Monte Cristo and Beyond

The Timberline Trail is just one of the many thru hikes I bailed on. But it's the last one I need to go back and finish. Therefore, I drew up a plan to do an up and back for the missed section, secured the days off of work well in advance, got Julie on board (Janet already got er' done) and so all was set.

But then came the trip reports for that specific chunk of woods with very discouraging tales of dead-fall woe. 350 downed trees to go over or under between Elk Cove and Cloud Cap...and with an up and back, we'd do them twice. Obviously, finishing the TT was going to have to wait. 

So, now what? With four whole days, it seems you should have lots of options; but nothing felt like a good fit. Monte Cristo to Twin Lakes has been on the list for a long time, but four days seemed like overkill. 

Now that it's done, I know this is not a place to be rushed. This area is absolutely stunning - but also rugged, wild and unforgiving. Humans tried to tame and claim this wilderness in the past...the mining and tourism history here is fascinating! Except Mother Nature said "nope" and took it back. We visit with wonder and humility, and hope she is merciful while we are there.

Hard to imagine this was all there once

We were so grateful she smiled kindly on us. I'll confess I was in my head pretty hard over some of the drop offs on these trails. This screen shot of the last bit before getting to the view of Twin Lakes had me terrified; though it wasn't nearly as bad as Alltrails made it look. Even so, as a somewhat clumsy hiker, the thought of falling still made me quite anxious. 

But facing fears is a big part of what hiking means to me - fear of crossing icky, steep washouts (check) fear of walking across high logs (check) fear of looking stupid trying to do a bear hang (check) - The Henry M Jackson Wilderness has got you covered! 😉Happy "stay out of your head" trails. Trail Log below, and YouTube video here. 

Granted, not that scary...but my clumsy self still doesn't like it ;)

 

TRAIL LOG:
Day 1: The abandoned road section is an easy 4 miles, but was harder than I expected; probably because of the heat. We made camp there just before town and hung the food (sorry about that tortuously long video if you watch my YouTube...I do believe I'm done with bear hangs from here on out😜) then took our day packs into "town." 

Julie wisely decided it was too hot to keep hiking, but was okay with me going up and back to Glacier Basin and meeting her back at camp. This is a 4.5 mile and 1,700 ft elevation gain side trail you'll find at the end of the town. The trail reminded me so much of the AT...going up rocks without a switchback in site. I tracked myself for a total of 9.5 miles with 2,228 ft and 6 hours of hiking for the day.

Day 2: I originally thought we'd go to Twin Lakes this day - I mean it's only 6 miles. Thankfully we decided on Silver Lake instead, because the rain hit us right after we put up our tents. (And because we never would have made it to Twin Lakes! More about that on day 3.)

Some mood on the way up

 

Silver is supposedly only 2 miles from Monte Cristo - felt much longer with the 2k gain and obstacle course. (Handful of BIG trees to get over, but all doable.) We had a good portion of the day to stay in our tents...but who cares with this view?

I did later in the day try and follow the climber's trail shown on Alltrails up to Silvertip Peak, but a climber I am not. I could not find that trail to save my life!

As far as I got

Silver Lake from the beach...crazy how the lighting changes the color

Day 3: I could not have underestimated the up and back to Twin Lakes any more than I did. I tracked myself as having done 4.48 miles (and I didn't even go the half mile down to the lake) with 1.5 gain and it took over FIVE HOURS! And this is with a light day pack! 

Though a couple passed me who where going up to Columbia Peak AS A DAY HIKE -- so I guess this is all relative to your fitness level and speed.

The couple on the left. They were actually celebrating their engagement!

 

Celebrating by going up there! People are nuts 😜

I actually heard from an elderly gentlemen that his first backpack was Twin Lakes! 70 years ago when he was like 10...all I could respond was "parents sure raised em' tough back then." If you read my previous blog post, you'll find the story of my grandkids first backpack at about the same age. Three whole miles 😆and they acted like they were going to die, haha. 

Day 4: Another benefit of camping at Silver Lake was our hike out was a shorter 7 miles. An 8:45 am start meant we were at Playa Bonita in time for a delicious late lunch.  

Old Sammy was a post hike beer kind of guy; but new Sammie likes her Margaritas :)

And one last pic because I liked it but didn't know where to stick it 

 

 

Grandkids First Backpack

 

I've gone on a hiking trip over the 4th of July holiday every year since 2022 simply because I know I will have a handful of days off work that I don't have to ask for. This year I was excited to finally see Garibaldi Lake (last year's fail here) and doubly excited that Ken had agreed to come with me. These permits are not easy to get, nor are they cheap...so it was doubly hard to cancel for the second time when the weather forecast once again turned iffy. But hauling ass up that mountain to only look at misty fog would probably have insured Ken never came with me again. Except I still had the days off, so another pivot was in order.  

Being it was the historic 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we decided to take the grandkids to their first big fireworks show - and throw in their first backpack while we were at it. So a very big pivot! From British Columbia to Wenatchee! 

Waiting for the big show

The only thing giving us pause was thinking about the drive over Hwy 2...if you are a Washingtonian you know why. Any summer weekend is bad, but a holiday weekend? Ugh. One word of advice: don't trust Google Maps when it advises you to take side roads to avoid the jam. You may think you are getting ahead...until you have to merge back in. Lesson learned. 

Sammie made a new friend

Another lesson: if attending a massive festival where everyone leaves at the same time and you are staying at a hotel just a mile away, take the bus there and then plan to walk back. That was our plan, but then because we had so much stuff, we just drove and hoped for the best. The "best" was an hour in the car. The trains that go directly through town and block everything compounded the mess. Though the show really was worth it.

But back to the backpack; the Clara and Marion Lake hike is only a half hour drive from Wenatchee; though it is almost a four hour drive from where we live, and we were headed there first. The hike starts right in the Mission Ridge Ski Resort parking lot, but The Chair 5 Pub is also there; and after that horrible drive (which felt twice as long with two antsy kids in the car) we decided a beer was in order. They have lovely outdoor seating, and yes, kids are not only welcomed but catered to with games, coloring supplies and a great kids menu. HIGHLY recommended. 

The hike itself is only a 3 mile up and back, so I don't think many folks bother backpacking it. (Though it does have a near thousand foot gain, so it's a good challenge for kids.) I had read reports that there were several spots "between the lakes" so when we got to Clara Lake we didn't even bother looking.

Instead we pressed on with eyes peeled for the perfect spot. We kept saying "maybe over there"...but nothing. When the trail split I was sure they must be up where it looked to be a flat area, but nope. The split was just another way back to Lake Clara. No camping spots whatsoever. 

The view if you scramble up the scree past Lake Marion

When we got to Lake Marion and saw what looked to be a little island I could tell right away that's where the camping spot was. "Between the lakes" must have meant the two bodies of water on either side - the clear side and the marshy mess that looked to be a mosquito breeding ground. 

But it wasn't!! Hardly a bug to be found...miraculous! We had such an amazing time with the whole lake to ourselves. Both kids caught their first fish - one had the biggest and the other got two, so thankfully we didn't have to deal with too much jealousy. 

For anyone interested, after trying the other lake in the morning, the consensus was that Marion is better for fishing, even though it's smaller. But there are camping spots at Lake Clara; you just have to take a right when you get there. I would say either lake is hard to beat if you are looking for a first time backpacking experience. Happy "generational" trails!

Deception Falls by Steven's Pass makes a great driving break

 

  

Another Birthday on Trail

It's been almost two years since Adam became my ninth backpacking virgin to deflower. He was looking for some solace in the outdoors back then; and life being what it is, another immersion into nature was in order. Last time he mentioned that a campground instead of a backpack may be more to his liking, and so I took a quick look on recreation.gov to see what might be available on a summer weekend near Seattle - with very little hope if I'm honest.

One lone green dot in the Easton Lake State Park Campground...and low and behold, it was just 10 minutes away from a hike that has been sitting in my "to do" list forever. And it was on my birthday! A definite trail gift, so I grabbed it before it disappeared, and prayed Adam had the day off. 

He was game for the adventure, even though he had to be at work in Seattle at 9 am Saturday. Time was not on our side, as I had to work Friday, the day of our reservation. But we were determined to make it happen. 

Rushing out of work a little early at noon, I was able to pick up Adam and get to the campground just a half hour after check in time. We threw up the tents and got to the trailhead by 4 pm. 

I had read that the Easton Ridge hike was a very popular one, so I was relieved to see just a couple cars in the small lot. The trail shares it's start with the also popular Kachess Ridge Trail, which the other hikers must have been doing because we saw not a soul for the four hours we were there. 

Do I look slightly over heated? ;) Thank you Adam for carrying my pack!!

"Not for couch potatoes" is how the Washington Trail Association webpage describes this hike, and they aren't kidding. I would compare it to Mount Si, only shorter but steeper - and WAY prettier. One thing to be aware of; you will come to a nice view point with a rock to climb on and it will totally feel like you are done.

58 and feeling great! But you ain't done girl ;)

But you're not. Thankfully I was using my All Trails, and though we both had a hard time believing that going just a short distance further would get us a better view, we wanted to say we did the whole thing. So we braved the mess of a trail to the official end and WOW. Do not be fooled by the false summit and be sure to push on! (I got a total of 7 miles tracked, though it's stated as being a 6 mile up and back with 2,270 feet elevation gain.)

NOW you're done

 

Adam did say his mind felt clear and calm while we hiked, but unfortunately the nature therapy ended when we got back to camp. Though the Easton Lake Campground has a great wilderness feel, what you don't see is the train that runs ALL THE TIME that boarders the park. Ridiculous for what I think is a stupidly expensive price of $50 a night, so I'm going to be sticking with my backpack for any future trips in that area. I will also give you the tip that it looked like there was plenty of dispersed camping options on the road to the trailhead. (Though probably not quiet either, as it looked like a dirt biker's playground.)

I'll confess I did pay that same ridiculous price for another campsite that I drove to after dropping off Adam and picking up my husband (going over both Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass in one day!) but the birthday celebration had to continue! Except I had used this Hipcamp in Plain before, so I knew this one was worth the money. I hate to talk too much about it, because I would hate for it to get too busy (as if I'm some huge influencer) but you can watch my short YouTube video mashup if interested. I'm going to end with the same trail blessing I used last time...Happy "always bring the earplugs" trails!

Sammie made a friend

   

Lunch Ladies on the Sunshine Coast Trail

I am a proud lunch lady. At least I try to be, even though it's hard when people make comments like "isn't that just cutting up carrots?' But it helps when you hear someone announce without hesitation when asked what they do for a living, "I am a lunch lady." And that's exactly what my hiking partner, Sarah, did when we sat for breakfast at the picnic table on top of Manzanita Bluff with several other backpackers. 

Sarah was barely able to come with me on this adventure, as I asked her sort of last minute when my sister WISELY decided a 3 day excursion into Canadian black bear territory was probably not the best plan for someone's first backpacking experience. And because Sarah couldn't give me a definitive answer until only a few days before, I reached out to a few people on a public Sunshine Coast Trail Facebook group to say that I may be able to join them on their trips. (Getting to the start of this trail is not cheap, and so sharing expenses is kind of a must. Especially if you're a lunch lady!) 

As we were waiting for our final Boat Taxi to take us to Sarah Point (it was destiny for her to go there!) I was chatting with another passenger and quickly realized he was one of the people I had reached out to about possibly joining forces with. "Looks like we were meant to hike together!" Alex said with a smile.

And so there we all were on the morning of day two, with another sweet couple who also shared the boat taxi with us, trying to enjoy our meal as we swatted mosquitoes while asking questions to get to know each other. And as soon as Sarah (who is also a massage therapist) declared she was a lunch lady, Alex lit up and practically shouted, "ME TOO!"

I understood why he then had to explain how he used to work in restaurants and such until he couldn't stand it anymore and now he loves what he does...nobody usually believes working at a school and serving kids is a respectable occupation that someone would enjoy. But when I said "I'm a lunch lady too" you could see his pride smile come on strong. Hell yes, we are the fucking lunch ladies and we rock!!!

Lunch Ladies Unite!!

 

So this is why even though there were TWENTY EIGHT kids camping there with us (SURPRISE!) as part of a nature experience group of some sort, I just couldn't be upset. (Though, it took me a minute, I'll admit!) Working with kids is hard and under appreciated- but SO very needed. And these kids were just as sweet as they come...although loud and obnoxious too...as all children are.  

A quiet moment

So here's to all the lunch ladies, camp counselors, crossing guards, school bus drivers and the like -- hold your heads up high!! But Rusty (the brave man leading the nature group) I do hope for next year you decide to split into smaller groups or go somewhere else, because 28 kids at the Manzanita Hut is way too many! Happy "always bring earplugs" trails! Hiking itinerary below for anyone interested, as always. Oh, and my YouTube video too. 

This is what happens when there's not enough space! Yikes!!

 

TRAIL LOG: 

(I apologize to all Canadians that I'm using miles instead of kilometers. It's embarrassing that the metric system just never took with us Americans, but my old brain is now stuck in it's rut.) 

Day One: After picking up Sarah at the school she works at, we drove across the border to our first ferry at Horseshoe Bay. Canadians are not messing around with their ferries!! I mean TOP NOTCH! Though because we were so enthralled and excited, we forgot to take note where we parked. Usually this is not something to worry about on a ferry, but these ones are HUGE. Thank God we finally found the car before we landed, because nobody wants to be that person. Then you catch another ferry at Earl's Cove, and by the time you disembark, it's going to be too late to start hiking. So we got a campsite at Kent's Beach Campsites which is just a half hour from where we needed to be next day.

Day Two: After leaving our car at the Shinglemill Pub where we would end our hike (I always say that I love a hike that ends at a bar!) we walked up the road to catch the bus. It's a half hour ride to Lund, where the boat taxi is. There is also the option of booking a shuttle from just about anywhere on the trail, and actually that might be your only option because water taxis are reliant on tides and weather and not always available. Speaking of the water taxi...although beautiful and fun, there is another reason this might not be for everyone. There is no dock or beach to disembark on...the captain has to maneuver right next to a big rock ledge and then you have to hurry off while he carefully keeps the boat close enough so you don't fall in the water. Then he throws you your backpack. Don't tighten it he says - not until you climb up the rock to the trail...y'know in case you slip. Don't want that backpack to pull you to the bottom of the ocean! I mean shit...this was not in the brochure! ;) Anyways, then it's about 10 miles to the hut. It felt like more. And I don't know the elevation...somewhere around 2,000 feet I think. Again, it felt like more. My sister would have killed me. 

The only sign I could find that said Sarah Point! 

 

Day Three: Originally we planned to do the 10 miles to the next hut, and then another 10 out so we had an extra day to stay at a hotel before the long trip home. But before we left I cheaped out and changed it so we would camp just 4 miles from the end so we would have time to make it home same day without the hotel. So this day was going to be 8 miles. But the hotel stay got back in our heads. So it was back to 10. Then we got to the place where it's a big elevation gain for the last two miles and I was done. Hiking is always about adapting and making the pivot. So I camped, and Sarah continued because she knew she didn't want to do those extra miles in the morning. It worked out perfect for both of us. 

I love being alone...I guess because I'm a Otrovert? 

Day Four: I got up early and made it to Sarah while she was just finishing breakfast. Even though we had off and on rain, this was my favorite day. I was not expecting much, but this section is so beautiful. Mossy and magical with streams and pools and waterfalls...pure joy. 

Until the decent from Scout Mountain into town...then it's pure hell. But then there's a burger and beer to make it all better! So, I did around 12 miles and Sarah did 10-ish. Alltrails has this section at 30.3 miles with 6,620 feet of gain; but we all know Alltrails can't be trusted. But I can tell you this--the elevation is not PCT kind of gain, but the AT type of gain (steep ups and downs over and over, which I think is way harder) so you really want to be sure to have trekking poles for this one. I do hope to go back and finish the whole thing next year, which is around another 80 miles. I am keeping my "never finish a full trail in one go" non-thru hiker status going strong, haha. 

I have to have at least one pic of Sammie! This was at the first campground.