Stevens Pass to Stehekin

The Dinsmore's:
This is another hiker-friendly trail angel making our resupply logistics easier. They live just a 24 mile hitch down from Stevens Pass. They used be closer 6+- years ago, but had to move when the river washed away their backyard and started to undermine their back deck. According to Andrea Dinsmore, the good thing about the move was that the new place came with a huge building in the back. Half of the building became Jerry's shop and the other half became a hiker bunk room.

Thanks to Gnome Sherpa and Oatmeal Stout for the most entertaining care package on the trail. We tasted just about everything except for the bacon flavored crickets. We experimented on some other hiker. After reviewing the subjects' feedback we decided to hiker box those gems.

Back on Trail:
The trail in Washinton continues to get more and more beautiful. I really cannot describe the views we are seeing in the Northern Cascades that would do them justice. You will have to wait for the pictures.

Despite the overwhelming beauty, our ever more dramatic views are starting to come at a price. On our third day out of town we completed an estimated 100 switchbacks in one day. Where did I get this number? On our climb out of Milk Creek drainage Tiffany counted 39 switchbacks in 2.5 miles. Taking this into consideration, when you add the switchbacks getting down to Milk Creek, then the switchbacks going down the other side of an equally steep Dolly Ridge I am estimating 100 or more switchbacks for the day. No exageration needed.

On our last night before Stehikin we camped around mile 2572, that meant we had less than 100 to the end of the trail. It seemed like it took us so long to get our first 100 miles under our feet. Now it seems like 100 miles is too short. How could we be so close? We reflected on the miles behind us and wondered what our last night in the tent was going to be like.

True to form, the Washington weather gave us a show to accompany our milestone. We heard the wind blow down the Agnes valley, then the flashes of light, then the thunder, then the later of the two clower together! After a week of beautiful days in Washington we knew it was only a matter of time before the rains would begin to fall.

Stehikin:
We got up at 5am to bust our butts to get the 8.2 miles to High Bridge in before 9am. We caught the first shuttle into Stehikin so that we could hit the PCT renound Stehikin Bakery before we started our town chores. From the begining of the trail we had heard stories about the pasteries we would find here. Maybe it is the atmosphere, maybe it was the flaky qiuche crusts, but it did not dissapoint this hungry hiker.

Stehikin is our last town stop before we hit the northern terminus of the trail on the Canadian border and hike into Manning Park were we can finaly call ourselves true thru hikers! In the post office here they had a trail register and what appeared to be the last ten years of trail registers. I was able to find the 2006 enteries from my Colorado friends Oatmeal Stout and Gnome Sherpa. We have a picture for you guys!

To the End:
As the fall colors descend upon the mountains and snow begins to show in the forecast, we will head out to finish our final miles of the PCT. I will head out with mixed emotions. I am so excited to reach the end, but so sad for the journey to end.

Happy Trails,
Midnight Chocolate
Trail Statistics:
Day:152
Miles:2580.2
Falls: 1