Bushcamp to Skykomish
Mile 2464.2
29.5 miles
While sipping my breakfast brew I read a comment on my map app disclosing that the lodge at Stevens Pass closed at 3 on Tuesday’s…meaning I needed to crush 30 miles before then to get my resupply box. Challenge accepted.
I didn’t have a great start…almost immediately I missed a junction and continued in the wrong direction for a good ten minutes before realizing my mistake. Whoops. It took me to the edge of this lake, so I guess it was worth it.
Back on track, I banged out a big climb without breaking a sweat.
I jogged for most of the morning when I wasn’t climbing. I felt great. My new pack is noticeably lighter, and it’s smaller capacity distributes weight far better than my previous one, making me more agile than ever before.
I was making good time until I hit a rather large river gushing down the rocky mountainside. I took some time attempting to find a safe dry crossing, but ultimately had to walk straight through it.
I continued on through a green tunnel before reaching a ridge where a enjoyed epic vistas as I hustled up the trail.
Today was proving tougher than I’d anticipated. 30 miles in ten hours is easily doable in the flats of Oregon, but the endless ups and downs of Northern Washington were killing me.
By noon I was whipped, but still determined, and the views kept getting better.
A bit past 2 I began passing ski lifts, so I knew I was getting close!
I crested the final mountain to find Stevens Pass Lodge nestled neatly below me. A few minutes later I was there, but I was late. It was 3:10. Damn. Fortunately, they’re open until 5…so things worked out, and I’d killed my self for nothing. Damn.
After grabbing my resupply box, I picked up a Diet Coke, Lush IPA and veggie breakfast burrito from the cafe before planting myself on a picnic table to wait for Spikes. While waiting I organized my resupply. Apparently something chocolate had exploded inside my box…
An hour or so later Spikes arrived, and together we walked down to the highway to grab a hitch into the nearby town of Skykomish. Within minutes a car pulled up. We had to cram into the gear stuffed backseat, but we made it work. Our driver was a hiker named Milkshake…he was an interesting dude from New York. When he dropped us off he hooked us up with a ton of protein bars, so that was rad (they tasted super gross).
After checking into our room at the Cascade Cafe and Hotel, we headed next door to grub at the Whistling Post. Their fried chicken was legendary, as was the owners wife’s cabbage patch soup.
Full for the moment, we hit up the gas station for some ice cream before retiring to our room for the night.
Cheers!