Day 106 | mile 2456.7 - 2482.6 | 25.9 miles

Up at 5:30. Walking by 6:20. The Boy Scouts wished me well. Only 7 miles to Steven’s Pass. Walked under a ski lift.

Called Alex at the top of the hill. On the way down, two lady day hikers gave me a bag of cold cherries. Mmm. It’s been so hot. Eating cold cherries on the way to town and spitting the pits to the side of the trail was just the best.

Had to wait 30 minutes or so for the office to open to get my box. But I had service and an outlet!

The plan was to get my box, then go to Mountaineers Lodge. Today was their opening day for the season. They offer buckets for laundry and showers for $5. I was in desperate need of both after the incident two days ago.

Jolly, Lightning, and Frick walked in at 9:30! It was fun to see them again. They didn’t stay in town at White Pass and Snoqualmie and I stayed at both. I was surprised they weren’t a couple of days ahead. They left disappointed that the coffee shop wasn’t open, but then changed their mind and came back at 10.

Got my package and sorted through. I got beef jerky and a sweet note from Diana and Kellogg! And all the good food from Alex. He even packed me an apple. One of the dollops of cream cheese wrapped in plastic wrap leaked. But I quickly ate it with the included ritz crackers. Thanks, Alex!

This curious older couple, Fons and Nancy, came over and asked what I was doing. I told them about the trail and we chatted while they waited for the coffee shop to open. They offered to buy me a coffee, and I graciously accepted. Their daughter is a social worker in Oakland. We talked about CASA and they knew everything about it. So cool.

They left, I finished my latte and english muffin with Nutella. 

Washed my pot and spork and finished organizing my food. With a heavy bag, I set off to find this fabled Mountaineers Lodge. The staff at Steven’s Pass explained how to get there. It was hot and up a ski slope. I couldn’t find it. Forrest sent me the lat-long. I navigated there and finally saw it! Unfortunately, the lat-long was of the part of the road closest to the lodge. To get to the cabin itself, I’d have to bushwhack up this steep hill. NOPE.

I decided to cut my losses and go back to the ski resort. I’d take a whore’s bath in the bathroom there. Thankfully, they had one of those unisex one toilet bathrooms. And the hiker box was stocked with wet wipes. I took up residence there for 45 minutes while I did laundry and “showered”. I felt like a million bucks when I finally emerged.

Hung out my stuff to dry in the sun. By this point the restaurant upstairs opened for lunch. I had a double burger and delicious curly fries. Imported photos and chatted with Selby while I ate. Finished up with huckleberry ice cream in a waffle cone. It was really good.

Left at 3. 

When I was leaving, Extra Mile, Gandalf, and Chihuahua were just coming in. What?? I definitely thought they had already come and gone. I felt really shitty that I couldn’t keep up. But it turns out they were behind me. They found this stretch even more difficult and frustrating than me. 

I’ve set out to do 108 miles from Steven’s Pass to Stehekin in 3 days. It’s supposed to be one of the most difficult stretches on the PCT, and I’m not making it easier by trying to do big miles. Extra Mile, Gandalf, and Chihuahua thought it was damn near impossible. That just makes me want it more. I’m getting to Stehekin on Monday morning. 

Managed to get 19 miles in after leaving at 3. Camp at 9:20 at Pear Lake