Day 155

Mile 2541 to 2564, 23 miles

• Miles to monument: 86
• Miles to Manning Park, Canada: 95

Cost: Camped, free

Up 4947 feet. Down 5553 feet. 

I slept in and left at 9am. I wasn’t in a hurry and only wanted to do about 24 miles and stay about 5 miles out of Stehekin – I wouldn’t be able to do a 28 mile day and arrive before the last bus at 6:15pm anyway. 

My first time to see and use one of these bush toilets!

The trail was “easy” compared to previous days and the miles went by quite quickly. 
  

At one point I heard something crashing through the bushes behind me. I turned around and saw a stag in the middle of the trail behind me, it was beautiful. It stood there looking at me for a moment then casually walked away. I was reminded how lucky I am to be out here. 

I had to cross that!

View from the other side

Another log crossing, very convenient!

Around 3:30pm I came to a campsite with a sign warning of falling trees and advising not to camp there. I hadn’t eaten lunch but there were a few big fallen down trees that looked like they would make a good seat so I sat opposite the warning sign on a log to eat lunch… A bit silly really! I ate a tortilla in peace but as I was starting to pack up a massive tree branch fell of the tree right behind me… The noise was so loud but I had no idea where it was coming from, I looked up and then finally saw the branch as it was in mid-air. It landed about 2 metres behind me. It definitely would’ve knocked me out or pinned me under had it been that little bit closer… Close call!
   

I camped by myself in a large campsite. I set up my tent and was eating dinner when the wind picked up and the trees surrounding my tent were swaying and creaking. 2 trees had half fallen and were being held up by other trees but if the other trees swayed in the wind too there was every chance I could end up with a few trees on top of my tent, not ideal. I didn’t want to but I took down my tent and moved it to a clearer spot but the reason I never set it up there in the first place was because of the downward slope it was on. If I get crushed by a tree tonight on this uncomfortable slope, then I guess that’s fate!

The first spot

Second spot