September 6th
At the Kracker Barrel convenience store we had breakfast, did laundry and managed to resupply from the meager selection of food items. The hiker box was of very little help, so we had to make do with the paltry offerings the store had on their shelves. Still, it was better than losing the time it would take to hitch into Packwood.
Originally we had been planning on taking a zero day here, but the sun is out, the sky is almost clear. It is too nice to not hike. Better to save the zero days for when it’s raining and cold.
Stream of backpacker and horse packers heading out, going home as the Labor Day weekend draws to a close. Now we hope we can reclaim the woods as our own. With the holiday weekend over marking the symbolic end to the summer season we hope to see less “tourists” on the trail.
Leaving White Pass the PCT is a “confused” trail meandering around meadow and bogs, making frequent short ups and downs and ins and outs which at times seem pointless. But it is a very pleasant walk through northwestern woods and past many shallow lakes.
Near one lake, at the edge of a dark forest we see a silent silhouette, a dark animal amidst the shadows. It sees us and quietly moves away. Probably it was an elk but it’s hard to say for sure.
Arriving at Clift Lake just before dark we find a pleasant camp. As we are preparing dinner we hear the bugling of a nearby elk. Or perhaps it’san elk hunter. Bow and arrow season has just opened. Since its dark out we think it’s the real thing.
