PCT: Days 134 – 136

Day 134 – Goat Rocks!

Start: Walupt creek – 2267.3
End: tent site by pond – 2287.4
Miles: 20.1
Ascent: 4361 ft| Descent: 4410 ft

Start time: 6:11 am
End time: 6:46 pm
Current elevation: 4901 ft
Total PCT miles: 1550

What an epic day! We woke before 5am and started on trail just after 6am. Right away we got some views of Mt. Adams again.

We also started to go through down meadows with lot of wild flowers. We were determined to enjoy every moment today and stopped frequently to take a picture of some wildflower we had not seen yet. All In has an app on his phone that will tell him the species and genus of the plant.

Around 10 am we climbed onto a saddle and that was when the beauty of the Goat Rocks Wilderness really started. We made the short but steep climb up to Cispus Pass and enjoyed a “packs off break” while taking in the views from both sides of the pass.

After our break we went over Cispus Pass and saw a beautiful green valley below some jagged peaks. The trail was visible as it passed by numerous small creeks and a lovely waterfall. It was really was breathtaking.

We got to the waterfall and filled our water bottles enough to cover our needs into the afternoon.

After the waterfall the climb continued up to the junction of the PCT and the old stock alternate trail.

We had lunch at this trail junction and enjoyed the awesome views of all three volcanoes: Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier.

The PCT traverses directly across the large slope below while the stock alternate goes up and over and then down a steep ridge. The traverse had some snowy sections with steep exposures and so most people (including us) have opted to take the alternate. We are not horse riders but we had a difficult time believing the riders or their horses would prefer the stock alternate given its steepness and loose broken rock.

After lunch we resumed our hike over the ridge in the alternate trail. The climb up was over rock rubble but no big deal. However, the trail down was along a steep ridge with loose tallus and rocks. The flat pieces of loose rock sounded like broken pottery underfoot.

The alternate rejoins the PCT after 0.7 harrowing miles. Then the official Knifes Edge trail begins. This was a 1.7 mile section of trail that was either traversing the side of a hill or on top of a ridge. This trail was totally insane and concentration was required at all times because a slip and fall could really ruin your day.

We took our sweet time and made it down and up and down safely. A few times we looked back at the trail we just completed and we’re amazed at the route the trail has taken.

Once down the Knifes Edge we had another 5 miles to go to our campsite for the night. It was a long 5 miles as we were all tired both physically and mentally. We finally made it to camp fairly late. There were already two tents but there was lots of space.

One of the hikers said there was a big elk feeding at the pond we had just passed. Jeff went to check it out and came back with a glowing report. This huge 10-point bill elk was eating at the waters edge. The biggest elk he’s ever seen in the wild.

Today was certainly one of our best days on trail. The views were epic, breathtaking, amazing, etc. The Knifes Edge trail was insane. Glad we didn’t see any horses going on this trail. Not sure how we could safely pass each other.

Day 135 – Injury

Start: tent site by pond – 2287.4
End: White Pass – 2297.6
Miles: 10.2

Ascent 1899 ft| Decent 2390 ft

Start time: 6:10 am
End time: 10:57 am
Current elevation: 4410 ft
Total PCT miles: 1560.2

We woke before 5am and we’re on trail just after 6. Our tent and sleeping bags were again damp from the moisture in the air.

We only had 10 trail miles to White Pass where All In’s son Josh would meet us. This included 4 miles of climbing and 6 miles of downhill to the pass.

The first half hour of the hike was through the forest. Then as we got higher we walked on a traverse through a burn area and could look back to see the Goat Rocks mountains that we hiked yesterday.

We then went over a saddle and had a closer view of the south side of Mt. Rainier. We sat down in the middle of a boulder field to take in the view. It was beautiful as the early morning sun lit up the mountain.

We got to the summit of our climb around 8:45 am and then began a long decent … which as any thru hiker knows is not friendly to the legs, ankles, shins, and feet.

We made it down just before 11 am and saw All In sitting at the trailhead. Apparently, his son was running late and would not get to White Pass until 1:30 pm. We decided to walk the short half mile along the highway from the trailhead to the Kracker Barrel.

Once at the Kracker Barrel we got our resupply boxes and some gas station food. We hung out in the hiker area behind the gas station and talked with other hikers.

Funny story, a hiker named Joker came up to Ellen and asked if they had met earlier on the trail in the desert. They had not. About an hour later he finds us as we are trying to get a hitch into the town of Packwood and said he recognized us from YouTube.

As he was researching the PCT conditions he found our channel and shared it with his parents who are now following our hike (the demographics fit). This was about the fifth or sixth time that strangers have come up to us and said that they recognized us from YouTube. This has been fun but also a little weird.

When Josh arrived we drove to the nearby town of Packwood for some pizza. Then it was back to the trailhead. All In continued on trail but we rode with Josh to Tacoma, WA. We needed to go to Urgent care again. Ellen’s right leg is hurting and has swelled up similar to back in mid May at Kennedy Meadows. So to be safe we had decided to get off trail, book a hotel room, diagnose the issue and let Ellen heal.

Day 136 – Time for rest

Ellen went to urgent care in the morning and the diagnosis was tendonitis or shin splints. We figured it was from this last week of hiking big fast miles plus lots of steep downhills.

We didn’t want to hang out in a hotel for a week as that is expensive and boring. So, we decided to rent a car and drive to visit our daughter in Salt Lake City!

Here is the next video!