[pct-l] PCT through Glacier Peak Wilderness

[Len Glassner]

I just went through that section.  With the good weather, the views
were excellent.

A few comments (north to south):

As has been noted before, quite a lot of cleanup has been done, and
multiple crews are out there now.  The north end (remember I'm SOBO)
of the area in question still had a number of big blowdowns, makes one
wonder how the rest will be.  There were more, and it slowed me down
substantially, but I guess it's not terrible.  There's one so huge I
hope they leave it, just to impress people.

The log over the Suiattle River is easier than average to walk IMO,
and I have below average sense of balance.  For a NOBO, the trail
dumps you out at a pile of boulders and brush that show no signs of a
path that I could see, youjust scramble over to get out on to the rock
wash, then look for cairns leading off to your right.  You have to
walk part way across the rock wash to even see the river.  The log to
use is not the one at an angle to level, it's farther up and more or
less level.  then you have to find your way back the other direction
to about where you came out on the boulder pile.

The overgrown trail up to and down from Dolly Vista was also a big
impediment.  But the views once you get up there are the best and the
flowers are going nuts right now.

Vista Creek was far more nervous-making for me, crossing on the 'log'.
 The only way I kept my balance was that I could place pole tips on
the frequent branches.   There is some reroute work going on here, it
wasn't appropriate at the time I went throught to take the reroute.

I crosssed at the old Milk Creek location.  There was a boulder hop
that I was OK with going SOBO, but wouldn't like NOBO (you'd have to
jump from smaller boulder to a much bigger one NOBO.)  Look for a
cairn right in the middle of the stream, upstream. Then I royally
screwed up trying to find the trail on the other side.  It took me
three hours to figure out that the trail was only about 10-15 feet
higher way over on the low sider of the wash-out, marked with a faded
two inch long bit of flagging tape.  (I won't go into how I spent
those three hours.)  THis will not be a problem if your NOBO.  I think
you can clearly see the trail on the other side.  But none of this
matters if you go down to the new bridge.  (There was no signage that
said go down there.)  Also, there is some trail reroute work going on
here, so all I can say is watch where you're going.

Kennedy Creek has a bridge.  Chetwot Creek doesn't and its the only
place I go my feet wet.  But it was no big deal.

No warranty expressed or implied on any of the above.  With the number
of people working out there, it will only get better over the next few
weeks.

As for the Canada Derby, I've crossed paths with several thru's in the
last couple of days, it seems that Straight Jacket, Sand Man and Ed
are in the lead. (Three others came by a day earlier, but I was
informed they have been skipping ahead.)  They are follwed closely by
Clint and Simon.  Then Bojangles, Wander, and Smile Train.



-- 
'Quotation is a serviceable substitute for wit' - Oscar Wilde

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