Posted by Mile 2353.2 to mile 2384.3 (31.1 miles, 50 km)
I am well and truely over the fire smoke now and sick of repeating that it is thick and choking the skies but it is. It’s still here and still a huge pain in the butt. Another day of zero views and difficult breathing up hills.
Lots of people around me are talking about calling it quits at Snoqualmie, heading home and coming back in a few weeks when the air has cleared; when there will be views and when the trail may open north again from Rainy Pass. I don’t quite have that option of hanging about for a few weeks but I can fully understand why hikers want to do this.
Today was difficult. Difficult mentally with the border fire closure and putting a downer on most people’s moods, including my own. Difficult physically as today was all either straight up or straight down, no flat ground, and it was stinking hot. With no wind the smoke sits like a blanket over the sky keeping all of the suns heat in. For long stretches I was pretty much doing the zombie walk – head down, mind switched off and body stumbling northward.
Zero photos today as there was nothing worthy of a shot with the smoke. Sorry one photo of not much.
Mick Beckers 