June 29:
The PCT strip-map starts its description of the next peak to our north this way: “at 7,794 feet, Mount Washington is modest in elevation.” Modest? I guess that 7,700 feet isn’t actually all that tall. By Sierra Nevada standards it’d be a pimple. But it’s all relative isn’t it? When all of the surrounding terrain is at 5,000 or 5,500 feet and a peak stands out like an outright spire, it just doesn’t appear all that “modest” to me.
Our last day, from Highway 242 to Highway 20, centered on Mount Washington. We started south of it and by the end of the day it was firmly in the rear view mirror. We’ll see it again though and I’ll never forget it (or the other Cascades). What a beauty.
But first the lava fields.
We drove over to McKenzie Pass:
The hiking starts in the forest “islands:”
And then the trail crosses almost two continuous miles of lava:
Looking back at Highway 242 and the observatory:
We worried about the dog’s paws, but they seemed fine (maybe a little sore at the end of the day). Meanwhile, are they yawning or laughing in this photo:
Back onto dirt, and then to lava, and getting closer and closer to this impressive peak:
Burned-over forest on Washington's south side. And a Tricia photo of dead and sculpted wood:
Moving around to the mountain’s west side:
Last views of Diamond Peak and The Husband to the south:
As we got well north of Mount Washington, we neared Big Lake and the oddly impressive Hayrick Butte on its other side:
Looking up the trail to the north, Three Fingered Jack, the next big peak, is coming into view:
Vicki drove around to meet us at 13.5 miles into the day:
Some rest with her, and then off to finish the last 3.6 miles of the trip:
Oh, and on the way, to cross PCT mile 2,000. Two thousand continuous miles of hiking from the Mexican border. Two thousand continuous miles of hiking since the day after she turned five years old. She’s not five years old any more. The two thousand mile point:
I think it's fair to say that the PCT has been a big part of Tricia's life:
Vicki hiked south from the trailhead to join us. Once we turned around it was a quick mile to the Santiam Pass PCT Trailhead:
Mount Washington from Highway 20/Santiam Pass:
And that wrapped up a wonderful trip. A total of 95.4 miles on the PCT and 7.5 miles getting to and from it. Oh, and tons of fun!
Off we went back south:
Through Bend and back home (to rest and prepare for the next trip - coming up sooner than it seems - we’ll be at it again at the end of July).
