Days 6 and 7

  After relaxing by Top Lake for a couple nights, it was time to push on. I'd stayed around to give the legs a break and to soak up some lake and relaxing time, eating huckleberries and settling in for a little bit. A nice breather, but the trail mindset was calling.  The legs could've used more time off, having done those 50 miles in the first 3, but the way out was ahead and Mt Jefferson was in the distance.

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 Heading up from Top Lake, I passed several other lakes, an open meadow that just made me smile and then an awesome outcropping with views of Mt Hood and Olallie Lake below. Talk about a great rear view mirror shot, capturing the distance I'd traveled so far.  Pushing 60 miles from Hood to get this view, and more to go!

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To get into Jefferson Park, my overnight spot under the mountain, you have to head up, up and up to 7000 feet to get over a ridge, to then go down and down to the meadows and lakes.  My legs were feeling pretty shot on the way up, but the thought of swimming, relaxing and watching the sun set on Jefferson kept me going.  That, and, there really is no stopping when you're on a trail and not at your destination.  Only one way to go, and that is right foot, left foot.  With some stopping for views of course.  On the ridge I could see a couple fires burning in the distance.  Too close for comfort, but safe for this hike. Sadly having seen what has happened afterwards, this whole area would get closed down and be in danger of fire, and most likely burnt.

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Looking down at the lakes just brings a smile to your face.  It's like walking into a postcard. Well, a postcard that takes a couple miles to get into. Having just been in this area a couple months ago, I had a couple spots in my mind for where to camp by the lakes. I scored a winner with a great view of the mountain.  Prime for sunset watching from the tent.  Swim, dinner and relaxing on the last night on the trail.  A great finish to a great trip.

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Classic sunset on a mountain. So Good!

Moonrise over Mt Jefferson

 The next morning was all smiles on the way out.  Good times on the PCT, pushing the body and mind, getting 70 miles in and becoming one with nature, yet again.

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Days 4-5 Top Lake

My campsite at Top Lake, all to myself

This is my campsite, the pay off for the next two days of hiking.  After feeling my legs get beat up along the first 3 days of doing 50 miles, it was time to take a breather and have some time reading and relaxing by a lake.  What better place better than an alpine lake all by myself with views all around, swimming when I want and huckleberries all around?  Can't beat that.  But how'd I get there?

On trails like the below.  Well, actually that is just the same trail, as the PCT goes over 2000 miles and this is it.  Just straight cruising.  Every now and then you look behind and you see Mt Hood in the distance, way back, getting farther and farther away.  A feat to still be on my feet. 

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Mt Hood way in the back.  I started there!

Fairly straight, easy to just keep moving without even thinking about the miles.

After hiking multiple hours, I came to Ollalie Lake, the main hub for the area I would stay in.  There is a resort made up of cabins, drop toilets and a store.  Yes, a place selling backpacker food that you can stock up at and get your feast on.  After dehydrated food for days now, this was amazing to be able to get a variety of products, with the highlight being cinnamon raisin peanut butter.  Really darn amazing, with a sugary kick that was just what I was going for.  Following other PCT hikers, I got some tortillas to wrap it in and was in pure bliss after 50+ miles on the trail.

Olallie Lake has an amazing view of Mt Jefferson

The perfect distance from two countries to buy food at :)

After a refill on food and one heck of a view of Mt Jefferson, I headed up the PCT to find a lake to call my own and rest up at.  Top Lake turned out to be the winner.  Views of Ollalie Butte, no other people and a great spot with logs to sit on.  That's right, I was sitting on the ground and logs for the whole trip, not affording myself a chair as a luxury.  Brought a book to read, but no chair.  The backpacking life for me!

View from my tent, facing east, with sunrise

Letting gravity help out with my water filter.  Pour into the pot and the pot into the bottle and clean amazing water to drink, easy as.

Huckleberries everywhere around the campsite!  Kinda like blueberries mixed with acai berries.  Or more like a huckleberry.  Be a hound, eat some!