Cascade Locks to White pass

People always say: in Washington rains. It was like that. I did not got soak in the trail yet. It would be the first day in Washington when I will finish soak soak. I crossed the Bridge of Gods in rain, leaving in the afternoon. I thought in stay another day in Cascade locks to see if the Weather improve. You think : be realistic, it could rain for weeks , this is Washington , just suck it out !

You cross the Bridge and everything change. All is green , full of bushes trees..etc all over , wet. ok this is that Wet forest that everybody talk about. Heat for me is ok but rain..... one day ok , 2 days ok but more, everything will get wet, what about a down sleeping bag.......better be really carefully with that.Even if it is not raining you get wet with this fog always around or with the touch of any wet leafs.

I am learning, PCT is all about adaptability, the learning curve still is there, new experiences. From Dessert to High Sierras to Wet Forest. It scare me the possibility of get wet and after hypothermia. I may order some extra clothes.

That day Hot Legs overtake me, he was delayed as he tear his sleeping bag in the washing machine, the same bag than me, so I was thinking to wash but no, I don't take the risk, this bag need to go to Canada. I checked the maps , ok only 1 big tent site it would be more people. Please , please, the first one should do a fire to dry out.  I did the last mile in dark and yes I saw a fire in the distance , thanks good, thanks!!!! It was a group of weekend hikers. I did not full dry but it is very mental to have a fire in a wet day. Harder was next morning....ufff wet cold socks.....

Next days were not very spectaculars , up and downs leaving the civilization. I had hikers around in this area. I met Lambert, a real character. One night i reach a campsite in dark and I cow - boy camp, next day, still in bed , I saw a familiar tent and a familiar shape, It could be Ali and Alam, I look for a few minutes but I realize there were not their backpacks. My surprise was went they show up, wowowowowowo what a surprise! what happens with your bags, new ones they change them for us in REI. cool.....

Another good surprise was to met again with string cheese, I hiked with her in northern California,  In Castella she continue north into the fires and I did the walk road. She was south bounding this part to go to the PCT days ( good idea ) I though about , get a ride from Hard pass , but finally I arrived late there so I skip it.

Trout lake suppose to be a difficult hitch  and it was starting to rain. I would get very piss off if I got soak getting a ride by the road. Determination, look to the driver , put the finger, stop stop. The first car , I wait like 3 seconds, it was a local hunter. Pit stop in trout lake, 2 hours, resuply and bye bye.

I am getting trouble to find places to camp in this area , all is full of bushes no free spaces I am relaying more in maps and app for campsites. 

Walking around Mt Adams a found the gipsy town group. I know most of them from the dessert and they have a good mood.I hiked the last miles of the trail with Whiskey,always if fun with him and we have some discussions.  I camped the first night with some of them by a nice little creek, fire and some games around.

Next morning was very early when I leave camp, between the early morning fog and the bushes show up a figure. WTF !! a bow arrow hunter ! in full camouflage gear......he took his net from the head to talk....my goodness, the fucking Rambo ( a fat guy).... Did you see any elk? I though you have 4 in puffy jackets 1 mile back.....lol

 I was getting into the Goat Rocks Wilderness , the knife edge...I did the first pass in the dust  the area is really nice, ok this is real Washington.  I love to hike at this time of the day, the light is perfect, is quite and there are animals around , I  camped in dark, it was a fire , it is part of the procedure to find some logs if you join a fire...

People ask many times why you do all this , why the PCT , What give you back? When you do parts like the Knife edge on the Goat Rocks you get all the answers........blow your mind . why I do the PCT ? there are not words , come here , hike 20 miles , wake up early and see the sun rise between the snowy peaks, cross snow fields, look around, the wild, the beauty, Rainier in the distance.  Fuck Yosemite in August with all the roads around. This is Washington.!! Sometimes the wilderness are a little bit in a second level in relation  with the National Parks but sometimes those areas are much better than some of those National Parks, and the best, there is no one. September : PCTers and goats 

On the way down to White pass I tried to cut through the sky lifts, it was quicker but a bad decision as I destroy the legs going down the steep slopes. White pass has a small store and I think two small motels. The lady in the shop was super friendly, she gave us the food that she did not sell at the end of the day, they had my resupply box and she said we could camp at the back of the shop.

google pic......

That night was very noise, there were elks making that noise all around us, there were very close. There were one moment that I panic as I hear noise of something approaching fast to us. I check under the tent and I saw 4 long legs in the darks running to us. O Shit , this could be a problem elk is a big animal, it could get aggressive, I shout   EH They are here!!! i opened quickly the door and they were hunters hahahaha walking in couples....2 and 2 so 4 legs . I relaxed.........The noise continue , I fell the so close that I was thinking to go down the lake and throw them a rock in the face, go and sign in another place!!! you know what time is it!!!!!