PCT 2015 Day 130: White Pass Nearo

• Start: 2,287.4
• End: 2,297.6
• Miles: 10.2
• Camp: White Pass

We only had a short walk into White Pass today, roughly half uphill and half downhill. The uphill section rewarded us with a spectacular view of Mt Rainier as we reached the ridge line. After a short detour (read: getting lost) we headed down the other side of the ridge with dramatically different vegetation. Forest was replaced with rocks and grasses and I looked for marmots again. I heard a strange barking quacking sound and discovered a small marmot perched on a rock yelling for all it was worth. I think it was the same kind of marmot we saw in the Sierra – the yellow bellied marmot – although smaller than the southern ones.

We left the trail to take a more direct route down a ski slope which would take us to the White Pass Kracker Barrel. Here we picked up a resupply box and used the most expensive laundry so far on trail – $7 for the whole cycle.

Stargazer’s sister and brother in law had offered to make us dinner when we had had lunch with them the other day. They came to pick us all up and took us to a campground (after waiting for our load of drying to finish) where they set up their trailer. We had a lovely civilised afternoon and evening of card games, food, drinks, nice company. Wonderful.