The Mother of All Plans (Part 1 PCT Section K)

"The Plan" is always the hardest part of any multi day hike; at least for me. So many choices...so many possibilities...so many details to work out; it always feels like there is no way it is all going to come together. And with the added complication of 8 other people coming in or out during these 8 days, I would call this year the "Mother of All Plans"! (Hey, I just came up with my title!) I'm afraid trying to even explain it is going to take up half this post; so I'm not going to. You will just have to follow along as best you can.

I have one of the most courageous people I've ever known as a good friend. Cynthia's life has been pretty much been an all uphill climb. I could write a book listing all her struggles, but her diagnosis of a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy in her fifties has really been a tough one. But like she has done with every challenge that comes her way, she has faced it head on...which is why I wasn't surprised she asked if I would take her on her first backpack (as an adult...I'm not counting the one she did as a teen ;)) this summer. After purchasing her 8 pound battery operated ventilator machine required for her to breathe at night, and still insisting that she wanted to carry everything else she needed, she texted me "Do you think I'm foolish?"  I thought to myself, "What you are is stubborn!", but of course that is also what makes her so strong and determined. I am in awe of her. I was SO upset when our earlier plan to do Grand Park fell apart. I didn't think we would get another opportunity until next year.

My hero

But as "the mother plan" was developing, I realized that my first day was going to only be 3.5 miles in--making it the perfect opportunity for Cynthia and I to do our backpack together! She was more than willing to be my drop off person...except she no longer drives. So, I had to recruit someone who would want to hike in for one night with us, and then out with Cynthia and drive her and my car back home. Enter peep #2, Anne; an incredibly good sport and friend of Cynthia's whom I have never met and who has never backpacked a day in her life. Peep #3 would be Heather, who has backpacked with me a couple times, but was itching for a longer adventure and wanted to do four days with me. So, a group of four would hike in on day one, and two would hike out on day two, and one would hike out on day four...but who would she hike out with? I told you this was complicated! We will get to that later.

Say hello to my little friend!

The easy first day was due to the fact I decided to resort to cheating (again...I do that often!) and opted for a short cut trail onto the PCT. Smithbrook is a little steep and rooty, but it's only about a mile up and it saves you seven. Normally I would not have wanted to miss out on Valhalla (the first lake you come to if you hike in from Steven's Pass) but I got that one under my belt last year, so I didn't mind skipping it. 

Everything went to perfection (well, after we finally got Anne's borrowed backpack on...for the first time ever...and had to adjust every single strap on it!) and the newbies powered up the tough mile to the intersection with the PCT without care. We made a big deal here to notice the junction, because even with the obvious signage, it's easy to miss if you're looking down and chatting away. (which I later learned is exactly what happened the next day; but thankfully they realized right as they passed it and successfully made the turn off.) 

Two person tent?

A couple more easy miles, and we found ourselves at Lake Janus without another hiker in sight! (we did pass one guy going out; who gave us dire warning of how cold a night he had. Ugh.) I plopped my stuff down at the gorgeous big site next to the lake without a single thought about the advantages of tree cover. Unbeknownst to me, Heather, (who was a little obsessed with the idea of staying warm) was giving a lot of thought to it; but didn't want to burst my "look how pretty!" bubble. 

Speaking of pretty, Janus has nothin' on Heather!

After we got settled, another group of PCT thru hikers came in and took the smarter (though uglier) spot in the forest above us. This would become the norm; in fact, we had PCT hikers camp with us every night except the last. "PCT" hikers, for those who don't know, are doing a multi MONTH hike on the "Pacific Crest Trail", which starts on the Mexican border and ends when you enter Canada. You know them by their smell, and the fact they will eat anything you offer them. This turned out to be a real blessing, because none of these girls knew how to pack food! Holy crap, when Anne opened her "snack", it looked like lunch for a boy scout troupe!

Go Hawks!

At this time I was following the "store your food 100 feet away by hanging in a tree or using a bear bin" rule, so I was a little concerned how we would fit all this extra food in my already full of 8 days worth of food bear container. I was much relieved when the thru hikers took the FOUR HUGE sandwiches off our hands. Turns out it was Anne's husband who had thoughtfully made them for us, ("kiss him for us", the hikers told her after they devoured them, "we forgot how good lettuce tastes!") but I soon discovered that it really didn't matter, because ALL the through hikers keep their food in the tent with them. The more I talked with them, the more it seemed that lugging along my bulky 3 pound "Bear Vault BV 500 Food Container" was completely pointless. Though, I often use mine as a chair, and I like knowing my garbage is not going to leak in my pack, and that mice are not going to chew through my tent to get at my food...so, I stand by my decision to continue to use mine. Heather, on the other hand, was cursing hers (which I did NOT make her buy, so don't listen to her!) and I think was seriously contemplating throwing it over a cliff. So, if you are in the market for a bear bin, I'm thinking you may be able to score a pretty good bargain if you call Heather! 

Another thru hiker, Woodstock, who camped right between us!
He had some great stories, including near hypothermia!

My angel and her halo!

Poor Heather. All her fears about being cold came true. I failed to stake my new "2 person" (ha!) tent properly; making an already tight fit even worse. Consequently, the rainy night made it's way in, and Heather's down sleeping bag wet. (mine is synthetic and water resistant, thank God) She was having serious second thoughts as the drop off crew and her last chance at a warm night were leaving that next morning. To be continued...

Party of Two at Green Point

I love the idea of a big party on Ross Lake. The campsites there are so nice--I mean, it's not often can you backpack to a place with a boat dock! Even my non hiking friends could do the mere mile down the Ross Lake Trail to catch the boat taxi, which can ferry a group of 6 to any assortment of different spots along the lake. (I had my sights on Devil's Junction for my birthday bash in 2013...though the weather thought differently. Read all about it on my Ross Lake East Bank Trail post) 

In my illusory world, it would not be a problem to secure all the campsites the day of (because you cannot reserve in advance) and we would have the whole place to ourselves to have an extravagant blow out. And who knows, maybe someday that dream will come true. But this year, it was going to have to be a party of 2. 

My husband does not come with me very often, so don't get me wrong, I was absolutely grateful. And if this trip was a trial run for this grand future fantasy event, it did provide some lessons. Mainly I learned I need to lower my expectations, because scoring all the sites in any single location is not a very reasonable presumption. I failed to consider the boating community, which I can only assume usually snags their spots for several days at a time; making finding a window where all the spots are free a near impossibility. We barely got the last available site when we stopped to register at the Wilderness Center in Marblemount at just before noon on a Tuesday. 

Ken is taking a picture of moss. Gotta be a first.

As we pulled into the packed parking lot at the Ross Dam trail head, Ken seemed a bit concerned. (crowds are not really his thing) But surprisingly, the trail itself was fairly people free. Once we got going, he immediately commented on the smell, which reminded him of his mountain hometown of Idyllwild. Even though Ross Lake is only a 2 hour drive from Skagit Valley, and not even over the pass, it is notable how different the air feels there. 

Because my big party plans did not materialize, we opted to do the 2 easy miles to Greenpoint without bothering with any boat rides. One thing to keep in mind though--the shuttle over to Ross Lake Resort is different than the actual boat taxi you would reserve to take you to the camp destinations. Those taxis are not cheap, ($115 one way to Lightning Creek, although that is for the whole boat and not per person) but the shuttle to the resort is only $2 per person. So, if one wanted, they could cut this already short hike almost in half for very little cost. (Greenpoint is probably a quarter mile hike from the resort) Except then you would miss walking over the dam, which is kinda the best part. (BUT, it would make packing in a good amount of adult beverages a little easier-just sayin' ;))

Looking down on the boathouse where I had a wonderful picnic lunch with Kimberly.
(see "Washington Rules, Colorado Drools" post)

Behind Ken you can see Ross Lake Resort

Once we arrived at camp (warning: the incline after the dam is a bit more difficult than you might expect from a lake shore stroll) we found that the best sites by the water were already occupied. But no worries, the ones on the hillside were nice too, and I liked that they felt slightly more private. 

The best spot...maybe next time

Not bad. Each site has a two separate pads,
so you could fit a pretty large group on each one.

Sitting on the dock and watching the large group of kids play made me nostalgic for when ours were little. Ken reminded me of when they crafted their own raft, not too unlike this amazing pirate ship. These kind of memories are so precious, and even though I didn't know any of these people, it made me smile knowing this day was probably one they'd remember the rest of their lives. 

Land ho, matey!

Later embellishments; quite a piece of art

We considered hiking down to check out Ross Lake Resort on our way out the next day, but concluded the short but steep detour was not worth the effort. Besides, we wanted to make it to our favorite Birdsview Brewery right at the noon hour so we could have a leisurely lunch. 

We did decide one extra stop on the drive home was worth the effort, because there is always time for a wine tasting! Sadly, our go-to winery has closed it's doors (RIP Challenger Ridge) so we gave Glacier Peak a shot. It may be smaller and less cute, but I wasn't disappointed. That may be, though, because I'm learning to keep my expectations down a bit. And y'know, the truth is, things don't need to be grand or extravagant to be a good time. 

An Ode to Ira

I consider myself a big fan of Ira Spring...even if I thought he was a woman for years. The book I read that he co-authored with Harvey Manning had random pictures of a woman hiker; so it seemed logical. I didn't confess this to Mimi when she looked up to the threatening sky at the start of our hike and apologized to Ira for thinking he was a woman, and to please not punish us with a downpour. I did think to myself though, "you too?"

Of course, Mimi was being funny, because I'm sure Ira was not the type who would have minded being mistaken for a woman. What an awesome guy!! A Washingtonian who grew up in Shelton, his name is on 64 guidebooks (all royalties are donated to the "Family Trust for Trails") his photography has graced Time, Life, and National Geographic, and he co-founded the Washington Trails Association; so it's with good reason he has his very own trail.

I am the Vanna White of fungus!

But, I have to confess I didn't actually pick the Ira Spring Trail to honor this well lived life of his. I picked it because I had to do a drop off at Sea-Tac airport...so why not make the most of the trip and head to the nearest trail! I don't often do hikes in close proximity to Seattle because of the crowds, but it was a drizzly Thursday, so I thought I'd take my chances.

A glimpse of I-90

I have a thing for stone steps

I was so happy Mimi was willing to give me another chance after our last adventure together. (see "First Backpack of 2016" post) I felt like I had failed her with poor trip planning by pushing her too hard with a 14 mile hike on her first time back on the trail in years. I really wanted to make it up to her by choosing something with reasonable mileage...and without a blow down at every mile.(early season hikes can be such a mess!) And the Ira Spring Trail even has a fully functional bridge, so we were set. (I hope trail crews get around to Baker Lake trail soon, because that bridge at Anderson Creek is sketchy!)

Now, this is what I call a bridge!

When we were a little over half way up, with thighs and glutes a blazin', we started jokingly cursing under our breath..."Why you gotta be so mean, Ira?" ;) But I believe Mr. Spring's favor was actually upon us. We may have originally wanted a nice sunny day--but the foggy, misty weather was a real blessing in disguise. Besides keeping the crowds at bay, the clouds kept us from overheating on the last push up. When reading the trail description, I was fantasizing about basking on the "sun drenched" ridge-line, but in actuality those exposed switchbacks (which I'll confess were harder than I expected...sorry Mimi!) would have felt like an oven without some cloud cover. And truth be told, as much as I love the cheery feeling a clear day gives me, I think the mystical quality of the quiet fog is possibly more beautiful.

Just when we were starting to believe Ira was truly out to punish us with a never ending uphill climb, we crested the top and excitedly started the quarter mile drop down to Mason Lake. Although we were tempted to plop down at the first campsite we came to, we both agreed it was worth pushing on to find a more secluded spot. We were so thankful we did, because towards dusk a large group of guys came in, and the spot we left was a perfect fit for them. I know I have complained in the past about having a boisterous gang coming in and screwing up my serenity, but this time I honestly loved hearing their laughter throughout the night. It felt comforting; like I just fell asleep on someone's couch during a great party. ;)

We found a Pokemon! Gotta catch em' all!

One of the party goers, though, had suffered a tough night for being a newbie hiker. Mimi told me she was near the group as they were heading out, and the bedraggled straggler looked up at her and bemoaned, "I didn't think to bring a jacket...oh no...but I brought a chair!!" A tough lesson in packing priorities, indeed.

Chillin' with my "coffee"

A brave swimmer (the small dot in the middle)

The fog never lifted as promised by forecasters (I think we both were hoping for a dip in the lake; the water felt much warmer than I expected!) but it was all good. Even without the sun, the parking lot was overflowing when we made it down; so I would really warn everyone to stay away on a sunny weekend, because I can't even imagine what that looks like. We only had one more thing to check off our list to complete our adventure; find a burger and beer ASAP! We were lucky enough to find the Rogue Ales & Spirits Brewhouse in Issaquah, which I highly recommend. Just be sure to make a toast to Ira for us! 

Thanks for a great trail, Ira!! Cheers!

A Good Day for a Discount

I was wishing I had some "2 Buck Chuck" to take to this "$2 Trail", except that would not have been appropriate when I hadn't even had my morning coffee. But let me start at the beginning.

I don't have many "followers" on my blog, so whenever someone reaches out to me, I get pretty excited. I didn't know Denise, but she said she recognized me from the church I used to attend, and that she would love to go adventuring with a fellow "speed impaired" hiker. 

That was several years ago. Life tends to get in the way of good intentions, and it seemed our schedules were never going to jive. Finally we just decided to make it work--a local, convenient to get to hike we could finish before the start of my 3 pm workday.

Yes, there is a whole lake there,
but Denise says he's forgotten how to be a dog. ;)

Denise had her eyes on Chuckanut Ridge; a 10 mile loop that completely kicked my butt when I did it 5 years ago. I was looking forward to hopefully confirming some personal improvement...but I knew speed was not going to be one of them. We HAD to get going early if I had any hope of getting to work on time. 

After we both texted each other that we were running late, Denise texted again saying the interstate was shut down and being redirected. (later I found out there was a jumper on an overpass...thankfully they eventually got him down) Even with a forewarning, I found myself turning onto the freeway before I could stop myself. (stupid autopilot...I will also blame my coffee deficiency) The visions of vino came to mind as I sat there in parking lot mode, wondering how long it was going to take to get to the exit I could have easily just driven to had I not been such an idiot. But a shot of caffeine was the true priority.

Giving a pack a "test run" is always a good idea.

So, about a half hour later Denise and I were meeting at the nearest Starbucks to revamp our pan. She suggested the "$2 Trail", bringing to mind the specific cheap wine that would have paired well with the day. I hate to say we downgraded on our ambitions for adventure, even though we were going from 10 to just 3 miles...I prefer to say we went for a discount. 


I had never heard of the Two Dollar Trail; which surprised me because I thought I had exhausted almost every hike available on Chuckanut Drive. Turns out it's a wonderful alternative path to Fragrance Lake. It had been so long since I've been to Fragrance that I had forgotten how beautiful it is. One word of caution though; be sure to have a map if you are not with someone who is familiar with the area. There are many intersecting trails, (including part of the Pacific Northwest Trail) so take a wrong turn and you could end up in Montana! (which I would LOVE to do! Last month's hike at Ebey is also connected to the PNT, making me dream about actually doing it. First things first though; let's see if I survive 500 miles of the AT before any further dreaming!)

Which way? Better choose wisely!

The best part of the day was discovering that Denise and I have actually known each other for decades. When I told her my maiden name, she shouted "Shut up! I was best friends with your older sister! I remember you as a preteen!" What a small world. It will never cease to amaze me.

Because we went for the "discounted" hike, we finished much earlier than expected, allowing some time to hit the Bellingham REI, where Denise exchanged her backpack and I found an awesome real life discount on a new jacket. I hope we can put both to good use with a very "full price" backpack soon.