Not for the Faint of Heart

Before tackling the climb out of Stevens Pass, and in the interest of delaying the inevitable, I took time to cram in one more over-priced veggie burger and fries.  Cheese, avocados, mayo and ketchup served up in a little, plastic basket seemed like a reliable way to avoid the task of hiking another eighty miles …

The Art and Science of Hitch Hiking

Our 17th morning on the trail, we broke camp early, with an urgency and zeal reserved exclusively for thru hikers on the cusp of civilization.  Our legs and trekking poles carried us quickly across the wide, well-graded trail that signaled day hiker territory.  By eight o'clock, we emerged in a gravel parking lot behind an …

Glacier Peak: Part 2

After the day that nearly broke me, I awoke determined to approach the miles with confidence and positivity. The first challenge to my zen came even before I exited my tent in the form of a rodent robbery. A pika stole my gaiter! Well, I did not witness the theft, so this is all speculation. …

Glacier Peak: Part 1

After a luxurious night as a guest at the pricey North Cascades Lodge in Stehekin, we were exiled to the hiker section of the resort - picnic tables beneath the deck among the dust and gravel - for our bonus rest day.  To be fair, the tables were cool and shady, critical with temperatures exceeding …

A White Christmas in July

The mountain welcomed us back to Hart's Pass just as we left it- drizzly rain, thick fog and a chill in the air.  About a quarter of a mile before the trailhead, we noticed a colorful little note beneath a rock in a sandwich sized Ziploc bag, "Trail Magic for SOBOs only - Broken Toes."  …

Hart to Hart and Beyond

On Independence Day, Jason and I boarded a full flight from O'Hare to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to play tourist for 36 hours. On the morning of the 6th, a Ford Flex pulled up, driven by a retired military man sporting an impressive beard and a bowler hat.  Joe is a trail angel and, for some …

Spreadsheets and Sweat

My ten tab Excel workbook and copious amounts of pre-trail internet research on the PCT seem the 2018 equivalent to Cheryl Strayed poring over books and maps in preparation for her 1990's hike. Strayed is the author of Wild, a popular memoir turned movie starring Reese Witherspoon, which chronicled her Pacific Crest journey. More often …

A really long vacation

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.”                                                       - Jack Kerouac I spent 11 …