Tag 134: Initially, I planned to take the 1 PM shuttle back to the trail. However, since there is no WiFi and nothing else to do, I decide to take the 8 AM shuttle and take it easy. On the way, we stop at the bakery again and I stock up on two savory croissants, a cheese Danish, and a cinnamon roll from the previous day. Once I arrive at the trail, I have breakfast and start hiking at 9:30 AM. I have a 20-mile ascent ahead of me. It's not easy with the freshly replenished provisions, but the trail is mostly good, so it's going well. And there are two adventurous suspension bridges to cross. If some of the planks were broken, they could appear in an Indiana Jones movie.
My backpack has ripped at another, but not so dramatic, spot. If this continues, it won't even make it back on the return flight. I can take it easy for the next few days until the monument. 22-24 miles per day, then I'll have 10-15 miles on Sunday and can start my victory lap. Just before my campsite today, I will cross Highway 20 at Rainy Pass, the last proper road before the border. In between, there is only a dirt road at Harts Pass, from where hopefully I'll get a hitch back to civilization on Monday.
Tag 135: Since I don't have to cover many miles today, I don't set an alarm and sleep in. I finally start hiking at 7:30 AM. It is much cooler today than the previous days and it's drizzling lightly from time to time. First, I hike up to Cutthroat Pass. Here, I have spectacular views of the rugged and rugged Cascades.
Then I continue to Methow Pass and descend to Golden Creek, the Methow River, and Brush Creek. As a final part of the day, there is one of the last, maybe the last, big ascent of the trail up to Glacier Pass and higher up. I climb the steep slope in switchbacks, which takes a considerable amount of time. But shortly before 6 PM, I reach my intended campsite. Once again, a deer is wandering around my tent. I hope there will be peace soon.
Tag 136: Today, I want to get close to the border with 10-15 miles, so I start hiking early. I reach Harts Pass around 9 AM, where I come across trail magic. I am thrilled because I didn't expect any more trail magic. A mother and her daughter are camping here and waiting for a hiker to take back to civilization. The daughter hiked the trail in 2017, and it's interesting to compare our experiences. Although it's early, I treat myself to a can of cola with my sandwich, and the cookie afterwards corresponds more to the time. But such things don't really matter to me anymore. I resume hiking at quarter past 10. The trail shows its best side once again.
And this section is special because I meet many hikers on their victory laps. I congratulate them all, and everyone cheers me on. It's a great and special experience. It reminds me once again of what a great community we thru-hikers form. I see some familiar faces again. The first one I meet, right after the pass, is Nevermind. Shortly after my lunch break, I meet Cowboy and Alien. And once again, at a water source, just before my camp, I meet Camilla. But by far, I am most excited when, during my lunch break, just as I started eating, I see Butterfly and Sorry coming up the trail. We embrace each other, and the two of them join me for lunch. We exchange our experiences on the trail and talk about everything. I am incredibly happy to have met them again, but after about an hour, it's time to say goodbye. While the two of them head south, I continue north.
Originally, I wanted to camp at Woody Pass by crossing Rock Pass. But about four miles before Woody Pass, just as I pass the last good campsite before the passes, it starts to thunderstorm and rain. I wait out the rain under the trees. But the thunderstorm persists. At half past 5, I reluctantly decide to set up my tent. I am 14.6 miles from the border, so I have technically reached my goal for the day, and it makes no sense to continue climbing the mountain in a thunderstorm. It would be quite annoying to be struck by lightning so close to the finish line. And in the end, it was the right decision. Just as I set up my tent, it starts raining again, and even at 8 PM and 9 PM, I hear distant thunder. My plan for tomorrow is to leave the tent and everything I don't need here, and walk to the border with light luggage, then come back here. Depending on the time and how I feel, I can either relax and camp here again or pack my things and hike a few more miles back to Harts Pass. Flip-flopper Spring is camping next to me, and we have a good conversation. So far, I haven't really realized that I will actually reach the border tomorrow and finish the PCT.
Tag 137: I wake up at 5:30 AM and start hiking ten minutes later because I don't have to pack anything or anything like that. I only take my trekking pole, which I need for the tent, and weigh down the edges of the now on the ground tent with stones. Despite my overloaded leg, I'm quickly on the move with my lightweight backpack, as fast as I usually am with luggage. A nice feeling. The valley is covered with clouds, but I stand above them on Rock Pass and have a great view.
It gets even better when I'm between Rock and Woody Pass. Right between the two passes, the fog pours over the mountain ridge, looking like a waterfall pouring into the valley. The same thing happens at Woody Pass.
From there, I hike in the fog for a while. On this section, I come across Sabotage, with whom I chat briefly. Then I climb the mountain a little more, and once again, I have a magnificent view of the sea of clouds below. And then the seven-mile descent begins to the monument. Along the way, various experiences I had on the trail come to mind. Sometimes conversations and encounters, sometimes a particular view, and sometimes just exceptionally good food. And then I reach the monument and the Canadian border. I am all alone. Yesterday, I asked Sorry and Butterfly how it feels to be done with the trail. Butterfly said she still can't believe it. For Sorry, it's a bittersweet feeling. And I feel exactly the same way. I still can't grasp that this is actually the end. At the same time, I am overjoyed to have reached the goal, but I would love to just keep hiking. So much has changed during my time on the trail, and at the same time, nothing at all. After some time of trying to make sense of my feelings and thoughts and then giving up, I take the obligatory pictures and sign the final trail register.
Just casually walked 2650mi/ 4265km from Mexico to Canada
As I flip through the register, another group of hikers arrives. And then I head back. I come across other hikers again and again, some I know, some I don't. They all congratulate me on completing the trail, and I wish them well for their final miles. After some time, another hiker named Courier catches up to me, and I hike the rest of the day with him. Since he has run out of food and I have too much, I give him some. In our conversation, I tell him that today is my birthday. As a gift and as a thank you for the food, he gives me a mushroom with specific instructions on how to take it and what to expect. It seems like I still have an exciting experience ahead of me in Oregon. Back at camp in the evening, I find my tent just as I left it. I quickly set it up again and spend the evening with other hikers. To celebrate finishing the trail and my birthday, I saved a good backpacker meal and the last instant pudding from my parents' care package. A true feast by trail standards. And I have to say, I couldn't have given myself a better gift than completing the PCT today, on my birthday.
Tag 138: Today, I want to get to one of the towns on Interstate 5 if possible, so I start hiking at 6 AM again. At first, I'm alone, later joined by Courier and Mojo. Once again, it's a great experience to hike the victory lap and be congratulated by everyone. I am particularly happy to meet Waterbaby again and four miles before Hart Pass, Warrior and Hasbeen. The two of them brought me a beer to celebrate, which I am incredibly happy about, and we sit down and chat. While we're sitting there, a few more hikers show up, some we know, and they join us.
As a result, we block the trail for a while, but not too many hikers come through, and they all understand our little reunion party. We say goodbye to each other shortly after, but the plan is that once I close my gap, I will meet the two of them again in Seattle before I fly home. I really hope that works out. At the pass, Courier quickly gets a hitch with two other hikers, while Mojo and I receive more trail magic from a day hiker who is waiting for her son to return the next day. There are muffins and soda. After about an hour, two more weekend hikers arrive, whom we met on the trail in the morning. We are incredibly lucky because the two of them are driving to Everett, 30 miles north of Seattle. It takes us an hour for the first 25 miles to Mazama because there is a narrow and bumpy forest road downhill. In Mazama, we need to refuel and also pick up Courier, who made it only this far. In Everett, Mojo says goodbye as his family is in Seattle, and he continues on. I go with Courier to Kentucky Fried Chicken for food and WiFi to plan how to quickly get to Sisters. In fact, I leave in the middle of the night, at 12:05 AM, while Courier stays in Everett and wants to go to Seattle tomorrow.
