Riv's 2015 PCT, Days 49-52, Part 2

Days 49 - 52, Thurs - Sun.,  August 13 - 16, Part 2

Continued from Days 49-52, Part 1

Photo 6:  marmot supine on rock. I passed a family on the trail who pointed out this critter who seemed wholly unperturbed by our presence. 

Photo 7: I thought I had seen every possible view of Mt Rainier, but I was wrong. It seemed whiter than last year -- more snow, or just my cataract surgery? Bonnie's wave for today has got to be the beautiful snow-covered My Rainier. 

Photo 8:  gorgeous view of Mt rainier and lake, just before I pass two hikers who ask if I am coming down from the PCT and hiking into town. Only after they leave and I check my gps and discover that I am a quarter mile from the trail do I realize I took a wrong turn and that they were trying to tell me I was not on the PCT. I lost an hour and did two very challenging extra miles but on the other hand, photos 6-8 would have been missed without that wrong turn. 

Photo 9:  surprised by another gorgeous view of Mt Rainier, this one from the actual PCT. 

Photo 10:  what amazes me is how many varieties of mountains, trees, lakes are possible. How one can go on being moved to say "wow" and "you are so beautiful." It is an astonishing world we live in. 

Oh - I almost forgot to share my evening drama. I misunderstood the app (actually the app had an error) and thought there was water at my planned campsite at 12.5 miles. So I had to hike 5 miles further than I had planned to another campsite near the next water because I did not have enough water for dinner and overnight. I put on the Beatles to speed my pace but still barely arrived by 8. By the time I had set up my tent and unpacked and gone back to collect water it was getting dark. The spring was barely dripping. It took 2 or 3 minutes to collect one cup of water. I decided to get half what I need now and the rest tomorrow morning. Coming back to camp by headlamp in the dark with my water, setting up filter system in the dark, oddly pleased by the adventure of doing something I'd never done before. 

Now however, cozy on my tent, I have to get out -- both to pee and to harvest my filtered water. I am not looking forward to crawling out from under my warm sleeping bag ( which I use as a quilt in mild weather). But here goes. 

Now I'm back. It really wasn't that bad. Feels great to have it done and have water to drink!

Thanks for walking with me. "See" you again soon.