I also passed Batch, a 78 year old, today. He was cold and tired but there was nothing I could do to help. If he finishes, he will be the oldest hiker to finish the PCT in one year. I wish him luck.

Tuesday (9/16/97) (10:30 AM) Gamma Creek, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA.
Mileage: 2,548. I saw the sun for a few minutes this morning! Its the first time in a day and a half that seems like a week. I guess I'm initiated now - I've been snowed on in Washington. As I noted before, there have been a couple times in the last few days that it sleeted a little going over the passes, but yesterday on the ridge above Milk Creek it was really snowing. It didn't stick, but it was falling slowly and hitting with a lighter touch. Then this morning at the Dolly Vista Campsite (what view?) I thought it had stopped raining when I couldn't hear the little drops anymore, just the big drops out of the trees. But when I got up it was snowing hard! It was sticking for just a few minutes in some places. Since it has cleared, the white above me shows that had I camped any higher, I'd be slogging through snow this morning.

So how am I doing through all this? I'm okay. I'm alone. I'm about 60 miles from anywhere resembling a town. There are a few trailheads closer, but who would be there on days like this? I'm on my own. I've been cold. I'm constantly wet. My body heat dries out the inner layers as I hike. Everything I have is wet. If you were reading the original of this journal, you would see the smeared ink and the wet places that I'm not writing on. Even my precious maps are wet around the edges. I've been cold enough to wear every stitch of clothing I have with me, even while hiking. I've been wearing everything but my raingear to bed and I've been a little cold in bed just before morning. I've set up camp in the rain. I've broken camp in the rain. I've started a campfire with soaking-wet wood. I've hiked through wet brush that is chest-high and the source of most of my wetness. I've been through it all. I'm alive. I'm well. I'm not having much fun, but I'm in no real danger. I've seen the rainforests of Washington at their wettest and finest. I now know that I CAN survive out here. Its a nice comforting feeling. After its all over, I will be REALLY glad I went through it because everything else in life will be EASY.

Oh, lest this diatribe sound too mushy, I'm now a day behind schedule getting to Stehekin. I sure can't average 25+ miles per day in this mess.

Wednesday (9/17/97) (10:20 AM) Agnes Falls, Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA.
Mileage: 2,570. What a view! I'm sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking Agnes Falls. With all the rain and snow lately, its REALLY flowing! The rain has even stopped for a minute to allow me a break here! Late yesterday a big storm came through. Yeah, I know I've been grousing for weeks about the rain, but yesterday the real deal came through! Buckets of rain. The trail is a mud hole due to recent trail work and the rain. The mud is unavoidable and ankle deep or more in places. The side creeks that I cross I walk through to clean my feet. They're soaked already. And snow! Suiattle Pass yesterday was socked in. Heavy wet snow! Fortunately I camped in the shelter of an overhanging rock at much lower altitude. I was warm, but not dry. I'm still soaked.

Wednesday (9/17/97) (11:45 PM) Cabin 5, Stehekin Ranch, Stehekin, WA.
Mileage: 2,576, 89 to go. Warm and dry at last! Here I sit in a cozy cabin listening to the rain pound on the roof in a warm dry bed. I'm writing by kerosene lantern light and I've just finished the leftover pie from my great dinner earlier. I want to sleep stuffed to bursting with lasagna and salads. I awoke just a few minutes ago.

I arrived at the road to Stehekin at 1:30 PM and dried out, somewhat, my stuff in the partial sun as I waited for the 3 PM bus (Note: busses arrive at 9 AM, 12 noon, 3 PM, and 6 PM). The bus took me to the ranch, just 2 miles down the road where I registered for this cabin. Then it took me into town, another 8 miles, and dropped me off. I picked up my resupply box at the Post Office. (Yahoo, its here!) Then I restocked my pack and made some phone calls from the ONE phone in town. I especially needed to check in with Dad and Mom as I'm a day late getting here. I hope they didn't worry too much.

But speaking of worry, when I got back to the ranch by bus at 6:30 PM, Fireboy Dave and Scott Van Dam (Scotty) were here, having just arrived. They were soaked to the skin and warming by the fire. They looked like drowned rats. Both went especially light on gear and they paid for it. Both complained of near-hypothermia experiences. Two nights running they had got spotty sleep shivering in their wet sleeping bags. Today they did 27 miles to get here before nightfall. Wow. I'm feeling much better about how I fared. I took an extra day, but I was never THAT close to the edge. These guys came close to dying. All 3 of us are praying for Batch who is still out there somewhere. Scott and Dave said he was in bad shape when they passed him. Andy started with Scott and Dave but took the extra day like I did and is still out there, presumably in good shape. This is real folks.

Manning is now just 89 miles away, four good days. The weather report is for clearing, in fact, I'm surprised its rained so much tonight. This trip may yet end on a high note! Good night.

Friday (9/19/97) (2:10 PM) Brush Creek, National Forest between North Cascades National Park and Pasayten Wilderness.
Mileage:2,601; miles left: 64. Wow! Hot sun, not a cloud in the sky, temperature approaching 70 degrees. What a nice change! Yesterday was mostly cloudy but no rain. Today is just awesome!

Lets start with yesterday. I got in 22 miles in the shortened day (I didn't leave Stehekin until 9:10 AM). Dave and Scott spent the day drying out in town. I ran into Sean near Rainy Pass. He was heading south! He bailed at White Pass in Glacier Peak Wilderness during the bad weather. His down bag was soaked. He hitched to Rainy Pass and is going backwards to meet the group he was hiking with.

At Rainy Pass I saw a note that said that Dale is off the trail. No details, but he was having bad blister problems with new boots last time I saw him in Snoqualmie Pass. Too bad. He was so close.

Yesterday was also the day I walked through a fairly non-descript part of North Cascades National Park. Thats the 7th and last National Park on the trail.

Today has been much more spectacular. I camped in a fairly low spot to avoid the frost I expected with the clearing weather. It was a good idea. I was warm and avoided a very hard frost. This morning I walked through areas with frost over an inch thick. Snow is on the ground everywhere, up to 3 inches thick on the trail in spots. The mountains are beautifully dusted with fresh snow, and the clear, bright morning made for a magnificent view. I've taken several great pictures.

I passed Dave and Elizabeth this morning. They are hiking from somewhere in Northern California to the border. I had heard they were ahead somewhere.

Its been a great day and I no longer feel silly packing sunscreen and dark glasses.

Saturday (9/20/97) (9:20 PM) Manning Park Resort, Bear's Den Pub.
Mileage: 2,665, remaining: 0! I'm done! I'm done! At last, I'm done! At this moment, its a great relief. No more miles. No more rain and snow. But also, no more grand vistas and living life on the edge. I will miss this very soon. The totals are: 2,665 miles in 4 months and 17 days = 20 weeks = 140 days. Average daily total, 19+ miles. Days of 30+ miles = 8. Longest day (today) = 40 miles.

So, speaking of long days, yesterday tipped the scales at 30 due to the great mood that the great weather put me in and the fact that I could hike right up to dusk, which was later due to clear skies and few trees. In fact I felt great enough that I wished there were more daylight hours. But the moon wouldn't come up until 11 PM or so, so I camped. During dinner I realized I had only 39 miles left and could hike as soon as the moon rose. So I set my alarm for 2 AM and set my goal to finish today, which I did. With the extra mile getting to the resort here, I hiked 40 miles in 18 hours. Believe it or not I feel pretty good right now. Tired, but not too sore. Not bad for 70 miles in 2 days. Since there is "no tomorrow" I figured I couldn't do much harm really pushing it.

I finished the trail hiking with Charlie, who I met camped in the middle of the trail at 8 AM after I had already hiked 15 miles or so. We were fortunate to arrive when we did. For one, by 8 PM it was still partially light, so we didn't have to hike by flashlight. Also the cafe and pub were still serving dinner. If only the lodge had a vacancy we'd be set. It looked like we might have to hike another 5 Km to the campground, but it looks like we can get a couple cots in some hut for a bargain price and not have to hike any more. (Thank God, I'm not feeling THAT good.) We can also get a shower. Life is good. I think I will sleep well tonight.

Brian