A group of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers has hit a stretch of Washington state where the trail itself no longer exists — at least officially. Roughly 70 miles of the PCT were closed due to nearby wildfires, and the official alternate route published by the PCT Association was itself flagged for fire activity on their navigation app. With the Forest Service unable to confirm anything, the crew simply plotted their own route around the closure, mixing quiet road walks, backcountry trails and a certain amount of guesswork.

The improvisation started with a laundry-delayed morning out of a trail village, a road walk, and a steady climb into lake country — Pratt River, Snoqualmie Lake, Bear Lake and a boulder-strewn shoreline at Dorothy Lake. Days ran long: one covered nearly 48 kilometres, ending under headlamps in dropping temperatures. River crossings added texture, including one where a hiker's log-balancing gamble ended with a full soaking.

Then came Skykomish, and the kind of small-town reception thru-hikers dream about. Arriving after dark, the group was bought drinks by a local at the Whistling Post Saloon — the only kitchen still serving past 7pm — invited to join another table, given a free campsite on a business's property, and offered showers at a resident's house. The next morning brought free cookies at a coffee shop and an all-you-can-eat Sunday breakfast at the Cascadia Cafe: fried eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and plates visited two or three times. Resupply options in town are limited to a deli and a gas station (locals warned it was grim; it turned out fine), so hikers shouldn't expect supermarket choice.

Back on trail proper at Stevens Pass — busy with a mountain biking event — the walking was gentler, past a string of lakes and up to Grizzly Peak, where golden meadows, scarlet undergrowth and snow-dusted peaks justified putting the audiobooks away. Near the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary the writer ticked past 2,500 redline miles, and even with fire closures forcing skips, side trips like the Tahoe Rim Trail kept the total higher. But the joy was short-lived: more fire closures loomed around the Miner's and Sisi fires, with some 70 miles of road walking needed to reach Cascade Pass trailhead, and rain — possibly snow — forecast a few days out.

For anyone planning a PCT thru-hike, this week is a useful reality check. Late-season hikers in Washington should expect fire closures and be ready to build their own detours, verify conditions independently rather than trusting a single app, and budget extra days for slower road walking. It's also a reminder of why trail towns matter: Skykomish's outsized hospitality can reset morale when knees, weather and closures are all conspiring against you. With around 2,500 miles behind them and Canada within reach, this crew's final week is a race between the weather and the border.