September 7th
Several times last night we heard the plaintive wail of an elk bugling, looking for love. He seemed to get no response other than the occasional yipping of coyotes and hoo-hoo-hooting of a nearby owl. Then came the mice with their scritching, scratching, plastic bag tearing and chewing sounds. We doubled the “offerings” to them that we had made of cheese nip crumbs and peanuts and they still wanted to tear into the carrots snack bag. Vigilant swatting of the bags was all that kept them away. So we had a fitful night’s sleep punctuated by sounds and furry (rodents) signifying nothing but mouse hunger and ungulate lust.
The trail ascended the crest line ridge, which presented the powerful presence of Mt Rainier up close and offered panoramic views back to the Goat Rocks and Mt Adams.
We seem to be entering the very southern beginnings of the North Cascades Range. The crest is becoming more dramatic with taller peaks and steeper sides, more saddles, gaps, passes and divides. The day was clear and sunny with the coolness of autumn. Hard to imagine that only 3 weeks ago we were seeking out swimming holes and now we need to find sunlight places for breaks. Still, it’s so very nice to be walking through this area with sunshine and not rain. Ten years ago there was nothing but clouds and drizzle as I hiked this section unaware of its potential beauty.
We crossed Chinook Pass with all its cars and dayhikers. It’s a very busy place which somehow seemed very out of place.
We ended the day at Big Norse Basin, at a campsite near a spring. A few afternoon clouds built up and spilled over into evening, clingning to the ridges. But, overhead the skies are clear and nearby a coyote is yipping.
We made dinner with the only fuel available at White Pass, “Iso-Heat.” In the alcohol stoves the preferred fuel is denatured alcohol, or the auto fuel additive “Heet” (the kind that comes in the yellow bottle.) Its methyl alcohol and burns very clean. The “Heet” in the red bottle is Isopropyl alcohol, which burns cooler and produces some soot. Since it is all we could get we bought it and tonight we are trying it. The flames are wilder, more yellow and it burns more quickly, taking more fuel than normal, ad it does leave some soot, although not as bad as had feared. In short, it works. Not as well, but it does work.