July 16.
Another long day. Not as mentally taxing at the previous one but still tough. Spent the night at Awesome Pass cowboy camping. Fell asleep counting the emerging stars and covered by the milky way blanket. Woke myself up in the middle of the night to look up and saw two shooting stars racing across the sky. Bugs came out quick in the morning so packed up and left early.
It was a long windy way down a ridge trail and by 7am it was already hawt. Intermittent patches of snow heated up the trail so much. By noon I was already soaked and dehydrated and it got hotter from there. Lots of long exposed climbs through snow fields.
Not as much elevation gain or loss as the previous days but felt harder in the heat. Had to cross yet another sketchy snow ridge to make it to the Pear Lake. Finally got to go what we had dreamed of at Mica Lake, jump in the water and swim and wash clothes. Another couple, Sherpa and Mister Miyagi, joined us.
Left my spare socks at Awesome Pass so only have the one pair until I get to my bounce box in Snoqualmie. Let’s hope they last.
Tomorrow is a town day and we’re all going to try to make it to Stevens Pass in time to pick up our resupplies. Hoping the hostel lodge is open as well so we can stay the night there. Otherwise it’s gonna be a long hike out of Stevens Pass.
Seems this is the last night we’ll all be camping together. Skybird and Spatz are going to Skykomish. Spatz’ navicular injury flared up and he’s going to take a few zeros in Skykomish. Sky is going to town to mail her microspikes and fleece home. Lucas is zeroing at Stevens and Taylor is going to do 25s to Snoqualmie. Tony has a wedding to go to on the 23rd so he might be pushing more miles. I’m planning on upping my miles a bit to 22-23 for a few days with a nero into Snoqualmie. Have to pick up my boxes there then try to hitch out to North Bend or Easton to a post office since I fucked up and Snoqualmie isn’t a post office maybe? But that’s days away and I have time to figure it out.
Plants Outside 