Tag: hiking
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Puzzles in the Mist – Curacautín & Conguillío National Park

The Andes were calling. Volcanoes, lakes, and bizarre trees were just up the hill from us in Curacautín. Without a car, we enlisted a local eco-tourism outfit for lodging and transportation, but first we had to prepare for a night out in the mountains. 9 January 2023 Maggie and I had wanted to go to…
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On the Trail Again – Concepción

After a couple of flops and lots of time in urban centers, Maggie and I were feeling motivated to explore the outdoors. We finally got out on our first South American hike after spending a week in Chile. 6 January 2023 We were up and out of bed at 7 am. Our next destination was…
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Our PCT Thru Hike By the Numbers

I love crunching data! Shortly after getting off trail, I entered all of our mileage data into a spreadsheet to see how our hike looked by the numbers. In journaling our thru hike, I kept track of how far we hiked each day. This was made easy by the FarOut app, which tells you the…
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Terminus – Stehekin to Denver

You never know what is around the next bend on the Pacific Crest Trail. With less than 100 miles to go, Maggie and I were eager to reach the Canadian Border, the northern terminus of the PCT. We were feeling the fatigue from five months of hiking, but we knew we could finish the journey.…
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Ramping Up the Vert and the Views – Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass

The Cascades are North America’s youngest mountain range. The bulk of the mountain building in the Cascade Range occurred about 10 million years ago. They are the new kids on the continent compared to the 70 million year old Rockies and 250 million year old Appalachian Mountains. The nascent character is unmistakable in the striking,…
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Berries, Beer, and Rainier – White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

The crown jewel of Washington state – Mount Rainier. If you’ve been keeping track, then by now you may have noticed the PCT doesn’t actually go over any high peaks. Rather, the trail just gets close enough for a good view. Mt. Rainier is one peak I was happy to admire from a distance as…
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Of Glaciers and Goats – Trout Lake to White Pass

Washington started to deliver the goods! Mount Adams and the Goat Rocks Wilderness were some definite high points in this gorgeous state. Day 142 – 24 miles/2255 (8/17/22) With the big bubble around, we realized sleeping in and rolling into camp at 7 pm wasn’t gonna work much longer. The tent sites were typically getting…
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Into the Green Tunnel – Cascade Locks to Trout Lake

For much of the PCT up to this point, wide open views are the norm. While I do love the sense of wonder and mystery that fills the air in the lush rain forest of the Pacific Northwest, 80 miles of trees becomes a bit of a blur after a while… Day 138 – 10…
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It’s All Good in Mt. Hood – Government Camp to Cascade Locks

Mount Hood – Oregon’s conspicuous crown jewel. Another lonely Cascade volcano standing 11,240 feet above sea level, Mt. Hood holds glaciers and snow fields year round. The PCT would take us around the flanks of this massive mountain, showing us the magic of what happens when high altitude meets temperate rain forest. Day 135 –…
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Fire Afoot – Shelter Cove to Bend

Wildfires were on our heels, smoke was in our lungs. We were maintaining a relatively relaxed pace to meet friends off trail, so it almost seemed inevitable the flames would catch up to us… Day 126 – 23 miles/1934 (7/31/22) We woke up to a smokey morning on Rosary Lake. There were some mosquitoes, but…
