Washington Section A: Cascade Locks to Trout Lake (August 15-19, 2012)

Looking across the Columbia River from Cascade Locks

Bridge of the Gods mural

The Columbia River Gorge

Bridge of the Gods

On the bridge

Looking down was a little scary...

The river

Makes you wonder what happened here...

The bridge was pretty shaky, with construction going on and traffic driving
by. I was a little nervous about accidentally dropping Robbus - or something
equally important, like my camera, or my hiking poles - into the river, since it
was all open metal grating.

Looking back towards Oregon

Noisy bird on the Washington side

Here we go!

Gillette Lake

Pretty-looking but EVIL
(I hate poison oak.)

Greenleaf Creek

My boots weren't holding up too well.

Table Mountain (and Mount Hood in the background)

One more view of the gorge...

I decided to camp at Three Corner Rock - stupidest choice of
 campsite ever.  The wind was so strong I was afraid it would
tear up my tent.  It was like trying to sleep in a wind tunnel.

Note the color of the water before and after filtering!

When PCT hikers and the Forest Service disagree...
(I actually saw my first two bears on this segment of the trail.  Finally!)

At Panther Creek Campground.  I chatted with the
camp hosts for a bit, and they took a picture of me. 

Prettiest trail mail ever!  Thank you so much, Claire & Lauren!

Mount Hood again

2,200 mile marker

Mount Adams coming up...

That's Mount Hood looking very volcano-y in the distance...

On the way to Trout Lake.
I hitched a ride with a super-friendly couple, Ray and Kelly,
who had been out doing SAR training with their dogs, and
insisted on  buying me one of the famous huckleberry milk
shakes when we got to town.  Thanks a lot, guys!!!  (They
even gave me their number to call in case of an emergency
- I joked that they would certainly be the right people to call...)

At the Trout Lake Cafe with Honoh, Marmot and Leslie