Miles hiked: 9 on PCT; 15.4 on Eagle Creek alternate.
Woke in the dark and took my time making coffee and packing as the orange glow grew on the eastern horizon. The shortening of the days is particularly noticeable here in the deep dark forest, where the day's light didn't reach until nearly 6; it seems like only a few days ago that I was starting to hike at 5:30 with no headlamp.
The trail continued along the ridge I started on yesterday with occasional views back toward Hood and eventually views north across the Columbia River Gorge into Washington. I had my granola on an open hillside with a panorama spreading from Mt. St. Hellens in the northwest to Rainier way off to the north and Adams close across the border to the northeast. It was clear and beautiful where I was sitting but way to the north I could see a bank of smoke and close by near Mt. Adams a new plume from the building fire that by tomorrow would close 24 miles of trail there. I took my time with this brunch, allowing my mind to wander back over memories of the hike and trying to be conscious of my emotions on this last day of hiking. I expected to feel some sadness about the end, but it did not come. Rather, I in stead felt a very happy satisfaction with the experience I've had. To steal one of Libby's metaphors, it is as if I've been sitting down at a wonderful meal, and I have eaten just the right amount of delicious foods, but have not stuffed myself to the point of discomfort. And now I push back from the table with the satisfaction of having taken just the right amount from this feast. I know the trail will always be there for me to finish in the future, and I feel very happy with how much of it I have walked thus far.
Shortly after brunch I turned off the PCT onto the popular Eagle Creek alternate, which is about a mile shorter than the official PCT and descends down a beautiful narrow canyon past a series of several waterfalls and cascades and slow lazy deep blue pools. The trail began steeply, much steeper than the PCT ever is, and my quads and shin muscles burned with the descent. But then the trail made it down to creek level in the canyon and the grade lessened. Big trees with mossy bases grew along the steep rocky slopes and the creek twisted downward through the narrow bottom of the canyon. The trail tread was rocky and there were more and more day hikers to pass, so progress was somewhat slower than I'd come to be used to on the PCT. I passed by the famous Tunnel Falls, where the trail passes behind a 100+ foot waterfall through an impressively carved tunnel. Water dripped from the ceiling and ferns and moss crept in from each end as far as the light would allow. A little later when the trail was about 10 feet above a pool with riffles at the lower end I got to stand and watch a Dipper swimming like a duck from one rock to another looking for snacks.
Two views of Tunnel Falls
Soon the rushing rumble of Interstate 84 and the trail tracks of the Columbia Gorge grew louder and I was back to the world of fast moving shiny objects. I followed the Gorge Trail a few miles east along this corridor of transit to the little town of Cascade Locks, where I promptly got a bunch of peaches from a fruit stand and went to town on them. Cascade Locks is a really hiker friendly little town that the trail passes right through. I got my resupply box at the post office and pulled out a few snacks for the trip home and put the rest in the hiker box, then found my way to the campground shower and scrubbed off. Next it was to the local brew pub right on the river where awesome locals apparently buy an extra beer and put a chip in a jar, which hikers can then pull out to redeem; pretty great spot.
It was still fairly early so I figured I'd try getting a ride to the airport this evening, but had no luck standing for an hour or so and eventually I decided it was to late to try and get a plane ride tonight and went back to the brew pub for some dinner. After eating while the sun set and the old paddle wheeler took people for a ride up the river, I made my way back to the campground and laid out my stuff for what ended up being a fitful night of short naps between the frequent passing of trains on the tracks only a hundred feet away.
Birds:
Hermit Thrush
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Oregon Junco
Hermit Warbler
Unk. Empid
Red Crossbill
Pacific Wren
Pileated Woodpecker
Chickadee - went through habitat/elevation of Mountain and Black-capped, but never got good looks.
Hairy Woodpecker
American Dipper
American Robin
Steller's Jay
Osprey
Bald Eagle
No comments:
Post a Comment