Strange and Benevolent: Hiking Section H of the PCT: Day 1 & 2

So, last month, Sarah and I, along with our friend, Ambika, hiked Section H of the Pacific Crest Trail. Section H is approximately 150 miles long, and stretch from White Pass in the North (just southeast of Mt. Rainier) down to the Bridge of Gods on the Oregon border.

Sarah and Ambika, two years ago, had hiked Section I, directly north of Section H, but this was my first backpacking trip longer than 3 nights. It was intense, amazing and challenging both physically and mentally. And, while I'm still not sure I'm cut out for hikes that long, I'm glad that I did it and proud to have completed it.

To help navigate, I had printed out a series of Half Mile Maps, which detail the route, and most of the water and campsites to be found along the way. Each day, I would write notes on the back of one of the completed map sections, detailing what we'd experienced. I though it would be fun to transcribe those notes here, along with posting some pictures, and including some additional details. (In italics, with parenthesis.) This might not be as detailed, but I thought it might be fun and more immediate seeming.

Anyhow, let's get started...

Day 1: Smokey!

Because of the fire, we started on a detour. Which turned out to be much longer. (There was a forest fire, near White Pass. So, the Forest Service had detoured the PCT onto a side trail, to keep people at a safe distance.)
Saw first thru hikers. (We were going Southbound, while most of the people doing the entire thing -aka "thru hikers"- go Northbound.)
Steep drop to a river crossing. Getting our feet wet.

Trail splits w/ singage from the Forest Service, collapsed cabin and a woman w/ air filter.
Little frogs.
First person we talked to was a hunter, after lunch. Awkward conversation while he held a rifle. First indication that detour trail was longer than we thought.
Pass a tiny pond & camp site. Then cross a field toward and amazing and stunning bowl.

People getting tired as we climb to Lost Hat Lake. At Lake more water & wade.

Fish heads! (Someone had obviously done some fishing in the lake.)
"Have you seen a young oriental dude?" (This was a question that we were asked, while at the lake, but a thru hiker that looked like a malnourished Santa Claus. We had a bit of a "did he just say that?" moment. But, because he was older, looked like Santa Claus and seemed to be friends with the person in question, we just told him "yes" and pointed him in the direction his apparent friend had gone.)
After lake, more up-up-up. Across steep grass field, with view spread out in front.
Reach view point, run into a hiker from Florida who gives us a ton of info about distances, camps, etc.
As we descend through old forest fire white trees toward Lost Lake, I'm in rough shape.

Rest & stretch at Lost Lake.
Easier going. Flatter. Walking along ridge.
Got water at creek and Ambika falls in.
Walk to campsite... which has a creek... that may have been the actual creek. (We had heard there was a creek to get water at, and had presumed that the creek Ambika fell in was the creek. But, it was small and muddy. This creek, was probably the actual creek hikers had mentioned.)
Exhausted. Beans & rice!!

Day 2: Knife's Edge!

Long straight hike just below a ridge. No view because smoke, but several friendly and mostly female hikers. (Ambika and Sarah had mentioned that it was mainly men on the trail. But, as I note here, we saw a lot of female hikers. The demographics are apparently changing on the PCT.)
Move to top of ridge, revealing huge arch of fallen stones, echoing w/ sounds of grasshoppers.

Descend to Packwood Saddle, which was our planned destination for night 1.
Steep climb up mountain side, across fields of wild grass. "Imagine having to mow that!" (A bad joke I kept making.)
Begin getting impressions of stunning views of "Egg Butt" and beyond.

Finally, after a day and a half, reach the official PCT. Have lunch at detour/PCT sign, before beginning climb to Knife's Edge. See southbound hikers in silhouette on mountain top.

As ascending to Knife's Edge, see mountain goats lounging in snowfields.
Path narrows to ledge before reaching.

Knife's Edge is amazing! A winding path along a steep mountain ridge, up to "old snowy."

Ambika is not a fan, and sets off just trying to get it over with.
Sarah not a fan of my attempts at humor.
Reaching the other side, we encounter a crew fixing the trail. Very grateful for their work moving the "singing rocks." (I was calling the rocks "singing rocks" because the clattering, as we walked over them seems strangely musical.)

Cross several small snowfields and watch one of the clean up crew bathing in a pool of snow water.
Beginning to head down through beautiful, scenic rock and grass fields with amazing boulder formations.
Pass the "Muppet Kingdom," a giant split boulder w/ muppet-like flowers around it.