LOCALadk Magazine

34 Winter 2015 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Extending 2,650 miles from the Canadian border to the Mexican border is the most spectacular trail I have ever walked. The Pacific Crest Trail, only open to pedestrian and equestrian traffic, goes through 48 wilder- ness areas, 7 National Parks, and over 57 major passes. It traverses the jagged North Cascades of Washington, the volcanic landscapes of Ore- gon, the glacially-carved Sierra Nevada, and the arid deserts of Southern California. 2,650 miles can be hard to imagine, especially when you spend your first night alone on trail in the driving North Cascade rain at 6,000ft., seem- ingly half a world away from Mexico. I certainly wasn't in the Adirondacks anymore! This thru-hike distance is equivalent to nearly 20 NPT hikes, 30 "90-milers," or 177 round-trips of hiking Mount Marcy. The Pacific Crest Trail is longer than 101 marathons and sports a total vertical ascent of 488,411ft. This would be like climbing from sea level to the summit of Mount Everest nearly 17 times. It's an intimidating undertaking. Bob Marshall once said, "It's a great thing these days to leave civilization for a while and return to nature." In the middle of the Pasayten Wilderness of Northern Washington, I couldn't agree more with my hero. Only 2.7% of the Lower 48 States is designated Federal Wilderness. Being in the heart of the wild makes me wonder why more land isn't given "Forever Wild" designation? Area denizens include moose, wolves, bobcats, wolverines, and the highest population of lynx in the contiguous United States. I watched as deer and grouse protected their young from my unexpected approach. The pristine valleys extended far as the eye can see! The animals and the hills coexisted in harmony. This southbound journey has only just begun. The initial aches and pains, gear failures, and mental challenges are com- mon for first-time thru-hikers. My toes were blister-covered, and I lost three pairs of sunglasses in the first 200 miles. I was thankful to meet my first "trail family" in the quaint town of Stehekin, WA. Since the number of southbound (SOBO) thru-hikers is so much lower than the number of northbound (NOBO) hikers, I was lucky to make friends so quickly! It was here that I was given the trail name "Future Dad," and I got to take a (badly needed) swim in the third-deepest lake in the nation, Lake Chelan. I left the "Town that Time Forgot" and entered a 100-mile stretch of wil- derness. I could see Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier from the trail. I swam in glacial lakes. I celebrated the 4th of July by singing the National Anthem at the base of mighty Glacier Peak. I never felt more American. I never felt more alive! The beauty of what I was experiencing culminated in tears atop Old Snowy Mountain in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. The thru-hiking dream was coming true, and all of Washington's stratovolcanoes that I saw from the airplane window were surrounding me, covered in snow. The feel- ing of elation shifted to fear only minutes later. I decided to traverse an exposed talus field towards Ives Peak. After causing a dangerous rock- fall, I noticed that the small rocks in my boots were causing my feet to bleed. Collapsing in agony at the bottom of the ridgeline, I wondered if my journey was coming to an abrupt conclusion. There is a saying on the PCT, "The trail provides." In my moment of de- spondence, a Trail Angel appeared around the corner. His trail name was "BiPolar," and he gifted me with Leuko Tape to protect my wounds. My thru-hike continued due to BiPolar's generous trail magic. I am forever grateful for his kindness. Onward in Oregon, I cowboy camped under the stars every night. (This was intentional, as I had shipped my tent over 1,000 miles ahead to save on pack weight. Deservedly, it rained on me the entire first day outside of Cascade Locks, OR.) I summited Mt. Thielsen, the "Lightning Rod of the Cascades," which included a 40ft. free-climb to reach the pinna- cle. My new hiking partner "Mantis" and I swam in every lake along the way, including a cliff jump into Crater Lake, deepest lake in the nation. I ended my hike through Oregon by jumping into California atmidnight as my birthday expired. Bumping into my first bear on trail was a surprise that I wasn't expecting in Northern California. I had been following some interesting tracks that were absent during my previous 1,000 miles of walking. When I saw the

• Cover