PCT Section H Day two, Knife edge trip

We had planned for a long day of hiking today as we wanted to get fairly close to the Knife edge the night before so we wouldn't have a real long day of hiking for the Knife edge section of the trail. We woke early and got our things together. 

Looking towards where the trail went.

Looking back at my husband behind me.

Yellow Asters

Rocky areas above the trail.

A look back from the saddle and a peek at Rainier and our camp way in the distance.

Purple Asters

Heart Rock nearly falling into the abyss.

Shoe lake

A panorama of the Knife edge on the left and Mount Rainier to the right,

Knife edge view and rocky trail section before us.

Heart Rock❤

Several more heart rocks on the trail❤

A rest break and water collection trip by the guys to Hidden Springs (.3 miles down the trail and back).

Modeling my husbands hat (backwards)

Yet another heart rock❤

The largest conk I'd ever seen spotted above our heads at the trail junction. Luckily I happened to look up.

Yes, it was a day of heart rocks❤

My husband hustled ahead to find the camp site, he then came back down the trail to let us know he'd found one and a good one at that!

Did I happen to mention it was a day of heart rocks😉❤

Camp at last and near this lovely little meadow. My husband again carried water for about 1 mile for our dry camp location❤

Tents all set up, dinner eaten and sitting down to a Patrick McManus reading before bed.

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/O0KpomFy4Lc

Garmin stats:

total miles hiked - 8.25

total ascent - 1138 feet

total descent - 1860 feet
Elevation profile:

to be continued.....

PCT Section H Day one, Knife edge trip

Our PCT Section H hike had us finishing at Snowgrass flats. You can read that post to catch up to our journey HERE. This trip's goal was to finish our northbound journey of the Goat Rocks Wilderness Knife edge route. Since our last trip ended at Snowgrass flats, we began at White pass and hiked to Snowgrass flats then returned to White pass. So an out and back trip this time. We invited my brother and his wife on this journey. They had done a trip last summer that started at Walupt lake and finished at White pass, so the Knife edge section would be a repeat for them. By trips end they will have gone over the Knife edge trail three times. This would be kindof a tough kick start to them as this was their first backpacking trip of the year.

We all met and stayed at a cousins house before and after our trip, so a mini family reunion of sorts. I counted this group as my five people to meet with for the week per Governor Inslee's Covid guidelines. My brother and his wife ready to start the trip.

Filling out our permit.

We walked along the gravel road from the parking lot to White pass hwy 12 to begin.

A sign at the Leech lake parking lot kiosk. I liked the words on this sign.

Walking across the hwy.

Trailhead: start photos.

As we made our way through the forest I spied this amazing little view in the base of a tree. Normally I'm not a fan of geocaches, painted rocks etc. in the wild places but this was very well done.

Heart rock on the trail❤

Mount Rainier sighting

Blueberries were all along the trail.

We hiked through a large boulder field.

Goat Rocks wilderness once again❤

Ginnett lake

I looked at my Guthook app and we decided it was quite awhile before any water would be found near our hoped for campsite for the night. My husband filled our extra water containers at Ginnett lake and he marched for 3 miles, so we could have water at our camp for dinner and to put water in our bottles for the next days journey❤

A meadow near the trail.

We made our way past the White pass ski area.

Another PCT sign

I nicely engraved wooden sign attached to a tree.

Ever onward

A very large mushroom

A chairlift view with Mount Rainier in the distance.

A look at the fire burning in eastern Washington.

Nearing our camp we saw large rock outcroppings in the distance.

Our tent-site view looking up the hillside.

It was very windy when we got to this camp. It made it challenging to set up our tents, but we got it done and enjoyed our dinners and watching the sunset.

Yes, and our nightly reading of Patrick McManus!

The nights' sunset.

Relive video of our route:

https://youtu.be/ZJjgYE1HVCI

Garmin stats: 

total miles hiked - 5.58

total ascent - 2041 feet

total descent - 154 feet

Elevation profile:

to be continued.....