27     Cascade Locks - White Pass   151 miles

Cascade Locks

Clearing                        16.0 m

Panther Creek                20.0 m

Blue Lake                      23.5 m

Road 8810                     20.0 m

Midway Creek                27.5 m

Ives Peak                     19.0 m

Mc. Call Basin                 7.5 m

White Pass                   17.5 m

Luckily Skeeter a fellow thruhiker helped me a lot at Cascade Locks. I could join him for a visit of Portland and staying overnight with a friend of his. I had ordered my new poncho/tarp through an outfitter; the tarp that goes with my mosquito tent from the same maker. After closing time and the next day a holiday they were still waiting for me. And at REI I could exchange my worn out pants against a replacement one. This had been arranged in advance by phone too. Following another night at Cascade Locks we moved into Washington. The border with Oregon is right in the middle of Bridge of the Gods crossing Columbia River. The bridge is named after an Indian saga.

This was to be the last stretch with food for eight days. The first few days it was rather heavy. But every day helped reducing the weight. Late in the evening I arrived at Blue Lake. It was mostly covered in ice. This was another cold night.

Soon I could use my new tarp for the first time. We spent all night in the clouds. Raindrops constantly fell of tree branches. Towards morning it started to clear up. Partly with sunshine we walked up to Knifes Edge. There is one section with separate trails for hikers and stock. Once I arrived the point where the two trails split the sun had disappeared and we were back in the clouds. I may have finished half of the final ascent some hikers came back from the top. It was too dangerous. No view and a very, very strong wind. I turned around too. Together with more hikers we to the stock trail. Once on the trail we wondered how horses could ever get along this trail. We had to cross a short but very steeply sloping ice field. Very slowly and carefully one by one we got across. Then it was along the Knifes Edge. Both sides of the trail were steep cliffs. And the storm was blowing very strong. Finally it was done. Today we stopped very early. The night was to become the coldest of the total hike. In the morning it was -7° Celsius / 18 Fahrenheit. Everything was frozen over. The wind had stopped overnight and the ridgeline was bathed in sunshine. Why not a day earlier? The weather staid this nice for the next days. In the afternoon I arrived at White Pass.

Bridge of the Gods crossing Columbia River

Mount Adams

Water

Ascent

Knifes Edge in the clouds

Icy tarp in the morning

Sunny Knifes Edge

View of Shoe Lake

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