Section G is 52.5 miles long and runs from Barlow Pass to the Oregon/Washington border. September 1st - 3rd.
Day 118, 5.8 miles to camp.
The pitter patter of feet, clinking of dishes during breakfast preparations, and the sun peering in the massive skylight right above our bed made sure I was not sleeping in. I went downstairs to charge my phone, ice my foot, and finish the Section D+E blog post. Shark's parents cooked up another amazing meal including bagels, eggs, pancakes, and cinnamon rolls. They shuttled us back to the lodge where we hung out for a while. Sea Lion's friend, Twerk, got some gear from his sponsor, The Trek, and was doing a photoshoot and asked us to join. Sea Lion stole the show but my decent beard made the cut as well. I got to hold the "Here's Johnny" ax from the movie The Shining, which had some shots filmed there at Timberline Lodge. Moose's parents were driving down from Vancouver in their RV and we're going to cook us all brinner (breakfast food during dinner hours) that evening so everyone was just going to enjoy the lodge. Sea Lion and I hiked the stretch between there and Barlow Pass so we wouldn't be skipping mileage. After eating a second amazing breakfast for the day we departed to go hang out at the lodge some more before hiking out at night. I was hoping to catch the sunset from up in the hills but we were a bit too late. Most of the group began getting rounds of beers and planned to stay until the lodge closed but Sea Lion and I took off and stayed at the first campsite we found. This nero day was justified with two trail magics from traimily parents.
Timberline Lodge.
The hexagonal architecture of the main lounge.
Twerk shooting a Sea Lion.
Day 119, 24.3 miles to camp.
Soon after waking up, Midge was walking by and joined us for brekkie. It was 7, and he usually sleeps until 8 at the earliest, so we asked what the reason is for his uncharacteristically early appearance. They indeed stayed at the lodge until closing time and then camped basically in the backyard under a ski lift. The morning crew yelled at them when they were starting their shift and everyone had to quickly pack up and go. It was Labor Day weekend so day hikers for out in full force. We flew past many of them and then Sea Lion took off as I stopped to get pictures of a few of the glacial ravines of Mount Hood. It was like a mini Mount Rainier and reminded me of the Wonderland Trail. Then off one switch back, there was a small trail leading to a rocky outcrop so I went to check it out and hoped to get a good photo of the canyon below. There was a smaller waterfall visible from the trail, but from the outcrop, there was a 200 foot sheer drop to a beautiful scene. A much larger waterfall shot out from about halfway down and poured into Sandy River below. There was an enormous hemispherical cave behind the falls and I wished there was an easy way down there. I went back to retrieve my tripod and filter and tried for some long exposure shots but the lighting was less than ideal. So I sat on the edge and soaked it all in. At the bottom of the descent I took an easy log bridge across the Sandy River and continued on down the trail. Then I got to the junction to Ramona Falls and checked my guide to learn that it is a loop trail that connects back to the PCT and has the same mileage. Of course I took this trail as well. I got some great shots but didn't stay too long because I knew I was already going to be quite late to meet Sea Lion up ahead. The rest of the alternate route followed a creek where absolutely everything was covered in moss. I ran across the high up log bridge and met her just in time. She had thought that I took the alternate route and passed her because she had been waiting so long. We took a snack break and then attacked the steep 1500 climb which was tough because Oregon had spoiled us with it's gentle elevation changes. We dropped down to Lolo Pass and then up to Salvation Spring where we stopped to refill water and cook dinner. Twizzler caught up and joined us and then we three went another 2.6 miles to camp. It was windy and cold and the sun had set so we made camp and went to sleep early.
That's a lot of miles we've hiked!
Furry trees! The exposed tree trunk is the level of snow pack in the winter.
About 100 feet of falls. This photo does no justice for the scale of this scene, check the video below.
Ramona Falls.
Farewell Mount Hood.
Day 120, 25.5 miles to Cascade Locks.
We slept in again, mostly to let the air warm up and frost thaw out. The trail was pretty flat and had some great views of the gorge dropping down to the Columbia River. We took second breakfast at the Eagle Creek Trail junction and I was bummed that it is still closed. Last year, a stupid kid was playing with fireworks and started a massive 50,000 acre fire that claimed some bridges on the trail and almost spread to the town of Cascade Locks. So no hiking behind Tunnel Falls for us. The trail then makes a loop around Wahtum Lake and begins a small incline before the big drop down to the Columbia River. We took a final break at Teakettle Spring and then went on a march to town. My feet were killing me and I was so thankful that my new shoes were less than ten miles away. We arrived to the tiny town and met a bunch of hiker friends at the Ale House where I destroyed a Hiker Trash Burger; 1/2 pound Patty sandwiched between pepperoni pizzas served as the buns. Most people camped at the Marine Park nearby but it was next to train tracks so I splurged on a hotel room for Sea Lion and I. After checking in I had to do another leak-search on my sleeping pad. Three holes so far. Zero holes when I hammocked the AT. Just saying.
Some of the burn zone from the Eagle Creek Fire.
Switchback.
Five Lined Skink.
Wood carving by a local artist.
Day 121, 7.2 miles across the Bridge of the Gods and to camp.
We slept like logs in a real bed and I headed down to the post office to grab my shoes. I also picked up my bounce box that I sent up from Chester, CA without warm clothes. I dropped them off at the room and then we went to the Eastwind Drive-In for brekkie and they had some delicious milkshakes. Then we tried to hitch to the nearby city of Hood River to exchange our socks at an Outfitter. We didn't have immediate luck but ran into Winters, who was getting a ride there with a friend of his in an hour. So we returned to the room to relax and watch some TV. The ride, sock exchange, and hitch back to Cascade Locks all went quickly and smoothly. We joined yet some other friends for ice cream at Eastwind when we got back and then packed up and checked out. We had a long lunch at Bridgeside Diner as we worked some more on the post-trail job hunts and then set off to do the final state crossing. I was surprised there was no shoulder or pedestrian walkway on The Bridge of the Gods, just had to walk next to traffic over the metal grating. After taking some photos with the "Welcome to Washington" sign, we tackled a couple miles of the ascent back up to the mountains.
Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River.
Last state, here we go!