Aug 28: Mica Lake to Miners Creek on the Suiattle River (PCT miles 2521.3 to 2545.0)

I awoke before sunrise and started out. The hiking the last few days has been beautiful and that beauty continued today as well.

The trail continued to round the aptly named Glacier Peak

Fall is approaching: gone are most of the flowers, but the Corn Lily plants are turning yellow and the Huckleberry leaves are turning red.

It is just an amazingly pretty trail today!

The PCT crosses the Suiattle River 3 miles downstream from where it used to, thus adding 6 miles to the trail.  The old crossing was taken out by a combination of water, logs and rocks.  Even this late in the season it is a dangerous river.  Here’s the crossing at the new bridge:

and here’s the crossing at the old location – it does not look that bad, but I assure you it is.

I heard that someone successfully crossed at the old PCT location, but was swept some 30 feet downstream by the strong current.  He crossed alone, which I think is just foolish.

I had heard the campsite I’m at tonight is notorious for aggressive, hungry mice.  I usually hold my food in my tent, but tonight decided to hang my food from a short tree, that turned out to be too short :(.  I awoke to the sound of a mouse sliding down my food bag to secure the peanuts he/she stole in his/her den.  I moved the food bag into my tent and kept it in my sleeping bag.  No more mice problems tonight!

Thanks for reading!