Friday August 2, 23.1mi/37.2km

Metaline Falls (347.1) to Silver Creek Road camp (370.2) (WA)

I knew there was a big climb today, so I started early at 7:30am to get ahead of the mid-day heat. I crossed the Pend Oreille River leaving town, it was so calm and quiet in the early morning.

The climb started right away, and I climbed gradually on a dirt road for the next four hours. Nothing too exciting.

And then, a trail! The last couple of miles before the summit were in a sparse pine forest.

The view from the summit of Abercrombie Mountain (7300ft/2225m) was spectacular.

Uh oh, smoke! I called the Colville NF headquarters and alerted them.

I caught up to Alison and Ryan, whom I had first me a couple of days ago in town. We descended together, and it was fun to have other hikers to talk to!

As we got lower, the forest changed to an aspen (birch?) canopy.

I stopped at a camp spot at 5pm, after covering 23 miles today. Alison and Ryan continued for another three miles, so they would have fewer miles to do tomorrow, and get to the post office tomorrow before it closed. Theoretically, today was the last day in Grizzly bear territory, yay! Tomorrow, another town!