Pacific Crest Trail Washington Section
The PCT in Washington is stunning for her beauty. That is when the clouds clear and you can see around the trail! Steve climbed out of the Columbia Gorge area to the fanfare of a lot of trail magic. But then saw days of quietness as the trail is so remote. The PCT in Washington is rugged and brutal. But it’s beauty is something to behold. Mt Adams offers great views and then the Goat Rocks challenge even the most seasoned hiker. It’s pretty much a life-ending drop off on either side of the traverse. For someone who doesn’t love heights…like Steve…this section is challenging. It’s also very rewarding!
Mt Rainier has been in our hearts since we backpacked the Wonderland Trail in the 90s. So hiking back through this area is like spending time with a favorite old friend. What a joy! Then the Northern Cascades present their own challenges with so many climbs and descents. And all that rain. Steve hunkers down when he needs to and then powers through, soaking wet to try to beat the incoming snow. Join us for all the glories and challenges of the PCT in Washington. You won’t be disappointed! And maybe you’ll pick out a section or two to tackle yourself!
Missing the PCT
Noelle here: I’m greatly missing the Pacific Crest Trail today. Northern terminus I’m missing the peace, the friendships, the physical hardness, the mountains, lakes, valleys. I’m missing all of it. Snoqualmie area most difficult trail It’s been stressful and chaotic...
Goal Setting for the PCT and why I hike
Goal setting for hiking or working or relationships or just living have been a huge part of my life. Noelle here, by the way. Deciding to hike the Pacific Crest Trail was no different. How would I break up a huge goal into smaller more manageable...
PCT: Post Trail day 13
We left the trail in California and went straight to my parents home in Colorado. Pretty much all of our non-hiking possessions are in storage in Portland. Our first week here in Colorado was just crazy. Moving my parents into an assisted living/memory care facility....
So what’s next for us?
Noelle here: All along we've planned to take two years off from regular jobs and life. We knew we were hiking a trail, then returning home, then heading to Southeast Asia for a few months. We planned a lot for the trail but so far no solid plans other than knowing we...
PCT: September blog stats
Hi Friends! Each month we look forward to looking at our website and learning where all our readers are “from”. Based on a reader suggestion we added Sakis Rouvas to our music playlist as a catnip for the Greeks. Sadly, it seemed to have the opposite effect and our...
PCT: Weight loss, finance, distance analysis
My weight loss continued throughout Washington. I’m down about another ten pounds equating to a total weight loss of roughly 60lbs/27kg. I’m finding that I’m getting cold much easier. My butt is boney and I’m missing the extra fat padding. When I sit on a hard chair...
PCT: Hoping to get back to the trail
Noelle here: We're hoping to head back to California tomorrow. It's now been two weeks since the Washington border. My dad has three fresh stents in his heart's arteries. It was the best outcome we could have hoped for given the Parkinson's and the severity of plaque...
PCT: What to do?
When we began our trek in March, Noelle’s sisters were cleaning up hers dads house, holding an estate sale, and then moving him from Louisiana to an assisted living facility in Washington. It was a stressful way for Noelle to begin the trek. Today, as I write this...
PCT Between the trail and reality
Noelle here: Its been over a week since Steve finished Washington. We drove down through Vancouver, WA to see family for a couple days, with the expectation that we'd visit then head to California for the rest of the trail. We had such a wonderful time. We relaxed,...
PCT: Oh Canada!
Noelle here: Yesterday I drove into Canada. So freakin crazy that we're finally here. I know there are still miles owed to California, but for now we're here! I left Rainy Pass and made it to Manning Park in the early evening. The Northern Cascades looked just as...
PCT: Day 172: End of the line
Miles today: 14.6Trail miles sum: 1970.8Trail location: 2653.1Elevation: 4247Spinning on the turntable: Yann Tiersen: EUSA Weather Report Looking at the weather forecast this morning and seeing snow isn’t so surprising. It’s been cold and damp the past few days and...
PCT: Last day in Washington
Noelle here: I guess technically it's the last full day in Washington, as Steve will have about ten miles left tomorrow to get to the monument and 8.5 to get to the van. There's been a ton of trail magic for the hikers in Washington but I think everyone is still ready...
PCT: Day 171
Miles today: 21.7Trail miles sum: 1956.2Trail location: 2638.5Elevation: 6193Spinning on the turntable: Neil Young: Songs for Judy It was raining when I woke up this morning, so I went back to sleep. After an hour the rain had slackened somewhat and I slowly began my...
PCT: Day 170
Miles today: 25.2Trail miles sum: 1934.5Trail location: 2616.8Elevation: 6558Spinning on the turntable: The Killers: Direct Hits It was nice to hike today without the constant rain. Squirrel sighting Tedium, yet again, in the continual up and down in the green tunnel....
PCT: Day 169
Miles today: 14.1Trail miles sum: 1909.3Trail location: 2591.6Elevation: 4848Spinning on the turntable: Today I was hiking back to Noelle and it was going to be a short hiking day so I took a few extra minutes this morning to cook my oatmeal. I'm completely sick of...
PCT: Day 168
Miles today: 28.1Trail miles sum: 1895Trail location: 2577.3Elevation: 2107Spinning on the turntable: Another wet day It was another wet day of hiking. I try to repeat a mantra to myself of the things I’m grateful for as I hike. I am grateful that the rain isn’t...
PCT Friends
Noelle here: Most afternoons I hike Southbound (SOBO) towards Steve. I get to see so many hikers walking my way. It’s great fun. I can immediately distinguish day hikers and weekend or short section hikers from Long Ass Section Hikers (LASH) and thru hikers. The day...
PCT: Day 165: Hiking in the rain
Miles today: 24.4Trail miles sum: 1866.9Trail location: 2549.2Elevation: 4552Spinning on the turntable: The traveling Wilburys collection I started the day with the big climb with all the switchbacks that I mentioned yesterday. It wasn’t terrible. It was however, very...
PCT Van Life
Noelle here: I'm at Stevens Pass. I got here on Monday. Was that Labor Day? I think so. The only people in the parking lot were hikers. It's really pretty and quiet here. Met a past thru hiker who was out trail angel-ing. She and her partner live in a van, so it was...
PCT: Day 164: Temporary rain delay
Miles today: 0Trail miles sum: 1842.5Trail location: 2524.8Elevation: 3603Reading: George R. Stewart: Earth Abides Today has been very rainy. I awoke at 5AM, heard the rain pounding on the tent and resent the alarm for 7AM. At 7AM the rain was still coming down in...
PCT: Day 163
Miles today: 15.6Trail miles sum: 1842.5Trail location: 2524.8Elevation: 3603Spinning on the turntable: Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium I started the day with hiking through a multitude of water hazards. This is the trail! I'm trying to move from log to log, stone to...
PCT: Day 162: Berry belly
Miles today: 22Trail miles sum: 1826.9Trail location: 2509.2Elevation: 3939Spinning on the turntable: 2Cellos: In2uition I started the day out with a berry blow out at 6AM. I managed to make it about fifty yards from camp before the explosion occurred. Sorry fellow...
PCT: Day 161
Miles today: 22.7Trail miles sum: 1804.9Trail location: 2487.2Elevation: 4776Spinning on the turntable: 2Cellos: Score Noelle hiked out with me this morning and then returned to the van after ten miles. It’s wonderful when she hikes with me and terrible when she...
PCT: Day 160
Miles today: 28.4 Trail miles sum: 1782.2 Trail location: 2464.5 Elevation: 4075 Spinning on the turntable: Podcast: Freakonics Washington is certainly providing spectacular, panoramic, jaw dropping, in your face nature scenes. Washington is also making us pay for...
PCT: Day 159
Miles today: 22.6 Trail miles sum: 1756.7 Trail location: 2436 Elevation: 4694 Spinning on the turntable: Billy Joel: Live through the years The helicopters continued to move about the valley this morning in their search and rescue. I have no idea of any specifics. A...
PCT: Day 158
Miles today: 19.5 Trail miles sum: 1732.1 Trail location: 2413.4 Elevation: 3247 Spinning on the turntable: Sakis Rouvas: Parafora We started the day with a nice little six mile uphill slog. We hiked the Kendall cat walk together. VFat had strongly recommended this...
PCT: Day 156
Miles today: 18.5 Trail miles sum: 1711.6 Trail location: 2393.9 Elevation: 3028 Spinning on the turntable: Pitch Perfect It's humid this morning. The weather is debating between rain and not rain and can't seem to decide in which direction to land. I'd actually...
PCT: Day 155
Miles today: 27.9 Trail miles sum: 1693.1 Trail location: 2375.4 Elevation: 3664 Spinning on the turntable: Mozart: Piano Concertos #20 & 21 When this tru-hike is over I'll miss the morning sunshine and solitude. I'm now picking the tiny wild strawberries. The...
PCT Day Hike: Chinook Pass on Mt. Rainier
Noelle here: Of all the fire mountains which like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific Coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest. ...John Muir I'm in love with this mountain, ever since Steve and I backpacked the Wonderland Trail some 20+ years ago. She holds such happy...
PCT: Day 154
Miles today: 23.2 Trail miles sum: 1665.2 Trail location: 2347.5 Elevation: 4765 Spinning on the turntable: Mozart: Piano Concertos #20 & 21 Epic view huh? I heard elk bellowing last night as I drifted to sleep. Someone saw a bear in this area so I'm keeping a...
PCT: Day 153: Mt. Rainier
Miles today: 28.9 Trail miles sum: 1642 Trail location: 2324.4 Elevation: 5427 Spinning on the turntable: Mozart: Piano Concertos #20 & 21 A rather chilly start to my morning at 44 degrees Fahrenheit. No rain though, so I'm not complaining. This is the first frost...
PCT: Day 151: Goat rocks
Miles today: 21.3 Trail miles sum: 1613.1 Trail location: 2295.4 Elevation: 4410 Spinning on the turntable: Today was all about clearing the Knife's Edge on Old Snowy Mountain. Today was the first time I was truly concerned about seriously hurting myself with a trip,...
PCT: Day 150: Goat rocks
Miles today: 22.6 Trail miles sum: 1591.8 Trail location: 2274.1 Elevation: 5993 Spinning on the turntable: Trampled by turtles: Life is good on the open road Have I mentioned how much I enjoy looking at the mushrooms that I can't identify? So many colors! The...
PCT: Day 149
Miles today: 22.1 Trail miles sum: 1569.2 Trail location: 2251.5 Elevation: 4767 Spinning on the turntable: Trampled by turtles: Life is good on the open road The rain looks beautiful on the foliage, and soaks my shoes and socks. I'm now rotating my socks after about...
PCT: Day 148
Miles today: 6.5 Trail miles sum: 1547.1 Trail location: 2229.4 Elevation: 3894 Spinning on the turntable: Rain, rain go away... Storm warning on the weather forecast so I hustled 6.5 miles to a close pick up point and Noelle picked me up. Other hikers were doing the...
PCT: Day 147
Miles today: 25.6 Trail miles sum: 1541.6 Trail location: 2223 Elevation: 3508 Spinning on the turntable: James McMurty: Complicated Game It's great seeing the older PCT signs embedded in the trees as the trees have begun to encapsulate the metal. I'm looking for...
PCT: Day 146
Miles today: 31 Trail miles sum: 1516 Trail location: 2198.3 Elevation: 3500 Spinning on the turntable: Steve Perry: Sun Shines Grey Survey says....long uphill climb. The climb this morning was very humid. The weather forecast indicated it would be about 85% this...
PCT: First week of Washington
Noelle here: What a wonderful last week at home and a great couple days back on trail! We had such a good time visiting family. We ran out of time to see any friends, next time! This morning I realized we were parked near this grave on the Washington side of the...
PCT: Day 145: Entering Washington
Miles today: 19.6 Trail miles sum: 1485 Trail location: 2167.3 Elevation: 1246 Spinning on the turntable: Foreigner: No end in sight: The very best I left the Bridge of the Gods this morning and started hiking the Washington section of the PCT. I hit the trail at 6AM...
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
If you just joined us in Washington, be sure to check out our California and Oregon sections of backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail. We’ve dreamed of this journey for years and even though it wasn’t the exact journey we thought it’d be, we still had the time of our lives. We hope you’ve enjoyed hiking the PCT in Washington with us and that you’ll also love going back through the other trail sections too. Look for our day hike section if you’d rather tackle a smaller adventure. We’ve hiked in Yellowstone, in Louisiana and pretty much everywhere in between. Hike with us and don’t forget to sign up for our email below! Be the first to hear about our new adventures. Happy Trails!