)
These next few posts will make up for lost time and briefly describe each day (mostly with photos) and get us all caught up, beginning at Snoqualmie Pass and ending at Stevens Pass.
DAY 166: Snoqualmie Pass Revisited
miles: 15
Left work on a Wednesday at 5:30pm and immediately got on the road to Seattle to swoop Smiles & Dr. Slosh from SEA-TAC.
11:00pm we are cruising through the forest towards Snoqualmie Pass Trailhead where we would car camp in the parking lot in order to get an early start first thing in the morning the next day.
 |
| Car camping in style. Slosh scarfing down a tupperware full of spaghetti matter. Not pictured: Smiles around the corner between the vehicles, on the ground in her sleeping bag. |
It was 1:00 am by the time we fell asleep.
Wake up was at 6:00 am. Brutal.
Packed up our things, locked the car, and started the long, steep climb up into Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
 |
| Rainier showed up. |
 |
| As the morning mist and cloud layer dissipated, Rainier waved to us. |
 |
| AT THE TOP. WE MADE IT! |
The climb wasn't as bad as we had anticipated, being out of shape and all. Our fresh legs served us well and we powered up the climb, high on hiking. There is something to be said about a pair of fresh legs, a fresh mindset, and fresh lungs. We felt surprisingly great.
 |
| You can see the catwalk on the right: a trail carved into the steep rock wall, wide enough for one hiker at a time. |
Although it was mid/late August, summer was just beginning up at this elevation (6,000+ feet) and the wildflower display was spectacular! I haven't felt so saturated with summer feelings in so long... probably since last year in the Sierra.
Today's hike was probably one of the most gorgeous sections of the entire trail. We felt lucky to have such beautiful weather. Last time we were up here, we were socked in and couldn't see a thing. Visibility was at an all-time low, allowing us to see just a few feet ahead of us the entire time.
Feel grateful, we hiked at an impressive pace and took many, leisurely breaks. OH, to take your time on the PCT...
 |
| Dr. Slosh gathering his lunch materials. |
 |
| Of course, Rocky stretching. |
 |
| Couldn't get over how perfect the hiking conditions were. |
 |
| Gathering water at this blue lake. |
 |
| The assessment of a hot spot. |
 |
| There was a lot of map analysis. |
Some of the most beautiful sections of the entire trail included the Sierra section (obviously), Goat Rocks, and Glacier Peak Wilderness, however, I would say Alpine Lakes Wilderness definitely takes the cake for me.
Still in high spirits upon arrival at camp, we ate dinner, played a game of dice, and had some drinks.
 |
| Home for the night. |
No comments:
Post a Comment