Days 101-102 – hogBack ridge To near crAg lakE

July 30-31 | NOBO Miles 2290.5-2311

I had set myself up for a cake walk of a morning coming down into White Pass. Within 5 miles and less than 2 hours of walking (with incredible views of Rainier, no less) I was at the highway.

I retrieved my resupply box at the Kracker Barrel (a gas station/convenience store with an identical name to the restaurant chain I had mistakenly believed it was), got showered up, did my laundry in a sink with dish soap, and stayed the night. It was blissful.

In no rush to make it out the next day, I savored several cups of hot coffee (leagues beyond my ‘cold brew,’ if you will, otherwise known just as instant coffee with powdered coffee mate) before hitting the road around noon.

It’s always funny to see people’s reactions to hikers walking down highway shoulders.

Back on trail, I cruised through the warm afternoon on soft pine needle-laden trail up into the William O. Douglas Wilderness.

The trail wove past the very pretty Sand Lake, where I stopped on the shore to take this picture, but not before first slipping on the loose mud and falling butt-first into it, rolling my left ankle underneath me in the process. So this shot better be worth it.

Lots more greenery and plenty more gorgeous lakes followed in the afternoon. And the bonus was that now, having sufficiently muddied myself up, I was free. What shower?

I ended the day with a bit of a climb up a forested ridge–where I camped halfway up on a little patch of dirt overlooking the meadow below–and a bit of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which I also only got halfway through. It was a lovely night.

P.S. I have gotten some really nice comments from readers lately and I want to let you know how much I appreciate the kind words and support! Thank you so much, and thank you to everyone who reads this. I pray you are all well :)