Quick Post: Section J of the PCT

I need some time to process all that I saw and all that happened in my two days of running Section J Southbound on the PCT. I hope to get a detailed post up within the week, but meanwhile, I thought I post briefly with some highlights of my two favorite sites.

The smoke from the wildfires impeded the views entirely, but I still found beauty along the way. In particular, I loved the beginning of the climb to Pieper Pass on the first day, which was switchbacks through granite. The soil was white granite sand, so the trail was white and it was surrounded by white granite boulders. It was pristine. At the floor of the climb, the rocks were dotted with heather and other wildflowers, as well as some short evergreens.

As I approach the climb to Pieper Pass, I turned to look back (north) at what I had just run. From here, the trail switchbacks up to the left (west) through a huge granite-covered slope.

The other area that I loved was on the second day as I began the climb out of the Waptus River basin to Chikamin Ridge. There was a section of burnt forest (Waptus Burn area) with purple fireweed blooming amongst the silver trees with a backdrop of a granite wall.

The burned trees here still had their bark, but a short while later, the bark gave way to silvered wood, and pearly everlasting was the more common wildflower.

It was the hardest physical challenge I have ever undertaken. Heck, Saturday was the longest, hardest run I've ever done (47.5 miles), and then the next day I got up and ran a marathon (27.5 miles)! I am very, very sore today. Much more to follow.

What's in My Pack for the PCT

As I anxiously watch the air quality index, I figure it's time to get my pack ready in case I decide to go right away on my two-day run southbound on Section J of the PCT. We have had smoke in the Seattle area from forest fires in BC, Canada, and in eastern Washington, and the air quality index was 179 yesterday, classified as "unhealthy for everyone." Yikes. I may decide last minute to go the next day, and I want my pack ready.

Here's what's in my pack:

Note: I changed out #20 for a taller, narrower bottle (same brand). It fits in my front vest pocket better, is still 17 oz., and has a wider mouth so it will be easier to put Perpetuem in it.

1. Montbell down jacket (for sleeping)

2. Ibex Woolies 3 pants (for sleeping)

3. Bug netting sewed to a headband

4. Sleeve Stars ankle compression sleeve (in case I twist an ankle)

5. North Face Better Than Naked tank top (for changing into to wear under my jacket)

6. Ultimate Direction Fastpack 20

7. Z-Packs down hood (for sleeping)

8. Reflectix (sleeping mat with an R-value of 9)

9. My "tivy" (tent-bivy that I sewed myself with Dyneema waterproof, breathable fabric)

10. Titanium tent stakes (3)

11. DHEA, probiotic, 3 mg time-released melatonin, 15 SPF lip balm, duct tape

12. Trail notes (junctions, water stops, maps of junctions)

13. First aid kit, hydration salts

14. Paper towels and baggie (for pottying)

15. Black Diamond Z-Pole

16. Bear spray

17. Petzl e+LITE headlamp

18. GoPro Session 5

19. Spot Gen3 satellite messenger

20. HydraPak Stow Water Bottle 17 oz (for mixing Perpetuem and Tailwind Recovery in)

21. Katadyn BeFree 20 oz water filter/bottle

22. Ultimate Direction 50-oz bladder

23. Hammer Perpetuem, 6 scoops per bag (2 bags plus one also inside #24)

24. Toaks Titanium 450 ml Cup, Evernew Titanium Alcohol Stove w/ 1 oz alcohol, 6 waterproof matches, nylon cord to hang my food in my pack at night, and Perpetuem inside

25. Tailwind Endurance Fuel (2 bags for 40 oz. and one for 32 oz.)

26. Vega Sport Energizer (for morning of day 2)

27. Tailwind Recovery drink (single serving for end of first day)

28. Vegan trail food: Backpacker's Pantry Spaghetti and Sauce, Louisville Vegan Jerky, Good-To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto; GSI Outdoors Essential Spoon

29. Z-Packs 30 down bag and waterproof stuff sack

And here's my pack, fully-loaded:

My pack weighs 8 pounds, 13 ounces without water. My goal was to have it under 8 pounds, and originally, it was 7. But adding things like a first aid kit, lip balm, an extra bag of fuel, and a slightly longer sleeping mat all ads up!

Here's what I'll be wearing for the fastpack:

1. Garmin Fenix 5X and Garmin Forerunner 25 (using Fenix for map both days and distance the second day, and the Forerunner for distance part of the first day)
2. Merrill Agility Peak trail shoes
3. Blue Steel Anti-Chafe Cream
4. Feetures cushioned socks
5. Prescription sun glasses
6. Moving Comfort Crossback Sports Bra
7. Moving Comfort underwear
8. Buff hat
9. Halo headband (has a channel to move sweat to the sides, keeping it out of your eyes)
10. Athleta Sunlover UPF Tulip Back Long Sleeve Top
11. R-Gear Recharge Compression Printed 8" Shorts

In the car for when I finish the fastpack, I will also have supplies. It will include

• Tailwind Recovery drink
• Water w/ Vega Hydration Electrolytes
• Sandwich
• Wipes (to clean up)
• Change of clothes
• Teva sandals
• Best of all, John (my husband)

The countdown is on and I am getting excited!

Southbound on the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass

I am in the taper to my fastpack on Section J of the PCT, so I ran a short out and back on the Pacific Crest Trail today. I started at Snoqualmie Pass and headed south, where the trail begins in forest but then quickly relinquishes its shade for an exposed, rocky climb under motionless chair lifts. This was the only sustained climbing for the day, so it was really pretty easy.

Looking back at the ski lifts at the start of the trail

At about a mile, I entered the woods again as the roar of traffic subsided. The trail was lush and verdant, with gentle undulation and constant rocks to keep me paying attention. About two miles in, I came to an old structure--too big to be an outhouse but a similar shape--perched beside a pond. I encountered four northbound thru hikers early in the second mile as well.

In the center is the strange little building with round, metal openings

Around the third mile, I heard the noisy rush of cars from I-90 again, and a view of the west side of the summit presented itself. Soon after, I saw three more thru hikers. After crossing a talus slope, I plunged into deep woods for a mostly perfect path, occasionally interrupted by rocky sections. Then I was back into brush and rocky trail for a while. Eventually, I popped out onto a four-wheel drive road for about a quarter of a mile before grabbing the trail and forest again.

Typical trail with rocks, which look amazingly small in the photo

A nice section of trail ahead with small sections of rocks

The I-90 eastbound approach to the pass far below

Looking back up the trail from the same spot as the view of I-90 in the photo above

Soon, I crossed a dry creek bed and climbed some rocky steps. Around the fourth mile, I startled a large animal about five feet away from me, hidden in the brush. I didn't see it, but it sounded heavy. My guess is an elk or a bear. I don't think bears startle the way this creature did, though. The trail gave way to Ollalie Meadow next, where I saw four more backpackers, one of whom was definitely a thru hiker. The meadow was the prettiest part of the run, green grass with white granite and a view of Silver Mountain.

The rocky steps

I cross a dry stream bed. Shortly after, I spooked a large animal hidden in the brush.

Ollilie Meadow

Shortly after the meadow, I crossed a road where two cars were parked. I think it was the trailhead for Silver Peak or Mt. Catherine. After the road, I ran through a pretty area with shorter trees, likely a clearcut, and then into the tall woods again to reach the five mile turnaround. There was even a tree with a five on it on a small wooden sign.

Looking northbound in the clearcut

My watched chimes in at five miles, and I stop to take a picture looking back. I noticed the sign with a 5 on it on the tree.

I headed back the way I came and sent an Spot OK message. I tried to text John as well, but found I had no coverage. After another mile or so, my phone rang--my friend, Nicole. We chatted for a while and then I checked in with John. He said the Spot was doing a good job of tracking me, which is surprising since I spent a lot of time in the forest.

Once I was back on the road, I noticed that I could see the elevated part of eastbound I-90 where the Wallace Falls Trail crosses under it. I noted the short wooden posts marking the road as the PCT for reassurance.

One of many PCT sign posts

I-90 westbound elevated section in the distance

It seemed I was back in no time, and indeed, it took me less time to run the second five miles. It was an easy run, and a good chance to practice with the now-updated GoPro Hero Session 5 as well as the Spot. I have a better understanding of how the Spot functions in tracking mode and when sending a message. It can take longer than ten minutes to send an OK message, even with a clear view of the sky, and it is impossible to tell if the sending message light is blinking for tracking or an OK message. I determined that I will turn the tracking off when I stop for the night on the PCT fastpack so that I know when the message light stops blinking that my OK message has been sent. (If I leave the tracking on, it will continue to blink as it sends ten-minute tracking messages.) The GoPro was super easy to use. Next time, I'll have to take some videos, too.

It was also good to run a rocky trail to keep my ankles accustomed to the terrain I will face on the fastpack. I have one ten-mile run left, so I may do another PCT run next week.

Cascade Pass to Stehekin

Mornings such as this are to be remembered. I sit here with a view of Lake Chelan, the smoke mostly gone, my body tired but feeling pretty good, and I am surrounded by three people who love me. It's taper time, as I successfully completed my second biggest running event of the summer, Cascade Pass to Stehekin, as well as the always more difficult second long run the day after.

I turn on the Spot at the Cascade Pass Trailhead. John gave his final words of encouragement, and off I went at 5:29 am.

The run from Cascade Pass Trailhead near Marblemount, WA, to Stehekin, WA, was one of the easier trails I've run, and the scenery was majestic. The route began with a gentle and moderately technical 3.5-mile climb to Cascade Pass. I started at 5:30, so the sun was just brushing the peaks with a vivid wash of golden light, the half-moon still visible. As I approached the pass, the forest surrendered to an alpine landscape of purple heather and granite rock, the saddle swathed in light, shifting fog.

The approach to the pass is my favorite part! The heather was in bloom amongst the granite, and a light fog hovered on the pass.

I had the pass to myself, and paused briefly to take a photo before beginning the rocky descent on the eastern side. As I crisscrossed the mountain side north to south in short switchbacks punctuated with wildflowers, I noted the rush of wind or water each time I turned a northern reach. On the final switchback, the water made itself surely known, both in volume but finally in sight. To my delight, I had reached Doubtful Creek, for which there is no bridge.

The fog is mostly clear once I get to the pass, so I could see into the valley. 

Finally I see the source of the sound--Doubtful Creek. Because of the sun, it is hard to see the creek in this photo.

The slope there was steep, so my way across was simply one level in a many-tiered waterfall. Huge granite boulders created a pool less than a foot deep. I removed my shoes and socks, tied them together, and looped my vest strap through the laces so I wouldn't lose them. The water was refreshing and not too swift. John's reminder to face upstream came to mind as I waded across maybe four feet to where the boulder protruded from the water. I sat on the warm granite in the sunshine to take a few pictures with the Hero Session 5, and then worked my way around a second, deeper pool.

The waterfall at Doubtful Creek

Soon after, I encountered two backpackers heading up to the pass, likely getting an early start to beat the heat. Next came the junction with Horseshoe Basin where I turned right and continued descending. At this moment, I recalled that there are grizzly bears in the North Cascades, and wondered why that didn't freak me out! I entered a brushy area that soon opened up to a charming, bouncy bridge across Basin Creek. From here, I ran in and out of the brush and dry stream beds, picking my way carefully through the rocks. I talked out loud to myself to let any bears or other predatory creatures know of my presence.

The junction with Horseshoe Basin, which is straight ahead. My trail went down behind me.

My route down from the Horseshoe Basin junction.

The bouncy little bridge at Basin Creek

Around mile nine, I entered a tall forest and encountered Cottonwood Camp and bear scat (not fresh). The trail followed an old road bed for the next seven miles with a gently descending grade and fir needle-cushioned tread. It was easy running and it was fun to watch my average speed rise from 3.4 miles per hour to 3.7. I continued to run through brush, huckleberry, and forest, most of the time unable to see much, occasionally encountering a rocky streambed. I noted the berries on the bushes and resumed speaking my unprofound thoughts--"There's some Indian Paintbrush, there's some more granite rocks, stay focused, 'mind in boat.'" I talked to John, imagining that he was likely in Winthrop by now having coffee. I talked to my dad, too, asking him to keep watch over me.

The trail widens when it reaches what used to be the Old Stehekin Valley Road. The river was particularly pretty here, as it shoots through a narrow granite wall canyon.

All the while, the rush of the Stehekin River was by my side to the south, a constant comfort that there was water nearby if I needed it. I refilled my bladder after crossing a solid bridge at the aptly-named Bridge Creek. Eventually, I reached the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail and left the old road bed. After going downhill for most of 12 miles, it was nice to head uphill, and the return to real trail was not too punishing. Having not seen anyone for four hours, here I saw a group of eight or so backpackers, the last of whom advised me that the previous hiker they had passed had seen a bear at the upcoming creek. I heeded his warning by talking out loud to myself yet again.

This part of the route was entirely in forest, and I found myself in a grove of huge, ancient cedars. When I came to the junction where I could continue trail for another mile and a half, or take a short trail to the Stehekin Valley Road and High Bridge, I chose the latter since the tendon on the side of my left ankle was giving me a little trouble.

I was glad to have made the choice, since the river crossing at High Bridge was beautiful. I tried to take a picture but the GoPro was refusing to take pictures (and had been for quite some time). I believe it needs an update, as we have never done so since buying it last year. The last 13 and a half miles were on the road, which changed from gravel to pavement and back again numerous times. It seemed to go on forever. The ever-present river made a nice water stop. The day was getting hot, and shade less frequent, so the wind picking up was a welcomed treat. I knew it also meant that the boat ride from Chelan to Stehekin was rough and unpleasant for John, Dana, and Jill.

Eventually, I passed the orchard and the school house, and finally encountered the bakery where the red shuttle bus was stopped to let eager tourists make pastry purchases. I asked the driver how much farther to Stehekin, and she said two miles and asked if I was doing OK. I made up my mind to run the final two miles to Stehekin, as I was taking walk breaks at this point. I diligently stayed hydrated and while it was quite hot (90+ F), I felt pretty good. I was so happy to see the lake on my watch map--I saw it there before I actually saw the lake. Soon after, I saw Purple Point, my rendezvous with John, Dana, and Jill. I also noted the whitecaps on the lake and doubted that they had arrived yet. For one thing, I was half an hour early! I finished at nearly 1:30, just under eight hours. My speed averaged out to 4.1 miles per hour over the course of 32.85 miles.

I made my way to the bathroom where I changed out of my sweaty clothes into a bathing suit. I was reluctant to go into the cold water, not wanting to cause a heart attack. Truly, people lost in the desert have been rescued, only to die of a heart attack when someone hands them a cold bottle of water. The body can't take the shock. Instead, I dangled my feet in the water for a few minutes at a time and had my Tailwind recovery drink.

I was wary of getting chilled despite the heat, so I left the windy dock and went to the store and bought a Pelligrino and waited for the boat from my perch on the deck in front of the restaurant. I watched a large crowd board The Lady of the Lake, which pulled away at 2:00, heading for Chelan. At 2:20, I saw a boat approach (there was very little boat traffic due to the windy conditions), counted three people in the boat, and then saw Jill's signature coral outfit. I knew it was them and spread my arms wide as I walked across the parking lot to the docks. Because of the wind, they had trouble approaching. A man nearby saw what was happening and came over to help so I could hop in the boat. We thanked him, reversed the boat, and headed back for Chelan, 56 miles away.

Happy to be on the boat! 

Jill immediately presented me with grapes, nectarines, and apricots, and then a beer. I was so happy to be on the boat! We began the rough ride back. I was surprised to find that I was hot, even with the boat moving. (When we visited last year, it was cold enough on the boat to wear a sweatshirt and to cover my legs with a towel, and I hadn't been running all day.) The lake was littered with logs and branches and we hit one. The boat immediately lost power; the engine vibrated and sounded terrible. My stomach sunk, as I knew they would never have been out in these conditions had they not had to pick me up. We were still many miles from home with no one in sight. Dana decided to try limping back, which would take until dark. Suddenly, it seemed we hit another log, and two bumped along in our wake and the boat was abruptly normal. We think that the log was actually stuck somehow under or behind the boat, and when he bumped the second log, it dislodged. The boat was not harmed at all, thank goodness!

We capped the day with a fantastic Beyond Burger with lots of fresh toppings. It was so, so good! We all went to bed early, around 9:20.

The next morning, John and I got up at 6:00. I still had one more training run to complete. I planned to do 20 miles, heading up the hills that surround Lake Chelan. There is a dirt road the goes up steeply right behind Dana and Jill's house. John and I hiked together up it for three and a half miles, and then I continued on my own and began running. I ran out of road at seven miles, so I had to head back down, knowing I would have to complete my run on the paved road. Despite this, I was frankly relieved because the smoke was getting thick up there--there were two wildfires in the area at Entiat and Winthrop--and I was getting anxious about getting overtaken by fire.

John and I hike up the dirt road together for about three and a half miles. I continued running and he went back down the road.

Going back down the dirt road, it was quite steep the last two miles. I had to walk because my quads were so sore and simply spent. I wanted to cry, but then I told myself (out loud) to toughen up, Ellen! So I laughed at myself and kept going. Once back on the pavement, I had John meet me with some water, as I was almost out. The air was clearer down below, but the road has no shade and my legs were shot. I made a deal with myself that if I ran without any walk breaks for the next two and a half miles, that I could turn around and walk back to the house, topping out at 18.5 miles. I could have walked an additional mile and a half, but 18.5 put me at 71.5 miles for the week, significant because I have to do 71.3 on the PCT. I figured that was enough, and everyone was waiting for me so we could go to town and get coffee.

I was so happy to be done! John met me out at the top of the driveway.

The rest of the day, I hobbled around and enjoyed myself. We wine tasted, had lunch at Karma (vineyards and bistro), and then dinner at Sorento's. Though we only had a few vegan options, our meals were delicious! I had a green hummus, made from fresh-picked garbanzo beans and a flatbread with marinara and vegetables for lunch, and then pasta with artichokes, roasted mushrooms and tomatoes, olives, white wine and herbs for dinner. We had brownies and blueberry pie that I'd made at home for dessert! I woke up this morning feeling great with just a little residual soreness in my quads. I am taking a rest day, as Jill and John are hiking with Jill's friend Linda and Dana is walking to the store to get his blood flowing. I am looking forward to a day relaxing on the lake!

We get ready for a late dinner at a winery! The sun was red because of the smoke from the forest fires.

It feels wonderful to have accomplished my goal! I would love to hear what goals you have, and I am happy to lend any advice if I can. I know that my fastpack on Section J of the PCT is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, so I also welcome any encouragement or advice you may have!

Training on the PCT

I set out at 5:30 this morning on the PCT from Snoqualmie Pass to do 30 miles, out and back. My goal, besides training, was to see all but six miles of what I will have to do the second day of my PCT Section J Southbound fastpack in exactly four weeks from today. In addition to the terrain and elevation gain/loss, I learned a lot about water and my gear. It was a good experience, rounded out by meeting some southbound through hikers.

I got up at 4:00 to eat breakfast and pack up. I had prepared everything the night before, so it was fairly quick. I was out the door by 4:30. Note the darkness outside the screen door!

I found the run up to the Kendall Katwalk to be fairly easy in terms of the grade, but a bit rocky. I had to be careful of my footing after the first half mile the entire day. There was lots and lots of granite throughout the 15 miles of trail, the mostly sharp and pokey kind that seems to grab your feet, along with some basalt (I think). After the Katwalk, I climbed another thousand feet to reach right around 6,000. It wasn't too bad in terms of feeling the elevation, but the trail was super rocky after the Katwalk, with nearly three miles of talus slopes/scree with little in the way of runnable trail. It was slow going. My average of 3.0 miles per hour dropped to 2.9, then 2.8, and then 2.7 when I stopped to fill up on water just after turning around. 

Throughout the day, I had views of Mt. Rainier. It looks tiny in the photo due to the camera, but the mountain loomed impressively on the horizon all day. You can see my bug set up on my hat, too!

I reached the Kendall Katwalk just before 7:30. It was lovely to have it all to myself n the soft morning light.

I really enjoyed the view of Joe Lake (lower left). After cresting a ridge, I dropped down toward it (but never to it) and eventually ended up on the other side, climbing up again and then going beyond it. It was my favorite lake view of the day.

I found the terrain, not the elevation, to be challenging, more so than I had hoped. It took me half and hour longer than my long end of the time estimate I gave John when I left. I am still concerned about being able to do 50 miles before dark on the first day of the PCT fastpack. On the bright side, I did get better at crossing scree, seeing some of it as "big gravel." I also learned to use my pole in a new way. I developed a sort of run/walk rhythm with the single pole: I would leave the pole firmly planted for two swings of my other arm instead of lifting it for each alternating arm swing. While the pole was down, I would run left right left and then walk for the final right, plant the pole again, run left right left, walk right, and so on. It served me well in crossing rocky or steep terrain, whether it was up or downhill.

I was pretty impressed that I crossed the talus slopes, so I looked back to take a picture. The red line marks the trail. However, I didn't know that I had another solid mile and a half of scree coming up! What I had crossed so far paled in comparison because it was broken up with short sections of nearly runnable trail.

This is a sampling of what I had in store for me still. Large rocks, un-runnable without a break for a mile and a half. I wrenched my ankle and jarred them plenty of times. In this photo, Mt. Baker is in the middle on the horizon. It was my only view of Mt. Baker that I noticed.

The most interesting thing that happened today had to do with my water supply. I noticed early on that I was really sweating at the small of my back. My shirt was wet and clammy. It's the first time I had worn the shirt, so I blamed the shirt. It even wicked onto my pack. Hmmm. The thought crossed my mind that maybe my bladder, which has NEVER leaked, was somehow leaking. But I dismissed that thought since the Ultimate Direction bladders are so good.

At mile 13.35, there was a great stream, so on the way back I decided to stop and refill my bladder. To my surprise, the bladder was open! I had started the day with the bladder in the outside sleeve of my vestpack for easy access, but I found it moved around too much, so I moved it to where I usually have it, the inner sleeve made just for it. I don't know if I somehow slid the closing mechanism off then, just enough to cause problems down the line. But what I think happened is that it gradually worked its way off the top of the bladder. The closing mechanism has an loop to run a strip of velcro through so it can be held in an upright position. With the mechanism being slightly off and then all the jostling around as I ran, I think it just slid off. I had very little left in my bladder. I would say about half of it had leaked out. No big deal because I had my Katadyn soft bottle with a filter built into the cap.

This brings me to lesson number five: don't let the harassment of bugs get to you! The bugs were particularly bad at this stream, and in my rush to get the water and move along, I did something really stupid, the kind of stupid that's embarrassing to admit. I was supposed to fill the Katadyn bottle, put the cap with built in filter on, and squirt it into my bladder. But what did I do? I just dumped the water from my Katadyn bottle right into my bladder! At least I realized it before I drank the water. I dumped everything out of my bladder and had to settle for the .6 liter Katadyn. Fortunately, there was water again around mile 9, and again at 7, and yet again at 3.25 (miles from the car). I was never thirsty today.

I also brought an extra food item, which may sound trivial (a Clif Bar) but I never depleted my glycogen stores today, evidenced by the fact that my legs never got shaky. Now I know I did a lot of hiking because of the rockiness, but I covered 30 miles and had 9970 feet of elevation gain and loss. My conclusion about future long runs is that I need to hydrate better and eat more instead of relying on gels, Perpetuem, and Tailwind.

One small thing to correct is my hat and bug netting set up. I sewed bug netting to the inside rim of my hat and put a tiny piece of velcro on the top so I could put it up out my face as needed. It worked quite well, but as long as I was moving, I didn't really need it. What I did need was something to block the sun from the back of my neck. I think I am going to take the netting off my hat and sew it to a small headband instead so I can put it on over my hat as needed, but then sew some kind of UV blocking material to the back of my hat to shield my neck. I know I can buy a hat like this, but I really love my Buff hat. I can hardly tell I have it on!

The highlight of my day, besides the incredible views, was meeting two incredible people, Susanna and Jen! They are solo southbound through hikers from California. I saw both of then (separately) in the first half of my day. I chatted with Susanna in the rocky switchbacks when she got her first view of Mount Rainier. She is quite the backpacker; she did section J in just three days! When I saw her in the last two miles of the day, I was beginning to think I would never catch her. And then when I saw Jen again right at the very end, I was surprised to learn that she, too, was through-hiking, and she had just completed 17 miles. They both looked so fresh. I thought Jen was just out for a casual backpack. I was very impressed, not only with their stamina, but that they were both hiking alone. We all ended up at the parking lot at Snoqualmie Pass at the same time, so I gave them a ride to the other side of the freeway to the Summit Inn, where Jen was staying (and probably Susanna, too, since the food truck and camping in its parking lot didn't manifest).

Sad note for the brother and sister through hikers from Buffalo, NY. They started their through hike by doing the California section, and then flip flopped to the Canadian border to work their way to the southern Oregon border. Today, they hit the 1000 mile mark! The sister was talking about a buffet at Snoqualmie Pass that she was looking forward to. I don't really know what's at the pass, but later it occured to me that she said something about a casino.... I wish I had realized it then, but Snoqualmie Pass and the Snoqualmie Casino are NOT in the same place.

I returned at 5:30 after a long day. I felt the best I have ever felt after a long training run.

The Final Preparations

I am officially in my two and a half-week taper to the Cascade Pass-Stehekin run! It's time to start taking care of the things I've been putting aside for now. Here are the things I need to do before August 1:

• Schedule a chiropractor appointment and massage appointment the Friday before the run for last-minute tune-ups. (Done!)
• Adjust my training plan. I have a 17-mile run down for Saturday after two weekends in a row with 38 miles and I am not sure why. And should I continue to train up to Cascade Pass-Stehekin run and then taper? Or taper now? (Done! I decided to continue to train right up to Cascade Pass-Stehekin. Because I have chosen mid-week for both big runs, I have to shift my training to running long mid-week instead of weekend. Thus, this weekend's easy runs became the mid-week build up of a hard week. I ran 10 miles Saturday, six today, and will run four tomorrow. Tuesday will be a rest day, and then Wednesday, I plan to run 15 miles north from Snoqualmie Pass and back.)
• Prepare bags of Tailwind and Perpetuem for the long run.
• Practice using the water filter bottle and squirting it into my bladder.
• Plan the food and clothing to take with me for the run. 
• Prep a small first aid kit for my vest.
• Treat running clothes with Permethrin (bug stuff).
• Sew bug netting scraps to my running hat.
• Practice with John's GoPro Hero.
• Test the Spot. Again.
• Check in with Dana and Jill, my Stehekin to Chelan support!

Between now and the PCT Fastpack:

• Use alcohol stove to determine how much fuel it takes to boil the water needed for my freeze-dried meal. Add additional fuel for boiling time at a higher elevation. (Done. It took nine and a half minutes for the water to reach a slight boil; I let it go for 12 minutes. One ounce of fuel will burn for 16 minutes. I figure I'll need one ounce for each meal.)
• Make a windshield for my stove with a Fosters larger beer can. 
• Stealth camp with John to try out my tivy. (Maybe Wednesday on the PCT, where I won't have to stealth camp?)
• Find a place to stay as close to Steven's Pass for the 20th. (Found a place on Airbnb in Skykomish about 15 minutes from the pass. I haven't booked it yet, as they have a cancellation policy that doesn't favor sudden changes in weather. I'll wait until a day or two before to book it. It didn't look super popular, and I did have a second choice that was 25 minutes from the pass.)
• Prepare bags of Tailwind and Perpetuem.
• Study the map. Know by heart the tricky junctions, camp site location, and water fill ups. Check in with Kem about campsites.
• Add more items to this list as I think of them!

Water! (Running in the Heat)

Today was my last long training run before the Cascade Pass-Stehekin run, and I learned some valuable lessons about hydration. I've run in the heat before, but not with as much elevation gain and therefore not as long. I spent half of my day dehydrated and light-headed, not to mention thirsty.

Today was slated to be a high of 86 degrees mid-afternoon, with the day starting out around 59 degrees. I got up at 3:30 to eat breakfast (a large piece of wheat toast with almond butter and half a banana), went back to bed, and got up for good at 4:26. Because I was having John shuttle me, leaving my car at Red Town Trailhead on Cougar Mountain and starting at Sunset Way at the base of Tiger--that's a lot of driving--I was aiming for a 5:45 start. Right on time--it was nice a cool when I started my run.

At the peak of Tiger 2, I found fresh tiny bear poop cylinders, and then shortly after starting down the TMT I found this pile. I was on alert and talked to myself from time to time.

On the Bypass Trail just beneath the summit of Tiger 1, I entered a dark forest with no undergrowth. It was similar to and in the same area as where I saw three bears several weeks ago.

Looking back on the Bypass Trail, which puts you on the summit of Wester Tiger 1, the dark forest is a stark contrast to the open top.

I've been to the top of Tiger 1 several times, but I've never had a clear day. I was delighted!

Trust me, Mt. Rainier looked huge from my vantage point. The picture just doesn't do it justice.

Tiger 1 has a "hiker's hut" with aluminum siding. I've never peered inside, assuming it is full of mouse poop. The Bypass Trail comes up in the dark area right next to the hut. I suppose it is for shelter from the rain.

I got a compression sleeve for my hamstring, and it felt great. I headed up the High School Trail from Sunset, and then made my way up West Tiger 3. By the time I got to the top, I had sweat dripping into my eyes. Note to self: wear a Halo headband to channel the sweat to the sides and keep it out of my eyes. I have at least five of them! I thought wearing a hat, I wouldn't need one. I was wrong. Sunscreen in the eyes in not a pleasant experience. From the beginning of the day, I was drenched in sweat, so I never really noticed the heat. Plus, most of my day was in the forest, so I was in the shade.

Filling my bladder to the full 50 ounces, I took two to three sips of water every ten minutes like I usually do, and felt fine for about four hours. When I made my way over to Squak Mountain, I found myself thirsty. My water has electrolytes and carbs mixed in (Tailwind), and it just wasn't quenching my thirst. By this time, it was probably around 10:00 or 10:30, so the day was starting to heat up. Two sips turned to three or more. By the time I hit 18 miles, I was starting to get concerned about having enough water. I just couldn't get enough. I could reach behind me to pat my bladder inside my vest and know that I still had fluid, but still. What I really wanted was just plain water.

Making my way down Squak on Margaret's Way, I hoped that there would be water at one of the buildings in the parking lot. I was delighted to see three beautiful tanks of water cooler refills on the back step of one of the buildings. Unfortunately, no one was there. Next door, there is a gravel pit, and I saw someone exiting the parking lot, so I ran over there only to find it deserted. I wasted a good ten minutes in pursuit of water. I still had some left, so no big deal.

What a beautiful sight! Too bad no one was home at the buildings in the Margaret's Way Trailhead parking lot. Water has never looked so enticing.

I still had four miles on Cougar Mountain to go at this point, and I ran out before I crested Shy Bear Pass. By this time, I was really thirsty. There was a race on Cougar today, so I hoped I would get lucky and pass an aid station and make a plea for a cup of water. Alas, the race was nearly done by the time I got there, and the only aid station was in the parking lot, and it was dismantled by the time I arrived. I had water in the car anyway.

Back at the car, I texted John to let him know I'd finished, and he wisely advised me to sip not gulp. It was hard not to, and to be honest, I did gulp at first. I just couldn't get enough. I drove to Matthew's Thriftway to pick up more water after nearly going through all of my 20 ounces of water and 20 ounces of recovery drink, all in a matter of 15 minutes. I got more water for the 45-minute drive home, and those 20 ounces were gone well before I got there. While in the Thriftway, I began shaking from the chill of the air conditioning, and I was still breathing hard from my run. I noticed even my breath was shaky. The checker gave me a concerned look, and I tried to be as pleasant and normal as possible. My right eye began to twitch.

Getting in the car, I lost my balance just opening the door. I sat in the car and nearly lost my composure. I realized that I was hyperventilating, so I dropped my head against the steering wheel and breathed deeply. I ate a few pop chips and drank some more water and calmed down. I simply cannot allow that to happen on the PCT. For a few minutes, I was so light headed, I didn't think I could drive. But I got a hold of myself and the hydration and salt from the chips began to take its effect.

Side note: when I first arrived at the Thriftway, I thought I might need my pole to walk in the grocery store--which is when I realized that I had leaned it again my car when I first finished, and never put it inside the car. I rushed back to the trailhead and retrieved my forgotten pole. Foggy brain.

I have planned to refill my bladder every ten miles or so on the PCT and have planned stops at year-round water sources every ten miles or so. I was thinking 20 ounces each time, but now I think I will do at least 30. I will also drink up with just plain water when I refill my water bladder. I have a collapsible bottle with a filter built into the cap, which I will use to filter my water and then squirt it into my bladder.

My run took over nine hours. I took it slow, babying my hamstring on the the downhills, which totally trashed my quads. They were jelly like on Squak--it was not pretty. I just couldn't afford another stumble. I figured sore quads was a small price to pay for a happy hamstring.

The first day of my two-day PCT Section J run will be 50 miles, nearly twice the 27 miles I did today. I am concerned about having enough daylight, let alone water. I think it will be a good idea to find a place to stay close to my start on Steven's Pass, be it camping or otherwise. I'd like to start in the dark, hiking, and have my husband join me until it gets light enough to go without headlamps. Then he can take them back to the car with him. I will have a headlamp with me for camp, but I don't want to use up the battery in the morning of the first day.

As with all my training runs, I learn something from every one of them. Today was all about water and hours of daylight.