Tour 5

Day 1.

The Stehekin bakery lives up to its fame. The entire town of Stehekin is a mind trip, and I wish we had time to explore, but off we went on the Agnes Creek Trail.

There were 3 bear sightings today, but I missed all the fun. I was the slow one. My pack weighs 55 lbs again (minus tools, so it's probably now 65 lbs). I was not a happy camper. But Agnes is a nice trail, I might have enjoyed the hike to 5 mile camp if it weren't for my pack. For once a trail is gradual- it doesn't go straight UP like Fish and Prince and every other trail. there are huckleberries everywhere and lots of other neat plants to identify.

I like that our first 2 days of the trip we're just hiking to our work spot. We've got a good distance to cover, about 30 miles, and by the end of it we'll be down at Holden.

Aunt Kathryn sent homemade goodies w/ me for the crew- bread and cookies. We were very happy. It made our first dinner really good.

Day 2.

Finished the 12 mile hike to where we'll start work. I kept tricking my body to think the pack was light by loosening all the straps and then cinching everything up real tight a few steps up the path.

We played scategories and the alphabet game as we hiked to pass the time.

Our campsite has a nice boulder we were trying to traverse. Kenny brought his climbing shoes, but failed to tell us we should bring our shoes. Halden laughed as he watched TV- three of us climbing across this boulder.

I made a really good pot of chili mac n cheese. The pot was overflowing, and now my pack is 2.5 lbs lighter. Although I had to haul everything 12 miles and now we'll base here for a couple, three nights, but it will be lots easier to carry in a few days.


Day 3.

Brrr! It was really cold this morning. I could see my breath. Some trash had been thrown in the fire pit and was smoking, so we went ahead and lit a morning fire.

Logged out the South Fork of Agnes. Almost made it to Cloudy Pass, it was a half mile further. But Kristian said we should turn around (we were a good 5 miles away from camp).

The skeeters were bad. We doused ourselves in Deet- grudgingly. And I had a nice bug snack on the way down the trail. Inhaled quite nicely.

We asked Halden for a tree fort because he stayed back in camp today, but all we got was some firewood and a bench to sit on by the fire. I was disappointed.

Some spikes were sniffing around camp- apparently looking for pee. Kristian & I weren't aware we shouldn't pee by our tents. Apparently the thing to do is pee by someone elses tent and have the deer pawing around and bothering them at night.

Kenny, Kristian and I were hobbling around like old people tonight. Our ten mile hike took it out of us- even though we just had day packs.


Day 4.

Logged out the PCT today. Crawled thru a cave that looked interesting.

3 miles up the trail the trees open up and we were in a basin filled w/ snow. Peaks all around us & an avalanche field of snow to crawl over. I let Kenny & Kristian try to find the trail while I gaped at the view. By the time we found the trail it was time to head back. We had hiked quite a ways up the snow. Kenny asks "You guys good at skiing?" & he slides down the mountain. We followed, although it was slightly difficult with a crosscut. You'd think it might help w/ balance- but it didn't.

We entertained ourselves tonight by climbing on our boulder, and Kenny read aloud some of the twisted fables from his book 'The Book of Lost Tales'.

I have to ration my book like my food. This trip it's 'One flew over the cookoo's nest', and to make it last I only get 30 pages per night.

Day 5.

I got to play in the mud today! Kristian and I were fixing some really eroded tread (the guys were brushing the PCT- we had the better deal). The trail had a creek going thru it. Creek on trail and a huge puddle in the middle that you could sit in and take a bath.
I really like playing in the mud. I built a nice water bar and for part of the day took off my boots, rolled up my pants and waded thru the creek collecting rocks (and I played barefoot in the mud).

We shared a Mountainhouse raspberry dessert tonight and it was heaven. One spoonful and you passed the bag around until it was all gone. (We cannot wait to have icecream again at Holden).

Our TV tonight was watching Kenny try to juggle a fuel can (and beat himself up w/ it). Then we played cribbage- counting points w/ pine needles (1 pt), twigs (5 pts) and small rocks (50 pts). Classic teams of guys against girls- and we owned them.

Day 6.
Moved camp to Cloudy Pass. Kristian and I went in the morning, got rained on in the middle- the guys waited until after the rain to hike up. Took a break at 2 miles and we were drenched. It was really humid. Then rain came and we were soaked from inside out, and outside in. Otherwise, the hike was nice. Our packs felt real good w/ a few days less food in them. the sun broke thru by lunch when we got to the junction- switched to dry clothes and we were mobbed by mosquitoes. No relief- and the clouds were coming in again.

We rushed to pitch tents and escape the cold and bugs. The best flat spot was right at the trail junction- in the middle of the trail- and that is where my tent went. Then I ducked into Kristian's tent and we drank tea and played cards to pass the afternoon.

We got brave (and warm again) by mid afternoon and took a joy hike up cloudy pass. 1 mile and 29 switchbacks. The views were spectacular. As we neared the top we heard a rumble, just our luck, but made it anyway to see the view. We were right above Lyman Lake and Lyman Glacier. A wicked storm was brewing over those mountains, we watched it for a few minutes, then rain and thunder followed us down the pass.

The guys had set up camp by this time- they took their time and found a nice spot in the woods. We all enjoyed drying off by the fire, and Kenny read us more bed time stories from his book of twisted fables.

At one point I hiked back to my tent to get my fleece and some water, the storm had passed (at least the rain) and I saw fog rolling down the hills. We sat around the fire watching the fog roll in, drop thru the trees and surround us as we played musical chairs around the fire to avoid the smoke.

There is a cold chill in the air and the sky still rumbles as Kristian and I go back to our exposed tents in the trail, surrounded by mist.

-Our wildlife today was a rabbit w/ white socks bolting thru camp while we ate breakfast, and a fat marmot creature up cloudy pass.

Day 7.
Woke up cold and the world was wet. We slept in- didn't want to leave our warm bags. I started reading for a while in my tent before I remembered I've had some bad experiences doing that first thing in the morning (dehydration) so I grudgingly put on ALL of my layers and we went over to the campfire the guys had just got going.

We sat around the fire until about noon feeling sorry for ourselves. Then Kristian and I decided to see how far up the PCT we could get- it beat sitting in camp. We hiked until we saw blue- smiled at it, and kept going until we saw sunshine- for just a moment, and I started singing John Denver 'Sunshine on my Shoulders'. We hiked until we met up with ourselves from the other side. We tried to take the blue back with us as we trudged over snowfields, but the fog in our valley kept it at bay- until tonight, when we thought we might have seen the sky, just maybe.

As we work we count logs- today we got 30, and now we count falls as well. I have a tendency to trip and fall on the trail, mud, snow, accidentally kicking a root. The counting game started a few weeks ago (for me) but today we were pretty even with slipping on the snow- Hear a thud, Kristian 'Is that 2 today?", me 'no, I'm already at 5', Kristian "Man, you're 3 ahead of me', and then she slips.

The boys kept the fire going all day- but they didn't build me a tree for like I had requested. I was very disappointed in them. But we did appreciate drying off by the fire (playing musical chairs again). Keeping the chill at bay as we dream of getting to Holden and eating icecream and real food.

Day 8.
The wind was whipping thru the valley all morning. I was curled up in my sleeping bag- hearing it thwap against the tent, threatening to blow the tent and me away.

We packed up camp, so chilly, but the wind brought us sunshine! Kristian and I finished logout on the PCT and looped around Suattle pass- I felt like a mountain goat clambering over rocks on the steep slope w/ my pack on- then over the top of Cloudy Pass. The views were spectacular once again- this time w/ sun. We said hello to another marmot- it scurried across the meadow and I called 'marmot marmot' and it looked at me.

Over the pass by Lyman Lake we scouted out a campsite, then took a short break before working on a spur trail. I sat on a log and had my own personal mosquito genocide.

We thought it was cold on our side of the pass, but this side, while sunny, has a bite to it. We're only 9 miles out from Holden now. We decided to get there Wed. night so we can have dinner there- so tonight we all OD on dinner and ate 2 each- all our remaining food. It's time for a food coma now.

Day 9.
Woke up to mosquitoes saying 'we want breakfast!'. Sat on a log huddled in my rain gear and had another mosquito genocide. Then someone had the brilliant idea to eat while pacing- 4 people wandering back and forth around the campsite w/ a trail of mosquitoes behind us.

We hiked up to the upper Lyman Lakes to check them out and see the glacier up close. It is minuscule, but still a glacier. Then all the way to Holden! We stopped at Hart Lake for lunch. First thing when we got there dropped packs and jumped in. Hard to believe we were cold and miserable a couple days ago. The last 4 mile stretch to Holden dragged on because we knew we were close, but we still had a ways to go, and it was hot. Hiking in Tevas made it better.

Gorged ourselves on a Holden dinner until we were sleepy. Layed on the grass drinking tea and reading until icecream time. Then watched "Yes Man" with the village. We love Holden's hospitality. Good food, hot shower, late night snacks at the bread bar (and they have a giant bowl full of Fresh bananas!)

Day 10.
Freedom. Took the fast boat out of the woods. Got out of the office as quick as we could to get to home where a shower, hot food (and lots of it), and a comfy bed awaited.