Final Thoughts and Thanks

Now that I've completed the trail I'm regularly asked how it feels to be done. It's harder than I thought it would be to adequately answer that question. I don't know how long it will take to fully distill this experience. I'm sure it will be a gradual process. It's hard to come up with a concise response when asked to sum it all up, but I can say with confidence that hiking the PCT was worth it.

Part of the reason I decided to hike the PCT is that I wasn't sure if I could do it. When I hiked the 75mi section in 2009, I was firmly convinced I would never do the whole thing. I didn't think I had it in me. I didn't know if I could handle the mental element, let alone the physical challenge. This initial doubt, that I kept to myself until now, makes finishing even sweeter.

Thanks

I walked most of the PCT alone, but there are many people that backed me every step of the way. My dad shipped all of my prepacked food boxes to nearly two dozen locations along the way. My mom and girlfriend Kate supplemented the boring food that I packed with care packages full of delicious snacks. I was a kid on Christmas morning at the Post Office every time. Thanks to the many other friends and family members that sent supportive letters and care packages. Thanks to the trail angels along the way who open their doors to hundreds of smelly hikers every year, I don't know how you do it. Thanks to everyone who set up on a road in the middle of nowhere and handed out snacks and cold beverages. Thanks to all the folks who haul hundreds of gallons of water into the desert every year. Thanks to everyone who reached out and took me in, those random acts of kindness will never be forgotten.

Washington

The PCT trip marks my third visit to the state of Washington. The first time I drove from Rochester. The second time I took a train from Rochester. This time I walked from Mexico. I intentionally arrived in WA a few weeks ahead of schedule because historically the weather stays reliably nice until early to mid Sept, when I planned on finishing. This year, the early birds got wet.Washington started in the same way as Oregon - smoky and rainy. It was a shame since I was in viewing distance of Rainier, St. Helens, Adams, and many of Oregon's peaks. The forest changed after crossing the Columbia River. It became a lush, deep shade of green with more moss and ferns - quintessential Washington woods.  The northern sections of the state looked a bit like the High Sierra again - craggy granite cliffs with lingering snow towering over alpine meadows with glacial streams running through. I had a few sections of beautiful weather but the majority of my time was spent with soggy boots and little visibility. The good news is that the last few days on the trail were gorgeous and I got to spend it with a great group of hikers.

Side Project and Pleats crossing the Bridge of the Gods from Oregon into Washington

The massive Columbia River

We immediately found a brewery in Washington which didn't help out mileage that day...

They did tastings right at this place - ten 5oz glasses.

Smoke looming in the background back in Oregon

More smoke blew in overnight. This was around 9AM.

Washington woods - ferny and mossy

And foggy

Mmmm pancakes

One of the PCT's old signs, very few remain

After being socked in with clouds and rain for a few days blue skies were a welcome sight

The next group of pictures is from Washington's famed Goat Rocks Wilderness. From what I saw it was beautiful, although clouds impeded any expansive views.

This is the approach to the section in the Goat Rocks called the "Knife Edge". This photo and the next one were taken just a few minutes apart, that's how quickly the clouds were blowing around. One minute visibility was 50ft, the next it was a few miles.

Goat Rocks - Knife Edge is behind me.

I descended down into the valley after taking this photo and 45min later it was pouring. If I had stayed here I would have been hailed on, as a few of my friends were.

Best water ever

Decoration at White's Pass.

My first view of Mt. Rainier from WA state - I couldn't see it for the first 5 days, even though it rises a vertical mile above the rest of the landscape.

And the rains came back - in between White's Pass and Snoqualmie Pass it rarely let up.

I stumbled upon a tiny forest fire here - it appeared some one had stopped for a smoke break under this tree and neglected to put their smoke out well. Another hiker and I poured our last water on it, dumped some wet soil on the hot spots, and called the Forest Service. We heard from other hikers that they responded quickly and turned over all the soil in the area.

That's I-90! I could have just hitched back to Rochester from there.

The huckleberry harvest improved as I hiked North - these tasty morsels definitely slowed my pace

This wedding dress is hanging in the Dinsmore's hiker bunk room. A guy completed the PCT last year wearing nothing but wedding dresses. I'm not sure why he did this, but he left one with them.

I met Bill and Henry in the desert and never expected to see them again. Turns out they live in Seattle and came up to Stevens Pass to do some trail magic. It was great catching up, thanks guys!

The weather turned for the worst yet again - my hike from Stevens Pass to Stehekin was full of rain and some severe thunder and lightning storms at night. This was the area around Glacier Peak which would have been great to actually see. Sadly, the weather prevented any good views.

All the rain produced some major mushroom growth and the forest floor was full of them. All shapes, sizes and colors.

Alien

This bridge has seen better days.

One of my favorite photographs on this trip

The area around Glacier Peak contains many classic examples of glacially modified landscape. This massive boulder was probably moved by one many years ago.

Giant butt mushroom

That was the most blue sky I saw in 100 miles

The alternate log crossing over the Suiattle River

Big glacial bowl with the rock field up front

Marmot having a Lion King moment

This is Stehekin's one and only road a few days after a massive landslide closed it completely. The slide also took out a few of the town's buildings. Stehekin is a tiny community at the Western end of Lake Chelan, a 50mi long by 1mi wide lake. It's also the last town stop on the PCT.

The Stehekin garden

And more importantly, the bakery I had heard about for several thousand miles. Day hikers in California told me about this place.

I packed out delicious and massive sticky buns, a perfect trail breakfast the next day.

Taco mushroom?

This last section was beautiful, I even got a little sunburn. Rainy Pass was not so rainy for us!

Recall the landslides that closed down Stehekin's road? The rains that caused them also created some interesting obstacles for hikers on our last day.

Imagine being nearby on the trail when this happened...

The last big view before descending in a valley to finish the hike.

A lot of hikers finished on Sept 12 - congrats everyone!!!!

The forest is clear cut behind the monument

We arrived at Manning Park in British Columbia and all went our separate ways. Spoonman here hitched to Vancouver while many of us hopped on a bus.