Last night had been cold and windy. The days are definitely getting shorter, and the nights are getting colder. I can’t stay on the trail forever.
Today had many, many water sources. Ponds, lakes, streams, and so forth — they were all there today.
Oregon’s berries were out in full force on this part of the trail, too.
As the day wore on, I got pretty hungry, but the scenery just kept getting nicer.
A new mountain made an appearance in the distance today. I think it’s Mt. Hood.
A high pass brought back something I’d thought I left behind in the Sierras: Snowfield crossings.
The altitude wasn’t that high — about 7000 feet — but the terrain was very reminiscent of the high passes of the Sierras.
The food situation was pretty bad today. As I got hungrier and hungrier, I got slower and slower. The 7-hour stretch from my small lunch until dinner was rough.
But I got to the Olallie Lake Store before closing, and got my fill of food. The store’s picnic tables were a gathering point for hikers, so we sat and chatted about the trail until late tonight, then set up camp in the woods next door.
Next to my tent, some southbound PCT hikers sat at a picnic table, illuminated by an eerie green lantern, and speculated about trail I’d just been on. They brought up the Big Lake Youth Camp, and it’s free laundry and showers. I relayed to them what Elizabeth had told me — that it not only had laundry and showers, it also had free breakfasts and bag lunches. This boggled their minds.
Just before getting into my tent I warned them about the nonexistent spring. They thanked me, and I went to bed.
Glad you had water. Sounds like you need some town food! Berries don’t quite make it.