Daily Miles: 27.1, Total Miles: 2455.7 The thunder, lightning and rain all started at 1:00am. The storm was right over me for a time – quite a light show. I expected the morning to be socked in but it was surprisingly clear. I finished the climb to the top of the ridge passing a few cirques and tarns. Nice views of foggy Waptus Lake and then descended 2,200 ft to the Waptus River. I proceeded along a contour above the…

Daily Miles: 26.4, Total Miles: 2428.6 My son called last night with news on my fantasy football league draft – he’s the league commissioner. I had to put the draft of my Purple Haze team on automatic because I was hiking. The results do not look good – only a few players I recognize as good ones. Shortly thereafter I had what I think was some kind of food poisoning that kept me close to the bathroom for hours until…

Daily Miles: 13.6, Total Miles: 2402.2 An owl glided over my head just before sunrise this morning and started hooting from a nearby tree. He had been at it all night long. Here in Washington, you can get sopping wet on a clear, sunny day. Heavy dew on the high vines and bushes crowding the trail. A climb to start the day and then down to Yakima Pass – why are the passes the low point? Back up to pretty…

Daily Miles: 28.2, Total Miles: 2388.6 Elk were bugling in the valley below me at sunrise. I crossed a clearcut covered in fireweed and climbed up the west side of Blowout Mountain to the crest. Great views of Rainier and now the distant Goat Rocks. The rest of the day was mostly hiking through old logging country, several clearcuts, reforested areas and lots of logging roads. After crossed under three sets of large powerlines. I was really impressed with one…

Daily Miles: 29.1, Total Miles: 2360.4 I awoke to clear blue skies at my campsite. A short walk to Chinook Pass and down the road a few hundred feet gave me the full Monty on Mt Rainier from the south. What a pretty sight! The trail today was about following contours, usually high up the ridge with good views. I passed Sheep Lake and then up to Sourdough Gap and Pickhandle Gap with views of the eastern side and top…

Daily Miles: 28.3, Total Miles: 2331.3 Squish, squish down the wet trail and jumping from side to side to avoid mud puddles. Hiked in a cloud for much of the morning and then the sun finally shone through. I passed several lakes and ponds in this spongy, muskeg country rich with ripe huckleberries. I crossed a brand-new foot bridge over the headwaters of the Bumping River – the crew just leaving on horseback said I was one of the first…

Daily Miles: 15.5, Total Miles: 2303.0 The rain started about 4:30am and then the wind started howling, hitting my tent broadside and whipping it good. Looked out my tent about 6:30am because the rain had stopped. The sunrise colors across the sky, clouds, snow and mountains were simply amazing. Despite being somewhat soggy, this kind of scene always gives me a re-charge. I packed up the wet gear and headed down past Lutz Lake and then up to pretty Shoe…

Daily Miles: 21.5, Total Miles: 2287.5 I started to get up at 5:20am but heard the pitter patter on the rainfly. It drizzled for about an hour and then stopped. After over two hours of hiking, I hadn’t seen any goats or many rocks so what’s with this wilderness anyway? Fast forward to the end of the day – Goat Rocks ROCKS! Absolutely one of my top, favorite days on the trail! The views are spectacular. Mts Adams, St Helens…