9 days, 90 miles, and 9 States When I Turned 49

Okay, of course it wasn't nine states...but two states didn't fit well in the clever play on my theme. ;) And maybe it wasn't exactly 90 miles...just a little over 80 actually, but close enough, right? And so, supposedly now I'm ready to turn 50 and tackle my original goal for the big "50/500/5". Ha. I wish this trip did make me feel confident about being on the trail for 50 days, but I'm afraid instead it has put new doubts in my mind about my ability to be alone for so long. I'm still determined to make it work somehow; though of course, only time will tell. 

Years ago, I was sure my last big test before 50 would be the world famous Wonderland Trail. (A 93 mile loop around the iconic Mt Rainier--what could be more perfect?) But I can't be trusted to remember to apply for permits on time; and sure enough, I totally blew it. I'm glad though. I never would have wanted to experience "The Wonderland" all by myself. And I feel being solo, because it was most difficult aspect of the trip, was the test I really needed. I just wish I passed with a better grade.

Whoa, what a great shot, huh? Ummm, I didn't take it. Thanks, Chuck!!!

This one either. How'd you guess?

Once I knew I couldn't do the Wonderland Trail, the challenge was to find a good 9 day alternative. I didn't have much time, because I decided only a couple weeks prior that I had to take advantage of the 4 day weekend that our Independence Day holiday would provide, because then I only had to ask for 3 days off of work. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that it's been a big snow year (great for skiers--bad for hikers) making finding a 90 mile stretch that didn't include a nasty snowy patch nearly impossible. 

Finally a plan emerged. Start at the "alternate" PCT route of Eagle Creek in Oregon, follow it south until it merges with the original PCT, then follow that back north into Washington and continue on until just before the Indian Heaven Wilderness. (Still covered in snow, or I would have made that part of the plan somehow. It sucked knowing I had to stop when, supposedly, the best part was just starting.)

Being solo, and not having the luxury of a loop like Wonderland, I needed someone to drop me off AND pick me up, or just pick me up and drive me all the way back to my car. This is asking a lot, considering it's a 4 to 6 hour drive from where I live (depending on traffic) with an hour drive between where I was starting and where I was stopping. Thankfully my daughter and her boyfriend were willing to not only be my drop off, but to also go the extra hour to park my car at my exit point. I am a lucky lady!

There is nothing sweeter than love birds!

Eagle Creek is mind blowing. I knew this because I've done it before, so I sold it big as worth the drive, even for just a day hike. I don't know if it was my good luck, or Amber or Chuck's, but we somehow got a parking space just feet from the trailhead. This is more like miracle status, honestly. Eagle Creek is NUTS on any weekend, but fourth of July weekend?!? Beyond nuts...whatever that is.

Yep, another Chuck pic.

He's quite talented.

I tried to hype them up to be able to make it to Tunnel Falls (6 miles in, making it a 12 mile day hike) but with the noon start (due to the car drop off) and the fact that neither of them are much into hiking, I had to concede it was an unreasonable objective. We said our goodbyes just after High Bridge, and I was on my own...if you consider camping with about 50 other people "on your own". I will pick up on that note next time.

Thanks again, Chuck and Amber, for everything.
I couldn't have done it without you!!

Crashing Heather's Party

I believe in miracles. I understand though, that if miracles do exist, they are unpredictable at best. Except for the miracle of 3 days of perfect weather on this last Memorial day weekend. That was predicted by forecasters, and it came to pass exactly as promised. Therefore, I knew if I wanted to backpack in the same area as my friend Heather, I would need another miracle of scoring a permit on what I knew would be the busiest weekend ever at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount.

I feel sorry for the rangers who work in poor little Marblemount. Their station is the main back-country permit office for the North Cascades National Park AND Ross Lake AND Lake Chelan. That's a lot of permits to give out, and when it's early season and there isn't much hiking that isn't covered in snow, that is where everyone is going to be headed. I knew I needed to get there when they opened if I was going to have a shot at all.

Not a bad view from camp

My friend Heather was already blissfully camped out right on the Ross Lake shore at Big Beaver boat camp because they applied for the early permit online--a system that is just being tried out this year. I don't really understand how it works, except that I missed the window when you could do it. I wasn't really invited to their family party (a birthday outing with their kids and her parents) but I thought if I could get a spot somewhere in the area, I could swing by and surprise them with a present of my awesome presence. ;)

Birthday boy

Well, the second I pulled up to the ranger station at 9 am on the dot, I knew there was no miracle in store for me. I bet there were at least 30 cars, and just as many people mulling around the parking lot. Seeing the sign that said they opened at 8 am explained a lot (I guess I looked at North Cascade's Visitors hours online by accident) but I figured it wouldn't hurt to go inside...maybe I would get an unexpected surprise. And wouldn't you know...only one person in line at the desk! Good thing I didn't give up on my miracle!  As I cheerfully smiled at the ranger when it was my turn, he smiled back and asked me for my number. Number? OHHH...you mean all those people in the parking lot have taken a number! Okay, I'm out. No way I'm waiting an hour to hear that there is nothing available. 

I love rock art!

And wildflowers!

My plan B was to just day hike in, stay a couple hours, and head back out. It's only 6 miles to Big Beaver camp, and it's relatively flat, and without a big pack on it shouldn't be a big deal. 12 miles total...pheesh, that's child's play! But to maximize my time, I thought I'd cheat a little and save a mile or so by taking the boat over to Ross Lake Resort. I thought I'd be fun, plus I really wanted to check the place out.

Best $2 ride I've ever had!

My plan went to perfection, as the boat arrived just minutes after I arrived. (Other folks already waiting had called) When I reached the resort and asked the lady at the desk how to get to the trail, she gave the strange directions of jumping across and "scurrying up" the rocks. Not exactly what I had imagined, but I was able to figure it out. She also let me know if I wanted a ride back, I needed to get there by 5, though I thought to myself that would not be necessary because I'd just do that extra mile back. 

Jump!

...and scurry!

Smooth sailing all the way to Big Beaver--what a great trail! It was fun to pop in at the party--I got to take a ride in their canoe, get a complete history of the area from Heather's dad (it's HIS place, ha ha) and a refill of water from Heather's magical strobe light filter. (Also to be used at the rave they were having that night ;)) A look at the clock, and I realized I just may make that 5 o'clock ride after all...and y'know, I really wouldn't mind saving a mile. 

"See that mountain?...they named it after some crazy guy lived up there
for years because he though the end of the world was coming"

Quick good bye's, and I was off. I immediately started obsessing about catching that boat. I was tired. Who was I fooling thinking 11 miles wasn't going to kick my ass? Watching the clock, I knew I needed to practically run. So I did. For about 5 minutes. I'm really not a runner, even on a good day. Okay, so I'm going to be about a half hour late. Do I risk going down the steep hill, knowing I'll have to go back up AND THEN do the extra mile if she was super serious about no boats after 5? Ugh, I really need to make that boat! So I started running again...and no, that was not going to happen. I conceded to the fact I was just going to beg...they would give me a ride. 

Do you see the tree troll?

And they did! I must have looked a mess, because the boat guy immediately offered me water. I was so thankful they took pity...an extra mile when you feel as done as I felt is really hell. And I still had to make that last mile up to the highway, which was not fun at all. (It took me 45 minutes, which is really pathetic when you don't even have a pack on!)

I should have got a ride on this guy! ;)

So I may not have gotten my miracle of a backpacking permit on the best Memorial day weekend in 20 years, but I did get many other miracles; a great day with great friends, lungs that breathe in and out (quite heavily!), legs that get me to where I want to go (even if it is slow) and beauty all around for me to enjoy! The miracle of living is really the best of all.

Lower Big Quilcene Trail

The ferries hate me. Or at least sometimes if feels that way. This is the 5th time they have almost ruined my hiking plans...but I have prevailed!! The evil ferries cannot win!

Mostly it's the Coupeville ferry that has been my nemesis. Winds, tides, and tons of people I don't expect to be also taking the ferry are all to blame. I prefer to not blame my own forgetting or waiting too long to make a reservation, because what fun is that?

The line to get in line. Not good.

My sister in law had been begging me to take her on her first backpacking trip, which of course thrilled me to death. There's nothing quite like a first timer--especially one who is game for April temps! Juli grew up camping and is no stranger to roughing it; her only concern was that she felt too "old" and "out of shape" for a backpack. Hogwash! I knew she was tough as nails; and besides, neither of those things have stopped me! ;) I can't think of much that should stop anyone from going out into the wilderness, if that's what they want. I've come across a blind hiker, I've seen articles on hikers with every condition you can imagine (and there's my friend Cynthia, who came with me last year with her own breathing machine in tow!) and as far as old goes--if Lee Barry can thru hike the Appalachian Trail at 81, then age is not an issue. (And of course there is Grandma Gatewood who was my inspiration to start backpacking--look her up!!)

You go girl!

So Juli had the most important requirement needed; the desire to do it. "Nature therapy" is what she was after, because as we all know, life is stressful. But there is something about the simple quiet of the outdoors that heals. And that therapy is accessible to anyone who wants it...as long as they can get past those dang ferries! ;)

Can you see Juli? Ha ha, my brother made her take his hunting gear.
Thank God, because she would have froze without it!

I know I'll bore you if I try to explain all the in's and out's of coming up with the plan for this simple one night outing...so let's just say this hike was a constant work in progress. In my own defense, I did try to make a reservation once we nailed down an agenda, but it was too late to book a spot, so I had to chance getting on as overflow. I had a bad feeling that 11:45 am would be full, but I figured even the 1:15 would work because it's starting to stay light much later. But the 2:45? Seriously?

Madly texting Juli that maybe a hotel reservation was in order as my stupid phone was approaching less than 5%, it dawned on me that because she was waiting for me with a car in Port Townsend, there was no reason I couldn't just get on the ferry as a walk on. Well, there was the little problem of the 2 fully loaded backpacks, but I figured I didn't have to carry them very far.

Once I figured this out (unfortunately too late for the earliest ride) all was smooth sailing; until I discovered we needed to go back to the restaurant to finish the bottle of wine Juli had ordered at her favorite waterfront eatery while patiently waiting for my arrival. "It's such a better deal than buying a glass"...she's a woman after my own heart! And how could I argue that the half bottle waiting for us couldn't go to waste. Of course we'll go back there and finish it!!

We'll get hiking when we're good and ready!

So, not getting on the early ferry, spending extra time at the restaurant, and the fact that we missed the turn off to the trailhead made for a much later start than we were hoping for. Hiking lesson #53: Do not rely on your co-pilot to navigate if she's had a the majority portion of a bottle of wine, hahaha! (I was driving, she was directing, just to make that clear. I only had one glass so don't freak out on me!) But getting distracted by talking really is a problem--one I've had multiple times, so I seriously need to focus when the GPS signal can no longer be relied on. Arriving at 4 pm and having 5 miles to our camp meant possibly setting up in the dark, which was not the experience I wanted for Juli's first time. But thankfully Juli was game for anything, so off we went.

The first 2 miles of this trail are sort of a snoozeville. But it's easy and pleasant, and then you are down to the river and it starts to take on a much more rain forest feel. Before we knew it, we were at the first camp. I hadn't even considered staying at "Bark Shanty", probably because I had read that "Jolly Camp" was beautiful; and besides, stopping at just 2.7 miles felt like cheating. But dang, this camp was NICE! And huge! And stopping meant we would have more time to just enjoy ourselves. Well, y'all know I'm never above cheating, so stop we did!

Juli was completely gaga over our location. I didn't realize her expectations were "pick a random spot under a tree" low. And the fact we had warm food!...she was blown away. Fire?! Not in her wildest dreams. She was making me feel like I had brought her on a Caribbean cruise! I'm afraid my next newbie has a lot to live up to!

Snug as a bug in a rug

Next day we packed our gear, and then left it so we could complete our goal pack free. (I had to see if our original destination of Jolly camp was better...it's not. But the 2.5 miles to get there are lovely and definitely worth doing.) When we got back to retrieve our stuff we found Bark Shanty was completely taken over with another large group, which confirmed we did well in persisting to make this trip happen on a Friday instead of a Saturday. 

Jolly Camp didn't feel very jolly to me

The signs on this trail are super cute! I may have to try Notch Pass next time

Quite a crowd, and we saw another family coming in as we were leaving!

Once we were done, we had to stop for the obligatory burger; so we decided to check out the crazy place we both have taken pictures of on other trips, but have never dared to try. 

Holy Moly! "Fat Smitty's" is even crazier on the inside! What a treat though. We decided to split the burger, (highly recommended!) but then Juli hesitated because she saw that it was an extra $1 charge. "No worries" I assured her, and pretended to grab one off the wall. Heck, what else are they there for, ha ha! (FYI, you do need cash to eat there though, because they don't take credit.)

How stupid were we to not even check the ferry schedule for the trip home? Of course it was just pulling out as we were pulling in, so we had a little over an hour to kill before the final crossing of the day. Thankfully Port Townsend is a place Juli visits often, so she was more than happy to stay and drive me around for a little tour. We both decided we would definitely have to meet there again, but next time I promise I will have a reservation in hand!

P.S. Thank you Juli for being the photographer for this trip! Hiking lesson #54: Always check to see if you've put the memory card back in your camera! :)