[pct-l] Another Attempt to hike the final section blew up.

[marge at prothman.org (Marge Prothman)]

On Tuesday we (the Monk, Marvin, Marge-the old gal)  had a long drive from
Jerome, Idaho to the Rainy Pass Trailhead WA. This being the final section
on the PCT to Manning Park. Every thing was going well...Next morning we
hiked in, up and over Cutthroat Pass, Granite Pass and to Methow Pass.  We
decided to camp in a big field with a small creek just below Methow Pass.
The scenery was marvelous.  While eating dinner we saw the biggest white
cloud plume come up behind the mountains as if something was dumping water
on a fire.  We could not hear any planes or helicopters, and we finally went
to bed and the plume disappeared. About ten p.m. we were woken up by horse
hoofs coming right at us.  Well it turned out to be a USFS work crew who
were fleeing from a fire with their horses and mules.

Next morning we were told about a fire in the first 25 miles of the trail.
It was an old fire that blew up again, it was burning on the trail and Harts
Pass road was closed in both directions. We were told to turn around and
hike back out. Along the way out, we did meet
two thru hikers who were hiking big miles and were absolutely devastated,
angry and whatever. Think one was called 'the beast' with a shorter friend.
Anyhow we all walked out to the top of Cutthroat where one of the Forest
Service Personnel could get some radio transmition. This man had also hiked
the PTC in 1996 and had only 9 miles to go when he was turned back by a
fire, so he really understood how the through hiker felt.  The long and the
short of it was he came up with an alternate way to hike in and get back on
the PCT at Holman Pass....I think it may have been an old route of the PTC.
Well this worked out well for everyone and the hikers were able to continue
to the monument.  

We however had limited days and do not do high mileage so decided to bail
out from the hike and elected to hike down to Stehekin and catch a ferry to
Chelan and got a pick up there instead of Manning Park.  At the shuttle
Bus we saw Sweet Pea, Mr. T.  2 young fellows who looked like twins who I
gave my food to, they had a food pickup at Rainy Pass but not enough to get
from Stehekin to Rainy Pass,  Northern Lights, and then in Stehekin waiting
for Monday Post office to open we ate dinner with Running Feather and Just
John.

The rumors were going rampant about the fire and also the distance from the
Monument to Manning Park.  Manning Park trails were closed and big fines
were being talked about.

'Just John' who has a lot of years with the USFS took it upon himself to get
the facts straight for every one (he is hiking for several months) He had
the Stehekin FS phone the Canadian Parks dept. They found out that through
hikers can hike from the monument to the Manning Park Lodge with no
problems.  He also gave the Stehekin FS the right facts about the alternate
route due to the fire,  He then phoned the Stevens Pass Ranger Station and
gave them the same information,.  He should be applauded for this as many
hikers thought they could not continue.

Just an additional note, we had a great time and today it rained cats and
dogs as we drove home over Snoqualmie Pass in Washington and it did not stop
until we got into Idaho.  So hope that helps.

Another note - you can use your plastic cards in Stehekin, but you CANNOT
get any cash on them. A very great Shuttle Bus driver knowing the situation
with hikers never turned any one away, if they did not have the six bucks
for the shuttle ride, he just gave them an envelope and told the hikers to
mail it to him.   People are really friendly in Stehekin. I managed to
holler hello to Adele Bingham from the Shuttle Bus.

Well maybe another year I will get to hike this final section......Sure hope
they got rain 
Last night.

Marge   [The Old Gal]
http://www.prothman.org/marge