September 23

End: Baekos Creek
Miles are a mystery.

brr. and windy!

Well, our side trip up Glacier peak was unsuccessful in that we didn't summit the mountain, but successful in that we got higher than we got last year and actually did summit a peak - Disappointment Peak, ironically enough.

The morning was still overcast and the cloud ceiling was low enough to periodically cause white out conditions, so we spent a couple breaks waiting until the ceiling rose. That worked and by the time we got onto the ridge to climb up Disappointment Peak (the peak you have to get over before you can get to Glacier if you're not traveling on a glacier) it was really only the wind we had to worry about. Luckily the sketchiest moves were blocked from the wind.

So when we got to the other side and started down the thinnest ridge ever to start actually climbing Glacier, the wind was so strong I fell to my hands and knees to keep from being lifted off my feet and Chris was blown three inches to the side while he was taking a step. Considering how sketchy some of the moves could be at the top, we decided to play it safe and turn around. Then we still did about 6.5 PCT miles when we got back to the trail!

We decided we'd learn how to travel on glaciers and then try again. It looks easier than scrambling up talus and boulder fields. That will be a while, though... Glacier courses are expensive and we don't know anyone who can teach us.

We were talking about how it was weird to be off the PCT, because on trail we know someone is at most half a day behind us, but way out there we're alone for miles and miles. Then we crossed a ridge this morning and there was a group of twelve out on a NOLS course. Really alone!

Anyway, we met a hunter out with a couple llamas yesterday and he happened to be camped right where the mountaineering route connected with the Foam Creek trail, so we chatted with him for a while. He was really excited about the PCT! He also was really excited about how beautiful everything is around here. And it totally is. Good weather really makes this place shine.

Okay sleep!