PCT Section i Day twelve, White pass to Snoqualmie pass

We left camp at 10:30 in the morning. We enjoyed the trail slowly and got to camp at around 4 pm - beautiful high country wandering to a beautiful lake. 

After leaving our Two lake trail-side camp we climbed a bit and were rewarded with this view!

Heart rock❤

Avalanche lily

Phlox growing in the open rocky areas.

Another ridge top view, perfect for a photo.

We sat for awhile with our packs off and just enjoyed the view and where we were❤

Going through a rocky area. We smelled and saw sign of Mountain Goats, but never saw any.

Can't get enough of these views of Rainier from the trail❤

High country hiking❤

Corn flowers just beginning to grow as the snow hasn't been melted in this area for long.

Queen's cup

We saw several trees that looked like this. Upon closer inspection we decided this was done by bears looking for something to eat after hibernating. Perhaps they were chewing on the raw wood for it's sap??

As you can see the snow hasn't been gone long here.

My husband, always mindful of his trail work as would hike along. This time his mission was to clear the snow from the bridge.

A water stop to fill up our bottles.

A look back at where we'd come from. So beautiful!

Rainier and ? I don't know if the hill in front of Rainier has a name, but I liked how it looked with Rainier peaking in behind. Talk about a photo bomb, well done Rainier!

Again, the constant wildflowers.

We'd just hiked past the American lake trail junction. Here is Anderson lake;

I'm not sure what this was but it was so unusual.

A few creek crossings before we got to Dewey lakes.

Now this is a well made - well shored up bridge.

Just another beautiful meadow with water running through it.

Camp searching time

Large Dewey lake

A small lake across the trail from our camp

Camp!

Feet up time

It's always good to look up❤

After dinner evening walk

Our camp water source.

Who could resist an evening wade in the lake?!

Half moon above the rock ridge.

Back at camp

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/5CIGMOdI1-0

Garmin stats:

total mile - 6.46

total ascent - 837 feet

total - descent - 1263 feet

to be continued....

PCT Section i Day eleven, White pass to Snoqualmie pass

This day's hike turned out to be longer than expected because we missed our trail to the camp we wanted to stay at, so 3 1/2 miles later we finally made camp. 

Ready to start, armed with my head net and mosquito repellent.

A nice sunlit log to step over to start our morning off right.

A day of meadows and creeks

and of course my favorite - boardwalks!

Note the trekking pole holes on the side of the trail. The tell tell sign of hikers.

We arrived at Bumping river. A nice crossing with just a bit of depth in the middle. I stopped to changed into my Keen sandals for the crossing. My husband just went on across. He put his pack down and came back to tell me where a good spot would be to cross and where NOT to step. Good info.!

I of course forgot to remove my mosquito head net. I realized after I'd crossed that I probable would've been able to see where my feet were just a bit easier without that filter over my eyes.

We stopped at a nice log after our crossing to take off our packs, eat lunch and for me to put back on my socks and boots. It was so hot outside it was nice to walk in the river and let my pants get thoroughly wet to cool be off for the rest of the day's hike. *It didn't take long and they were completely dry.

Fish lake and the meadow, just spectacular❤

Heart rock❤

As we made our way up the trail we took another pack off break, I noticed this as I called it "a fairy crown" on a log.

I of course tried it on, nope not mine. It was a bit too large. They have extra large headed fairies in these woods.

Time to keep going up towards our camp for the night "Crag lake"

So many ferns! 

We came to this large creek to cross, which we found out later that our "trail to camp" spur trail was near this area.

This is where our day's hike would have ended, after taking a spur trail near this creek. It would have been a nice 6 mile or so hiking day. We somehow didn't see the trail, but after walking quite a distance we did spy a very nice looking camp down a hill and to our left. I got out my Guthook app sure enough this was our camp but there was no access trail down the steep embankment to get there. It was either turn around and try to find the trail or just press on. We decided to just press on.

What do you see in this photo?

My husband had spotted this frog sitting in a hole on a side bank along the trail. It patiently posed for it's photo, then made it's way deeper into the hole.

Snow near the trail.

Climbing ever climbing. We saw a person coming towards and realized that it was the same thru-hiking fellow we'd seen on the Chinook to Snoqualmie section in the Cedar River watershed area. We visited awhile, then as he was leaving us he said the views of Rainier are awesome ahead. We were excited to hear this, so on we marched upward.

If you click on the photo below to enlarge it, you'll see Mount Adams faintly in the haze. 

He was right, a great view of Mount Rainier at the top of the ridge.

Photo op! 

After hiking uphill for four miles this was a welcome spot. We took our packs off and enjoyed the view.

Another nice long boardwalk.

Now we were really in the "high" country. I loved it, I wished we could hike through these areas more often.

Time to start looking for a site for the night.

"One lake" down below. Yes that's its' name. The trail to it looked too far and too steep so on we went.

Just a bit of snow on and near the trail but not bad at all.

Two lake was a bit farther. We spied a spot that could hold one tent, it was a bit sloped. After really looking at it we decided to walk back a few steps to where we'd crossed a creek, fill up and look for the Two lake trail.

Hoodspur Violets?

My husband marching forward with our water❤

High country wildflowers

We decided not to take the steep downhill trail to Two lake but chose a site that was just beyond the trail junction and right off the trail. 

Perfect!

As I was getting our things set up for the night inside the tent and away from the mosquitoes, I spied this view of my husband out "with" the mosquitoes preparing dinner. 

My hero❤

The day was longer and the hike was farther than planned and yes we were tired, but was it worth it?

Definitely YES!!

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/_3iSKpWgvcc

Garmin stats:

total miles - 9.76

total ascent - 1821 feet

total descent - 1148 feet

to be continued.....