Miles Hiked 12.6
PCT Mile 43.2
Elevation 4,327 feet
Miles Hiked Today 12.6
Today, I returned to the Pacific Crest Trail and began hiking South from Harts Pass to Brush Creek. I was hiking on the PCT last year but fires ran me off the trail, so this year I’m going to try to finish Washington State and all of Oregon.
Ben Cooper, who flew in from Germany, myself and one other hiker were driven to the trail by Eric, a Bellingham trail angel. It took 3 1/2 hours to get to Harts Pass and we arrived just before 11 am.
Ben and I started hiking as soon as we arrived and got our backpacks on. The trail was relatively easy at the outset and we made good time. Ben is a lot younger than me, so I expect him to out distance me, but early in the hike, we stayed together.
The target was almost 13 miles ahead of us. We would have to hike fast to get to our campsite at a decent time.
The trail itself was uneventful. We didn’t see many other hikers, which was surprising since this is a prime time for southbound hikers to start the trail.
As the day went on, Ben did out pace me, but I always caught up when he took a break.
The target campsite, Brush Creek, was reached by 5:30. The area was really crappy for camping, but I found a decent spot away from the designated camping area. Ben also found one close by, so we were set for the night.
I was slowing down at the end of the day’s hike. The trail went down for a long way. That caused me to be concerned about my knees. However my legs and knees seemed to be okay: although I was very tired. Hopefully, I’ll sleep well tonight.
