12 miles to go to the U.S. Canadian Border. Taking a break up on our last pass before we're done walking 20-30 miles a day, we spot 2 separate trails.. one is the new P.C.T. trail that we are highly recommended to take to descend the pass, and the other is the old P.C.T. The second trail is much higher on the mountain side and also looks like a "shortcut"!
Filled with excitement to finally be finished, wanting it to come as quickly as possible, we decide to try the old route. As we start away from the pass and approach our shortcut, there is a sign warning us that the trail has not been kept up, AKA: DO NOT PASS. We decide we are good hikers, we're tough, we can handle it. So as we start along the side of the mountain, hoping to end where we can see the real P.C.T. on the other side of the small canyon, things start off sort of steep.
The first spring (ice melt, in reality) crossing is somewhat treacherous. On our right is almost a straight drop to death, down the gravel terrain, and the trail is about half the size of the new and improved, recommended P.C.T. route. But, not slipping on any ice, we make it safely and continue hiking. We pass another ice melt spring, and this one is a tad bit less frightening, so I start to feel better about our decision. Suddenly the trail sort of disappears from under us and we are left confused as to what to do.. We decide not to turn around (which is what we should have done) and to keep going in the only direction we can. The cliff side becomes steeper, and the gravel becomes looser. Soon enough we are crawling over the "trail" so as to not slip to our death.
Boomer is handeling the situation well.. If he was scared I couldn't tell. Which made my situation worse. I was in a crippled state from fear, and seeing him so calm made me feel more of a child. When the tears came, I thought surely how would I survive with salty water blocking my vision, and snot stopping my breathing?
Looking down the cliff, there was no possibility of us escaping and we sure as hell were not going to turn around at this point, we just had to keep crawling and pray that things might be greener on the other side of the cliff.
Our prayers held up and we finally came to a spot were we could slide down the mountain on our asses, through the gravel and land right on the old P.C.T and we did just that.
After a debriefing period, we continued to Canada. But before we could make it there was yet ANOTHER situation to hold us up.
6 miles before the border, there was a campsite both of us were supposed to stop at to drop our gear and slack pack it to the border, because the next day we actually had to hike back to a previous pass to be picked up (we didn't have our passports to enter Canada). So the plan was to go empty handed except 2 bottles of nice beer to the border and then hike back to the camp after our celebration.
Boomer begins running down the trail to get to the camp, hoping our friends are still there. But, my knees being as tired as they were from previous excursions, I hiked at a regular speed. A couple miles go by, and I'm expecting to see the campsite. I walked passed an arrow that pointed to a turn off, but sort of ignored the idea that it could be for me and kept hiking. Finally i'm getting worried, because I want to finish the trail with Boomer. So thinking he is way ahead of me, and start running. and running and running for what seemed like forever and sure enough..
1 mile before the border our whole group of friends are bare backed, waiting for me and Boomer. Boomer isn't with me or them. And I still have my pack on.
So we think maybe he somehow passed everyone? And we start toward the border.
0.2 miles before the monument, I tell everyone I'm going to sit and wait, and when they get to the border, if Boomer is there to yell for me. But they got there and never yelled so I sat for 5 minutes waiting. When Boomer never showed up, I gave up and hiked the rest of the P.C.T. all the way to Canada.
Boomer wasn't there, and I was a little worried. But eventually he showed up, sprinting, no pack, bottle in hand and he was thoroughly confused how I could be ahead of him.
The situation was figured out and celebration commenced. Celebration of the greatest adventure of my 20 years of life. And celebration for future relaxing and endless amounts of food.
