White's Pass 9/4-9/8

Getting a ride to the trailhead. 

Today we went over White's Pass and crossed H/Way 410 where our trusty  trail angel Dick was there to bring us our food and some drinks. In the same parking lot another trail angel was parked and had a cooler filled with beer, wine, apples, cookies, chicken, candy, crackers, hummus. It was the most filled cooler we had ever seen. Three ladies were in charge of it. They would drive somewhere for replenishments. None of them were through hikers. They just liked supporting PCT hikers. 

       We cooked our lunch in the parking lot and headed off...up. We had already walked 10 miles and had 10 more to go. It was 12:45. A mile up we found a lake where FC and TC totally submerged in there underwear (there were civilians meandering by) and Princess washed body parts without going under. Mr. Sandals, as usual abstained from any cold water activity. Washington is like the Sierra scaled down. It's not as high and much greener but feels as rugged. The lakes are here along with mountain goats, and lots of elk. Presently it is bow hunting season. One side of the pass, by lottery allotted 13 permits; the other side allotted 154 permits. I guess that means a total of 167 bulls are killed a year, or potentially killed. In October they allow the gun people in and I don't know how many permits are issued. I don't know how many elk there are around here. We met two young bows men today. They said the elk give themselves away by bugling. They are in heat so they are not hard to find. One arrow between the shoulder blades. That gets the lungs. If they miss they have to chase the bull to finish it off. They use high powered bows made of composite plastic. Once killed they debone the animal and carry it out. It weighs 300 pounds so they have to take a few trips. These two men had large knapsacks. I can only imagine the tools and plastic bags inside. You can't just stick a bloody elk leg in your pack and hike out. FC was civil and asked many questions. She still couldn't do it and didn't understand it. The boys were nice enough. Big deal.

Mt. Rainier

      The hiking will be challenging. At this point we are moving by sheer will power. We are all exhausted and Princess is the most vocal about it. She can't help herself. She is also the fastest amongst us and our logistical planner. She does all of our worrying for us and maintains a level of anxiety that keeps her ahead of the game. No one else need be anxious, she does such a good job.

      We passed Crystal Mtn. ski resort today. It looked steep and scary. Mt. Rainier stands in the background. It is massive. A 14,300 ft volcano that is covered in snow and attracts expert mountaineers every year. This is a mountain that claims lives. It is not for the novice climber. We have been watching it ( or it has been watching us) for a few days now. It feels like we are only a few miles away from it. Imposing and ever present, it looms over us. Unlike Shasta it is not associated with mystic happenings and weirdness. It's just a mountain that asks to be conquered, more like Everest. We are just admiring it. 

     It is autumn here in Washington. The nights are cold and the days brisk. Perfect for hiking.

Black Hawk Down

        Today, 9/6, was a relatively easy day. Just racked up another 20 mile day. For the past two days we have been crossing paths with Black Hawk Down. He actually started hiking in July and was going southbound (Washington to Mexico). He is from San Diego and would have preferred to go Northbound like the majority of PCT hikers but last January he tore his meniscus and had to have surgery. He wasn't ready to walk until July. Seven miles into the trail he was walking over a snowy ridge, postholed, tipped over and fell 100 ft down a steep slope. He was stopped by some trees which saved his life but broke 3 of his ribs and ripped his scalp open. Lucky for him he was hiking with a paramedic who taught emergency medicine and knew his stuff. He had a satellite phone and called for help. He mentioned the head injury and a helicopter was sent. The helicopter was an airforce Black Hawk variety ( hence his name). He ended up receiving 7 stitches and going back to San Diego to recover for three weeks. He gave up his job, a specialized software designer  in the field of semiconductors. He wanted to do the PCT to re-set himself - lose weight and get healthy. He has already lost time waiting for lost boxes and supplies. He is one determined guy, walking as fast as he can with one knee in a brace and aching feet. Princess asked FC if we had a name for someone who attracts bad juju. FC couldn't think of anything specific. The Germans have an expression for such a person. The phrase is "Pechvogel"and means, a bird that fell into tar"...he attracts bad luck. His original name, given to him by his grand niece was Buzz Kill Bill. I'm not sure which is better.

      We woke up this morning to bleating baby goats trying to grab on to the teats of their mothers. The mothers are far more interested in eating grass than in feeding their offspring. Poor things. There were about 40 mountain goats feeding themselves last night and as soon as the sun began to set they headed to the top of the hill to hang out in some trees or bushes up there. As soon as the sun rose they headed back down to continue where they left off. We had never seen so many wild goats. FC wondered if there was an open hunting season on mountain goats. 

        Guess what? On our hike today we ran into two men carrying sleek shiny rifles. Just yesterday we were told by the two young men that hunting season with rifles didn't start until  Oct. 3. Armed with this information FC questioned the men. They replied that gun hunting for elk started in October but gun hunting for bears had already started. One of the men (roughly the age of FC and TC) had a white bucket strapped to his back. FC asked what he was going to put in there and he said the innards, ie, the heart and liver. It would take him 3 trips to carry out an animal. They had not seen any bears ( thank you Jesus) and they  informed us that not many elk or bears are taken despite the number of permits given. They told us the bow hunters were probably filled with stories about elk but hadn't killed too many ( thank you Jesus). Those boys we met yesterday said they had been hunting for 11 years and had killed a fare share. Stories, according to the older and wiser gunmen. Regardless, we are walking through Washington and animals are being stalked and hunted. Help us Jesus. 

       FC, in ruminating about hunting has come up with two reasons to hunt: one, the meat itself has to be the healthiest most " organic " meat around; two, if you were addicted to wild meat and could only eat it then that would be your reason to kill it. FC could get into the outdoorsy aspect of tracking animals, following them, watching them, getting close to them  but she is certain that she could not intentionally kill them. Mr. Sandals likes to eat wild game caught by his neighbor but he doesn't think he could kill it. Princess is on the fence. TC couldn't do it and Tortuga says he goes hunting but he is not good at it. FC thinks that means he also can't kill anything. Stay tuned for more hunting lore.

       Below is a picture of the fabulous spread put out for us by Martha and Mike. Fresh peach preserves, low sugar home-made jams, apples, carrots, cream-cheese filled celery, grapes, picked asparagus, 6 grain bread, peanut butter and much more. These angels set up camp at an old logging landing and stay, serving hikers and replenishing their food supplies. They love doing this. Mike was a logger and explained how they cut down trees from steep slopes, pulled them to the landing with big winching machines suspended from towers. So far, the three trail angels we have met in Washington have been with their magical offerings, feeding us personally and continually resupplying themselves. Six Pack received a bag of smoked salmon from the angels at White's Pass. Before arriving at Snoqualamie, Not Phil's Dad, cooked us some hot dogs and chilli. He had been camped out for 5 days. While we were sitting there his wife brought in some freshly baked brownies among other delicacies. The Washington trail angels seem to like hanging out with hikers and chatting. They set up awnings and chairs for us. We sit in circles and chat while we eat everything they have to offer.

Fresh handmade jams veggies. 

Martha. Trail angel. Martha stood under the awning and waited on us. She and her husband did not want to sit down because the chairs were for the hikers.

Siesta & Bomber from Ohio. These 2 guys took 5 days off the trail, rented equipment and summited Mt. Rainier. They were inexperienced but couldn't afford the $1,500  guide fee. They practiced self- arresting on the slopes and followed closely behind a guided tour just in case something happened. There were some harrowing moments when crossing crevasses with ladders that could have killed them but they lived. 

Devilfish from Washington DC. This young man has an odd way of carrying his stainless steel water bottle. You can see it resting comfortably on his crotch. When he stands up the bottle juts out like he is having an erection. Princess named him, Stainless Steel Erection. FC and T C met Devilfish way back in Southern California and FC's first comment to him focused on his codpiece. Devilfish has a wry sense of humor and laughed along. He did not, however, change a thing eventhough people were constantly staring at his apparatus. He mentioned that getting rides had not been easy and FC felt that this water bottle might have been frightening potential drivers away.

TeddyRose, another walking wounded heroine. Teddy is a modern dancer/choreographer who has  virtually danced off the ligaments in her ankles; consequently they are unstable and painful. Imagine spraining your ankles everyday. She has had to take a lot  of time off the trail to deal with her ankles and ingests handfuls of Ibuprofen but her will is strong. She is doing this trail in rememberance and honor of her ex- boyfriend who completed the trail in 2009 but has since died. She wanted to let him go and heal her own heart so what better way than to follow in his footsteps. FC and TC have not seen her since April. The reunion was fun and of course FC busted out some moves with this Diva of dance.

FC & TeddyRose

Magic

Not Phil's Dad. Trial Angel with FC. This is the man who cooked us chilli dogs.

Waterbug grew up in Santa Cruz. She is heading south on the PCT. (She says hi to Nick at Down Works). Waterbug is another of those hardy impressive women who had to leave the trail for a month. Right around Fuller Ridge (you remember our song about Fuller Ridge? "Fuller Ridge done kicked our butts") Waterbug felt horrible, like she had a hangover without having any alcohol; unclear thinking, weak, unsteady. To train for the hike she had carried buckets of dirt uphill to landscape. Her calves hurt but she thought nothing of it. The pain did not go away. She started hiking and the pain became worse. She could not touch her calves. She had rhabdomyosis (not sure of spelling) where your muscles because they are so contracted don't get oxygen and begin to die. Toxic by- products are released that shut down the kidneys. Her kidneys were shutting down and she didn't know it. In addition, she had GIARDIA. She managed to get off the trail and eventually got admitted to a hospital. If not treated kidney failure will kill you. She spent a month recuperating. She is now travelling south to north and will end her trip near Chester, the mid-point of the PCT. Kudos to her incredible will power.

Princy & FC. Big girl & little girl. 

FCs pack is bigger than her. Princess. 

Love that water

And more water. 

Snoqualamie Pass. We stayed in the Summit Inn, the building with the red roof on it. It is a small ski resort.

Reunion with Glitter (now off trail) He had to stop hiking due to intestinal distress. We miss him. He lives in Seattle which is 45 min. away. He brought TC a new pr. of trekking poles. This is her 3rd pair. (She really beats them up cuz they are her 3rd & 4th legs)

Reunion with Ethan, Glitter's boyfriend and FC's singing partner.

Tortuga. Mr. Sandals. Glitter. Princess.