August 28th, 2022 by Jon
We got up and listened to the wind blow steadily off the lake, causing all the trees around us to sway and creak. Thankfully, our tent spot was hunkered down in some trees and bushes, and we didn’t have any of it pushing on our tent. We didn’t set an alarm this morning, and ended up getting up around 7:15. We lay in our tent for a while before deciding the picnic table would be too cold to eat at, as it wasn’t protected from the wind like we were. We ended up eating in our tent instead. For breakfast, we enjoyed peaches and nectarines that our parents had left us, along with an entire loaf of banana bread. We are the entire thing, and it was absolutely delicious.
After eating, we got up and packed everything, then stood in the sun and did some last-minute internet chores while we had service. Finally, at 8:45, we left our campsite and hit the trail. We switchbacked up a very wide trail, as is common near big roads with large trailheads, before it narrowed again a few miles later. On the way up, we stopped at a small flat part so we could take our sweaters off. It was warming up quickly. As we were getting our packs situated, our friend Goob rolled up! We’ve hiked near or around him since the desert section, and we last saw him in Cascade Locks after not seeing him in at least 1000 miles. We caught up some more and hiked together for the rest of the climb before reaching a plateau pockmarked with small lakes and ponds. We walked among them for a way before a super gentle descent through beautiful pine forest.
We stopped at a small lake where there was supposed to be an outflow we could collect running water from, but the lake was so low that there wasn’t any flow. There have been reports of bad water or Norovirus spreading in this section, so my dad totally came to our rescue and picked up some different water treatment drops that chemically treat the water. He had to go to two different REI’s to find it! We are so lucky to have him helping us with gear stuff. It’s a bit of a pain to use, since it requires time to treat the water, but if it prevents another stomach bug, it will be totally worth it.
We used it to treat a bit of lake water and then polished off some of my mom’s cookies that she also brought down with her. They made for an amazing mid-morning snack. Oatmeal, craisins, and chocolate chips. They are one of my mom’s specialties, and they seriously rock. When the water was done, we separated it out a bit and then hit the trail again. There were plenty more small ponds we walked past that were very picturesque. There were meadows and streams as well, and lots of pine trees. We passed numerous trail junctions for hiking in the area, and they were as well-traveled as the PCT, so we actually had to rely on our maps to make sure we were on the right one. Usually, you just follow the one that isn’t tiny.
It was on this stretch of the trail that I started to feel very tired. I just didn’t have the energy that I usually do, and I think it’s because I’ve slept very poorly the last two nights. We were trying to make it to a stream 6.5 miles from our break spot, but Singsong stopped early, partially because she got hungry, and partly because she could tell I was lagging pretty far behind her. We had lunch while resting in a small clearing right off the trail and enjoyed the sun streaming through the trees and warming our faces. We have cheese and summer sausage this stretch to put in our tortillas for lunch, and it was a nice change from what we have been eating. We washed it down with plenty of snacks, of course.
As we were finishing up, Biscuit walked up, and we enjoyed hearing about the rest of their evening in town. We chatted for a while and then continued hiking for another 3.6 miles. We crossed a few streams and walked over some foot bridges built to keep our feet out of muddy marshes. I struggled a bit on the downhill; my left glute has been spasming pretty often lately, and today it was especially bad. It’s almost like your knee giving out, except it’s your butt. It’s extremely annoying. We continued on and reached the river crossing, where we found a nice tree to cross on, so we didn’t have to take our shoes off. Once on the other side, we took yet another break. I put my head on my knees for a while and listened to Singsong and Biscuit talk, and then Wilco rolled up as well!
We all hung out there for a while before pushing up a 3.5-mile climb. We passed an absolutely gorgeous meadow, filled with water from a creek halfway up, and then climbed around the edge of a bowl with great views of the surrounding hills to the east. When we reached the top of the climb, we hiked along the south side of the mountain, then turned and looked northeast. And there stood Mt. Rainier in all its glory. No clouds in sight, and the sun was glinting off its ice-covered slopes. It was spectacular. It both took my breath away and almost made me tear up with how amazing it looked. Maybe it’s just due to the difficulty of the day, and all the negative thoughts I was having because of it. But that moment took away some of the negativity. I was still exhausted, but it was a moment that just felt good for my soul.
We stood and looked at that mountain for a few minutes, not really talking much. We sighed then, after some time, and began walking once again. We hiked along a ledge for a while before passing over a ridge, then hiked along another ledge on the other side. We came to a trail junction for a lake 0.3 miles down the cliffside. We found a good campsite just off trail and set up camp there. I sat for a solid 10 minutes before I mustered up the energy to start getting stuff ready. We enjoyed some gnocchi and pesto for dinner, and as we were eating, Missile walked up! His leg has been bothering him the last few days, and he’s been taking it slower than usual. We enjoyed eating and talking together, and chatted for a while after we ate, while drinking tea and hot cocoa. Eventually, it got pretty cold, so we jumped into our tent around 8:00. I took some Benadryl right when I got in, and I hope it helps me sleep well tonight.
