Author Archives: bengland8

I’ve finally got around to editing my photos. Let me know if you have any favorites.

“Wow, I totally over trained for this thru hike!” said no one ever… “Youth covereth a multitude of sins on the trail” – Me Many people will tell you not to worry too much about training for a thru hike, saying you’re young and you’ll condition on the trail. They tell you this because inContinue reading “On Training…”

Tent: The MSR Hubba NX1 held up very well during the entire hike. It was sturdy, easy to set up, and decent in bad weather. The small footprint made it easier to find viable camping spots. You’ll also have more flexibility with soil conditions, as the stakes don’t need to be as firmly anchored asContinue reading “Final Gear Review and its questionable relevance”

Several years ago, I became enamored with the idea of through hiking after reading a book on the Appalachian Trail. What would it be like to start a hike, then simply keep going? For a long time I put off the idea. This was something that other people did, not mid career people with familiesContinue reading “Advice for potential through hikers”

Leaving Stehekin, I felt some of the mental fatigue lift, knowing I was in the home stretch. Crossing North Cascades National Park, I pulled 3 days of high mileage to get about 11 miles from the Northern Terminus. The last day I was able to leave most of my gear at camp and slack packContinue reading “Victory!”

The last stretch was tough, with difficult terrain, lots of downed trees that limited mileage. I finally saw a black bear, but was not able to get a picture as it was a ways off and partially concealed by brush. It was also some of the most scenic, though I’m almost too tired to careContinue reading “Last push…”

Middle Washington is comparable to the Sierras, without the high elevation. Volcanic mountains have transitioned back to granite, meaning more impressive scenery, but also more difficult terrain. I’ve noted my mileage dropping into the lower 20’s, and I’ll need to reassess the next section so I don’t run out of food. I feel I’m startingContinue reading “Skykomish”

Washington remains cooler and wetter. On the 100 mile, 4 day leg I had a couple of days in the cloud layer, and was hit by rain on the descent to Snoqualmie Pass. Still, there were some nice breaks in the weather. This morning I had breakfast with the Old Hikers Club, then back toContinue reading “Snoqualmie Pass”

This week was a 145 mile stretch from Bridge of the Gods to White Pass over 6 days. After the first day the temperature dropped considerably with lots of condensation overnight. It didn’t rain, but it might as well have. Everything ended up moderately damp, and I’m happy to be drying out in Packwood today.Continue reading “Washington”