miles: 24
MADE IT TO WHITE PASS JUST IN TIME TO AVOID A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR AND HAIL, CLOUDS, FREEZING WEATHER AND RAIN.
So we woke up at 5:00am against our will. Bodies in complete protest. Freezing morning. Popped my head out of the tent and noticed the ominous (but interesting and beautiful) clouds. Yes, a storm was near.
Storms make me nervous and I could feel the adrenaline pushing me to hike faster and faster in order to beat the weather. I imagined being on the Knife's Edge during a lightning episode and was filled with terror. Ben isn't phased by inclement weather in the way that I am, and tried to reign me in, keep me from panicking and freaking out. This is a common occurrence: Ben keeping my mental state in check. He helps ease my nerves.
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| Breaking down camp in the morning. |
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| This wall! |
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| This cairn! |
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| A thunderstorm's a brewin' |
Mt. Adams behind us, Mt. Rainier in front of us, storm clouds dancing in the sky, changing color and shape every half an hour...
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| Mt. Adams in the distance, shrouded by pink clouds. |
We're going up up up up up up, becoming more and more exposed as the morning went on. The clouds started to clear up directly overhead, which calmed me down, and seemed to be brewing more to the south and west... I suddenly became confident that the weather would hold out while we were on the exposed section of trail.
We'll be fine - is all I could think.
And we were!
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| Mt. Rainier. |
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| Mt. Rainier |
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| Here is the trail where it crosses as snowfield. |
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| The steep climb up to the pass where we would officially step onto the "Knife's Edge"... Old Snowy to the far right. |
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| Mt. Adams in the distance. |
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| Old Snowy |
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| Mt. Rainier seems to be catching the beginnings of a storm. |
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| Ben on the Knife's Edge. |
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| Ben on the Knife's Edge. |
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| The trail winds up and over the ridge, called, "the Knife's Edge" some of the scariest and most beautiful section of trail. |
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| Took a snack break at this rushing glacial melt creek... |
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| Rocky's hip belt rash. |
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| Already closer to Mt. Rainier! |
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| Can you spot the mountain goat on the left? |
Dr. Slosh and Smiles caught up with us (we passed them this morning because we woke up ridiculously early...) and we finished the 24 mile hiking day with them...
I was in the lead at some point, cruising along at top speed, all of us taking turns being in front, when I was stopped dead in my tracks. A Nannie goat and her kids were blocking the trail. I... didn't know what to do, to say the least. I waited for the others to catch up, not wanting to approach the goats alone.
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| Dr. Slosh approaches the goats and attempts to scare them off. Smiles right behind him. |
Eventually the goats ran off, luckily, and we proceeded, excited to get to White Pass for a break. Smiles and Dr. Slosh skipped going into Trout Lake, so they'd been out on the trail for 7 full days without a shower or laundry, so they were especially excited to get to town for some much needed relaxation...
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| Still brewing clouds. |
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| Dr. Slosh and Rocky taking photos. |
The last 4 miles were SO. LONG. The last few miles of any day are always the longest miles! I'm not sure what this is all about, but it seems as though they are deceivingly long and arduous, even if they are flat, in cool weather, and easy! I struggled with foot pain, mental fatigue and limped my way down the mountains toward White Pass. Smiles and Dr. Slosh took the lead and were nowhere to be found, they were CRUISING!
Is there a name or term for the phenomenon where miles at the end of a day/section turn into never-ending miles? Is it just us?
When we reached the parking lot, relief washed over me and I was once able to handle my pain again. Ben and I limped along the highway toward the Kracker Barrel Store where we would pick up our resupply packages, check into the "hotel" and get cozy. Smiles and Dr. Slosh would be waiting there, having already secured the room!
Just as we walked into our room at the White Pass Lodge, the storm opened up and unleashed horrific looking hail. We felt for the hikers still out there in the storm. Some of them would still be up on the Knife's Edge. I had never felt so lucky to be indoors... ever.
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| Along the highway - a bra hanging off of a tree.... |
5 comments:
Claire - The BEST pictures, AMAZING! You need to put these into a photo contest :)
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe the one of the PCT sign with the mountain in the background.
Now that's some serious picture quantity! Loved it!
-GoalTech from Portland
I'm so glad you took time to enjoy Goat Rocks and take photos, while at the same time hustling to get through that section before the storm.
I was there a month ago on a section hike and took many of the same photos, and how fun that we both camped at Cispus Basin. I was a bit surprised there wasn't any lingering snow from the previous storms. I heard some were crossing Knife's Edge with snow up to their knees - dang scary!
Also exciting for you to have the up close and personal experiences with goats. A herd of about 70 circled my camp at Cispus from a far distance.
Your landscape photos are so much more exciting than mine as I had PERFECT blue sky days and was at the prime locations mid day. The drama of the clouds and shadows adds so much depth.
Stay safe . . .
Kristine & Kathe - THANK YOU, lady! ;) I've got a few I'm entering into...
GoalTech - YEAHHH! I love being able to post serious picture quantity, more to come.
BeeKeeper - That's so cool you were in the same area, it was one of my favorite sections by far. And yes, although scary, thunderstorms and clouds add a certain drama to photos that is unmatched. Looking back, these are the photos I treasure the most.
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