Only two Sections of the PCT Remaining.

Section K of the PCT is considered tough but rewarding!  Brad left Stevens yesterday for his Section K experience.  He hiked this section in 2011, going in the opposite direction, but part of the trail at that time was closed due to a wash out.  The best views of Glacier Peak were not visible last year due to the detour.  Let's hope Brad gets his Glacier Peak hit this year and that the "wild, rugged and stunning"  Glacier Peak Wilderness does not disappoint.

Glacier Peak Wilderness

Section L is the last section of the PCT, ending in Manning Park, B.C.  This is a short section of only 70 miles but should be spectacular with fall colors, jagged peaks and fabulous views of the Pasaysten Wilderness.  Much of this section if protected from rain, so can be dry and without water supplies, except at Hart's Pass.

Pasaysten Wilderness

I can't believe this year of Brad's hiking adventure is almost over.  He has thoroughly enjoyed his trip and so have I, as I've followed along.   Also, helping Brad with his Heart on the Trail fund raising project has been challenging and rewarding.   We're still hoping for donations -- please -- so he can finish up his PCT adventure with huge donations to both the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the American Heart Association.  Get Your Heart on the Trail!

Brad explains  why he's raising money for Heart on the Trail

Get your Heart on the Trail

Two organizations that help us with our health are the Pacific Crest Trail Associaition and the American Heart Association.  These two organizations are linked by the need for achieving heart health through exercise.  Please be as generous as you can by supporting Brad in his efforts to raise money for both of these organization by donating to:  Heart on the Trail

Hiking for Health ~ Get Your Heart on the Trail

Freestyle hiking with heart

Freestyle continues his Pacific Crest Trail hike through beautiful Washington, all the while drawing hearts to raise money for Heart on the Trail, a fund raiser  to generate money for both the Pacific Crest Trail and the American Heart Association.

Hiking for Health ~ Get Your Heart on the Trail

Freestyle

Your contributions will be greatly appreciated.  If you click on the heart on the website it will take you to PayPal for your ease in making a donation.  You can also donate more directly by making out a check to Heart on the Trail and mailing it to Whidbey Island Bank, Langley Branch, Post Office Box 665, Langley, WA 98260.

Thank you!  Freestyle's goal is $10,000.   $5,000 for PCT and $5,000 for AHA.

Eighth Stop -- Sierra City

Sierra City is a darling little town in Northern California.  We were spending our last couple of days with Brad before returning home.  Our camp was Wild Plum Camp Ground a national park camp, our favorites.  National camps are typically small with few improvements and more remote and wild. 

Once again the WiFi access was critical to winding up Heart on the Trail work.  It seems like we've spent days and days on this project, and we have, but the days have been short with interruptions galore.  Plus WiFi has been sporadic and slow so work progressed, often, at a snail's pace.  Other activities were thrown in too, like downloading photos, catching up on correspondence, e-mail, and so forth, all needing to be finished up before we loaded Brad's computer into the car and drove away.

And, drive away we did.  Brad was still on the Red Moose patio when we drove out of town.  The Red Moose owners had just returned from a huge shopping trip so  Brad couldn't stand the thought of not having one more dinner of real, home cooked food before he hit the trail.

Sierra City

Red Moose PCT Angel Stop 

Buck Horn Restaurant with good food and generous WiFi

PCT Thru-Hikers are almost half-way at the Red Moose in Sierra City, CA

Creek running by our camp at the Wild Plum Camp Ground in Sierra City

Beautiful Sierra City ountry side

Thru-hikers on the deck at the Red Moose

Red Moose Angels extraordinaire

Buck Horn Restaurant Patio

Sixth Stop - Echo Pass

Although Echo Pass was our scheduled meeting place, it was changed to Echo Lake Resort.  Slightly further for Brad to hike, but beer, ice cream, friends, and a nice resting place for him to wait for us.  We also dropped Brad back off at Echo Lake for his next PCT leg, Desolation Wilderness, which he hiked with Benton.

At Echo Pass we left our ice chest chuck full of cold drinks, candy and fruit both when we picked Brad up and again when we dropped him off again.  Both times, although we weren't there to enjoy the angel experience, the ice chest was ravished by grateful hikers.  Nice thank you notes were left plus on future encounters thanks were expressed.

Echo Pass Trail Marker

Fran hiking the PCT at Echo Pass, CA

PCT at Echo Pass

Ed and Benton at our angel stash

Echo Lake

Echo Lake

Echo Pass

Itchy & Scratchy

Echo Lake gathering of thru-hikers

The thru-hiker gang resting and eating at Echo Lake

After picking up Brad, we returned to South Tahoe and our camp ground.  We'd arrived at Lake Tahoe a couple days before Brad got to Echo Lake so set up camp in the only camp we could find, a private campground, our least favorite on the entire trip, but served our purposes well.  They provided laundry facilities, showers and WiFi and we needed them all, especially Brad who was planning on a few zero days to work on Heart on the Trail and catch up on other computer tasks.

We also were near South Tahoe for more WiFi at the library, McDonald's and Starbucks.  That's where the days were spent -- noses in computers and books.  Unfortunately, beautiful Lake Tahoe was sadly neglected as computer work was madly attacked.

We celebrated Brad's birthday at Tahoe with a wonderful sushi dinner at Samurai (highly recommended).

Happy Birthday Brad! 

Dessert too!