Before this there was 3 Mt. Rainier maps – East, West and a blow up of the Paradise area. As mentioned I have chewed through a number of them over the years, while hiking all over Rainier and the Wonderland Trail. The new map is 269S and covers ALL of Rainier and the Wonderland Trail on Side A:

Side B has a bonus map that is a blow up of Paradise plus the entire glaciated area of the mountain for climbers, including major climbing routes:

You get the equivalent of the original 3 Rainier maps for $10 (the 3 maps ran about $15 to 16 total) in a waterproof, tear resistant 1.9 ounce package. It also includes an elevation profile of the Wonderland Trail (don’t look or you will want to cry ), where the backcountry camps are located, front country exhibits, picnic areas, a sidebar listing major trailheads with GPS waypoints and you want more? Do ya? Well not only all that but you get the Pacific Crest Trail on Side A going from Hayden Pass (near Big Crow Basin and the Crystal Ski Area) all the way to a few miles from Hwy 12 (White Pass). The PCT is so well laid out it is much better than the other waterproof PCT map produced via the FS.

I can only hope the use of the new material for the maps becomes the way for Green Trails. I’d happily replace all my overly loved maps for them to last longer. Anyhow, if you have Wonderland Fever this winter DO pick up the map, it is a must take item and well worth the cost.

~Sarah

Being Mid-October it gets tricky finding that last alpine hike of the season before the snow comes, mostly due to the ice that starts forming – where the soil never warms up during the day or well, even gets any sunlight. So I wanted to avoid that as much as possible with the kids. I hadn’t gotten up to Sheep Lake on the Pacific Crest Trail (from Chinook Pass going North) this year and HM had never been there. It is a shy 2 miles each way and overall quite flat (what gain there is very spread out). Her children are 4 and 8, this was the youngest ones longest hike.

On the drive up with Walker (Ford elected to stay home not quite realizing that cleaning gutters is way more work than hiking!) it was quite chilly, with valley fog and then into blinding blue skies. The lowest was 34° but it was 10 am by that point. Once the sun got over the peaks it did warm up to a balmy mid 40′s. No wind so it was quite nice.

For a section that parallels a highway it rarely feels that way – Highway 410 has long been my favorite mountain road here in Washington State due to there being no commercial ventures. From the entrance of Rainier NP down below to Naches on the other side it is just NP and NF – miles and miles of forest and views. So walking the PCT here is scenic, with the views stretching far East.

Once the trail turns in away from the highway it did get chilly and ice crystals in the dirt started showing up. This section often holds snow quite long in early summer. The trail was nicely busy (and by that….there wasn’t a ton of people but you never felt lonely). It seems lots of us said “Hey, last chance! Take advantage!”.

Walker was happily snoozing in his front carrier and I helped HM’s daughter by encouraging her to keep going and before she knew it I told her to look up and we were there. This silver snag has always been the marker for me, it seems so long ago the first time I hiked to this lake.

Sheep Lake (the low notch in the ridge above is Sourdough Gap where the PCT crosses over)

Walker and I:

The ridge that separates Sheep from Crystal Lake basin:

Silver logs floating:

Walker was quite happy and snug in his fleece bunting. I scored a deal on it, $3.50! at the local baby consignment store. With a heavier sleep n’ play outfit under it he was warm even in the shaded areas along the trail. Especially as we hiked out quite late, not getting back to the truck till 5 pm. The temps had dropped back into the 30′s by then and he was never cold. The only thing was he drools so much on his carrier that the drool froze. Hah!

On the way back the peaks across the way:

Looking at Chinook Pass as we hiked back. Naches Peak is on the left. Its chilly North side (of which the PCT runs below) never melted out and looked quite chilly the whole day!

Much of the hike back we listened to squirrels chattering and a hawk flying over us.

The fall colors were very pretty:

As I started the drive home the Eastern Crest was dipping into early night, the sun already behind the peaks. As I mentioned it was dropping fast and getting chilly. A minute later as I drove up and over Chinook Pass back to Western Washington the sun was blazing, temps went up 5 or more and Rainier was shining with new silvery snow. The road was lined with photographers waiting for alpenglow. Walker was exhausted and played contently in his seat while I kept an eye out for elk due to the time of day.

~Sarah

We parked on the west side at Tipsoo Lake in Rainier NP. No parking passes needed so it is always a popular one. But if you arrive early on a cold morning it is often empty.

Being so cold we had Walker in a full body outfit, hat and blankie to keep him toasty warm against me. He was quite happy.

If one is doing the Naches Peak Loop Trail the secret is taking the trail on the hillside from the lake. It is poorly marked. Many people get up there and have no idea where it is. Which is too bad! Often people walk the highway up to the pass – when they could walk in quiet through a small hidden away meadow.

The flowers here were near the end but lets be frank: it was September 11th! That there were flowers still in showy form was shocking. We had a late melt out and a cold summer, but outside of a few random Huckleberry bushes later I saw no fall colors. Everything is green as in July. Including the berries

Where you come out the highway and normally cross it on a wooden bridge you now must cross the road. They have torn out the bridge marking Chinook Pass and Mt. Rainier NP, that the PCT runs over. It is slated to be replaced though. I realized that Walker was having his first stroll on the PCT. A smile indeed for that!

The clouds rapidly burnt away as we left the west side:

The green was soothing -

We took a short break at the lake and mostly drank in the views and let Walker stretch his little legs:

Possibly one of my all time favorite lakes to sit by. I have visited it at least once a year since 2003 and this morning I had thought about it, that if I didn’t go soon we would miss it.

As we crossed back over to the western side the clouds were below us:

As we walked I kept an eye out on the Huckle and wild alpine Blueberry plants. Very little was ripe, though I got a few. I did find a massive batch of low growing red Huckleberries but getting that low with Bowling Ball Buns isn’t easy So instead I snacked on the blues:

That lovely combo of clouds and sun all at one time. With Walker grabbing at my pole. He spent half the hike grabbing for them:

And me showing how to retrieve said pole after baby gets it and drops it, without bending over:

Rainier came out for the last couple minutes, with a pretty good Lenticular cloud on top. Which signifies a turn in weather within hours. So time to head down and for the toasty truck, no?

Though all that rasslin’ with trekking poles tuckered someone out.

Dropped out of the clouds and back into warm sun, flowers and sub-apline lakes once again.

Not a hard hike by any means. 3.67 according to the GPS and around 700+ ft gained and loss. It is though one of those incredible hikes that you don’t tire of or ever forget. You start high and stay high and get lakes, flowers, berries and mountain views. There is a reason whenever anyone wants a recommendation for an easy hike to impress I always tell them “Go do Naches Peak Loop”. They are always happy. And I saw it in a way I had never seen it before with Walker. It felt so similar to that first time with Ford when he was 6. Little ones see so much we easily go by!

~Sarah

So we went down our “sekrit” jumble of logging roads till we found our entry onto the PCT. If clearcuts from 10 to 30 years ago have one thing, it is HUCKLEBERRY HEAVEN. The first 1/4 mile was nonstop bushes, literally dripping in berries. We are talking ones the size of nickles. And ripe. Juicy. Mama bear was growling loudly, telling Hoosierdaddy to buzz off while she gorged herself sick. Or something like that…..

In my hand is a large Huckleberry with ripe wild Blueberries next to it.

PS: All those green plants below me were loaded with berries. Sigh!

Hoosierdaddy ahead of me as we entered the forest, heading South, leaving the clearcuts:

And there is the meadow for whiling away a sunny-for-now day:

Looking through the trees to the cabin:

More meadow:

Well who did we see first? I was sitting on the cabin, kicking back when I hear “Sarbar!” and I look down to see Basil coming up. Too funny, I have run into 3 times, 3 weekends in a row. You have to laugh! Basil is a great guy to sit and chat with.

Disco came in not long after:

We fed the guys – we had packed in snacks, supplies and more. We were hoping to see Tom and Tori today, but most likely they wouldn’t be clearing the meadow till an hour or two later. Oh well, I will see them this weekend when we have a picnic planned

The weather had slowly shifted during the day, clouding over and getting chillier. The hike out was nice though:

I waited for Hoosierdaddy as he went back – he had wanted to haul out a bag of garbage he had collected, but had left without it. So he doubled back and I took photos.

It isn’t seen easily but the orange fungus growing high on the tree was so vivid in the forest.

Ate more berries on the way out and said goodbye to the area for the season. Within a couple minutes the rain started spattering. It would seem the promised first bad storm was already brewing and coming in tonight in the Cascades. It should be a cold and miserable weekend for hikers.Fall is sliding in oh so quickly.

~Sarah

The event was held in the park at the locks where thru hikers can camp, but this time out on the island in the Columbia River, where one could camp. Teresa and I both dropped off our donations the gear raffles of books. Then we pulled up some lawn under our buns and settled in for the day.

Teresa and Warner Springs Monty. I had not met him before and he is about the nicest guy around.

Ran into Basil, who I met last weekend while trail angeling. He had hitched a ride back from Washington to come down.

Jared, Ford and I went looking for some food mid day and headed up to town where what did our eyes spy? Hiker trash! Oh, wait, that would Tori and Tom. Heh!

So good to see them after so long!

We found hamburgers being grilled up outside of Johnny’s Ice Cream and Deli – they were of the scrumptious variety.The also sold curly fries that were an entire massive russet potato that is cut in front of you with a Dewalt drill powered auger. Oh yeah!

Jared attempting to eat a single patty cheeseburger:

Back down in the action Tom and Tori were having Henry fix their Rainbow, Henry Shire’s was using Ron Moak’s sewing machine in his rig:

Tom happy to have the tarp tent back in top shape:

Tori going through food, figuring out what was needed for restock:

Everyone else hung out and listened to a band and more. I decided to go check into our hotel and go swimming. Yeah, yeah, real hard camping I know. Hehheh! We stayed at the only place to stay in Cascade Locks, the Best Western there. It is on the river, has a great staff, is clean and modern, a nice pool/hot tub/deck and a good breakfast. We got the last room, a family suite that was massive on the river. Not everyone loves trains, I do though and you could faintly hear them puttering along the river – I like that. I would stay there again without an issue.

For dinner everyone met up at the PCT Pub. Deja Vu – I was there what last weekend? Tom ate 2 ruebens I had a very tasty all veggie pizza after the meat-fest for lunch….

Eating Dinner in the Pub:

Nancy “why Not” and Tori in the Pub.Nancy won a copy of my book at the raffle drawing. Neat!

I watched the kids in the evening so Teresa could go see a new PCT movie being shown. Ooh, that was easy. Teresa’s daugheter fell alseep within minutes, I curled up to a good novel and Ford was watching a stupid film about a dinosaur era mega shark and octopus that are melted out of polar ice caps and wreck havoc on the world. So bad it was funny. Sure hotel “camping” ain’t car camping but it can be a hoot.

Up early, we met T&T in the hotel (they stayed there as well) and chowed down breakfast….then we packed them up. Teresa and I gave them a ride to a remote trailhead in Washington. It was a cool moment indeed as we crossed the bridge up high and entered Washington. T&T had finished two states, with just Washington in front of them.

I knew where the trail head was so I navigated:

And off they went, leaving us:

They disappeared into the woods, heading for Indian Heaven Wilderness and on North. I will see them soon, on their next leg. It will be good to see them once again.

~Sarah

We picked up a section hiker who was walking Wind River Road, from Stevenson to the PCT and gave Chris a ride. It was about 50/50 on those who do the true PCT to Stabler and those who road walk. Road walking cuts more than 1/2 of the miles off but is hard on the feet.

On Saturday we split up, with HD leaving me out in the wilds all day, near the crossing of Panther Creek. I found a road crossing, far from anything and found a spot in the woods where I was hidden from passing cars. It was indeed fun as hikers came hurtling through the woods and came to a halt as they saw our table there.

Lucky Larry came through:

I met day hikers (two were a great couple Steve & Yvonne from Sherwood, Oregon out for the day with their poochie, Sadie), campers from nearby Panther Creek Campground and then thru’s Stacey and Bernie, the nicest couple:

In the late afternoon HD came back – he had been down in the Cascade Locks area at the Marine Park, where camping is free for thru’s – on the lawn behind the RV area. A number had come in and HD did his thing for them. After HD came and got me we went and checked on water caches.

On the PCT in a remote area:

Looking North on a section of the PCT – I did some snooping and checking out. It was a fun road in – probably the most wash-boardy one I have been on this year!

On the way back, we were heading down Wind River Road and passed these 4 guys and stopped. They were coming from Stabler Store so we checked to see if they needed a ride. They didn’t, they were near the turn off for the PCT. They did though love getting a cold beer

I believe they are: Just Bill, White Fish, Coach and Peter Pan:

A shot of our register:

That night we drove over to Oregon and went out to dinner to the Pacific Crest Pub where unlike the reviews I had read on UrbanSpoon we got great service (really nice waitress!) and fast/good food. When HD and I came in The Lone Ranger and his wife were there. HD had met them earlier that day. They invited us to join them and we had a great dinner! It turned out T.L, Lone’s wife, knew who my mom’s family were and also my uncle, etc. It made the world feel so small to meet a stranger who had known my maternal grandfather, who died 4 or so years before I was born. Somehow though I did not get a picture of them. Boy, do I feel dumb!

Due to SOMEONES cell phone going off at 5:30 am I was awake early (boy is HD lucky I didn’t flush his phone)

We got up and headed back over to Oregon to find breakfast. As we crossed the Bridge of the Gods we passed Bethany and Steven walking over the bridge and we/they waved. HD mentioned I-Spy and Booty – HD had met them the day before, but they left even earlier – right at dawn.

Charburger was the only place open (we could find only one place that did breakfast in Stevenson, Washington and it wasn’t open yet). OK, I have this thing why I won’t eat there but it honestly wasn’t bad – if you can over the really awful “Indian” scupltures from back in the day. I was able to get a huge bowl of strawberries/blueberries, ice tea and sausages so I was happy. Just don’t get me going on the canned mushrooms they use ;-p

After breakfast we headed West on 84 to Eagle Creek Trailhead. A big majority of PCT hikers use Eagle Creek instead of the “true” PCT as it is VERY scenic (we did as well in 2007!) I cannot imagine taking the “true” trail. It just isn’t scenic nor is water easy. Eagle Creek though is not open to stock – and the PCT has to be horse friendly.

The start of the trail, before you enter the canyon with the dripping moss and waterfalls – and steep drop offs:

HD and I picked a spot near the trailhead. EC is one of the most popular trails in Oregon so by 9 am is nearly full – there are parking lots upon lots here and the goal was to be close. We snagged the first picnic table and set up – with a sign on the truck and a sign at the trailhead.

First up was Basil – who is fun beyond belief to yak with.

IDO and Woodie The Stick:

Sailor and Pasta Alfredo (Sailor knows my friend Teresa “Dicentra” so we had plenty to yak about)

We had a couple coolers full of beer, soda, ice tea, oranges, apples, carrots, tomatoes. Chips, cookies, chocolate and I emptied out my backpack of nut butter, veggies and more. Also gave out freeze dried meals and coffee that had been sent to us by the manafacturers (and as well ProBars that we had been sent). For lunch for me I made up a PackitGourmet Pecan Cajun Chicken Salad. HD and I shared it on buns. Yum!

We had brought plenty of chairs and they were well loved. Eagle Creek is about 3 miles away from Cascade Locks and hikers have to walk the road out of the never ending parking lots then find the multi use trail (which is the old single lane road of old days). It isn’t the greatest as it follows 84 the whole way. 84 is a loud fast highway – not easy on the eyes or ears. Many thru’s take a zero day in Cascade Locks or at least spend the night there – so they are not in a big rush when coming out at the Eagle Creek Trailhead.

Pasta Alfredo, Sailor, Basil, Wolffman and Hop-Skip (a section hiker who did a 30 day section in 15!)

Our register:

Wolffman had finished up his last big section to for the most part complete the PCT (congrats!) and had his car there. Between him and us we gave everyone but IDO a ride to Cascade Locks (IDO is walking every mile, be it road).

We took them down to the Marine Park and dropped off, where I got to meet Happy Feet and Hatman – who have hiked with our friends Tom and Tori this year!

We left not long after and headed to Stevenson to visit the Walking Man Brewery so HD could get a refill to take home in his collector jug. Hop-Skip was going to hitchhike into Portland but due to us heading that way anyways we offered him a ride and dropped him off at the BART near the airport.

Next weekend on Saturday the 29th is PCT Day in Cascade Locks. There will be a number of thru’s coming in (Tom and Tori!). Looking forward to it.

I have to say it was very enjoyable and I can see doing this again.

~Sarah

Spring Pasta Salad, an FBC friendly no cook meal that is also veg friendly!

A couple photos my good friend Hoosierdaddy sent me this morning of his recent trip in the Goat Rocks Wilderness and near Mt. Adams. I was not able to join him – it was a hot trip but very pretty! Sigh….stoopid schedule getting in my way of hiking.

Steve’s camp near Killen Creek on the PCT – that is Mt. Adams behind. Wow!

Steve standing next to Scott Williamson, who is nearly done with his current thru-hike of the PCT.

Recent FBC friendly finds at Target’s that have a food section – Roasted Garlic couscous and a 4 cheese version. Just add hot (or even cold!) water and park it for 5 minutes.  A great base for adding other items to as well. Under $2 a box and the flavors change….so keep an eye out!

Last but not least, I went to get the mail this morning and found a package with this in it:

6 total, 1 of each flavor. Pretty cool overall. Must be on a mailing list, no complaints! Free coffee always makes the day better

~Sarah

Saturday morning Kirk, Ford and I headed off to Eastern Washington early, to meet up with his Xterra group for a run and also camping. The trip was an easy one as they go, to do part of the Naches Wagon Trail.The Naches Wagon Trail can be accessed via Eastern Washington and also a small section on the West side in Federation Forest State Park on Hwy 410 (and also via FS 70 below the PCT on the West side). The Eastern side is STEEP and hauls quickly to the crest of the Cascades.

We drove up and over Chinook Pass then down to the historic American River Ski Bowl Lodge, which sits near Bumping River off of Hwy 410. I had been there last year for a hiking get together, the property is a fun place to stay at. Sadly they have painted the walls white in the 20 seater outhouse. No more Pepto Pink for the ladies and Mint Green for the gents. Sigh!

The Xterra’s getting ready to leave. Ours is the green one with the lights on:

Once everyone was there and camps set up we all headed back to the highway for the drive down to the Naches drainage. Up FS 19 to 1914, then we turned onto the upper section of the Wagon Trail (a Jeep/motorcycle/Quad trail). While not terribly hard it does have some great sections of going off-camber where the truck was tilting at a good angle – the best being where you have to work around a stump while going around a U shaped turn. I trust Kirk and sit there quietly even as the truck is hanging over on its side and I am looking at the ground – and then SNAP – we are back flat. Heart rate goes down and onward we head up. And I’d say this, there are sections so steep that hikers would say no thanks to – at least I’d say no thanks in the heat

The payoff being right at the end you come up to an old clear cut where you can see Mt. Rainier and you ride the crest, then to the boardwalk sections built over the meadows. The meadows of Gov’t Meadows are huge, way bigger than I noticed last time here.

Kirk approaching one section:

Coming across:

Leading the caravan:

Time for me to get back in:

I saw this sign and realized this was the plaque that a couple people we encountered last month had been looking for. I knew where most of the signs talking about the wagon trail were, but this one is one you’d only see if motorizing, not hiking.

We got to the parking area/turn around at Gov’t Meadows and had lunch. This was a Pecan Ranch Chicken Salad I made up for the guys. Recipe coming! We had time so I took Ford to the shelter which is literally a minute away from the staging area. Ford thought the cabin was pretty cool – and that it had two stories.

Trailhead crossing at the parking area. There was a big horse powered work party last weekend up here and you could smell the horse-y scent quite heavy  (not whining – they did great work! There is a new foot bridge in over the creek just South of the shelter now)

A PCT marker in the trees just before entering the meadows.

Gov’t Meadows from the PCT. It was neat though to see the lower and back sides of the massive meadows from the trail instead. Not much in bugs though there was still plenty of water up there.

When in the cabin I grabbed the shelter register to see who had been through so far this year.  On 7/23 The Tortoise and aslo Eric D. came through. I thought Tort’s sign in was intresting “What a bad place for a shelter! In the middle of logging road hell” – not to nitpick, the shelter is more for snowmobilers in winter than for PCT hikers – and as well, logging road hell doesn’t start for 0.9 of a mile heading North. Going South here is gorgeous! Be happy you have one of the few (and very nice!) shelters before you leave the beauty of Norse Peak to encounter the funville of ‘this land is ours to pillage’ that goes from Pyramid Peak to Yakima Pass (which as our loyal readers have seen from our trips, that section is a real funbag of ugliness).

7/30 brought Peter “Mile Eater” heading Southbound from Stevens Pass to the Columbia River.

I got told to quit taking photos of registers and get moving back to the trucks, so I headed back.

We headed back down till we hit what is a section of FS 793 (not fully shown on Greentrails maps, it doesn’t show the road going that high) that crosses the wagon trail and took a left on it, instead of descending the steep section of the wagon trail. We took all rights heading downhill. At one point there was an overlook of the whole section of land hidden back there – from Pyramid Peak to Green Pass to Blowout Mountain. If you want to see what is possibly the ugliest section of land in Washington State, this is it and a strong passenger car can make it up the Naches River Road to this road. Narrow but in perfect shape, though very steep in areas. We dropped to a marked intersection for #1914 (a left take you to Pyramid Peak and if the gate is open, it turns into FS 7080 – which is the access point for the PCT on the West side – what we took on our last trip.) We took a right onto 1914 and in a few yards passed the Naches Wagon Trail where we had started. Everyone pulled over and aired up the tires.

Then we had a nice drive out along the Naches. I noted where FS 1913 takes off for future trips, it becomes a a road owned by Plum Creek Timber and goes to Green Pass and Blowout Mountain.

Every spot on the river was taken on the way out (can you blame them?). The best being the group that had wheeled their BBQ over to the edge of the road, all they need do was scramble up a few feet for a hot meal, then back to the river. And by river, lets just say it is more a babbling brook.

We drove East down Hwy 410 to Cliffdell, to Whistlin’ Jack Lodge for ice cream. Then we headed back West to Bumping River to our camp and besides being harrased like crazy by hornets it was a good evening.

A new recipe I worked on – Pizza Pan Biscuits! Recipe coming soon…..

The sun set and the moon came up – we got treated to flying squirrels, bats and even lady elk calling out around 1 am.

We broke camp early and headed back over the pass before it warmed up. It actually was quite chilly at Chinook Pass this morning at 9 am!

Rainier in the blinding light with Tipsoo Lakes below:

Home we headed – now I just need to vac the trail dust out of the Xterra! It was an enjoyable weekend – I got to see a trail I had wanted to experience for a couple years. Kirk spoils me and has taken me on a couple of these over the years – to places I have hiked to, but wanted to see the other way in. Seeing the clearcuts back there, so well hidden from any paved road – that is something everyone should see. It is an industry that must be there, yet if you love the PCT you see vividly why having the PCT run through here is just not right. It is a working tree farm – it has been for years and will continue to be.

~Sarah

Due to road closures we had to change plans so ended up Chinook Pass on Hwy 410 for some miles on the PCT. We parked at Tipsoo Lake in Mt. Rainier NP as it is a safer parking lot. Met a sourpuss ranger in the parking lot – which I found odd as nearly every ranger or park employee there is a happy one.Who knows….maybe doing tourist patrol in bug hell was not what they wanted?

We went up the Naches Peak Trail to connect to the PCT.

Looking back at Rainier:

There were Avalanche Lilies everywhere, from fresh ones to those wilting:

The meadows above the little lake were just starting to bloom, full show is still coming. The Lupine is still a week away at least. Magenta Paintbrush was starting to pop.

We walked the trail till we left the park and entered the NF where day use self issued permits are required. We headed downhill on the PCT to Dewey Lakes a good 600 feet below.

Ah yes, let us say that my one vice is I don’t put my real name or full address on those permits – boxes get broken into as well many have no lock on them where you deposit the other half! Last summer I had a “discussion” with a volunteer ranger over that in this section – to which they had no argument over my reasons – being that one can have their info rifled by not-so-good people. I do follow the rules and fill it out with how many are on the trip and days we will be out there. But tell you my special trail names? Squint hard Lesson is this ladies (and gents): Don’t let bad people know you are out there by leaving detailed info on that you are female and what camps you will be in on a self permit. If a ranger questions you tell them you do NOT feel safe leaving that info for anyone to rifle through. Instead, leave your itenary with trusted people back at home!

We reached Dewey Lakes and wandered around the big one (and later visited the smaller, which has great swimming). The clouds flittered in and kept it cool. The bugs left us alone and we took a nice long break.

We found a great campsite to relax in (most people who had camped overnight seemed to be in a hurry to escape bugs….hmmm….what bugs we wondered for a little longer…..)

Jeff pulled out of his pack this bag – a freezer bag full of ice cubes holding two tiny single servings of Cherry Garcia ice cream he had packed in:

Just how awesome was that? About the bestest!

Jeff enoying his ice cream:

But alas….at this point I went to turn my beloved Olympus camera on and the lens motor died. Talk about bummed!

Oh well, on we continued, wrapping around Dewey Lake where we were treated to seeing fish in the lake and in the stream between the lakes!

But…suddenly the bugs descended on us. Unrelenting. Blood sucking. We were nearly out of the basin and knew that Anderson Lake’s basin would be even worse. We turned and nearly ran down the trail back to Dewey. There we encountered the skinny dipping family only a few feet off the trail (those were some white bodies! I cannot imagine how bad they were being bitten and/or sunburnt…..)

As we hiked back down the lake we were treated to what appeared to be a hawk fishing – it would swoop over the lake then dive down to grab. It was one of those “stop and gawk” moments, and the hawk repeated it a couple times for us. It was very neat to get to witness!

As we were ready to leave the lakes basin I happened to look to my side and saw White Lupine in a sea of Purple! Thank you to Jeff for taking a photo of the flowers

Until recently I didn’t know it existed – Teresa saw it on Norse Peak on our last PCT trip. So how neat was it to see it myself?

Not a long day, but a very nice hot hike….even if we did donate what felt like 1/4 of our blood to the local “residents”.

~Sarah

Teresa in front, me in back crossing a section that was barely there this year:

This section is worse this year than it was last year. Last year there was at least a path to walk on, though it was still shifty. This year there is nothing but a line to put one boot on and repeat.

Late in the evening one of the few snow sections we encountered, above Barnard Saddle. As I mentioned in the other postings the snow conditions were very nice – just a few spots in the woods, nothing exposed and easily walked over.

Leaving Big Crow Basin in the morning. Jared, me and Teresa.

Me and Teresa at the junction of the PCT with Big Crow Basin:

Teresa, Jared and me coming up in the back after Scout Pass. Crystal is to the left, western Washington behind us.

~Sarah