Day 137-145 (+1): Stevens Pass to Canada! (And back to Harts Pass)
Mile 2465.2-2653.6
I said goodbye to Angus early on our last morning in Leavenworth as he headed off to catch his train. It was super smoky that day so my views were essentially all obscured. Nothing really to write about here as I couldn’t see a thing. The next day started out with more of the same, but at least Lake Sally Ann was pretty and close enough to not be obscured.
Lake Sally Ann
As the day went on the smoke steadily cleared, slowly revealing the majesty of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. I walked along a beautiful ridge and did a bit of climbing up to Red Pass, which was clear enough to be shockingly beautiful.
The rest of the day was a descent through a beautiful valley. I had intentionally dropped my mileage at this point to enjoy the scenery. I knew I would meet my deadline and get back for school, so there was no rush. The next day was similar mileage, though the elevation gain and loss made for a full effort day. It began with a steep, multi-tiered climb up to Fire Creek Pass, with crazy views at the top, as well as on the way up and down.
Next it was a hard descent to Milk Creek, then back up another long, steep climb. As a bonus, this one was also overgrown, but again the views did not disappoint.
It was back down another steep descent and then time for bed. The next day was much easier but also far less scenic. I pushed more miles given the terrain, as there was just one big but steady climb up to Suiattle Pass. The pass was viewless, though the other side offered some nice vistas as I descended into camp.
My camp nicely set me up for a short day into Stehekin, the last town stop of the hike. The town was tiny but beautiful, and it’s remote location at the far end of Lake Chelan meant that it was only accessible by boat or foot!
Stehekin
I stayed less than a full day, and the next morning I was back on trail for the final 4 days of the hike. The first day was spent meandering through a valley with few high mountain views. I did get some awesome trail magic, as another hiker named Happy Hour was getting resupplied at Rainy Pass. As his name would suggest, the trail magic consisted of cold beer, as well as some grilled sausages. I hiked a few more miles to camp, just below the top of Cutthroat Pass. The next morning was beautiful as I ridge walked between Cutthroat and Methow passes in the crisp morning air.
The rest of the day was a descent followed by another ascent onto another ridge, then into Harts Pass campground, 30 miles from the Canadian border. This was also the closest trailhead to the border, since we could still not cross into Canada due to COVID. So, everything from this point to the border, I would hike twice. Happy Hour also camped with me here, and we planned on hitting the border together. I had actually camped with him my very first night on trail, and now here we were. Crazy. The next morning started out with us hiking through a cloud, which we quickly emerged above. This made for some stellar views of the highest peaks nearby.
The views continued for most of the rest of the day, with the area around Rock Pass being especially beautiful. Also, I got to see a bunch of hikers who I had gotten to know making their way out after tagging the border monument. The sad goodbyes were a reminder of just how close I was to the end.
About 10 minutes after I got into my tent at Hopkins Lake, the sky opened up and unleashed hell. Definitely the worst rain of the trip, right at the very end. Luckily I managed to stay dry. Happy Hour got in later and was less fortunate. The next morning we planned to get up and hike to the border with camp still set up, then come back and pack up for the hike back to Harts Pass. It was only 6 miles to the border, so before I knew it, I was hiking the last mile of the PCT, and then I was at the monument. A confusing wave of emotions hit me. I was proud yet sad and not ready to end. Bittersweet does not fully encapsulate how I was feeling. I hung out for a couple hours, drank my bottle of Pinot, and started making my way back to Harts. The weather was lousy for the rest of the way out, but at this point I did not really care. The PCT was done. I had spent the last 4 and a half months on trail, and just like that I was going back into society.
Cheers!
After flying home, I was greeted warmly by my family at the airport, and got to sleep in my bed. Not just A bed. MY bed. There would be no more dehydrated meals or filtering water. I was just a regular guy again, having just accomplished something pretty special. I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to do something so amazing. This will stick with me for the rest of my life as I navigate my way through society. I would also like to thank all of the friends, family, and trail angels who helped along the way. I couldn’t have done this without your support. Now, time to finish up school and head out into the real world. Who knows what’s next but for now I’ve gotta put my head down and be an adult.
