PCT Section 7: Cascade Locks to Trout Lake
I took a zero in Cascade Locks to rest, recover, and plan my hike through Washington. On August 1st, I left town, crossed the Bridge of the Gods, and crossed into Washington! After crossing the Columbia River, the PCT began to steadily gain elevation climbing up out of the gorge. I ended up hiking 20 miles this first day, into the late evening. Looking back, this section was defined by it’s forests and the beauty I was able to witness in woodlands at different elevations.
I got to my camp at Rock Creek around 6:30pm, only to find that there were already 15 or so people camped in this area. I found a spot to pitch my tent, over some tree roots, and was thankful that I only had to stay in this spot for one night. The following morning I woke up, packed up camp quickly, and hiked off into the jungle. The image below matched my expectations for the forests in Washington; large trees covered in moss, massive ferns draped over the trail, and a beautiful glow as the sun began to rise.
Again I hiked a long day, and in the afternoon I reached the area around Panther Creek. There were some enormous trees here, big enough to warrant stopping to take pictures! I ended up camping right along Panther Creek, and took the evening to rest in preparation for the climb the next day.
Right after Panther Creek, the PCT begins a significant climb up out of a valley. I would gain over 5,000 feet of elevation on this day, one that I remember for its difficulty. I got an early start to try and beat the heat, but by mid-morning I was starting to slow down. I was struggling mentally as well. All of the friends I had made hiking through Oregon had gotten off trail for various reasons, and I felt alone again despite the number of other hikers around me.
I ended up stopping for a break at a spot where a window opened up facing south towards Mount Hood. I took the image below, ate some food, and put my headphones in to listen to some podcasts. While I was on trail I normally didn’t hike with music or podcasts in, but on this day I needed the distraction.
At the end of the day I crossed over into the Indian Heaven Wilderness, the first wilderness area the PCT crosses in Washington. I camped next to a mosquito infested lake and went to bed early, just trying to get to the next day. The following morning I found the cure for my struggles: fog! I woke up to gloomy weather and fog blanketing the forests around me, and I couldn’t have been happier. I took so many pictures that morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed the cooler conditions.
In the mid-morning, I noticed a small rodent walking up the trail towards me. I assumed it was a squirrel until I got closer and realized that it was something else! I pulled my camera out as quickly as I could and took a picture. It wasn’t a good picture, but it was clear that the little creature I had encountered was a pine marten! As quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the thick underbrush.
The fog eventually cleared, and I kept hiking through this wilderness. I camped next to Mosquito Creek for the night, and was set up to have a short 10 mile day into Trout Lake the next morning. I was up at 5am to guarantee that I would make it to the road in time for the 10am shuttle that volunteers run daily!
I made it to the road way earlier than I expected (aided by my hunger and anticipation of good food in town), and with some new friends got a hitch into town before the regular shuttle arrived. I was able to spend the day relaxing at the general store in town, which caters to PCT hikers, and in the evening the town had a community potluck that hikers were invited to! All of us in town went over, and we were able to enjoy home-cooked food while looking north towards Mount Adams, the next of the cascade volcanoes. Trout Lake was probably my favorite town on trail: the people were incredibly friendly, being able to camp at the general store was so convenient, and I was able to eat lots of good food!