July 31, 2023
“…Sooner or later we realize there is no station, no one place to arrive. The true joy of life is the trip.”
From “The Station” by Robert J. Hastings
When we left the Mexican border to begin our Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) thru hike in 2016, our focus was making it all the way to Canada in one season. We trekked 1,828 miles in California and Oregon that year before leaving the path due to weight loss and injury. Since that time, we had never forgotten our goal of reaching Canada. So we became focused on completing the remainder of the trail. However, it has not been easy.
We obtained permits in 2017, but flooding and fires kept us from even beginning another attempt. In 2019, we trekked 316 miles in Washington before another injury forced us off the trail. The height of the pandemic in 2020 made any attempt impossible. And in 2021 we hiked 268 miles in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains before leaving the PCT due to the Dixie Fire.
Now in 2023, with just 231 miles left to complete on the 2,650-mile trail, we scheduled a trek in Northern Washington to take us to the Canadian border. We planned our start date carefully to maximize our fitness from our recent 800-mile California Missions Trail journey, and to hit the sweet spot of minimal snow, few mosquitoes, plentiful water, and no fires. Even though we focused on our Canadian destination, we knew that it would be the day-to-day journey that would make or break our 14-day trek north.
Beginning the Trek in the Rain
After driving to Seattle and spending a few days with family, we boarded a public bus on a Monday morning to take us to the ski resort of Stevens Pass. At the bus station we came across two PCT thru hikers who needed help buying their tickets. They were two young women with the trail names “Beacon” and “Germlish,” hailing from Ohio and Germany respectively. The two of them had skipped the Sierra Nevada Mountains, due to the historic snowfall, and were finishing up their PCT trek in Washington. Meeting thru hikers who had skipped the Sierras would be a common theme as we hiked the trail.
Our PCT route through Northern Washington
Almost exactly four years earlier we had left the trail at Stevens Pass after hiking through southern and central Washington. I was also four years older. As we began our first 107-mile section to the community of Stehekin, I had some concerns. This portion of the PCT was regarded as the most difficult, after the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And there were very few bail out points, so we were committed to covering the entire distance.
I tried to set aside my worries as the bus arrived in Stevens Pass about 45 minutes late. The rain was coming down as we took some time to find the trailhead before we set off to the north.
The trail initially took us through some beautiful forest in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness. It was named after a former Washington senator.
PCT and wilderness signs on the trail
We climbed above Lake Valhalla and began to view some of the mountains that we would hike toward in the upcoming days.
Our goal was to hike 12 miles the first day. However, the late start and the rainy weather slowed our progress. We were also weighed down with seven days of food and our bear canisters. Instead, we settled for 9.7 miles and camped at Lake Janus, near Beacon and Germlish, who we had met on the bus.
The rain returned later in the evening. We had purchased a new tent after our old one leaked during our Arizona Trail trek earlier in the year. We were glad that we had the new tent, as it absolutely poured for a couple of hours. The only problem was that we didn’t set everything up quite right, so water pooled on the rainfly. But we stayed dry and figured out how to set up the tent correctly going forward.
Climbing to Amazing Mountain Views
The next morning we woke to clear weather and beautiful mist on the lake.
Since there was so much climbing in this PCT section, flat ground for camping was limited. Fortunately, there were several established camping areas near the trail, complete with wooden outdoor toilets. Even though the toilets were located a little distance away from the tent sites, it made it much easier to do one’s business than digging a cathole.
Our climbing began in earnest during our second stage, as we ascended and descended about 3,600 feet in the process. At times we walked along open hillsides, with clear mountain views.
Some of the climbing became steeper as we moved into the forest.
We stopped frequently to admire the view around us.
In a normal year, PCT thru hikers arrive in Northern Washington in late summer or early fall and contend with continual clouds and rain. We felt good about the timing of our section hike as we had clear views of the pristine mountains and forest.
At the end of our current 107-mile section, we were scheduled to resupply in the community of Stehekin, located 11 miles off-trail. The community is at the north end of the 50-mile long Lake Chelan. There are no through roads to Stehekin, so the only way to get there was by ferry, plane, or bus from the trail.
We had been fortunate to book a last-minute cancellation at the lodge in Stehekin just before we started hiking. Our plan was to catch the first bus from the trailhead at 9:00 am, giving us a 24-hour break to do laundry, resupply, and relax before hitting the trail again the next day. There were only a few buses a day, so if we missed the first bus, we would need to wait several hours for the next one.
To make that first bus, we needed to stay on our daily mileage schedule. So we tried to make up the 2.3 mile deficit from the previous day. We completed 15.3 miles, but we were not able to make up any distance. Our camp that night was next to Pass Creek, again near Beacon and Germlish.
In the morning we decided to start hiking a half-hour earlier to hopefully complete a few more miles.
As much as we wanted to make up that 2.3 miles during the next stage, we had a challenging day, ascending 4,100 feet and descending 2,800 feet. We began with a 1,400-foot climb in the forest. It was beautiful to watch the sun peak through the trees as we hiked.
After a couple of hours we reached Lake Sally Ann, where we had planned to camp the night before. Instead, we took our morning break there.
Just past the lake we encountered a brief section of snow, the only time we would see any during the entire trek.
Some of the climbing was steep in places, keeping us on our toes. We saw several types of blooming flowers and came across some interesting butterflies.
Flowers and butterflies on the trail
After all the beauty we had seen the first two days, we didn’t believe that it could get any better. But we had a crystal clear day and the views were just amazing. We agreed that the scenery was some of the most incredible we had ever seen.
Late in the afternoon we climbed over White Pass and Red Pass.
After the passes we descended back into the forest. We completed 16.3 miles, but still made up none of the distance. Our camp that night was next to a creek tributary of the White Chuck River with a nice mountain view. We took one of the last sites near the creek – others who came after us had to walk further to the next camping area.
A Series of Ascents and Descents through “Blowdown Hell”
Still behind our mileage goal, we moved into the most difficult portion of the 107-mile section on our fourth day. As we started, I was not expecting to make up any of the distance and just hoped we wouldn’t get further behind. The stage began with a downhill traverse through the forest, with some beautiful creek crossings. We were now hiking in the Glacier Peak Wilderness for the next 60 trail miles.
We soon entered a section known as “blowdown hell” by the other hikers. Because we were in such a remote wilderness area it was difficult for crews to remove any downed trees. Hikers who kept count estimated the number of trees to navigate through between 300 to 400.
To top it all off, we had several difficult water crossings. Some were on logs, and another was on a broken bridge.
Stream crossing on a log; crossing Baekos Creek on a broken bridge
The most challenging was at Kennedy Creek, known for being one of Washington’s most notorious water crossings. As we arrived at the creek’s edge, we saw Beacon and Germlish on the other side. Darren went across first to assess the situation.
He then came back to guide me through the crossing while carrying my backpack. The best way to cross the creek was in three sections, with sand banks and rocks in between. This type of crossing was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I was grateful for Darren’s help.
Crossing Kennedy Creek
We took a lunch break with Beacon and Germlish before continuing. From Kennedy Creek we began a series of ascents and descents where we would gain 8,200 feet and lose 9,900 feet over the next 28.2 miles. Not only were there downed trees to navigate through, but the path was also muddy and overgrown in places. It was easy to slip and fall, and we both did so at times. It was no wonder that we only completed 12.3 miles for the day.
My phone app displaying some of the ascending and descending trail after Kennedy Creek
The afternoon climb from Kennedy Creek took us up about 2,000 feet. As we ascended, we heard some thunder in the distance. Once we arrived at our camp at Fire Creek, we quickly set up our tent in a light rain.
Even though it was a tough day, the beautiful forest and mountain scenery kept us motivated.
We continued through the challenging ascents and descents the next day, as we traversed around 10,525-foot Glacier Peak. After an early morning climb to Fire Creek Pass, we took a short break to admire the incredible view on both sides.
Looking north, we could see a steep trail descent ahead.
We descended along an amazing stretch of trail while hiking to Mica Lake.
Mica Lake’s blue color made it one of the area’s most beautiful lakes.
Near Mica Lake we saw a marmot on the rocks.
After Mica Lake we encountered more downed trees. My legs became covered with bruises from all the climbing and crawling. We saw other hikers who had bruises as well, and even gashes on their legs.
Negotiating the series of downed trees
We continued downhill to Milk Creek, where we crossed the water on a large footbridge. On the other side of the creek we began one of the steepest ascents on the entire PCT. From the Milk Creek bridge we climbed 3,664 feet over 4.5 miles.
The trail was again overgrown and muddy. I lost my balance and slipped. After I got up to continue, I realized that an empty water bottle had fallen out from the side of my pack. After spending a few moments searching for the bottle in vain, I continued hiking. Later, we passed Germlish, who had found the bottle and brought it to me. I so appreciated her kindness as we continued to hike in the challenging conditions.
The afternoon climb from Milk Creek began in the direct sun. It was hot, and we didn’t know if we would move into any shade. So we decided to ration our water until we reached another source. We soon passed some hikers coming from the other direction who told us that the trail would enter the shady forest in the next half-mile. It made the climb feel easier after reaching the cooler forest cover.
Once at the top of the climb, we hiked a short distance further to a creek to filter some much needed water. Beacon and Germlish were also there filtering water and making dinner.
The closest camping area was about 1.4 miles away. However, camping there would not make up any distance for us. The next camp after that was 5.1 miles from our current location. Beacon and Germlish had decided to hike there and arrive at dusk. However, Darren and I were both tired and opted for the closer camp. We had camped near Beacon and Germlish for the first four nights, so we said our goodbyes, as we didn’t know if we would see them again.
When we arrived at the first camp, it turned out to be a good choice, as our site overlooked the mountains.
We covered 13.7 miles in all, and were happy with our progress through the difficult section. As we ate dinner, we were joined by a French guy about 10 years younger than us. He was another thru hiker who had skipped the Sierra Nevada Mountains and was going home after finishing his trek in Washington. We enjoyed talking to him about his time on the trail.
Working to Make Up Our Hiking Miles on an Easier Trail
In the morning we woke up with some optimism about finally making up our 2.3-mile distance. Now past some of the steepest climbs, we felt we could increase our daily hiking mileage. As we got ready to leave our camp, we were greeted by a deer grazing in the grass.
The first nine miles of our 17.1-mile stage were all downhill to the Suiattle River. There were a few more tree obstacles to maneuver around.
Hiking through more downed trees
Hikers we met walking the other way had told us that the Suiattle River was where the major downed trees ended. So it was a big milestone for us to cross the river.
Also completing the 28-mile section of steep ascents and descents, we noticed that the climbing mellowed on the other side of the river. After ascending some switchbacks, we trekked along a shady forest ridge with some beautiful creek crossings.
We stopped at one of the creeks and filtered enough water for the night before continuing to a nice campsite tucked away in the woods.
Campsite below a trail junction; enjoying dinner at the end of the day
Getting into Position for Our Time in Stehekin
There was one more full day of hiking before our day in Stehekin. We needed to hike at least 18 miles to be in position to make the 9:00 am bus the next day. Almost all of our climbing was at the beginning of the stage, as we ascended to Suiattle Pass. From there we had beautiful mountain views.
The rest of the stage was over 4,000 feet of descent as we hiked to the South Fork of Agnes Creek.
With the tree obstacles gone and a gentler trail grade, we were able to complete 18.2 miles. Our camp that night was just 5.1 miles from the bus stop. Finally, after seven days of hiking, we were in position to make the 9:00 am bus the next morning.
As we settled down in our tent for the night, we thought back over our seven-day journey. It had been a very challenging, but beautifully rewarding trekking experience. The trail ascents and descents, muddy path, water crossings, and downed trees had been daunting for us. And it was hard to believe that it took us so long to make up just a few miles we couldn’t cover on our first day.
But what a journey it had been, with some of the most spectacular scenery and mountain views we had seen anywhere in the world. Even though I had been worried about being a few years older, I was pleased with my fitness and grateful for making it this far.
Our focus at the beginning of the trek was to reach Canada, with our rest and resupply in Stehekin necessary to meeting that goal. But we realized that our day-to-day trekking journey, with all its obstacles and incredible scenery, would be something we would never forget. With 102 miles complete, we only had 87 more miles to go to reach the Canadian border!
Awesome recap. I felt like I was there experiencing the beauty with you. Great job!
Hi David – Thanks for the comment. Always great to hear from you!