Wednesday, July 12
Start: Timothy Lake
End: Timberline Lodge
Miles: 19.4 (+2mi around town)
Elevation gain/loss: 4035’/1322′
I was up at 5:25 and out by 5:55am. At the next water source after Timothy Lake, I met Compost and Cowbell, both PCT NOBO hikers; Compost is from New Hampshire and we enjoyed chatting about the differences between East coat and West coast hiking as we filtered water. As I entered Mt Hood Wilderness, I met Beth, Christina, and Pam – some local Oregonians out for a hike. We chatted about the PCT, my hike, and other fun things; I read them as queer and the exchange warmed my heart.
Close to Timberline, I met Onward along the PCT; she’s from North Carolina and is flip flopping around the PCT this year after hiking the AT a few years ago. I arrived at Timberline Lodge at 12:45pm and set up my tent in the trees just above the Lodge. I left my tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, and pillow there, and headed down to the Lodge with the rest of my backpack.
I ended up on the second floor of the Lodge and outside the formal dining room, I saw Mattias’ backpack, recognizing it by the red paracord. I went in to say “Hi” and decided to take advantage of the lunch buffet. I ate 4 plates plus a fresh cooked waffle and a fresh-baked ‘cookies and cream’ cookie. After my meal, I said goodbye and headed down to the ski lodge to find a charging lockbox for my battery per online reports but the lockbox had been removed. Instead, I went to the gift shop and they agreed to plug it in and hold it for me until I got back.
Then I headed down the mountain on the $2 shuttle bus to Government Camp to do laundry and see if I could find a shower. I started up laundry at the Huckleberry Inn for $5 and asked a few places about showering. They weren’t able to help, but then I tried the Cascade Ski Club. The front door was locked but one of the side doors was open. I bothered an older man who was working on his computer and he gave me the phone number for the weekend caretaker to see if I take a shower, even though they only allow PCT hikers on the weekend. Blaine the caretaker agreed, I paid the man so he could pass the money on to Blaine, and then the man showed me the shower room downstairs. I enjoyed a 10-minute shower along with both soap and shampoo, and then I headed back to work on my laundry.
As soon as my laundry was done, I moved it to the dryer. I knew I’d be cutting it close, since I was dropped off at 3pm and the next bus was at 4:10pm. I was able to dry my laundry for 15 minutes before I needed to pull it out to get to the bus stop. I rode back on the $2 shuttle, retrieved my battery brick from the gift shop, and then headed out to the patio of the Lodge to dry my laundry and charge my devices using outdoor outlets. I saw Compost in passing and thought she and her friend would be sleeping in the trees nearby me but I didn’t see them again. I ran into Onward and another PCT section hiker back at the Lodge; she gave me some leftover pizza and cookies while we chatted.
I hung out at the Lodge for a while and then packed up once everything had charged. I did a few final town chores and filled my water bottles and headed up the hill to my campsite. The wind was blowing fiercely, but I was comfortable in my tent, all freshly showered and laundered. It was a relief to be back on trail, in a campsite, without the hustle and bustle of crowds of skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers, and tourists.
Transcending Mountains 