Day 4
12 miles, 2351ft gain/ 1459ft loss. By far, our biggest day for mileage, so we rise early to get a good start. The day starts warm and clear, and this time, we’re able to pack a dry tent! We say good bye to Bruce and Skip, the two guys that shared the area, and we aren’t on the trail but moments, and Dave goes the wrong direction! I still suffer from the trail misdirection’s from yesterday, in my mind we had to go this way! Greg asked if I was sure this was the right way, and since I’m not sure, I go to the GPS unit, and realize…Yep! Wrong way! Good thing for the GPS! A quick turn around, and we’re back on track.
The trail stays in the forest, but wherever there is an open area, there is a profusion of wet brush that jabs and tears at us, and our legs are sore and bleeding now from all the brush strikes. This part of the trail we keep Icicle Creek on our left shoulder to the Leland creek junction. According to the US TOPO maps, it’s just beyond the creek crossing that there is supposed to be a Bark Cabin??? I had noted it on the track we traced, but, seeing that it will require us to de-boot in order to get across Icicle creek to seek out the cabin, we decide against it, and continue down trail for home.
…It becomes a game of sorts, to occupy the mind while we trudge along, to see if we can spy the next blaze…
Near Brush creek, and still under forest canopy, we notice blaze marks on the trees. They resemble a large “i”, obviously carved into the bark a long time ago, as a lot of them are now healed over, creating nothing more than indents or scars on the trees. It becomes a game of sorts, to occupy the mind while we trudge along, to see if we can spy the next blaze, as there is nothing else to really see as we hike through the forest. It continues like this until we reach the Chain Lakes trail junction once again.
We’ve completed the loop! Still going slightly uphill and again are fighting the huckleberry brush now. Seems strange to me that it’s called Huckleberry, as they more closely resemble Blueberries to me! Their leaves turn scarlet in the fall, and the fruit looks and tastes more like blueberries…Growing up on the Oregon Coast, what we called Huckleberries was completely different! The berries were smaller, and darker, almost black, and the bush had small, dark green, almost waxy, leaves. We also had red huckleberries, that were an almost translucent pink/red and the berries were very tart. Not at all like what is called Huckleberries around here.
And, so now you see the kinds of things that run through your mind, when you’re trudging along through country side you’ve already seen or there is nothing to really look at…The mind just kind of wanders, being bored with the mindless march that you kind of fall into…My reverie is broken as we happen across a couple guys out day hiking near Josephine Lake. They are out to scout out backcountry ski routes, as they have seen BullsTooth from the Stevens Pass ski area, and are curious as to how to get there…Seriously???
We reach Josephine Lake and decide to stop for a rest, and quick bite, and stop at the waters edge. It is now breezy, and cool, and being sweaty, it only serves to cool us too much, and we find shelter next to large trees that help to break the wind. As we plop down to avoid the wind, and grab a bite, we notice a strange sight. There, perched on a rock, is a lone boot. Puzzled, we look around, seeing if its owner is close by. Strange. We don’t see any other gear lying around, nor do we see any people nearby, either.
…Redbeard the Bootless Backpacker just pops out of the surrounding brush, walks over to the lone boot, and says, “Wonder who added this sock to my boot?”
Hmmm…For some reason, it seemed appropriate that I take a picture of such a strange sight, so I walk over closer to snap a photo of it, thinking to myself, “who would leave one boot here?”…As I click my picture, Greg notes, in his outside voice, “What Moron (large emphasis on the word “moron”) would leave his boot here?!” And, at that instant, as if in answer to his query, Redbeard the Bootless Backpacker just pops out of the surrounding brush, walks over to the lone boot, and says, “Wonder who added this sock to my boot?”, with an ever so slightly accusatory glance at Greg and I…(I’m thinkin’ more at Greg than I, since he was the one that vocalized what we were both thinking…)
…Knowing that there are no other people around to which his question is asked, we ask, “Oh, is that your boot?” leaving the moron part out this time…
I know I looked around in bewilderment, like Ralph in the movie, “A Christmas Story”…”Flick who?” Then down at my own boots as if to say, “Nope. Not mine. Still got both of my socks…Must be that other Moron…” Knowing that there are no other people around to which his question is asked, we ask, “Oh, is that your boot?” leaving the moron part out this time. “Yep. See? It’s broken”, and he shows us by giving the boot a quick downward jerk, and the whole boot sole flaps down, lolling around like the tongue on a happy puppy, overjoyed that his master has come back to retrieve him…
…but I’m not tempted to blurt it out, seems there’s already been enough blurting…
We talk for a few minutes, and wish him luck as he heads up trail in his sandals….”Socks and Sandals guy, you’re one of us!” A familiar refrain from a local commercial immediately runs through my mind, but I’m not tempted to blurt it out, seems there’s already been enough blurting… I’m just wondering, but, does anybody Know Shoeless Redbeard? If they do, I have a great Christmas gift suggestion…A tube of Shoe Goo would probably rank high on the ol’ Wish List…I’m just saying…
From Josephine back up around to the top, and a right at the junction, and we’re back on the PCT. From here, it’s a nice gradual incline (much easier on sore knees) along the same trail that before had the sights obscured by fog. Now, we can see the Stevens Pass ski area and the surrounding peaks. On the switchbacks uphill, right below the chair lift for this side, we stop again, and talk with a guy and his dog, and it was during this conversation, that another man walks up, a through hiker that is doing the whole PCT trail.
…That’s what he calls everyone around him when they start to wuss out..”Come on, Princess, you can do it!” So, the moniker stuck…
He’s travelling light, and the dog man asks him, “So, I know that everyone that does the PCT has a handle, what’s yours?” He tells us Princess…Okay, didn’t see that one coming…I’m sure by the expressions on our faces that he feels he must explain, so he gives us this explanation…That’s what he calls everyone around him when they start to wuss out..”Come on, Princess, you can do it!” So, the moniker stuck, I guess…I’m thinkin’, though, that I would be changin’ that one real quick…He started in April on the border, and is making his way to Canada, the terminus for the trail, says he’s doing about 30-35 miles a day. Amazing…He’s in a hurry to get to the pass, so that he can hitchhike into town for something to eat, so off he goes. We won’t see him again.
…as we’re sitting on the gate, a truck comes blazing in, and parks right in front of the trailhead. The doors open and out roll two guys dressed in camouflage, sporting side arms!
Knowing that our trip will soon be over, we get up over the top, down across the ski area, and back to the truck. It was nice to be able to see what we had missed the first time, because of the dense fog. We drop the tailgate on Greg’s truck to drop our gear, and shed our hiking boots, and as we’re sitting on the gate, a truck comes blazing in, and parks right in front of the trailhead. The doors open and out roll two guys dressed in camouflage, sporting side arms!
…If a linebacker had just accomplished this feat, he’d be pumping his fists in the air after having delivered such a slobberknocker, all the while keeping an eye on the jumbotron for an instant replay of such a crushing hit…
They walk around to the back of the SUV, and open the back doors, so that they can prep their gear. It was then it happened…A woman got out of the truck, obviously not dressed for adventure, (she must have been just dropping them off), opened a side door, and then ends up at the other end of a rocket that comes flying out of the truck, straining at his leash, choking and gasping, as he tries to get free of the leash, and he’s heading straight for us! You can see its taking all of her might to just keep hanging on, and finally she gets him turned, and as he jets off in the other direction, well…She’s on the other end of “crack the whip!” and Blam-O!!! A perfect 180 in the air, feet up, toss shoes, and land in crumpled heap on the ground, head and shoulders leading…It’s a perfect barrel roll, too! I mean, a complete somersault in a cloud of dust. If a linebacker had just accomplished this feat, he’d be pumping his fists in the air after having delivered such a slobberknocker, all the while keeping an eye on the jumbotron for an instant replay of such a crushing hit.
…OH, if only there were instant replay…You know, at the time that it happened, I didn’t laugh…
No sooner had the dust settled, when her compassionate husband, whose back had been to this spectacle the whole time, mutters in obvious concern, “What the #&%^ are you doing?” OH, if only there were instant replay…You know, at the time that it happened, I didn’t laugh, because I felt sorry for her, it looked like it really hurt, getting body slammed on the pavement and gravel, not to mention the emotional response she got as she pulled herself up and dusted herself off…But the replay in my mind? Well, let’s just say I won’t be forgetting that one soon…We enjoyed our trip into this part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and it truly is worth the visit, for it has everything that makes the Alpine Lakes a special area. Lots of lakes, high country, big views, routefinding, and fishing, if you remembered to bring your pole.