Day 7, Sept. 1, 2014 Labor Day

Up around 6:30 a.m. and got out of the camp around 8. Both John and I agreed the place had an unusual and unpleasant odor, which we attributed to the essence of TP blossoms rising with the morning mists.

Morning light coming into the forest.

More morning light.

Entered the Indian Heaven Wilderness. Morning hiking in the forest again but nice light coming through the trees. Passed several lakes and collected water at the last one, Blue Lake, to carry to a dry camp tonight. Trail finally broke above tree line with great view of Mount Hood in Oregon. The peak never quite got its head out of the clouds for me to get an unobscured photo.

Mount Hood, over there in Oregon.

Junction Lake.

We spent an hour at lunch at Junction Lake talking to a young ranger there cleaning up campsites. Here is what I thought she said: There are 2,000 thru hikers on the PCT this year and 3,000 expected next year. About a third make it to Washington State after starting at the Mexican border. John remembers it as 3,000 this year with more expected next year. The ranger asked those thru hikers at the lake to register at each wilderness so the Forest Service knew how many people were using the trail in individual areas. Apparently many thru hikers mark “Point of entry” as “Mexico” and “Destination” as “Canada” and don’t bother to fill out the forms at the start of each wilderness area they pass through.

A couple of reasons for the expected increase in PCT thru hikers: A movie version of Cheryl Strayed’s book “Wild” is coming out, starring Reese Witherspoon. Another trail movie is also in the works: Robert Redford and Emma Thompson in a version of Bill Bryson’s “Walk in the Woods.” At 77, Redford seems a bit old to walk the Appalachian Trail. Wait, what am I saying? “Old guys rule” is what I meant to say.

Whether it is 2,000 or 3,000 on the trail next year, I hope to be among them as I finish the last 80 or so miles I will need to complete hiking the PCT across Washington State. Oregon and California? In another lifetime.

We hiked more than 17 miles today and had good camping tonight. On a road, but clean Forest Service site with only tent campers, probably all PCT hikers.