Today I reached the point which we all have been working towards, the northern terminus on the Canadian Border. I’d camped 6.4 miles, 10.3 km from the border, which was only about a 3 hour walk. I left my tent set up, and took only a small backpack with me. All I needed was a drink, some snacks, and a jacket just in case.

I left camp at 8 am and crossed Hopkins Pass to walk along the western side of Blizzard Peak to Castle Pass. It was cold and shady on my side of the valley, but the sky was clear and the sun was shining on the other side.

From Castle Pass, it’s all downhill to Canada. The trail runs along the side of Mt Winthrop down Route Creek. Along this section, I got a view of Castle Peak on the other side of the valley.

After an hour or so, I turned a wide bend in the valley and saw new mountains ahead. I knew these mountains were in Canada and the end was very near. The final piece of trail is a series of three switchbacks, after the third, I could see a small clearing ahead.

A few short steps and the PCT Northern Terminus was finally right in front of me. After nearly six months of constant movement towards this point, it seemed unreal to finally face it. There was a small group here taking their photos with the monument, and they offered to take mine too.

I took some time to absorb this reality and reflect on what it meant to be here. I knew I was going to be here a while, and I’d remembered to bring everything I needed to make my traditional staple meal, grilled tuna burritos. I cooked by the monument, and enjoyed a hot lunch at the Canadian Border. There was a logbook which I spent hours reading, there were so many messages from hikers who had come here before me.

I finally added my piece to the book, and a shout-out to the people I’d hiked with to get here.

The Faffy Whanau, who I’d started with and stuck around until Mt San Jacinto; Willem, Tiger, Lucy, Linda, Krista and MJ.

The LA Aquedoofers, who I’d first met at the Mesa Windfarm near Cabazon, and hiked with until Tehachapi; Ninja, Fortune Cookie, and Star.

The Vortexperts of Bishop; Rox, Sarah, Fortune Cookie, Star, Trail Spice, Holiday, Hungry Bear, and Yottam.

Finally, the Party Turtles who I’d been around since the late desert, and hiked with from Santiam Pass to Cascade Locks; Mango, Cook and Wow.

I stayed at the terminus all day, a few others hung around, some came and went, overall it was a special place. The monument was a place of celebration, and reflection on the journey we’d undertaken, and how much we’ve all been through along the way. There were fun days, long days and hard days, a lot had changed and I’d come to feel like the wilderness was a kind of home in six months.

I left around 4:30 pm with Aloha and Machine. Aloha was finishing from last year and I’d recognized the name from so many far out comments along the way. I remembered Machine from Callahan’s Lodge in Ashland where we’d been hanging out with Inferno Man, Intense Jukebox and No Rush. We walked back up the hill and saw the sunset over the mountains from the trail. Just two more nights out here, then I’ll be back in Harts Pass with all of this behind me.

I made it back to the lake after dark, around 7:30 pm. Aloha stayed for dinner, and had a go at fishing in the lake. After hanging out, Aloha continued onwards to camp on the ridge overlooking the lake. It’s a late night tonight, but today will be a day I remember for the rest of my life.

At camp, I realized it was another full moon. Seeing the moon again really hammered home just how long I’ve been out here. I last saw the full moon over Timberline Lodge in Oregon with Mango, Cook and Wow. Before that, I was in Yosemite Valley with Holiday and the lads we’d meet at the bar there. I remembered setting my tent into “star gazer mode” on Bishop Pass, and being blasted by the moonlight that night. Before that, I was walking through the wind farm and over the aqueduct through the night with Fortune Cookie, Star, Ninja and Trail Spice. Earlier still, I was camping high on Fuller Ridge after just summiting Mt San Jacinto. That was the first time I’d seen the full moon in the US, and it feels like so many lifetimes ago.

I won’t lay claim to walking every footstep here from Mexico all those moons ago. Nonetheless, I hope in the future to look back on each of these days, and agree with myself that I had a damn good crack at the funnest known time on the PCT. Here marks the end of my own FKT attempt.

– Skillet