Wednesday, 5th October 2016
Designated campground above South Fork Agnes Creek - log cabin at Stehekin Valley Ranch
Mile 2555 - 2569 on PCT + 2 miles car ride to ranch + 18 miles bicycle ride from ranch to Stehekin Landing and back
Total 14 miles walk
It was still almost dark when I looked out of my tent into the surrounding wilderness. Under protection of tall conifer trees, the tent stayed dry and the morning was surprisingly mild. According to the map, almost all of today's 14-mile PCT section should be downhill. The motivation for the day was reaching the village of Stehekin - the last little village on the PCT south of the Canadian border.
After a section following a contour, the path soon lead me to a crossing of a wild river. The river could be crossed comfortably on a wide fallen log. Near the shore, the hiker whom I met yesterday was still in deep sleep, cowboy-camping under a rock overhang. After crossing the river the narrow path entered an old forest with some of the biggest trees along the whole PCT.
Near more stream crossings, there were countless occasions to snack on delicious wild currant berries. Other berries provided a feast of colors for the eye. Squirrels we're also enjoying a time of bounty, eating ripe pine cones and gaining extra fat to become prepared for the approaching winter season.
As elevation decreased, the abundance of vivid colors increased in the dense forest undergrowth. There was no need to hurry and I took many breaks, taking advantage of relatively mild and dry weather. Every couple of miles there was a designated campsite with a space for tents and a fire rig; near one of the campsites I greeted an old veteran hiker heading from the north asked me if I was headed to Canada. I answered that my final destination depends on the mountain weather and that I was headed to the Stehekin ranch, hoping to give my body a necessary and well-deserved rest before continuing my way north. He said that there might be one vacant log cabin at the ranch where hikers can stay for the night.
After the friendly greeting, the trail continued it's course parallel to a narrow river gorge, before descending downhill, crossing a bridge, and entered the North Cascades national park: after Sequoia, King's Canyon, Yosemite, Lassen, Crater Lake and Mount Rainier, the North Cascades is the seventh and last national park on the course of the PCT.
After a short uphill climb I could soon see another bridge: the "High Bridge", stretching across the deep chasm of the Stehekin river. On the other side of the bridge there was a ranger station and a bus stop. In the summer, a national park bus goes several times per day from here to the Stehekin village on the shore of Lake Chelan. In October at the end of the tourist season, the bus only travels twice per day - at 10AM and 3 PM. As I was looking at the bus timetable and map, a small group of tourists emerged from the forest. Karen, one of the tourists, gave me a delicious apple and I gratefully accepted. She was headed towards the Stehekin Valley ranch - the same destination where I was heading. Together we walked the remaining two miles along the wide and deep Stehekin river.
Soon we came to a meadow between tall maple trees with a vegetable garden and happy-looking hens, an apple orchard, and a big house surrounded by little cottages.
I have arrived at the Stehekin Valley ranch and asked Linda, the housekeeper in the kitchen, if there is a place where I could stay. And I was lucky: one of the little cottages was still open for guests, it just needed a little bit of tidy-up and making the bed. In the meantime, I planned to take the afternoon bus to Stehekin village to get
extra food supplies and check the post office and the hiker box. However, there was no bus going back on the same day. Then I saw a dozen of bicycles parked at one of the cottages and asked if I could borrow one. Of course, Linda replied and suggested that I get back before 6:30 PM for dinner. It was a joy to be on bicycle again, going fast on the dirt road along the Stehekin River all the way to the shore of Lake Chelan: the USA's third deepest lake.
More photos of the calm quiet shore of Lake Chelan:
Along the lake shore I reached the Stehekin landing where a boat arrives every day, connecting the village with the rest of civilization. The first place to visit was the post office. Five days ago at Stevens Pass, I ordered one last package of delicious meals from the "Outdoor Herbivore" company to help me get through the final days of my journey. However the package had not arrived yet; It might arrive by boat tomorrow or Friday. Having no extra time to wait, I asked the postmaster to donate all of the food to the hiker box to serve hungry hikers who come after me. The hiker box in Stehekin is located in a bear box right on the lake shore and except for some tortillas, there was not much edible food left. Then I visited the little store near the boat landing. The store was also almost out of food, except for a pair of trail bars and two little bags of nuts and seeds. I also bought an extra pair of socks at the store in preparation for cold and wet weather. The store was also out of gas fuel, planning to close for the season in a few days. My last stop near the lake was at a little shower and laundry house where I got all my socks washed. While the socks were washing, I went to check the hiker box again and found one fuel canister with a little bit of fuel left. With my other almost empty fuel canister, this could last for 2 more days. Then I headed on bicycle along the shore and river back to the ranch.
When I arrived the dinner was ready with a rich choice of salads, rice, and potatoes, many of the vegetables being directly from the ranch garden. A big group of old friend was staying at the ranch for one week, enjoying the late autumn colors. One of the guests, Irena, was born in my home country; it was a pleasure to speak Czech with her. Then we went outside and the sky was suddenly clear and full of stars. The international space station could be seen, moving fast between the stars above us from west to east. It was late night when I went to sleep, having a whole comfortable wooden cabin for myself. My plan for the next morning was to continue walking north. How far north? I let the mountains make the decision.
Designated campground above South Fork Agnes Creek - log cabin at Stehekin Valley Ranch
Mile 2555 - 2569 on PCT + 2 miles car ride to ranch + 18 miles bicycle ride from ranch to Stehekin Landing and back
Total 14 miles walk
It was still almost dark when I looked out of my tent into the surrounding wilderness. Under protection of tall conifer trees, the tent stayed dry and the morning was surprisingly mild. According to the map, almost all of today's 14-mile PCT section should be downhill. The motivation for the day was reaching the village of Stehekin - the last little village on the PCT south of the Canadian border.
After a section following a contour, the path soon lead me to a crossing of a wild river. The river could be crossed comfortably on a wide fallen log. Near the shore, the hiker whom I met yesterday was still in deep sleep, cowboy-camping under a rock overhang. After crossing the river the narrow path entered an old forest with some of the biggest trees along the whole PCT.
Near more stream crossings, there were countless occasions to snack on delicious wild currant berries. Other berries provided a feast of colors for the eye. Squirrels we're also enjoying a time of bounty, eating ripe pine cones and gaining extra fat to become prepared for the approaching winter season.
As elevation decreased, the abundance of vivid colors increased in the dense forest undergrowth. There was no need to hurry and I took many breaks, taking advantage of relatively mild and dry weather. Every couple of miles there was a designated campsite with a space for tents and a fire rig; near one of the campsites I greeted an old veteran hiker heading from the north asked me if I was headed to Canada. I answered that my final destination depends on the mountain weather and that I was headed to the Stehekin ranch, hoping to give my body a necessary and well-deserved rest before continuing my way north. He said that there might be one vacant log cabin at the ranch where hikers can stay for the night.
After the friendly greeting, the trail continued it's course parallel to a narrow river gorge, before descending downhill, crossing a bridge, and entered the North Cascades national park: after Sequoia, King's Canyon, Yosemite, Lassen, Crater Lake and Mount Rainier, the North Cascades is the seventh and last national park on the course of the PCT.
After a short uphill climb I could soon see another bridge: the "High Bridge", stretching across the deep chasm of the Stehekin river. On the other side of the bridge there was a ranger station and a bus stop. In the summer, a national park bus goes several times per day from here to the Stehekin village on the shore of Lake Chelan. In October at the end of the tourist season, the bus only travels twice per day - at 10AM and 3 PM. As I was looking at the bus timetable and map, a small group of tourists emerged from the forest. Karen, one of the tourists, gave me a delicious apple and I gratefully accepted. She was headed towards the Stehekin Valley ranch - the same destination where I was heading. Together we walked the remaining two miles along the wide and deep Stehekin river.
Soon we came to a meadow between tall maple trees with a vegetable garden and happy-looking hens, an apple orchard, and a big house surrounded by little cottages.
I have arrived at the Stehekin Valley ranch and asked Linda, the housekeeper in the kitchen, if there is a place where I could stay. And I was lucky: one of the little cottages was still open for guests, it just needed a little bit of tidy-up and making the bed. In the meantime, I planned to take the afternoon bus to Stehekin village to get
extra food supplies and check the post office and the hiker box. However, there was no bus going back on the same day. Then I saw a dozen of bicycles parked at one of the cottages and asked if I could borrow one. Of course, Linda replied and suggested that I get back before 6:30 PM for dinner. It was a joy to be on bicycle again, going fast on the dirt road along the Stehekin River all the way to the shore of Lake Chelan: the USA's third deepest lake.
More photos of the calm quiet shore of Lake Chelan:
Along the lake shore I reached the Stehekin landing where a boat arrives every day, connecting the village with the rest of civilization. The first place to visit was the post office. Five days ago at Stevens Pass, I ordered one last package of delicious meals from the "Outdoor Herbivore" company to help me get through the final days of my journey. However the package had not arrived yet; It might arrive by boat tomorrow or Friday. Having no extra time to wait, I asked the postmaster to donate all of the food to the hiker box to serve hungry hikers who come after me. The hiker box in Stehekin is located in a bear box right on the lake shore and except for some tortillas, there was not much edible food left. Then I visited the little store near the boat landing. The store was also almost out of food, except for a pair of trail bars and two little bags of nuts and seeds. I also bought an extra pair of socks at the store in preparation for cold and wet weather. The store was also out of gas fuel, planning to close for the season in a few days. My last stop near the lake was at a little shower and laundry house where I got all my socks washed. While the socks were washing, I went to check the hiker box again and found one fuel canister with a little bit of fuel left. With my other almost empty fuel canister, this could last for 2 more days. Then I headed on bicycle along the shore and river back to the ranch.
When I arrived the dinner was ready with a rich choice of salads, rice, and potatoes, many of the vegetables being directly from the ranch garden. A big group of old friend was staying at the ranch for one week, enjoying the late autumn colors. One of the guests, Irena, was born in my home country; it was a pleasure to speak Czech with her. Then we went outside and the sky was suddenly clear and full of stars. The international space station could be seen, moving fast between the stars above us from west to east. It was late night when I went to sleep, having a whole comfortable wooden cabin for myself. My plan for the next morning was to continue walking north. How far north? I let the mountains make the decision.
