Day Seven: Hopkins Lake to Manning Park

I had been thinking about the PCT border crossing for 11 years, since the 1995 trip where we turned back at Hopkins Lake. Reading all the trail journals posted to the Web by thru hikers just increased my desire to see it for myself. Also, arriving at that point would mean I had completed my goal to section hike Washington state. Five years ago, after a serious illness, I had vowed to do just that.

It was another beautiful day. We ate some granola with instant milk for breakfast and really didn't want to leave the lake. That was a good sign that it had been a great trip. The trail got wilder the closer we came to the border. Suddenly there was deadfall across the narrow tread. We saw lots of bear scat with residue from their berry orgies. At the last trail junction in the U.S.--the Boundary Trail--we found a closure sign and pink surveyor's tape. The Tatoosh Buttes fire had closed large sections to the east--but not the PCT.

We were lucky. Less than we week later, the fire grew and the Forest Service closed the entire Pasayten Wilderness. Some PCT thru hikers had to detour along an unmaintained trail to a trail along Ross Lake. Others ignored the trail closure and hiked on the main trail anyway. After about a week after the closure, enough rain fell to let the Forest Service open it up again.

I told Chuck about the 10-foot wide swath of clearcut at the border, but I wasn't sure he believed me. After about six miles of hiking, we suddenly saw the swath and knew we were getting close. Kevin was right ahead of us; Bob lingered behind.

You go downhill, turning two swtchbacks, and suddenly you are there: The PCT Terminus--so amazingly different from the one on the Mexican border with its corrugated metal wall. Here, in a clearing, you can cross the border without any hassles. In theory you are supposed to "report" to Canadian immigration as soon as possible--but few bother to do it.

I took about 15 pictures at the terminus--so even though this page is packed, there are many more. I scrambled atop the PCT marker to have Kevin take a quick shot of me balancing (it was harder than you think). Then I lifted up the top of the Monument 78 marker. Inside was the 2006 trail register with some famous names already entered--Scott Williamson (the yo-yo hiker) and Billy Goat (who I met in 2003). I wrote a long passage and Kevin also added his comments to the book. Bob showed up and then a party coming from the trailhead in Manning Park arrived, so we had them take a group shot. At last, it was time to leave.

The trail in Canada changes its character. At times it is an abandoned road, and soon after the border you encounter a luxurious campground with a picnic table and an outhouse. We had lunch where the trail crossed Castle Creek, thinking it would be an easy walk to Highway 3 and the lodge.

At last we came to the highway and found Kevin waiting for us. We made an arrow out of rocks to point the way to the lodge and then hiked another mile to get there. It was odd to see this resort and hear the traffic zooming along Highway 3 after a week in the woods. But I sure was looking forward to a shower, beer and some fresh food. My bounce box filled with clean clothes, toiletries and some snacks, was waiting at the desk. In an hour, I was ready to rejoin the "real" world.