The End

Thanks to all those who read and offered encouragement during my hike.

Here is how much an avacodo grows in the time it takes a human to walk 2650 miles.

You'll remember this blog started with a picture of an avocado at my moms house:

After:

Day 124: mile 2658, Manning Park

I had trouble sleeping last night. I dont know if it was the howling wind and dead trees hanging over my tent, the deer digging around my tent for my urine, or the excitement of finishing the trail today. 

Whatever it was, I got an early start and finished the last six miles to the monument earlier than I planned. Here is the clearcut:

No one was around, so I had to set my camera up on the timer. 

I tried to take a picture to match my US/Mexico border picture:

Day 123 : mile 2644, Hopkins Lake

It rained all day. I hiked 37 miles.

Last night on the trail; 6 miles from Canada.

Day 122 : mile 2607, Brush Creek

Highway 20 reopened at noon today, and Andrea and I were one of the first cars through. She dropped me off at rainy pass at about 1:30, and I got in 18 miles by 6:30.

Starting a Rainy Pass means I miss 50 miles of trail between there and the Suattle river. There isn't much that can be done about it with the fire closure. I was hoping they would re open it, but I can't wait any longer to finish.

Days 114 - 121 : Fire Delay

After getting off the trail at the Suattle river, I spent 8 days in Seattle waiting for the fires to go out and highway 20 to open.

It was tough waiting; being so close to the end, but not having the satisfaction of finishing.

Fortunately, we had Andrea's house to stay at, and many thing to keep us entertained. Crash stayed with us for three nights before flying back to Australia. We took him on a climb up the Tooth, a easy multipitch trad route out by Snoqualamie pass.

Day 112 : mile 2526

Another beautiful day in the Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Day 111 : mile 2503

Today was one of my favorite of the whole trip. We hiked on a ridge with views of Glacier Peak and mountians all around. We ate lots of huckleberries and saw a bear. 

Day 110 : mile 2480, pear lake

Andrea's roommate, Stephanie, gave us a ride up to Stevens Pass this morning. The section from stevens pass to rainy pass is possibly the section of the pct that I've been most looking forward to on the whole trail, and the first day did not dissappoint. We had fantastic views of Glacier Peak, Mt Baker and the Entiats. Out West we could see towards the Mountain Loop Hwy. And to the South we could see the mountains of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness that we just hiked through.

Unfortunately, the Blankenship fire is still closing the last 50 miles of this section.

Day 109 : Seattle Zero.

We took a rest day in Seattle. We at a huge brunch at Portage Bay and then got pizza at Flying Squirrel.

Day 113 : mile 2538 + 7, Blue Heron Farm

Today we hiked the remaining 12 miles to the fire closure and then out 7 miles on the suiattle river. On our way out we learnt that over the past couple days the fires had gotten a lot worse and HWY 20 is now closed both east and west of rainy pass, so there is no way to continue hiking north to canada. Currently, it looks like my hike is on hold until these fires settle. We are headed back to seattle for the time being.

Check out Andrea's blog:

andreapen.tumblr.com

She better pictures, much more interesting text, and far fewer gramatical errors than this blog.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee

Day 108 : mile 2462, Stevens Pass

Andrea and I hiked seventeen miles and went for a nice swim on our way to Stevens Pass. We got a ride down to seattle with her friends Nathaniel and Paula. We are going to zero in Seattle tomorrow while we figure out what we are doing about the fires North of here.

Day 107 : mile 2444, Deception Lake

We got some sun today, but rain again this evening. The area around Deep Lake was a highlight. Rumor on the trail is that there is another fire, this one by Harts Pass.

Day 106 : mile 2420

A beautiful sunrise.

Day 105 : mile 2398, Ridge Lake

We hiked into Snoqualmie pass this morning, and then hit up the Pancake House and the Aardvark Curry Place.

Day 104 : mile 2382, mirror lake

It was really smoky today from the fires in washington, probably mainly from the fire on lake chelan. It felt like fall with the red hucklberries and red light.

Day 103 : mile 2362

It was pretty smoky today with all the fires in washington. We found another bolete and a chicken of the woods.

The huckleberries were really good in some of the clearcut sections of the forest.