Day Six
2 September 2016
Mile 2564.3-2574.3
Day total 10
Tally 112.7 miles
Total up/down: +1950/-2056ft
Camp: Bridge Creek Camp
LL: 48.429472, -120.868353
A couple days ago we were told by a thru-hiker that there is this town named Stehekin before the border that has the best bakery. This is the sort of thing that eats away at me as a now section hiker. Of course we know about Stehekin, the last town stop before finishing the trail. I asked him if he had been there, thinking he would know if there would be cookies, my favorite food group. He response was that he has not been there before. Who gives former PCT thru hikers such ridiculous advice as if we wouldn’t know just as much as a current hiker? He was treating us like weekenders, as if we were strangers to the PCT thru world. It was saddening. Today we had a quick 5 miles into Stehekin from High Bridge Ranger Station, mile 2569.4. The advice from that hiker unneeded, all of us sent our packages to Stehekin.
Stehekin is great! There is a bus that picks up people from High Bridge Ranger Station and takes them to town. A bonus perk is that the bus stops at the bakery halfway between. The bus driver gives you about ten minutes to quickly buy baked goods. This is an amazing perk to the $7 ride, except this is actually a mental game. You walk in, smell the tantalizing baked goods, see that they offer everything from quiche and pizza to sticky buns to cookies to coffee to ice cream. They have the bus stops down to a tee, quickly grabbing items and cashing you out with a well-practiced efficiency. I frantically told them a few items then saw the day olds by the check out and bought about $20 worth of their delectable sugar and fat options. We spent the majority of the day in Stehekin. There was about an hour of torrential downpour followed by consistent drizzle the rest of the afternoon. We hiked out in drizzle and arrived to the campsite in quiet, post rain cold.
Last night we increased to five, with the addition of Juban, a PCT thru-hiker whom S+M inticed to our company. Tonight we are down to three. Juban stayed in Stehekin and S+M has headed home. She was feeling ill and yesterday dealt with a knee problem. With all the exciting things coming up in her near future, she had to think about what her priorities are right now. We have just over 100 miles together now, and about 80 to go. I am sad she left, but extremely happy we spent the last six days together. I cannot wait to continue reuniting with her for future adventures!
Elizabeth Erickson 