Week 9 Mileage: 256.6
Trying to keep pace with food babies…
It took another two hours to get out of the snow and another 3 hours to get to Shelter Cove campground. It was only going to be a light 2-days resupply ( I had a box waiting north.) Luckily there was a hiker box filled with all kinds of goodies, so I indulged and grabbed 3 days-worth of food, ate some microwaved junk and a pint of ice cream, and headed out. Another 10 miles and camped for the night. This section was flat and easy. Probably the easiest section of the PCT. I was running low on cigs and figured I do a quick pit stop at Elk Lake Resort, so I pushed hard and did 34.4 miles by 5:15. Made it to the lodge and they didn’t sell cigarettes. So, I ate pork nachos. The bartender sold me a pack of his. I then proceeded to get an order of wings, which were huge. I probably shouldn’t have finished them all and instead, taken them to go. But I crushed them all and left there with my belly distended about 12 inches. I wanted another 10 miles out, but I ate way too much and just wanted to sleep, which I did.
I had 40 miles to do the next day. I needed to reach Big Lake Youth Camp no later than 9 pm, and after ending the previous day early, it was going to be a hard push. I had to Contend with Three Sisters Wilderness, which was all snow pack and slowed me down a lot. I really wanted to take a shower and do laundry at the youth camp but that wasn’t in the cards. I just needed to grab my box. I couldn’t wait until the morning to get it. I arrived at 9:15. 40.8 miles.
My next stop for Oregon would be Ollalie Campground. This would mean some sketchy hiking past 3 Finger Jack and some burn areas, and some significant snowpack. 3 Sisters had a lot of snow, but it’s relatively flat. This section had trail sections cut out of the side of mountains. Falling wouldn’t be good. As I started getting into this section, I passed a tent and a guy came running out to me saying that his friend had to turn around up ahead because she said “Ice axe and crampons mandatory. To fall would be certain death!” I thanked him for the warning and pushed on. There were tough sections, and a casual hiker would probably think that way. I just wish I could have done more than 3 miles in 2 hours. I also kept losing the trail. Part of the reason for pushing the pace so hard through this section was to make it to the Timberline Lodge for their AYCE buffet. And if my timing was on, I’d arrive almost exactly at the end of month 2. A great place to finish.
Getting to Ollallie’s was 13.4 miles, by 10:45 am I was there. I had 24 hours and 51 miles to go. I remembered from previous years that this section north to the lodge was an absolute cruiser, like a 50-mile version of Whittaker Woods. I finished at 11:30 with a 48.5, and 16.3 miles left in the morning.
Made it to Mt. Hood by 11am. Crushed 5 plates of the buffet and after hiking across the still open ski area trail, I made it about 5 miles before needing a power nap on the side of the trail. From there I went another 15 miles to end with a 37.
The following day was tough. I had 31.6 miles to make it to Cascade Locks, build a resupply box for the tiny town of Stehekin in Northern Washington, and send it out before the post office closed. It was July 3rd, and they would be closed the next day. I pushed hard and did it. Got the box sent and grabbed some new shoes. I even stayed at a hotel in town. I figured it was time for a shower and laundry. It had been 12 days and a month since I slept in a bed. But shit, 11 days 4 hours and 30 minutes to hike Oregon. Very happy with that! 40.2 mpd average.
