Day 114

Mile 2255.7 to mile 2256.4 (skipped from mile 2149.8 to mile 2255.7 (105.9 miles) due the official PCT William’s Mine Fire closure)

PCT Miles: 0.7 (1.1km)

Total Miles: 2256.4 (3610.2km)

Once more I had a hard time trying to fall asleep. Without any need of waking up early the next morning, I kept watching Olympic Games on the hotel’s TV until way past hiker’s midnight.

I woke up and went to the same coffee shop that I went yesterday and had a breakfast burrito (I’ll miss those!) and an iced latte. I was finishing my coffee when Clara showed up! I wasn’t expecting her to arrive so early. It was so cool to see her and to be able to have a coffee together! Besides day 1, it’s the third time that I meet Clara on trail! 🫶

We, of course, discussed about the ultra recent William’s Mine Fire closure. Apparently the best thing to do would be to skip around 150 miles and go straight to White Pass. Clara told me that she would stay at least one night in Cascade Locks and she would research alternative routes around the fire. She had no idea exactly how to do it, but she wanted to spend some time and energy (and maybe finding some help) to figure out an alternative. Fair enough.

I told her that I was not very enthusiastic about the idea of finding alternative unofficial routes around a wildfire and I would, then, find my way to White Pass. I was in no rush, though.

Most northbound hikers (like me) are taking the $10 bus to Portland, spending one night there and then finding a ride to White Pass. I decided that I would do the same, but I would spend more time in Portland.

Ok, so here is my plan — I told Clara — I’ll go to Portland, buy a book and spend the weekend chilling and reading. And then next week I find a ride to White Pass and continue the hike. That’s a good plan, she confirmed.

So we left the coffee shop to go meet her group at a restaurant 2 minutes away. As we cross the street somebody shouts: are you northbound hikers? Do you want a ride to White Pass?

In five seconds I changed my plans: yes! I replied. I couldn’t refuse such an easy and unusual ride offer like this. To drive to White Pass you really need to go around the mountains (it’s a 4 hours drive!). I told them (it was a guy and his mom) that I needed to still pack my stuff and check out from my room. No problem, they said. “We still have space for 3 more hikers, you’re the first one”. Great!

Clara shared her plans with them and they replied: “oh, yesterday we spend four hours working on this alternative route and we actually submitted a proposal to the PCTA to accept this route, since we believe it’s pretty safe. Here’s a printed map and a link to the file so you can download the route on your phone!”.

She couldn’t believe what she was listening! This is exactly what she wanted! We said our goodbyes and I rushed to pack and leave. The two trail angels spent almost one hour trying to find other hikers for the ride, but in the end they only found one more. Around noon we left Cascade Locks heading to White Pass!

On the way they explained that they, mother and son, live in Portland and are PCTA volunteers for that section of the PCT. They hiked the PCT together last year and this year they intended to do trail magic exactly at the part of the trail that was closed due this new fire, two days ago. They figured that the best way to help hikers then would be to use the day to give a ride north to White Pass to northbound hikers and on the way back give a ride to Cascade Locks to southbounders. It’s a 4 hours drive each way.

After three hours driving they offered to bring us not to White Pass, but a dozen miles south, closer to where the actual trail closure is. To get there, it would add more than one hour to the trip, driving on forest unpaved and unmaintained roads. That would be amazing, we replied. So that was the new plan!

Right after we agreed on the new route, we saw two hikers hitching right ahead of us. The mom and son (I didn’t ask their names!!) were over the moon to be able to help more hikers. They were clearly a bit unsatisfied driving with only two hikers. Now we were a full car!

When we stopped on the road side and the hikers started loading their backpacks into the car when one of them suddenly asked “Bruno? Is that you?”.

It was Pete (from days 1 and 71)! He and Nick (another guy who I saw a few times already) were actually on trail when it was closed and had to go back and had spent the whole day taking buses after buses to get to White Pass. They were very happy to get the ride and even happier that we were actually driving south of White Pass, meaning less skipped miles.

After a couple of hours we arrived at the junction with the PCT. The four of us hiked for 15 minutes and decided to call it a day. There was a nice large campsite with water nearby and we were mentally exhausted from this day. It was a good call.

And finally, finally, finally I had warm dinner again!