Saturday, August 28, 2010

We were up early today to take Deb to the Mazama Community Center to catch the bus for the Cutthroat Classic.  It was a little depressing for me; I think I have done the race for the last five or six years.  Being injured sucks!

After we dropped Deb off & on our way to hike--moon over the North Cascades

Jeff & I then drove up Highway 20 looking for a good place to take a hike while Deb was at the race.  We pulled into the Blue Lake TH, but the mileage was very low.  A car in the parking lot was covered with frost.  Summer is coming to an end.

We stopped at the next trailhead--the PCT south!  The PCT also passes through the North Cascades National Park here, so I got to hike in the National Park, too!  We had a 9:15 turn-around time, so we went out 6.25 miles (just past Six Mile Camp).  I didn't realize until we turned around that the majority of the hike out was downhill.  I was a little tired & sore from yesterday's run, so I was feeling those uphills on the way back!

North Cascades National Park!

We were also on the PCT!

Wildlife

I have no idea which peak this is, but it is beautiful!

Funniest sticker ever--on the toilet seat in the TH outhouse

After that we went back to Mazama to meet Deb after the race, and then Irwin met us there to drive to our trailhead for the afternoon backpack.  We couldn't decide which trip to do for the backpack, but we finally settled on Windy Pass.  We were not disappointed!  We only hiked in about 3 miles Saturday night, camping just past Benson Creek.  The trail in was beautiful!

Saturday afternoon: the start of the backpack trip.  We only went in 3 miles tonight.

The view from the trail.

Slate Peak Lookout

I went crazy with sunset photos.  It was gorgeous, it was freezing, and it even snowed a little.

That's the Slate Peak Lookout on the left-hand side.

I don't know what this peak is, but it is very pretty!

The end of the ridge near our campsite

Today's mileage = 15.5 miles
August total mileage = 278.3 miles