(Originally written on Friday, Sept 18)
It was the perfect plan. I was going to hike 30 miles today so that I could stay in the Arch Rock Shelter which was right on the trail. That way, if it rained like I had been told, none of my gear would get wet. So I hurried and hiked all day and about an hour after the sun had gone down...only to discover that the shelter is no longer in existence. I gambled and lost. Oh well. The good news is that now I'm back on pace to get to Snoqualmie Pass by Sunday night! I can also say that I've done 30-mile-days in California, Oregon, AND Washington. Not bad. I'm also only about 14 miles shy of being under 300 miles! So there is some good that came from it, despite the sore feet and the late bedtime. Hopefully I can keep the momentum up and get another 25 miles done.
I saw a few more elk today. One young bull even posed on the trail for me. As I slowly went to grab my camera, though, he bolted. I guess I'm not destined to be a wildlife photographer. But maybe I'll get another chance...the forest is crawling with elk! In fact, last night I didn't sleep well partly because of the bugling. When I was sleeping, however, I was dreaming...about elk. They are everywhere! Even in my subconscious!
So tomorrow I'm hoping to knock out another 25 miles. From what I hear, there may be some rain here overnight which could slow me down tomorrow. In any case, I don't want to do any more 30-milers!
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Sorry about that missing shelter, Ryan, but glad you made so much distance. The troubling thing is I could have told you it no longer exists because the trail book I've been using to follow you all summer long tells the reader this: (quoted from THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL, A Hiker's Companion, by Karen Berger and Daniel R. Smith) "About 5 miles later [after the non-existent Arch Rock Shelter], the trail leaves the wilderness at Government Meadow and reaches the PCT's best shelter. Camp Urich is a well-maintained cabin that has a sleeping loft and a wood-burning stove." Did you find this, and dry off there perhaps?
ReplyDeleteSee you in less than two weeks now!