Washington - Bridge Of The Gods To Snoqualmie Pass

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 I was getting a bit emotional when I finally crossed the Bridge Of The Gods across the Columbia River from Oregon to Washington. I had dreamed of this moment for a long time and was very happy I had made it.


My home state welcomed me with blackberries and lush green forest with solid tree cover that lasted for a couple of days and almost made me run out of battery for my phone as my solar panel could not generate enough energy.

Welcome to the jungle 


Remember when we all had BlackBerrys?


There were still enough views of Mt. Adams and St. Helens to keep things interesting.

Mount Adams

I entered Indian Heaven Wilderness with its gorgeous lakes and spent some time swimming in deep and clear Blue Lake.

 Blue Lake - Gorgeous Swimming 


I had hiked around 2200 miles and some more pieces of my equipment started to give up. My favorite hiking shirt was beyond repair and the over molded tips of my trekking poles started to come loose.

Directionally Challenged 

My third pair of shoes had been waiting for me at Timberline Lodge and I hope these will carry me to the Canadian border.


When I entered Mt. Adams Wilderness the views started opening up again. I hiked this section with my friends Chris and Rob last year and we were terribly cold. The weather was much better this time, at least until the afternoon when the clouds started to roll in and the temperatures dropped sharply. I managed to set up camp and have dinner before the rain started.

Looking Back

The following day had dark and low clouds, but no rain. My hopes for a clear day to see the Goat Rocks sank. 

Moody Clouds

As I entered the Goat Rocks Wilderness the sky cleared up a bit and by the time I set up camp at Sheep Lake, it was windy and cold, but the cloud cover was not as solid as before.


I woke up to a crystal clear morning and packed up quickly as I didn’t know how long the good weather would last.

Good Morning!


After a few miles I reached Cispus Pass and entered a beautiful valley that leads to Walupt Lake. 

North Of Cispus Pass


It was a Sunday and soon there would be day hikers and weekend campers, but at this early hour the whole valley was the domain of the people who were driven out of their tents early by the thought that winter was coming, the northbound PCT through hikers.

Goat Rocks

Soon I entered the area called Knife Edge. The weather held and the views were phenomenal. This section is clearly one of the highlights of the entire PCT!

Knife Edge To The Right - Mt. Rainier To The Left


The following morning I made my way towards White Pass, but not before hopping into another beautiful lake for a morning swim, Shoe Lake.

Shoe Lake


After the pass there were many more little lakes and ponds, especially after I entered the William O. Douglas Wilderness, but there was a norovirus warning for all stagnant bodies of water in the area and I did not want to take any chances, so I didn’t swim in the next few days and boiled all drinking water that I had to get from lakes.

William O. Douglas Wilderness


Instead I was looking forward to see my favorite mountain of all, the one that dominates views from Seattle on a clear day, Mount Rainier. Fortunately the weather cooperated again as the PCT entered Mount Rainier National Park and I could enjoy amazing views all day.

Mount Rainier 


I spent the night at pretty Sheep Lake (the third by this name in this section alone).

Sheep Lake III


The following day even mighty Mount Rainier faded into the background as I hiked through Crystal Mountain Ski Resort and into Norse Peak Wilderness. Unfortunately the southern part of this area was burned.


In the evening I found a great tent spot near a hidden lookout where I watched both, sunset and sunrise the following morning.

Norse Peak Wilderness Sunset 

…and Sunrise 


I was getting really close to Snoqualmie Pass, my next resupply point. The colors around me were changing. There were more red and yellow tones. Fall was in the air. At the same time, there were new wildfires far north that threatened to close the last section of the PCT. Last not least, I was dealing with some overuse issues in my legs and hands (from using my hiking poles). Would I be able to complete my quest and reach Canada? There were still plenty of miles to go… All I knew is that I wasn’t going to give up and that I would do everything I could to finish at the border.

Fall Vibes At Lodge Lake - Winter Is Coming


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