September 22, 2017
Mile 2415 to Deception Lakes (Mile 2444)
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 140
Sitting in the tent after a hustle-of-a-29-mile-day, and the steam from the water for milk and honey smells so good. Stevens Pass tomorrow once we're over snowy/slushy Piper Pass and a few more hills.
We started at 7am, hiked until about 7:20pm and only took ONE forty minute break. I had service for a second at the top of the first climb and got about a million texts. I had to tell Stone no trail magic because we were still more than a day out from Stevens Pass. I told Sam we'd be a day later than expected. Then I got a text from Dad saying he's been trying to get ahold of me and is getting worried. I feel so sad and terrible, I don't want to make them worry. I need to call both mom and dad when I'm in Leavenworth/Stevens Pass.
We had much less know today and incredible views. Did I mention how insanely fake the Cascade mountains look? They're craggy and ominous, now with an accent of snow to contrast the black stone. They stick up dramatically from the green trees of the foothills below. If we can get safely through the rest of Washington, it may end up being the most beautiful part of the trail.
Oh! I almost forgot to mention! A few miles before camping, I was to the point of begging Alex to find something on the topo map that we could make work. I was so, so tired. He found a spot and said 'just three more miles'. I was disappointed, I thought he said 'just .3 more miles'. But as luck would have it, we plugged those three miles in and, as we walked up to the flat campsites of Deception Lakes, we heard the melodious voices of Vice and Boathouse. We're camping together tonight and should get to Steven's Pass just in time for Sam to surprise everyone.
