August 16

Distance: 20.5 miles | Descent: 2300′ | Ascent: 2630′

Mile marker: 852.1

Lunch: J – garlic mushroom orzo (B), A – red Thai curry (A)

Dinner: J – mac n cheese with a beef jerky stick (A), A – unstuffed peppers jazzed up (B)

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We were surprised to wake up in the rain and made the bravest decision of our life: getting out of the tent. We really were not in the mood to hike, especially when we saw others buying beer and snacks with the intention of spending all day relaxing in their tent.

After lots of dilly-dallying around the campground, we set forth back on the trail. We had a mile hike back to the PCT – the hardest mile of the day due to a steep ascent. Once back on the PCT proper, the trail leveled out and was easy-going.

Around 11:30, we stopped for lunch and pulled out our sopping wet tent in a feable attempt to dry it during a break in the rain. It didn’t really work.

Fortunately, after lunch, the weather broke and the clouds began to part. We saw our shadows! Six more weeks of winter! At our next break – we stop every two hours these days – we were able to fully dry the tent. We took a longer break to give our muscles some rest. Even with the easier day yesterday, we’re starting to feel the miles add up and don’t want to push too hard.

During our last leg to the campsite, we saw a cute weasel. They rival pikas for the cutest animal in the Cascades (and that bear cub climbing the tree a few weeks ago).

We also saw several raptors circling a rocky outcropping in the distance. They were not vultures, but we couldn’t make out what type of bird. It was unusual to see so many together. Mating? Fighting? Fighting over mates? It was a cool dance they were doing in the sky, almost looking choreographed. This is a really blurry digitally zoomed in picture of one that landed closeish to us.

Tomorrow should have fairly cool weather, highs in the mid-60s. Since this is a relatively dry section with long water carries, the coolness will help us make the distance between reliable water sources a bit easier.