August 6, 2017

Total daily miles: 15.5 miles

Total PCT miles: 1692.7

Start: mile 2084

End: mile 2099.6

Total elevation gain/loss: 3482.9/2044.9 ft

We were up and hiking before the sun was up this morning.  Normally, I wouldn’t be thrilled about the prospect of starting my hiking day with the aid of a headlamp.  But today wasn’t a normal day.  Today, I knew that every minute I hiked in the dark was an extra minute to enjoy the Timberline Lodge buffet breakfast!

Early morning road crossing

We had just over ten miles until the Timberline Lodge.  But of course, just to make things more challenging, we also had about a 2000 foot elevation gain over the last five miles.  Fun!  As I set off in the dark, I was grateful that the path seemed wide and well-defined.  It was much easier to navigate and walk quickly than some of the night hiking we’ve done along steep hillsides.  We largely stayed in the trees, although since it was dark for the first couple of miles I guess I wouldn’t know if I missed a great view anyway. Continue reading →