PCT Day 21 - Low to High (spirits and elevation)

The last 30 miles on trail have been hard and I can see why some people tap out early before they reach the Canadian border, not that we’ve considered doing so thus far.. Two nights ago the wind kept us from getting a full nights rest. Last night the wind was gusting constantly and we did not sleep more than an hour or so. Our camp was on a white sandy River Beach. As we concluded our hike we stepped into the cold river to clean our legs and face.

The night seemed good and a good nights sleep was what we expected. Instead the wind came back with a fury. The constant gusts tore through the tent and kicked micro sand on us and all our gear. We were covered with this dusty film and we could not stop it from entering. The tent itself felt as if it might just take off, and the wind even ripped all the tent stakes out making for a flimsy floppy tent that obeyed the winds commands all night. As daylight came the wind was still strong and it made packing up a real challenge. Madelyn and I felt extremely gross being covered in sand, and since our last shower was over 4 days ago, we agreed it was time for a washing. So we bathed in the chilly Whitewater river.

The river valley floor we were camped on was surrounded by the most magnificent mountain views, so as we hiked and the wind subsided our spirits rose again. The morning miles were fast as the trail was wide and straight. We inclined some and declined but the grade was manageable and our pace was constant. We ate lunch farther down the river as the trail led us to it for the first time since morning. We had high hopes of doing 12 more miles but as we started part two of this day it quickly became apparent that a past storm or flash flood had destroyed the trail for the next 10 or so miles. The makeshift trail crossed and re-crossed the same river at least 20 times. Each time the trail was lost it would take a combination of GPS, footprints, and hand stacked markers called Cairns. 

There was one instance when I was searching for the trail where I nearly stepped on a rattlesnake. It was curled up and did not move, it just laid there staring, knowing that it had startled me stiff. We only were able to finish another 5 miles after lunch so we will wake early and try for more.