PCT // The Trail Throws Us One Last Curve Ball // Episode 35

[@laceylynn79]

I stayed at the North Cascades Mountain Hostel a couple of birthdays ago! It was so nice, I stayed in the cabin with the deck and bathroom and the owner Nick was so nice and accommodating. I want to go back and stay there again, it's a very cute, quiet little town that thrives off tourists and hikers so its expensive to shop there but still fun to look around and get the experience of it all. Your Nick and I almost share a birthday, mine is September 30th!😀💖

[@helpfulcommenter]

I think the little details like the fact the penguins were 52 feet tall and not 50 feet tall are what make this probably the best PCT vlog available on KZbin

[@mari.johnson]

😆 thank you for that top praise!

[@BigDukeX]

“Mari crushed it”... yes, indeed she did Nick! That was an absolutely awesome Birthday trail meal - and your appreciation was truly obvious. That weird dream about 52 FOOT Penguins roaming around cracked me. Gonna have a really hard time not smiling about that today 👊😎...

[@mari.johnson]

Haha the 52 foot penguins! So random! 😂

[@extremelydave]

Just goes to show you how a warped, I mean CREATIVE mind works when idle, eh Mari???? : )

[@TheHungryHiker]

My only regret from Steheiken was not doubling up on what I had bought at the bakery. Once you get back on trail, you're in for a treat! The stretch from Rainy Pass up to Cutthroat Pass and that whole section to Harts Pass and then all the way to the Canadian border are beautiful. Hopefully with nicer weather you'll get to see the incredible views. On my last night on the PCT, we camped on the ridgeline shortly after Woody Pass. The sunrise was amazing and bittersweet. Look for larches along the way. End of September through October is larch season out there.

[@danjoeclintrandon]

Happy Birthday Nick! What a good way of celebrating bday in the trail...

[@bertman4]

Good call staying safe. I think that's the storm where several hikers needed rescue, although I think that was south of Rainy Pass. Glad Nick got his views on his birthday.

[@tammymartinez7488]

I remember that storm last year. One of the hikers that I follow was one of the trail angel rescues from harts pass that Mari mentioned!

[@MrJpetersen77]

You can’t hike all the way to Canada. Turn around go back. If this ends I will have nothing to watch on Sunday morning. Lol.

[@dianes4858]

Kia Ora! Waaayy overdue belated birthday to Nick! I am so excited to see the last of y’all’s trip! It has sure been epic. Hope y’all are doing well back in New Zealand. 💖🌸

[@joycecory]

You two are the greatest hikers ever! Love every moment of your videos.

[@nicolescott89]

Can't believe it's so close to the finish, we as fans would rather you all be safe then sorry !!! Mother nature is not to be played with. Glad your all safe. Can't believe its the last stretch !!!!! Come on guys you'll got this!!!

[@DDDorq]

We were on the east side of Glacier National Park for this “unexpected and unseasonal winter” storm. Living out of a fifth wheel and working at the visitor center. 58” of snow meant for an interesting last couple of days and exploring the new winter wonderland - glad you were safe and warm!!

[@jamessorenson2272]

52' penguins? Wow that's kewl

[@kellyjohnson3617]

Stehekin is so beautiful. But WA is really kicking your butts. That storm last year was super bad. There were a few I saw in you tube who couldn’t finish cuz they ended up getting super sick. You were wise to take a pause. Look forward to the last episode of your adventure.

[@johneason6540]

Mari, you are doing such a fine job on your videos. The snowstorm was epic. Safe choice is the best choice. Happy birthday Nick

[@redtango76]

I love Winthrop. We used to camp there when I was kid all the time.I always wondered why people bothered going to Mazama instead of Winthrop. It makes no sense to me. Can't wait to see the final video!

[@jeffmclinn3168]

Oh my Mari. The way you said Day 159..... Never heard you announce the day like that. Sounded very down.. My heart broke, but you picked up and changed to your positive self as the day progressed. Glad you listened to the ranger and paused the hike. Looking forward to Post # 36.

[@antoniabaker7770]

Happy Birthday Nick xxoo

[@robinmills5827]

A birthday while thru- hiking is a great memory to keep forever. I loved the views that you were treated to in this video. Your bodies needed that enforced town break even if it was a bit frustrating and it would have helped you to enjoy the final push. Keep laughing during lockdown. I hope the weather has been as kind to you (in Wellington?) as it has here. Lots of outdoor time has helped our sanity. Cheers.

[@mari.johnson]

Thanks! Yeah Wellington’s been lovely lately! Stay well

[@1717jbs]

Happy Belated Birthday!

[@Glazehikes]

Another great video - love the chill vibes from you two. Thanks again for the vids

[@davidpayne1519]

Always good videos n music, scenery was breathtaking, almost to end maker,will be happy moment n sad as well

[@lakishanicole3424]

I took a little break from following your journey, but it has been fun catching up on your vlogs. The scenery is phenomenal. What an adventure!

[@tracygmaine3252]

Mari your videos, all of them even as far back as NYC, are bringing me through the lockdown. Thank you for taking time to video your travels in the world. I now want to go to NZ really really bad!! Loved your Amsterdam trip and all the hikes in NZ. You are a true adventurer and wanderlust. Selfishly I am glad this wasn't your last PCT video 😊 You both look tired, ready for the final miles under your feet. Looking forward to next weekend now. ✌ stay well.

[@mari.johnson]

Hi Tracy! Glad you’ve been enjoying all my old videos! I hope you get to come visit NZ when all this lockdown stuff is over! Stay well 💛

[@nadinenarita132]

Great scenery, food, and company for Nick's birthday! Must have been so disappointing to have to wait out the storm, but so relieved you played it safe❣️💜

[@mari.johnson]

Luckily it ended up being a fun town stop! But it was very unexpected! ❤️

[@gymrat2647]

Right call by putting safety first

[@carolewarner101]

OHHHHHHHH! I thought sure this would be your last episode to the finish! But how wonderful to get to celebrate your birthday twice! Should be gorgeous out there when you get back on the trail, though I hope the snow isn't too deep. The suspense builds...

[@tootsla1252]

Always enjoy your videos - looking forward to more😎👍

[@bobkuhn861]

Sunday morning video!!😊💖🐶🐶

[@koko-rl9zm]

Aww Mari that was so nice. Your almost there, can't wait to see the completion!

[@mari.johnson]

Can’t believe it’s almost over!

[@WhiskyStuff]

Love your videos, please keep them coming. I’m sure you finish, just want to see the celebration. Thanks for sharing...

[@theodebest4858]

Happy Birthday Nick! All the way from Ashburton New Zealand. Yes you've been here passing through with Mari? Lots of luck on the last leg of the Epic journey. Kia Kaha from NZ

[@mari.johnson]

Cheers! Yeah we went through there a bunch when we used to live in Christchurch! Hope you’re staying well

[@TheHikingChick1]

You guys made a good call! So sad though that the next video might be the last in your series. It's been a fabulous ride!🕺

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Smart decision to head into town to wait out the storm👊

[@AL-tj7ye]

I was hoping to see the golden larches but had tons of snow last yr.

[@TravellingK]

So close to the end and needing to pause! Sure you had mixed feelings about that. So impressed by you both for doing this.

[@mari.johnson]

Hey! Yeah it was actually a good pause. Hope you’re staying well!

[@tammymartinez7488]

Washington is beautiful in the snow! Glad you decided to take zeros instead of braving it. Better to be safe! I saw one of the last of the PCT 2019 hikers groups were walking through lots of snow. It was IBTAT and his group. They actually broke into a Ranger cabin at harts pass because it was so bad! Looking forward to next Sunday for the next installment. You should include any celebrations at manning park. I love to see groups hanging out there!

[@ben1NZL]

Happy belated birthday Nick and yes ur a lucky man 😉 Washington always turns on epic scenery Mari but amazing how quickly it changes...still epic tho either way 👍 Umm 18:57..which one is Nick? lol

[@mack_on_earth]

52 foot penguins!!!! 🐧 I literally laughed out loud!!!

[@DanNKirsty]

Brilliant video. We love filming on our trips round new zealand :)

[@lauralee9041]

What a great birthday! Can't wait to see more.

[@extremelydave]

Very proud of you two taking the advise to back off the trail.... when you're so close to the finish..... Nick in particular looked just shy of giddy at Stehekin smelling the end of the trail.... What the ranger hopefully told you was that on that particular part of the trail is that the winds can kick up 5-6 FEET of snow in a couple of hours. NOT cool. Sad you didn't get an easy finish AND sad to think shortly will be the end of these very cool videos..... sigh.

[@extremelydave]

WOW!!! 3,082 views at present with 266 thumbs up and NO DOWNERS!!!! We all love you Nick and Mari..... must be the personalities....

[@pAscallisRembe]

I hope one day you come to my village in Merauke West Papua, there is no much trees but I hopefully will have to long river Iramunda.🌳🌏💚

[@jeffreypallotta5674]

Haha "Log crossing... Nooooooo"

[@mari.johnson]

😂

[@jasonissertell]

Great video, love the Tony Anderson music with the snow 🤙

[@skagited9617]

Oooohh, man! My heart was aching... That storm kept me from doing TM at Rainy Pass that weekend!! Only managed to get up 3 times last year... (had to pay bills, i.e. work), but I really was hoping to meet some of you that I had been following on YT. Still can't believe how many pushed thru the Sierra!! But, yeah, passed out lots of brews and goodies there the last couple of years after retiring. Did you happen to meet T.A. Madd Baker, by any chance?? Maybe even at one of the other Trail crossings in Washington. He had hoped to to TM on the whole Trail this year, starting at Campo and moving north with the Pack. Got a feeling COVID killled those plans too. Love your vids, Mary Go Huskies!!! Skagit Ed

[@mobilewintercamp7515]

What rain poncho do you have? Snow hiking is beautiful but a blizzard is a different story

[@willardwooten9582]

1st of 2 snow storms ! I always recommend Winthrop instead of over price Stehekin plus you save mileage for hikers running low on funds.

[@richardross7219]

Those late September snows messed up a bunch of hiker's plans. I'm glad that you stayed safe. Did you see IB TAT's adventure through the snow? He must not have been far from you. Another very good video. Good Luck, Rick

[@mari.johnson]

Yeah I was following him on Instagram. Looked wild!

[@richardross7219]

@@mari.johnson His videos were pretty good too. I've been following him since he started the AT. Good Luck, Rick

[@berns9mm]

I love you Mari! Nice to see again

[@inkjob12]

Wish Mari would make me dinner for my Birthday ! Love seeing your videos....But I know its soon coming to an end...bummer. Being locked down here in Nor Cali is driving me ( and everyone) crazy...thankfully your videos are helping me get through this craziness. Hope you two are safe and doing OK...thanks again for taking me along on your adventure...LOL

[@mari.johnson]

Sending well wishes and good vibes to you over there! 😊

[@AIIiecat]

Hoping this isn’t the last video in your PCT series! Lol 🙈 so bittersweet for it to end.

[@mari.johnson]

One more!

[@pillowfighter86]

I was expecting your friends were way ahead of you (even before you got stopped by the ranger...but especially as you were talking being disappointed you had to stop).....surprised at the end they were singing happy birthday ... how exactly did you keep tabs where you were throughout?

[@------6ampoems]

Anybody know the name of the track that plays from 12:26 to 13:40 ? love it ( & am loving the series thx mari ! I'm from Marin too ! ) also the track in the 14:20s if it's different -- many thanks

[@ryanhikes]

Maybe Mari turns around in Canada once she realises that she forgot something at the southern terminus in Campo, so decides to walk all the way back! 35 more episodes hopefully...😥😭..no? 😅

[@mari.johnson]

😂

[@jackiecraigsadventures972]

Happy belated Birthday Nick! When's the next episode get published? Two left is that right?

[@mari.johnson]

It’s up! The finale 💛

[@jenna3996]

Y'all are adorable!

[@supergran62]

Stayed up to 1.30am 🇦🇺waiting for this one. Thought it would be your epic finish. What a bummer, but so glad you guys decided to stay safe. Can’t wait for next weeks episode.

[@mari.johnson]

Ahh sorry to make you stay up so late! Next week’s should be a good one! 😊

[@supergran62]

Mari Johnson in this lockdown world day is night so it is no big deal what time of the day I watch You have become my Monday morning breakfast companion. I printed off a map of the PCT and have been highlighting your progress. I remember getting excited when you went to the second page. I was so bummed when your iPad died, but waited until you came back. I have been following through hikers since seeing the movie Wild, but I have to say you are the only one i have watched from day one. I’m going to miss this. I’ll have a bottle of bubbles ready for next week.

[@recumbenttriker6218]

How old is Nick? This series is about over 😭 but fortunately Mari has a large backlog of past videos 😁 Bakery? Gotta get Nick a belated birthday cake 🧁 The only reason those Rangers “Don’t Recommend” continuing on is that they hate digging bodies out of the snow.

[@markscott4059]

Hey Mari! Happy Sunday... Miss the trial yet?

[@tv-fz9ok]

Wow! you went thru there very cold. It was hot when I got there so that I could swim in lake Chelan. ^^ You must had nice and warm birthday celebration in Winthrop though. Hope you enjoy editing the final episode. I did and uploaded the final one yesterday. It is very weird feeling now.....very sentimental. T.T

[@mari.johnson]

Ahh congrats on the last video! Yeah it’s going to be so weird when I’m done with them! Oh and now I want to go back when it’s warm and swim there too!

[@professorsogol5824]

For all that rain and cloud cover, you sure look sunburned in Stehelin. How did you do that?

[@bettyjorodgers8552]

So,so close. Yeah!

[@tysoncodes]

Literally lold at the 52 foot penguins google alert.

[@mari.johnson]

😂

[@StarsAndSolitude]

It was the right decision to turn back as hard as it is when you're so close, so tired and so craving for the creature comforts. Too many take a gamble thinking they can out hike the storm or they can cope with the weather. Many hikers have come perilously close to dying out there, developing hypothermia and frostbite. They don't understand their speed can drop to less than 1mph, food resources tank as a result but their calorie requirements go through the roof just to keep warm, nevermind moving. That hiking through snow is physically and mentally exhausting. They don't appreciate that when it goes wrong it is very easy to get stranded as you can't progress or backtrack. And that's before their 3 season equipment and clothing fail under mountaineering conditions. Nothing dries, instead everything keeps getting wetter and colder. By itself the WA environment can be challenging as cold and wet/humid conditions are one of the most difficult environments to maintain warmth safety. That's before you add knee deep snow or more, severe wind chill, white out conditions, no paper map, no compass, no advanced nav skills and a lack of bail out points. It's so easy to underestimate it, especially after surviving the Sierras. It's a whole different beast. The WA is a severe and dangerous mistress when she's in a bad mood. I say this not specifically at you, Mari, indeed I applaud you for turning back. I say it for all those considering the PCT or watching others take gambles with these storms and snow falls and they still make it. They were just lucky. Many don't fully appreciate the risk they took. Don't rely on the dice of luck. Your family and friends want you home without the drama of you going missing or off radar for days. The volunteers of SAR would prefer not to risk themselves to rescue you but they will try. It can take hours, even days, but they will try, just to avoid passing the worst news to your loved ones. Don't get terminus fever people. No one who is a decent human being will think less of you if you touch that icon next year instead. It doesn't lessen your accomplishment. It doesn't make you less of a thru hiker. It doesn't make you a failure.

[@extremelydave]

Out of curiosity Mari, did you ever cross paths with Elina Osborne on the trail? She's a fellow Kiwi..... Or did she do her hike in front of you?

[@nedanother9382]

good lord those packs look heavy when you were gearing up. Any idea what weight you were sporting?

[@mari.johnson]

It was all of our extra warm layers 😊

[@MaxZomboni]

Damn, too bad you weren't a few day earlier.

[@pAscallisRembe]

Awesome trip 👍

[@eddiebowman4963]

Proud of you Mari

[@lafrips2253]

The PCT didn’t want to let you go 😏

[@NomadicSriLanka]

Nice

[@carlmoot6315]

do americans need to have a work visa in order to work in new zealand?

[@johnmca5643]

To anyone that might read this.... This is why it's recommended to finish by mid-September. It seems around every 5 years or so we lose a PCT hiker here in Washington because of early snow.

[@walterwhite3143]

Cracking video! Anyone want blue Meth?

[@maxncathy44]

X0