Miles Hiked: 28
Start Location: Mile 2117
End Location: Mile 2144
End Location GPS: 45.66284, -121.89489
I woke up early and hiked in the dark before the sun came up. This is the best time of day. The terrain was easy on a mostly downward ascent to the Columbia River Gorge and I managed 28 miles into town by 3:00 PM.
Cascade Locks is a cool little town with a beautiful campground overlooking the river and the gorge. PCT hikers are allowed to camp for 3 dollars a night so that’s where I went.
There is an awesome brewery called Thunder Island Brewing right next to the campground and I ate nachos and drank really good beer as sort of a celebration for finishing up Oregon. The Columbia River is the divide between Washington and Oregon and you cross over a huge steel bridge called The Bridge of the Gods into Washington. The bridge actually marks the lowest point on the trail which is only 219 feet.
So all that is left is the 500 miles of Washington. Qball says it is the best state on the PCT. I hiked a 50 mile section when I lived in Seattle and it was pretty impressive so I’m looking forward to it. For kicks I looked up how much elevation change is left. There is only 109518 feet of gain. This is the equivalent of hiking Mt. Everest from sea level 3.78 times. That’s a lot of climbing.
I took a walk in the park and looked over the river during sunset. The Bridge of the Gods was illuminated in a pink glow as yellow lights dotted its rigid outline. It looks it’s name and spans the gap of placid water that runs nearly silently through the high banks of the gorge. It is a bridge from one land to another; from endless trees to higher scraggly peaks beyond. It is symbolic of moving forward and onward; how we must bridge the gap between past, present and future; how everything is change, and nothing stays the same way forever.
Tomorrow is a special day because Carolyn is coming back to the trail! I am excited that we will continue this adventure together and finish what we both started.
