Tag: camping

PCT Section Hike 2025 – Day 1 Southbound – Cascade Locks to Wahtum Lake 8/17/25

Ian

Sunday, August 17, 2025

14 miles – PCT mile 2150 – 2133.4 (using Eagle Creek alternate)

Here’s an overview of my full journey, minus the last day. I brought the wrong cord to charge my Garmin InReach, which is my sattelite beacon that tracks my progress, so the last day wasn’t tracked. I actually ended at the Sandy River and Ramona Falls, for a total of just about 40 miles.

I woke up around 7am, packed up, said my goodbyes, and headed towards the Bridge of the Gods. Instead of heading up the actual PCT there, I continued west under the bridge on the historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. This would follow the highway to the Eagle Creek Trail Head, where I would start heading into the woods.

Mural under the Bridge of the Gods

At the trail head there is a salmon hatchery that I found to be pretty cool.

I started up the trail and soon came to the first of several waterfalls. This is Punchbowl Falls.

More falls – didn’t know the name of this one.

The big highlight of this trail is Tunnel Falls. This was spectacular and is the main reason hikers do this alternate instead of the actual PCT.

After Tunnel Falls, I continued on and found a place to eat lunch and soak my feet in the creek.

Cliffside trail
Beautiful

It was still early in the day, so I decided to try and go a little further than planned to get a jump on the miles. This ended up being harder than anticipated.

I also remembered I had an app called Dual Gram that allows you to record from both sides of the phone, which is kinda cool.

As I continued up, I looked at the topo map and realized the trail I was originally going to take to meet up with the PCT basically went straight up the mountain with no switchbacks. There was also a question of water once I reached the top. There was another option, which I explain in this video.

This was a good decision in the end. The trail was much nicer and I got to end the day at a lake, which afforded me a brief (but cold) swim. I was also chafing really bad on my thighs, which was the first time in my hiking career that had happened. Luckily, I travel with Aquaphor, which would help me heal up quickly. There would be some other firsts on this trip as well, which I will expound upon later.

I got into camp with about an hour to spare before the sun went down and I was beat. I had my own spot on the edge of the lake and fell asleep quickly.

PCT Section K Southbound – Day 5 – Lake Aloha to Echo Lake Chalet and end of hike 7/19/24

Ian

Friday, July 19, 2024

6 miles – PCT mile 1099.5-1093.4

Last day! So of course I got lost. I headed out of camp after saying goodbye to the friends I had made the night before and just walked off into the woods.

Once I found my way back to trail, I hiked on toward civilization. Lake houses became more frequent and sweet-smelling day hikers were passing me coming from the other direction. A couple of hours later, I arrived at Echo Lake Chalet, put my pack down, and went inside to get a snow cone for breakfast. This was the end of Section K of the PCT. 65 miles total.

End of Trail

I was happy and exhausted. My trail angel, Madison (Buffer, PCT Class of 2023, just like me), that I had also met at Trail Skills College before the hike, picked me up and drove me to her house in South Lake Tahoe. She and her boyfriend Shawn (Sean?) pampered me and were a blast to hang out with. He likes Star Wars more than almost anyone I’ve ever met and we got along great.

COMFY bed

Unfortunately, I found out that I had apparently done this entire hike while infected with Covid.

I had started feeling kinda crappy from day one and just pushed through the miles anyway. The daytime wasn’t bad, but at night I would get a super stuffy nose and was definitely coughing the entire hike. I think I may have had fever that night after the 21 mile day.

But I figure I’ve had worse and proved to myself I can take on a solo hike for a week, sickness and all, and do ok. I’m pretty tired of carrying a bear can and would like to not do that on whatever section of the PCT I tackle next.

The next morning, they drove me to Harrah’s in Stateline to pick up the shuttle bus back up to the Reno airport where I met Rayna again to grab my suitcase and headed back to Texas. Great hike. 10/10, would do again.