PCT Southbound - Day 12

Another day that felt really long due to so much elevation gain. It appears that there is no end to the up in Washington.

When we woke up it looked like the wildfire on the ridge next to us had calmed down considerably overnight. With no reports of closure ahead, we decided to continue hiking around 8:30am. We walked mostly through rolling forest for the first half of the day and stopped for a lunch break on some rocks next to the pretty turquoise blue Agness Creek. 

In the second part of the day the trail conditions started to deteriorate considerably. There was a lot of crashing through overgrowth and climbing over various sizes of blowdowns. The last 2.5 miles to camp was still brush crashing but with the added bonus of being steep and along a somewhat slippery hillside. It was not fun. 

While looking down from the trail to a creek below us, I noticed trout swimming around and eating. These were the first fish we have seen along the trail. What luck! Jason finally had a chance to try his new tencara rod and caught several hungry little mountain trout. 

We are camped on a flat spot midway up the hillside we've been climbing for the past 2 hours. It looks like there is still another 1800 ft of elevation gain to get to the pass at the top of this hill... uugh!

Hike Details ⬇️

📍PCT SOBO Mile 84.9 - 95.6

🥾10.7 miles

📈 3074 Ascent

🕘 5 hours

PCT Southbound - Day 11

After a much needed zero day in Stehekin, we were ready to get back on the trail. Stehekin is a lovely place, quiet, with beautiful clear water that practically begs you to jump in for a swim. It was a bit cold during our two nights here, but I hope we have a chance to return someday. That said, the pay-per-use hiker showers are some of the most disgusting I have ever encountered. Truly. It's better just rinsing off in the lake.

We caught the 8:00 a.m. shuttle on this clear, sunny morning with extremely heavy packs. This section marks the start of our longest yet through the Glacier Peak Wilderness. There has been quite a bit of fear mongering going on regarding the condition of this trail section, so we are likely overprepared by a lot.

The bus made its customary stop at the bakery, so we fueled up on ham croissants and a berry Danish. Then it was back to High Bridge and the start of another climb.

From High Bridge the climb out from the river began with shaded switchbacks through the forest, steady and predictable. Eventually the trail opened into rolling terrain, slightly uphill, with blueberry bushes pressing in on both sides. Our goal was 9.5 miles to Cedar Camp.

Around mile seven, we stopped short. Across Agnes Creek, high on the mountainside, I spotted a small wildfire burning. It looked new. We stood and watched for a while, trying to gauge its size and direction. A plane circled the area, which at least told us it was on someone’s radar.

With nine days planned in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, we weighed our options. A new fire close to the trail was not something to ignore. Since we were still only a few hours from Stehekin, turning back felt like the cautious choice.

On the hike out, we managed to get satellite updates from Mary at the Lion's Den and from my mom. Both reported no trail closures yet. We chose a campsite about five miles out, positioned with a clear view of the fire on the mountain. Through the evening, helicopters passed overhead several times carrying water buckets, and the steady thrum of their rotors echoed through the valley.

For now, we are staying put and will reassess in the morning. If the fire looks stable or improved, we will continue on. If it grows or the smoke worsens, we may head back and adjust our route as needed.

Hike Details ⬇️

📍PCT SOBO Mile 80.7 - 84.9 

🥾8.2 Miles (6.2 miles + 2 backtracking)

📈 59 Ascent, 413 Decent

🕘 5 hours