100 Miles in the Oregon Wilderness: Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Almost to Timberline Lodge → PCT & Paradise Trail Miles Today ≈ 6.5 Miles | Total Miles ≈ 51 Miles

T’was a slow morning by the creek. Coffee and pop-tarts. We saw many different thru-hikers pass by on their way to Timberline Lodge. Got to the lodge by 10am after a short beautiful hike, looking up at Mt. Hood and the sweeping vistas.

Made a b-line to the cafe and ordered two good (overpriced) lattes at the Ram’s Head Bar. Hung about and talked with other thru-hikers while we waited for M+F to arrive at 4pm. Had an overpriced lunch that included a bloody mary and beer.

M+F arrived around 4:30pm or so with a lovely lunch of cobb salad, baguette with butter and carrot cake. They brought us our re-supply and the message that J+S would not be meeting us along the way.

We headed out around 5:30pm, full of good food and lots of energy, ready for the next half of our hike. The evening was beautiful and we descended into the Zigzag Canyon and met two older couples who we worried about because they had much father to go and it was almost dark.

Catie and I decided to not camp at the river thousands of feet below. Catie had a rush of energy that fueled us up and out of the ravine in record time.

Finally we came to a bluff and a perfect campsite overlooking the canyon and Mt. Hood Wilderness.

There is light rain pattering on the tent as I write this, on a bluff overlooking Mt. Hood Meadows in the distance and a faint strip of light in the vast wilderness that is highway 26 cutting it’s way through the Cascade Mountains. Had tea with bread and butter. All is well.