This morning we lounged a bit before packing up to go back to our forest road walk to the PCT. Debi, Tabasco and I ate a quick bite at Packwood Coffee Shop, then returned to the road. Debi left to return to Portland and around 11am, Tabasco and I were once again doing miles. We hiked on the forest service roads, switching from one road to the next the last few miles, thankfully with a map that was very helpful.
Around 2:30pm we intersected with the PCT and stopped for a late lunch under partly cloudy, cool skies. Over several miles in late afternoon light, we climbed. At about 5300 feet we began hiking in patches of snow. We were making our way around the western shoulder of impressive Mt. Adams and were able to see its towering summit just above us. With a front moving in and cold temperatures, we found a campsite next to Killen Creek that had been protected by dense tree cover from being covered in snow.
At 5900 feet at 5:30pm, it was already 32 and dropping. We quickly set up camp and obtained water from the nearby creek. As soon as dinner was completed, we stepped into the open meadow next to the wooded campsite and admired full views of Mt. Adams just above us. Cold, we both retired to our sleeping bags for the night and I made a feeble and unsuccessful attempt to write a few words in my journal. Thankfully our road walk was done and we were back on track on the PCT. The snow covered trail revealed no footprints other than ours, so we knew that quite possibly no NOBO’s had slipped by us during our roadwalk. Today’s weather: partly cloudy. Low: 35, high 55. Today’s mileage: 21.5; cumulative mileage: 1724.7.
