Day 99: Solar Eclipse

From Trout Creek mile 2174.1 to mile 2189.1

My plan for the day was to hang our near Trout Creek, watch the eclipse and wait for Totes, Bones and crew to arrive.  I figured they would get here around noon.

I slept in and enjoyed it.  When I did get up it was only to make coffee and read the cheap novel I got at the grocery store yesterday.  At 9:15 I packed up and moved north about 3 tenths of a mile.  Just off the trail there was what appeared to be an old abandoned farm.  I sat out in a small field to watch the solar eclipse.

I won’t bore you with eclipse details but it was cool.  Here it was not 100% but was pretty close.

At 11:30 I walked back to the creek to wait for my hiking partners.  Totes was just arriving and was happy to see me.  Bones wife came back on the trail so he is limited to 15 mile days for now.  Totes thinks that she will quit again and Bones will catch us.  Digs was also in Cascade Locks but I missed her.  For now it’s just Totes and I.

We hiked 15 miles in the afternoon, including a 3000 foot climb.  We are dry camped on a high point with an awesome view of Mt Adams. There is water in another couple miles but there is a bubble of hikers coming out frtom Cascade Locks and we think that spot would be jammed.  No one else here.  We will go to the water for breakfast.