Michele and Laurel's Walkabout

May 7th - September 15th Mexico to Canada on the flippin' Pacific Crest Trail! Love you lovely Laurel "Lolligag" Reisman. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail #pacificcresttrials #pctig #northcascades #thruhike #bordertoborder #backpacking (at US/Canada Border)

Day 134 (9.15) Twenty foot clear cut down the middle of the forest to denote the US/Canada border. This cut goes the entire 5525 miles along the border. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail #pacificcresttrials #pctig #northcascades #thruhike #bordertoborder #backpacking

Day 134 (9.15) The final miles. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail #pacificcresttrials #pctig #thruhike #backpacking #northcascades

Day 134 (9.15) Preparing to hit the trail at dawn with only 13 or so miles to go before the US/Canada border. Hard to believe four months of summer was gone and fall was underway, not to mention our 2650 mile journey was going to be completed in matter of hours. Time and distance are funny things on a thruhike. #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrials #pacificcresttrail #northcascades #bordertoborder #thruhike #backpacking

Day 133 (9.14) Loved seeing this note trail side and knowing that delicious things were in store for us a la Derek. Derek was hoping to meet us the evening before for dinner but we missed a bus in Stehekin waiting for our package and couldn't make the miles. Lunch of steak, chimichurri and veggies and a flippin' tiramisu cake for desert was not a bad deal for some dirty hikers! (at Harts Pass)

Day 132 (9.13) Tower Mountain of the left and Mount Hardy of the far right. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail  #pacificcresttrials #pctig #northcascades #towermountain

Day 132 (9.13) Golden Larches (a deciduous conifer) and rocky peaks making the hike up from Rainy Pass quite scenic. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail  #pctig #northcascades #rainypass

Flipping through the PCT register at the Stehekin Post Office and found Derek and Eli & Gabby's entries from 2013. Crazy seeing that I was there almost three years ago to the day. (at Stehekin, Washington)

Day 130 (9.11) Wasn't quite swimming weather but you still gotta jump in real quick. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail #pctig #northcascadesnationalpark #northcascades #stehekin

Day 130 (9.11) Organic garden and Stehekin Pastry Company, a winning combination. #pct #pct2016 #pacificcresttrail #pctig #northcascadesnationalpark #northcascades #stehekin #stehekinpastrycompany

Day 131 (9.12) Lauren came out to hang out for a couple of days and it was so nice to catch up. She got an insider's scoop into the life of a thruhiker and that when given the opportunity all we want to do is lay on a floor and eat Oreos and potato chips.

Day 130 (9.11) Welcome to the small community of Stehekin, nestled into the backcountry of North Cascades National Park and only accessible by boat, plane or in our case on foot. I love this place so much because not only is it a stunningly gorgeous place but it has one of my favorite bakeries on this planet, an organic garden with fresh goat cheese and comfortable places to lounge out and take it all in. Put this on your must see list! #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #pacificcresttrials #washingon #backpacking #thruhike #stehekin #northcascades #northcascadesnationalpark

Day 128 (9.10) One more epic view for the day before dropping low. Next stop, Stehekin aka paradise. #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #pacificcresttrials #glacierpeakwilderness #washingon #backpacking #thruhike #northcascades

Day 128 (9.10) PCT alternative success! We took a detour on the Old PCT and were a little anxious about the river crossing but it was tamer than expected and a lot of fun. #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #glacierpeakwilderness #washingon #backpacking #thruhike

Day 129 (9.10) A nice morning panoramic view of the North Cascades before dropping down to yet another valley floor.#pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #glacierpeakwilderness #washingon #backpacking #thruhike #northcascades #pnw

Day 127 (9.9) Even with the help of an Instagram filter this picture does not do this place justice. Everyone who topped out at this ridge stopped and made an exclamation of some sort about how crazy the view in front of them was. We tried to take it all in before descending down to the bottom of the valley to Milk creek and then going straight back up again to find camp for the night. #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #glacierpeakwilderness #washingon #backpacking #thruhike #pacificcresttrials #pnw #northcascades

Day 127 (9.9) Glacier Peak. #pct #pct2016 #pctig #pacificcresttrail #glacierpeakwilderness #washingon #backpacking #thruhike #glacierpeak #nofilter