Great Divide Trail Thruhike | Section A - Trail Report
The Great Divide Trail - Section A: Trail Report
A Rocky Mountains Timelapse
Start: Monument at the Canada/U.S. border in Waterton Lakes National Park, AB
End: Coleman, AB
Distance: ~150 km / 91 miles
Elevation Gain: ~ 5.600 m / 18.370 ft
Alternates: Rowe Alternate, Barnaby Alternate, Lynx Creek Alternate
Keywords: Windy - lots of lakes - well-maintained trail - social
Section A of the Great Divide Trail (Source: FarOut).
Day 0: Thumbs up: We’re going to Waterton!
Not our best sign… The marker was out of ink!
After leaving the car in Calgary, trail angel Melissa dropped us off in High River, from where we hitchhiked to Waterton National Park.
Trail Angels on the Great Divide Trail
Yes, you read that correctly: There are trail angels on the GDT! Far and few between, because of the remoteness of the trail, so go and connect with them on the GDT Trail Angel Facebook page!
Our final hitchhike took us all the way to the heart of the park. There, Waterton Lake invited us for a swim. In the Tamarack outdoor store, we bought an emergency blanket for its double use as a ground sheet). After our little shopping spree, we headed for the park’s campground. The park rangers know about Great Divide Trail hikers and save some camping spots for late-arriving hikers like ourselves. Gratefully, we paid 11 CAD for a campsite and had a nice, hot shower in the washrooms (Canadian for toilet).
Day 1: Waterton Town - monument - Alderson Lake (19 km)
The first days on the GDT (Source: FarOut)
We woke up to greet a misty and magical morning. The first leg of the hike would be 6 km to the Canada/U.S.-border, where we would tag the monument and then simply turn around. A pleasant, well-defined trail along Upper Waterton Lakes brought us to the border.
The border monument
Accompanied by ripe, red thimbleberries and tourist boats, we found the border monument, existing of 1 metal and 1 stone pillar.
Standing on the dock, we witnessed two countries collide into one. The lake, ignorant of any borders, is neatly divided into Waterton National Park and Glacier National Park, the world’s first International Peace Parks. In nature, borders seem even more ludicrous. Ryan said his goodbyes to his country of stripes and stars and we started walking North on the Great Divide Trail.
Walking back, we met fellow thru-hiker, Rudy, also known by his trail name Chef. He makes beautiful videos of the trails he hikes. You can find his videos on Youtube.
The start of the Great Divide Trail can be pretty crowded. That is because Waterton town is accessible by car. Many people gather there to paddleboard, eat ice cream, or watch wildlife. Of course, we too joined the party, went for a swim, and ate some good poutine. When we finally left the pleasures of town behind to continue hiking the Great Divide Trail, we passed by the beautiful Cameron Falls.
Reenactment of Baby Simba in The Lion King.
Further away from town, uphill, the crowds soon thinned out. We walked through fireweed and half-burned trees until we reached our destination for the day. However, expecting a full campground, Alderson Lakes was entirely ours that night. Odd, since we booked the last camping permit… Turns out that empty campgrounds would be a repeating pattern in the parks.
Day 2: Alderson Lake - Akamina Campground (15 km)
The first night on the trail was a rather exciting one: My sleeping pad had a hole in it! We fixed it up with a Therm-A-Rest repair patch - lucky for me, Ryan carries a bag full of Gorilla Tape, repair patches, Super Glue, and other useful knick-knacks.
The beautifully maintained trail continued and climbed up to the lower and upper Carthew Lakes. We spotted our very first Common Loons on the Great Divide Trail. They really are fond of large alpine lakes. Blue, pristine lakes and windy weather: Waterton Lakes in a nutshell.
We met many other hikers that day, amongst them Jeff, who was section hiking the Great Divide Trail with a harmonica. He was very knowledgeable about the Great Divide Trail and a proud familyman.
After a refreshing dive into Cameron Lake with Jeff and Chef, we made our way to Akamina campground. This time, it was a full house!
Bear lockers and wooden picnic tables accommodated all GDT hikers and we spent a lovely evening, chatting, eating, and journaling.
A grizzly youngster even tried to join the party, before making his way up the hill and beyond.
Day 3: Akamina Campground - Lone Lake Campground (20 km)
Today, a serious decision lay in front of us: To Rowe Alternate or not to Rowe Alternate? We had heard many frightening stories of this unmaintained cross-country adventure, but we learned from the GDT webinars that it was a detour worthwhile. The only question remained: Are we ready to face the windy, challenging ridge walk? “Oh shoot, we’re on the Great Divide Trail, that’s what we’re here to do!” we exclaimed and started scrambling up the hill.
After a 3-hour heavy climb, we made it to the top of the ridge. But right before we could seal our victory, we were B-L-O-W-N away by the wind! Having no shelter whatsoever, we were forced into rain gear, gloves, hats, and sunglasses. We looked like Neo and Trinity from the Matrix and had to fight for every step we took. After 2 km, we decided to take the blue pill and bail!
Scrambling down
But adventure time was far from over! To get off the ridge, a snow cornice and a super steep, long scramble down awaited us. We stumbled, cross-country style, down the mountain slope to Rowe Lake. There, Ryan taught me how to “ski “ down gravel slopes, without skies, that is…
It was past noon by that time and we still had some ways to go. Back on the official Great Divide Trail, we climbed to Lineham Ridge, a pretty spectacular viewpoint. Once we turned around the corner, the wind chased us down the trail pretty quickly. The rest of the afternoon, we waded through scorched forests and grave burn scars. We had a permit for Twin Lakes, but after our windy and rather lengthy escapade, our tired feet could carry us no longer. At dusk, we set up camp at Lone Lake instead and enjoyed the silence.
The bright side of burns
Burn areas are fertile grounds for fireweed and new grasses, making room for butterfly and insect families. Every down has an up...
Day 4: Lone Lake Campground - Jutland Creek (20 km)
The next morning, Ryan and I slept in until 7:30 - yikes! We never were early birds, and getting up usually involves a lot of snoozing and coffee. Our morning eventually evolved into a heart-warming and honest conversation with fellow hikers Lynnie and Sophie. Mother and daughter, exploring their strong connection and shared admiration of the natural world around them.
Sophie spoke of the abundance of flowers on the Great Divide Trail, and it couldn’t be more true. Day four absolutely spoiled us with flower-filled fields, the exquisite perfume of newly-sprung buds and bees buzzing around them.
We met the first horse lords on trail, too! A family of four was on their way to Lone Lake Cabin. Our respect for equestrians - or horse lords - yes, we listened to LOTR audiobooks - increased with tenfold during this journey. It has become somewhat of a dream of our own. One day!
Our lunch spot was at Twin Lakes, where Ryan had a cold swim session. The weather soon turned and we prepared for the worst. We climbed a ridge and left Waterton Lakes National Park behind us. In the distance, big black smoke plumbs rose up and we could smell the wildfire. Pretty scary to experience a fire this way, makes you think of the scale of everything.
The smoke turned orange-red…
and soon, every notion of a horizon was wiped out. So we hiked on, into the void. I wasn’t comfortable, but Ryan reassured me of our safety. We entered the realm of Castle Provincial Park, where the sky cleared up and visibility returned. We camped at Jutland Creek with Lynnie, Sophie, and their friend Barb.
Day 5: Jutland Creek - Grizzly Lake (16 km)
Calling for help looks like this!
Day four turned out to be quite interesting. Today was the day of the notorious La Coulotte Ridge and the even more infamous Barnaby alternate! Clueless of what lay ahead of us, we started our day over Scarpe Pass and along the steep ridge to the peak of La Coulotte. After two false summits and lots of cursing, we finally made it to the real deal! Mind you, this ridgeline is pretty exposed and does not have much water or room for mistakes. We hoisted ourselves onto the peak and signed the trail register. While recovering, don’t forget to look around you: There are sublime 360° mountain views.
Next up? That would be the Barnaby Alternate - the very word alone still gives me the chills. This alternate would prove to be a time-consuming, challenging, route-finding scramble. Luckily, thanks to the GDTA members, there are flags around the scariest bits.
I wrote the following excerpt in my diary:
“The alternate totally wiped me out. Following a game trail, sometimes fully disappearing, then popping up again after some time. Ridgewalking is what it was. Up and down the hill, up and down the next one - I lost count after a while. I still felt quite cheerful, but when we consulted the map and I saw that we barely managed 1 mile per hour, I broke down. Lesson learned: Some things take time and you cannot fight it. So don’t try.”
Alternates take time, patience, and some courage, too. This was something I heavily underestimated. But I am very grateful for the experience and now, I find myself a lot stronger, more capable, and knowledgeable in rough terrain.
Sliding down doesn’t always come easy.
We skied (read: tumbled) down the gravelly trail towards Grizzly Lake, home to of a pair of Loons and, according to multiple wooden constructions, the occasional bushcrafter. Barb, Sophie, and Lynnie came rolling into camp not soon after and they too slept on the shores of Grizzly Lake.
Day 6: Grizzly Lake - Lynx Creek (34 km)
Time for a big push today. We were ready to get off the ridge and back to the trail.
An early-morning deer encounter, one of many.
After one week, your trail legs start to show. They grow stronger, and your pace picks up. Hiking up and down is part of your every day now, and you start to get the hang of it.
Bighorn Sheep
The last part of the Barnaby Alternate holds some beautiful memories.
We bagged some incredible peaks with fun trail registers (Fireball!) and met a large family of Bighorn Sheep after getting lost and trying to find our way back. Every down has an up…
Finally, the last cairn was in sight and a long, exposed descent led us to the three Barnaby Lakes. We greeted many hikers and fishers, and considered having a swim but went for a small dip instead. All the way down into the valley we crossed a road - the first sign of “civilization” - and disappeared into the woodlands. I remember eating thimbleberries until our fingers turned red, and filling up fresh water at Suicide Creek - scary, intriguing name. With relative ease, we climbed the hill and made our way on the relatively new trail into the dusk.
Day 7: Lynx Creek - Coleman (30 km)
The last day of the first section took us through cow country. Lynx Creek Campground (self-registration, +/- 21 CAD) had more cows than people in it. We ended up hiking in a bicycle race, which was really fun, since A) we were not the only ones suffering in the heat and B) we were sometimes faster going uphill and C) we had our first trail magic! A friend of one participant handed us Cokes and cookies and we were unbelievably grateful - trail magic is rare in the remote Rockies.
The last 10 km or so are ATV country. All drivers were very polite and immediately slowed down for us. Hiking, however, felt slow. After what seemed like an eternity, especially without four wheels, the first houses of Crowsnest Pass popped up in sight. Finally, we staggered into Coleman’s Subway and devoured one footlong (Chicken Teriyaki) each. We checked into our Airbnb and watched “Pretty Woman” until we fell asleep.
Interested in our GDT Gear Lists?
Coleman & accomodation
Finding a place to sleep in Coleman shouldn’t be too hard. For B&Bs, there are Safe Haven (We do not know if they will be open in 2023) and Country Encounters. The Paddock Inn is also a hiker’s favorite.
Section A: Complete!
Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any questions or comments.
Backpacking Food | Bushka’s Kitchen
Backpacking food: There’s a lot to be said on the topic. For us, it’s quite easy: We like our backcountry meals light, affordable, easy, tasty, and nutritious. Sounds familiar? ;-)
For long outdoor adventures, we usually stack up on ramen, mashed potatoes, and Knorr rice and pasta sides. But every now and then, we indulge in proper backpacking food, if only to support all the amazing local & food-conscious companies out there. That is why we were thrilled to be working together with Bushka’s Kitchen for our 2022 adventure of the Great Divide Trail in Canada.
We carried Bushka’s meals for our first two weeks of the Great Divide Trail. From the start, we were thrown into the Canadian Rockies and faced daily elevation gains of 1500 m (5,000 ft), scrambly ridge walks, and 12 hour-hiking days. So, needless to say, we needed all the calories and fats we could get. When you are scrambling on steep, rugged terrain, you can easily burn up to 900 calories/hr. That means it is necessary to pay attention to what and how much you eat. Bushka’s meals are full of fats and proteins: Just what you need for your backcountry adventure!
Whereas most backpacking meals take about 8 to 10 minutes to prepare, Bushka’s dinners require only 3 minutes of waiting time. The perfect time to blow up your sleeping pad or switch to your camp socks! We found the portions to be generous, and we happily shared a meal every night, together with some couscous or ramen.
The bags are lightweight, can be used as meal pouches, and are easily reused as garbage bags. Oh, and the colors are fun, too. What’s not to like?
Entrées | Venison, Bison or Vegetarian: Choose your Pick
Ryan and I used to eat plant-based, but over the last few years, we prefer to eat meat and fish again. That is why we absolutely loved the Hunter’s Pie. The taste of the ground venison together with mashed potatoes, carrots and peas was amazing. A true comfort meal, heartwarming and just what you need after a long, exhaustive day. Hunter’s Pie proudly boasts 780 cal. and 33g of protein.
Attention, meat lovers: If this made your ears ring, be sure to try the Hearty Harvest. This hearty meal has it all: Wild boar (?!), creamy mushroom basmati rice, apple chunks, and green beans. Yep, this is fine dining in the backcountry. This meal has about 570 cal. and 30g of protein in it. For the Italian fans, there is the Unstuffed Pepper, a true Italian dish with San Marzano tomato sauce, espresso-salted bison (yes, bison), bell peppers, green onion & quinoa. With 570cal and 31g of protein, this dish will make you want to move mountains.
The vegetarian options are pretty impressive, too. There’s the risottos’ and chilis that we all know, but Bushka’s changes the game and introduced us to the Zesty Zoodles and Lentil Lunch. The Zesty Zoodles (540 cal, 11g protein) does not only have a funky name, but is also a funky dish! It is a pasta dish with chunks of zucchini and cherry tomatoes, but it is the avocado sauce with a twist of lemon that makes this entrée very interesting. Refreshing, to say the least.
We loved to have the Lentil Lunch for, well, lunch! It was a nice break from the ramen and peanut-butter-wraps. After 3 minutes of cold-soaking, you had yourself a healthy lentil meal, spiced up by dill vinaigrette, cucumbers, apple, onion, and bell peppers. A really refreshing lunch on trail, perfect for a quick lunch break. With 600 cal and 29g of protein, you are fuelled up for the rest of the day.
If you’re a potato lover, then the Sweet Potato Mash and Mashed Potatoes are your go-to. The Mashed Potatoes tasted creamy and buttery and easily serve to 2 people. The Sweet Potato Mash was spiced with cinnamon (that’s me!), clove and Vermon maple syrup, giving it a surprisingly sweet touch.
What are our favorites?
Easy question: The Yogurt Bowls, Banana Bites and the Hearty Harvest stole our hearts!
While we usually are not the biggest breakfast fans on trail - we like to sleep in - we did manage to get up a little earlier for Bushka’s Yogurt Bowls. You can choose between Raspberries & Almond Granola and Blueberries & Coconut Granola. Both have Dahi whole milk yoghurt, organic oats, and maple syrup. Just fill up the bag with cold water, let it soak for 3 minutes - et voilà! In late summer, you can even pluck some wild berries and spice up your yogurt bowl. The Yogurts boast 570 cal. and 21g of protein each.
True, dried banana chips are a classic when it comes to backpacking snacks. Yet, Bushka’s Banana Bites (110 cal, 1g protein) are simple and yet so good. The bites melt in your mouth, taste fresh and natural, plus they make an excellent combo with the Yogurt Bowls and Rice Puddin’!
Blog sponsored by Bushka’s Kitchen
The End of the GDT | Back to life, back to reality…
And so our journey in the Canadian wilderness has come to an end. On September 24th, somewhere around noon, Ryan and I stumbled onto Highway 16 between Prince George and McBride. The food was all gone, water bottles were nearly empty and our brains foggy. We started sticking our thumbs out, and much to our surprise, we got picked up within 5 minutes.
We’re no strangers to hitchhiking.
Two days before, we reached the official end of the Great Divide Trail in Kakwa Provincial Park. At km 1095, you reach Kakwa Lake and its wooden cabin, a magnificent end to a magnificent hike… But unless you have fancy friends with a float plane, you still need to hike another 100 km to exit the remote park and catch a ride on Hwy 16. Kakwa Park is accessible by foot, bike, or horse only. No cars or ATVs allowed: The park promotes pure, untouched wilderness.
Our first driver, 90-some years of age, didn’t exactly pull over, but stopped in the middle of the road. He beckoned us to come in and put our packs in the car. Semi-trucks were driving by, angrily honking their horns, but our dear driver did not seem to care nor hear it. Originally from the U.K., he moved to Canada 70 years ago and loved it. He dropped us off at an old-school diner in McBride, where we indulged in the most amazing burgers and poutine. About 6 coffee refills later, we were fuelled up for the next leg of the journey. Although the hiking part was officially over, we still had + 500 highway kilometers to cover.
Hitchhiking in 2022
During our entire GDT adventure, we had over 20 hitches! Our conclusion? We are all just people in the end, and being kind to others is truly the coolest thing you can do - even in 2022.
Hitchhiking in Canada has been quite an adventure. Not only is hitchhiking pretty rare in 2022 - “we’re not living in the hippie 60s anymore” - but some highways don’t even allow picking up hitchhikers! Good thing that some people are still rebels and just want to help another human out. So in the end, we always had a ride out and were fortunate to meet people from all different walks of life.
One of our driver friends & his white truck.
After an hourlong wait in McBride, an A&W cook and his manager picked us up, gave us chocolate to munch on, and conveniently dropped us off in the direction of Jasper, where our third driver, a hard-working First Nation Saskatchewanian picked us up. He generously bought us food in KFC and drove us all the way to Hinton. The next day, a kind banker lady drove us to Edmonton. We listened to country music and talked about banks, dogs, and crazy technology. It was her first time picking up hitchhikers. We think she might do it again.
Hitching to the start of the GDT. Yes, the Sharpie was near-empty.
Hitchhiking after finishing the Great Divide Trail made our return to the “real world” gradual and gentle. However, it still feels like a shock. After a long period of solitude and simplicity, society and its multitude of impulses, people, smells, and sounds can be quite overwhelming.
Posing with our guardian angel
- made by Lynnie Wonfor
But we were lucky to spend a couple of nights with the Wonfors, the kindest and most caring family in Calgary. We learned again that connecting with the right people can be healing, too. ❤
So, what’s on the menu for October? Basically, editing and writing until we drop. After a two-week housesit and taking care of two dogs, we will hit the road again in mid-October. First, we head south to Phoenix for work in the desert. After that, we drive another 2,000 miles to Pittsburgh, where we meet up with Ryan’s family. We’ll say our goodbyes to the van and welcome a new chapter in Belgium… Aloha!
“So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It’s when I’m weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig’s having lashed across it open.
I'd like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.”
(Excerpt from Robert Frosts’ Birches)
Hiking in Glacier’s Backcountry
July is blooming time for the yellow Glacier lily.
Visiting Glacier National Park in the summertime? Yep, it is just as busy as it sounds! With over 3 million visitors a year, Glacier is one of the most popular National Parks in the U.S. That means traffic lines, vehicle reservations, and full parking lots. Nevertheless, don’t let this get in your way of spending time in one of the wildest and most authentic parks of all.
Two Ocean Glacier
High up north in Montana lie these glacial wonderlands that inspire so many. Not surprisingly, Montana is known as “Big Sky” state or - my personal favorite - “The Land of Shining Mountains”. Established in 1910, the park was home to over 100 glaciers. Today, that amount has shrunk to roughly two dozen - and the glaciers keep getting smaller.
Family Time
My dearest cousin Meike!
We met up with my cousin Meike, who came all the way from Belgium to visit us! We picked her up at the train station in West-Glacier, where the Amtrak stops on its way from Seattle to Chicago. It was her first time visiting the U.S., and my first visitor from Belgium! Needless to say, I was really happy to have her with us on this trip.
Glacier Campgrounds
The first couple of nights, we camped at Two Medicine Lake and Apgar. Both campgrounds in the west are excellently run by the Park Service. We paid about $20 a night, and enjoyed the facilities that came with it. We watched bighorn sheep licking coals from the fire pits, swam in Lake McDonald, and waited for the Going-To-The-Sun Road to open up. Officially the scenic road’s latest opening, snowplough crews managed to complete the job on July 13th. The park gets snow almost year-round, and its mountain peaks are still snowcapped throughout summer.
How to get Backcounty Permits in Glacier
Longing for some peace and quiet, we decided it was time to put on our backpacks and escape the crowds and reservation systems… Just kidding: Camping in a national park requires planning and reservations, too! Not our strongest asset, but we made it work. :)
Working our way through the yellow Glacier lilies.
We headed to the backcountry office in Apgar village in the wee hours of the morning. Turns out that most camping permits were already gone, but we happily settled for the last remaining permits, made our way to the shuttle bus, and started the hike!
Moose antlers in the woods.
PS: If you are, just like us, pretty last-minute and in need of camping permits, you will want to get there early, too! Glacier’s backcountry office opens up at 7:30 AM, but it gets very busy during summer. Combined with the fact that you need a vehicle registration - which we did not have -, we got to the office at 5:30 AM… Only to find out that there were already 3 other hikers waiting in line! Speaking of dedication :-)
Itinerary of the hike
Day 1: Loop Trailhead - Granite Park (4.2 miles)
Followed the popular trail up to the beautiful Granite Chalet. No liquor license, alas, so no beers or any other drinks here. But you are rewarded with a million-dollar view and lots of friendly people.
Time to rest after our first day of hiking
The campground is just half a mile away, tucked away between the trees. There’s a stream and a pole to hang your food. Oh, and a very nice pit toilet.
A pit toilet with a view.
Day 2: Granite Park - Flattop Mountain (9.9 miles)
We hiked all the way back down, which was way easier than going up. Then we set out for the other side of the valley, following McDonald Creek and eventually crossing it to the other side. There’s a cool suspension bridge. We went up, slowly but surely, up the hill until we could no longer see nor hear the road. Thick brushes and thousands of wildflowers embraced us as we followed the trail.
Seeking shelter in our tents.
Eventually, beautiful waterfalls greeted us - along with swarms of mosquitos. Time for head nets, rain gear, and Deet spray! This campsite, too, has a pole, a nice privy, and nearby water sources.
Day 3: Flattop Mountain - Stony Indian Lake (14.5 miles)
Running away from the mosquito’s the next morning, we stopped for nothing or no one. We did notice, however, large amounts of bear scat… Could this mean something?
Around noon, we were admiring a young male elk, when all of a sudden, a bush on my right looked a little… hairy. I squinted my eyes - as I often do - to see what it was… And it was a Grizzly cub! First, we were complete in awe and in love with the playful, furry cub… But then it dawned on us: Where’s mom?? And at once, mama bear came out of the bushes and guided her cub safely away from us. A beautiful, intimate, and precious encounter.
The afternoon turned out to be pretty spicey: We encountered many snow patches, some snow bridges, and lots of bushwhacking. So, we sang and clapped our way through the dense bushes and ferns, to scare no bears or other animals. But in turn, we got scared when we smelled the scent of death… Right on the trail, there was a mountain goat carcass, half-eaten and decayed. After that, we clapped even more loudly and vigorously and rushed our way to Stony Indian Lake: A beautiful alpine lake, where we plunged in the icy cold water and ate dinner alongside lively mosquitos and ground squirrels.
Day 4: Stony Indian Lake - Fifty Mountains (8.2 miles)
An easy day back to Fifty Mountains Campground, which we passed the previous day. We took a nap in the fields full of Glacier Lilies and read some poetry. Meike spotted singing Western toads in the melting snow puddles.
North of the campsite, we passed the remains of an old backcountry patrol cabin. A peaceful day and night…
The hills are alive… ♫
… which turned into a heavy storm with thunder, lightning, and rain that same night. We got out of the tents to stake them deeper into the ground and looked up to the sky, shiveringly. We were in the hands of Thor now, nothing more we could do…
But we survived! And the creepy sound just outside of our tent? That was a deer passing by, licking up our pee. The deer here just love pee for its salt.
Thank you, Glacier, for a full and rich experience. If you have the chance, go out there! It's worth the trouble and the wait.
Thanks for reading!
Pacific Crest Trail - Section K: Rainy Pass to Stehekin (part 1)
My first steps on the PCT as a SOBO hiker.
Rainy Pass had its own mini-PCT-monument.
Day 1: Better start walking!
Saturday, July 24th is D-day! I am dropped off by trail angel Madd Baker at Rainy Pass, 61 miles from the Canadian border. As we speak, the Cedar Creek fire is still burning and I was advised to start my PCT SOBO hike from Rainy Pass. Remembering my promise to my mother to make wise decisions, I'm headed for Rainy Pass. I'll be back for you, northern terminus!
Nothing ever goes as planned. And that's totally fine!
After all the disappointments in 2020 (aka canceled NOBO permit due to Covid), I was just very grateful to be on trail. Whether northbound, southbound, eastbound or whatever - I was there! I fought hard for my dream to come true and it was coming true. I looked at my two feet and watched them slowly move forward. Now it's time to walk!
Some of the first PCT trail markers I encountered on trail.
Bear bravery? ... Not really :)
My moment of bravery and self-confidence was short lived, when after only 15 minutes I encountered my first black bear. Crunching on the leaves of a fallen tree, looking for roots and early berries. Starstruck. Bears truly are beautiful animals. I just wasn't sure how to proceed. Not long after that came Irish. "Don't you worry, they won't hurt you! Just walk on!" Following the footsteps of this brave Irishman, I cautiously proceeded. My first day on trail, my first bear. How befitting!
Left: Bear claw marks on the right tree. / Right: My guess: the Eastern White pine cone.
I only walked 8 miles that day, stopping every now and then to pinch myself and see if this was real. And to catch my breath - I was struggling with the weight of my backpack. Every beginning is hard, and that is okay. I am always reminded of a quote of Murakami:
"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."
I'd like to live by that.
Washington wilderness wonders
First impressions of the Washington wilderness? Only superlatives. So green, so lush! What a wild, bold, and brave terrain. I walked with a smile on my face every single day. My first campsitelearned was shared with Sofa Queen. I learnt about her excellent dental hygiene on trail - impressive! - and her incredible courage to carry a backpack that was even heavier than mine. The next morning, I was hoping to wake up at 6 AM, but it was 9 instead. Oh well!
Howard Lake, full of loud frogs and lily pads.
Hiking in my own fantasy world
The first couple of days I walked without earphones. Gradually, I enjoyed listening to some music or a podcast now and then. Some steep climbs got a little easier when Wilco was singing in my ear. Whenever I felt tired, I carried on listening to the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo in Middle Earth. I looked around and could well imagine their quest, sorrows, and aches. Not that I encountered any orcs or unfriendly trees, on the contrary: The trees were magnificent and the people were good-looking and gracious. ;-)
Day 2: A lovely time in Stehekin
My second day on trail started later than anticipated, but I was very excited. I would make way for Stehekin today! After a sunny and happy morning, I arrived around noon at the High Bridge. This quaint little spot includes a ranger cabin (home to the friendly ranger Stan), information signs, and picnic tables. That is where I met Tahlia and her dog Strider. All of us descended to drink from the swirling Stehekin River.
The aquamarine blue Stehekin River.
Together, the three of us took the shuttle bus to Stehekin (the schedule can be found on FarOut). Tahlia was meeting up with a friend who worked at The Garden, an organic produce farm. We decided to meet up later in town that evening. Since it was only my second night on the trail, I decided to free camp in a designated camping area in town.
Stehekin is accessible by boat, plane, or foot only. So, "town" literally means a post office, a general store, and a couple of chalets. It is a peaceful boaters' paradise.
Blue skies, blue water.
Swimming session in Lake Chelan
After setting up my tent, I escaped my sweaty clothes and took a refreshing swim in Lake Chelan. It was icy cold, but it felt so good! There were some families on boats enjoying the setting sun in the middle of the lake. Tahlia joined me for a swim, and later we had a beer with her friend from The Garden, the three of us looking out over the lake. It was then that I had my first wasp sting - that's what you get for drinking sweet cider! ;-)
Lake Chelan, from the Salish word Tsi-Laan, meaning deep water.
That same evening, I saw Irish again who met up with his hiker friend, Dudders. They hiked the PCT together in 2017 and were now hiking SOBO. I enjoyed their company together with Crisco. Tahlia and Strider later joined us too. It was a lovely evening.
Day 3: Leaving Stehekin as ... Cinnamon!
The next morning, the shuttle bus took us back to trail around 8 PM. I hardly managed to get up on time and pack up - and frankly, I still suck at waking up early. Irish and Dudders were on the bus too and happy that I made it after all! 10minutes later, the bus stopped at the bakery. That's right, THE bakery of Stehekin! It really lives up to its reputation. The staff is so friendly and the food is unforgettable. In particular, the pizza slices, blueberry muffins, and their world-famous cinnamon buns were fantastic. I shared those with Irish and Dudders, who in turn rewarded me with my trailname: Cinnamon! I couldn't be happier.
Yep, this is me from now on! Yummy :)
Thanks for reading!