[pct-l] Rainy Pass, Washington, to Manning Park

["mike kirby" <strider518@home.com>]

I have just returned from a short section of the PCT in northern Washington.
My son's Scout Troop did 70 miles from Rainy Pass to Manning Park. We did
this section in six 'leisurely' days. While I did not carry a truly
lightweight pack, I am pleased to say that even with the HEAVY Dinty Moore
Brand Name Entrees (Lasagna, Beef Stew, Potatoes Au Gratin, etc.) and other
non dehydrated food, my pack was still nine pounds lighter than the other
adult with me on the trip. He was carry commercially prepared dehydrated
food, and mooching off my extra Dinty Moore's the last two nights. One of
the highlights of the trip for the Scouts was meeting in the flesh three
Thru hikers at Hart's Pass. We had taken three days to get there; the Thru
hikers had done it in one, and were moving on, at 6 PM, "a little farther,
still". The Thru hikers were exiting at Manning the next day. This was
greatly inspirational to the Scouts. They walked a lot faster from Harts to
Manning!

I pose a question about the Northern Terminus of  the PCT: Does the PCT end
at the Border, or at the highway at Manning Park?

If the PCT ends at the Border then walk out to the Highway via the Castle
Creek Trail, then hitch or walk west to the Manning Park Resort. The Castle
Creek Trail is gentle downhill to the highway, a very easy out.

If the PCT end at the Highway, then the last eight miles of the Canadian
stretch of the PCT are a very poor trail that climbs out of the Castle Creek
Valley between Frosty and Windy Joe Mountain. The trail becomes are road
that descends steeply down,, to a miserable gravel "Tourist Trail" that
winds behind the Resort (very confusing, we got lost trying to find the
resort, how ironic!)
I advise not using the miserable gravel trail: continue on Windy Joe Road to
the Highway, then hitch or walk west to the Resort.

I hope these descriptions will benefit those who are exiting later in the
fall, when daylight hours are shorter. The Castle Creek Road ought to be
easy to walk  out on even in darkness, using a flashlight or headlamp.


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