The Knife

The Knife is a very cool part of the PCT in Washington State (mile 2277). It is part of the Goat Rocks Wilderness, at roughly the midway point between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. It’s called the Knife because it is a narrow spur connecting Old Snowy to the Packwood Saddle and Chimney Rock that looks like a serrated knife. At some places it feels *very* narrow, especially if the wind is a-blowing (which it usually does).

There are steep drop-offs either side, and because of the wind coming up, we were joined by ravens soaring The Knife as we crossed. They were level with me, gurgling away and having a great time. The ravens and the citadels and the cliffs and the volcanoes made me feel like I was in the Lord of the Rings!

My Dad took us there via Goat Lake, and we spent a few days hiking around looking at the volcano views. Yes, volcanoes. You can see Rainier, Adams, and also St. Helens. The views were really special but there were also lots of really cute little pikas, marmots, and chipmunks running around in the rocks. So, something awesome no matter where you looked.

Right before you cross the Knife (going towards Rainier), there is a small glacier that we played on and got water from. There are a few other glaciers around the Knife, but this little patch is the easiest to get to from the trail.

Also at the Knife is Old Snowy, an 8000 ft peak that you can climb relatively quickly from the PCT. I thought it was great but my mum kind of freaked out on it. 🙂 You can read her version of the hike here.

I didn’t see any goats, but I would definitely recommend this hike!