Pacific Crest Trail : Snoqualmie Pass to Indian Pass

Miles this section : 104
Miles completed : 2495

Dramatic Washington.

There's a long section coming up now, I leave Snoqualmie Pass after lunch, with the aim of doing fifteen miles before camping, after that I'm looking at seven full days, averaging twenty-five miles per day.  It's immediately clear that this is going to be hard, the trail consists of one gruelling slope after another, though it is worth it to walk through stunning surroundings, with views of peaceful lakes and steep sided mountains, and slopes covered by heather and bracken between the pines.  But it is slow going, I just about keep to the plan, but on each of the first two nights out I don't reach camp until around 8pm - which is well after sunset now, there's just about enough light to put up the tent.

Spectacle Lake.

I decide to take an extra day getting to the next resupply stop, there's no sense spoiling this beautiful section rushing it and I am not really pressed for time - I guess at some point the weather is going to turn, but even if it does, one more day of cold and damp won't be the end of the world.  This does mean I need a little bit more food, but that's OK, next day the trail goes through Stevens Pass, yet another small ski resort - I certainly wouldn't be able to resupply here, but I get a decent lunch from their snack bar, that and some candy, plus hiker box pickings is good for one day of food.  They also have wifi, just about, I check my email, and wonder of wonders I have my Canada permit.  A good thing too, latest news is that the road I'd have needed hitch along towards Seattle, as an alternative to walking into Canada, is shut due to fire.

Heading up to a high pass.

The going seems easier after Stevens pass, and it is nice to no longer have such long miles to do, I can take decent breaks, and if I want to stop for ten minutes to pick some huckleberries there is nothing to stop me.  It is still pretty smoky, I can see the nearby peaks but the view is hazy, but I must be getting away from the fires now surely - it is certainly getting quite cold, skies are cloudy, but still the rain holds off.  I'm not doing nearly such long days now, in fact on the second day after Stevens Pass I make camp at 6:30pm, time to make fire of my own - this turns out to be a bad idea, a fat guy in sandals turns up and says there is a state wide fire ban, well OK, I will put it out - he then says he is going to give me a ticket and I realise he is a ranger, the ticket is for $230!  Really not what I need with the budget already stretched, well, screw him, screw the US forest service, and indeed screw this dystopian country.  For sure, I've had a lot of good times here, but there are also plenty of things I am now heartily sick of - the often dubious food, the towns built for cars rather than people, and most of all the way I just can't get away from people in uniforms telling me what to do, even out here in the supposed wilderness.  Land of the free my ass, as they say here.

Stevens Pass ski resort.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.