Fri-Sat, Aug 15-16, 2025
As I stepped off the train from the Portland airport, I immediately spied one of my people. You can spot the hiker trash a mile away. The grit and grime of their clothes, the backpacks, the PCT emblem clipped to their back if they are thru-hiking; the hiker uniform is unique.
The weather was typical PNW: chilly, foggy, and humid, with the smell of pines in the air. I joined my fellow hikers on the bus heading to the east on Hwy 84 along the Columbia River. I sat next to a hiker named Whiskey, who had gotten hurt in the Sierra and was just following his still-hiking buddies around at trail towns. When we got off in Cascade Locks 45 minutes later, he astutely asked, “well, now what?”. None of us really knew where to go, but we quickly found our way to the campground and park at Thunder Island.
I signed up to volunteer for the weekend, so I got to camp for free on Friday and Saturday nights. My volunteer role was to help out with running the sound, which basically consisted of turning the music down whenever someone needed to make an announcement on the microphone about the various events and gear demos throughout the day. The rest of the time I got to wander around and hang out with hikers and generally have a good time.
After setting up camp, I walked around the small town of Cascade Locks to get the lay of the land. The historic and iconic Bridge of the Gods spans the Columbia River here and is where the trail crosses from Oregon into Washington.
Cascade Locks is tiny and walkable and full of hikers.
Overnight on Friday it rained and we all woke up a bit soggy, but ready for another full day of gear, friends, and fun.
At the end of the day there was a raffle where thousands of dollars of gear were given away. I didn’t get any, but it worked out because I wouldn’t have had anywhere to keep it anyway, since I was hitting the trail the next morning.
The weather on Saturday night was much better and we all settled in for a nice sunset and the end of a great weekend. I hit the trail the next morning.
Mexico to Canada 2023 (and beyond) 