Going it alone

Monday

Much has happened since Sunday morning’s report. First, having been told by the forest service that the Dollar Lake Fire had closed the Pacific Crest Trail and that a USFS and PCTA-approved alternative route would be at least a day or two in the making we made arrangements to be picked up and come home, disappointed that we’d been stymied only two days’ hiking from the WAshington border. Then, in swept a USFS employee named Mary Ellen with just such a plan, sending us east around Mt Hood. Because it was a longer route it would take us three days instead of two, but we werent complaining. At 11:30 am we were back on the trail. Did a tough 15 miles till dark.

But things again turned bad. At 5 I awoke to the sound of my brother-in-law Glenn throwing up. Every few years he has a vertigo attack and this was one. We were fortunate, though, in that we were camping on a major road (highway 35) and though I hAdnt had cell phone luck the previous night, I was able to connect with My sister-in-law Ann who was there in three hours.

This isn’t the happy ending I’d imagined. Glenn and I first met — We were college age — when we went backpacking on Eagle Creek with the Youngberg sisters. I was looking forward to revisiting that trail for our final stretch to the Columbia after 26 days of PCT backpacking together. Instead he’s headed back to Albany and I’m hiking alone. I can see the fire (see pic) but it’s A few ridges away And after reaching Wahtum Lake I’ll descend to the north, spending the night along Eagle Creek. The plan is to Meet Sally and walk to the “Entering Washington” sign Tuesday afternoon on the Bridges of the Gods But it won’t be the same without Glenny.

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