A Race To Stehekin For The 3:00 Bus

8/25/13

PCT mile 2564-2580 (Stehekin) -16 miles

Elev 5383-1587

 

It was cold last night! When I woke in the night and looked outside there were stars all over the sky with a bright half moon.  I didn't think it would rain. 

The tent had condensation inside and out that I had to deal with plus I forgot to set my alarm.  We'd wanted to get an early start, we needed to catch the 3:00 bus into Stehekin this afternoon. RATS!

We were hiking at 7:10 after scrambling to get up and out.

Our first sight after getting off the mountainside was a small bridge that was pretty useless but I thought it made a vivid picture of how hard winter is on the trail itself.  Keeping the PCT in good shape takes effort from many volunteers.

 

The morning light washed out the photo but this is a log bridge that worked perfectly. The part in the foreground are the tree roots and way at the end in the blue is Peggy having crossed safely.

Coming down off the mountains we ran into brush as high as our heads, some wet with dew. 

For much of the morning we hiked beside the beautiful, aqua colored Agnes River that eventually enters a gorge then runs parallel to the Stehekin River before joining it. 

We raced today, only stopping for quick breaks but we never seemed to make better than 2 mi/hr. Argh!

 We passed the 2 older guys and only saw them in Stehekin later that evening as they were eating dinner getting ready to leave on the boat and sail down Lake Chelan to the real world.  Their hike was finished. 

We knew we were nearing the end when we began the switchbacks down to the forest floor and came out on the bridge over the Agnes River.

The post says North Cascades National Park which is where we'll be hiking after this. 

This little plant is all over the forest in many of our different sections. We've missed the small white flower stage but kept seeing the bright blue pearl on a long stem.  It's called Queen's Cup or Clintonia Uniflora part of the lily family that produces this  lustrous, deep blue fruit. I loved seeing them and snapped the photo in the mad rush to get to Stehekin.

This is the Stehekin River that we had to cross on a bridge to get to the High Bridge Ranger Station. We waited at a picnic table for the 3:00 bus which arrived on the dot.  We boarded for a $6 fee/person and rode through the Stehekin community which stretches out along the river to Lake Chelan.   One arrives at Stehekin by boat at a landing where you can stay in a small hotel, at a cabin, or in your tent  to enjoy hiking, dining, fishing, bike rides, camping,  a superb bakery and much more.    I, unfortunately, didn't take photos of Stehekin but can tell you I want to go back and spend time in that most unique place. I really enjoyed the beauty, right on Lake Chelan and the idea of being free to fish or raft the river, take SHORT hikes :-)

and visit their huge garden or bee keeping and cheese making enterprises (and more) is compelling. If you're looking for a great get away Stehekin may be something to research for yourself.

We were able to locate a room in their hotel for 2 nights, make a dinner reservation, shower and do laundry (Thanks to Peggy!) before dinner at 7. At 8pm we attended a ranger talk about native Americans and their use of local plants which Peggy and I both enjoyed. 

Then it was clean sheets and the promise of a bakery cinnamon roll for breakfast (we'd purchased pastries on our drive to The Landing!!) that lulled us to sleep.