Backpacking the North Cascades High Country, Washington

The Trip

Lake Chelan, a 80-mile-long glacial trough, and the Stehekin Valley at its head, provided the area’s earliest inhabitants with a passage through the North Cascade Mountains. To reach this remote place, you will travel up the lake by boat. Lake Chelan, meaning “deep water," is the largest natural lake in Washington State and the second-deepest in the country. From ridgetop to lake bottom, this is the deepest gorge in the U.S. The mountainous region surrounding the Stehekin Valley and the north end of Lake Chelan is so outstanding that it merits three wilderness areas, two national recreation areas, and a national park.

The lakeshore and valley are accessible only by foot, boat, or float plane, keeping them both peaceful and barely developed. From the town of Chelan, at the lower end of the lake, we will take the boat Lady of the Lake II up lake to the head of the lake. There we will debark and proceed by shuttle partway up the valley, to High Bridge. We will proceed on foot, up the valley along the rushing Stehekin River, to our first night’s camp at Bridge Creek. We will continue north on the Pacific Crest Trail, then loop around over mountain passes and through alpine meadows to return to the valley floor. We will spend two nights at Stehekin Valley Ranch before taking the boat back down the lake to our starting point.

Sierra Club has been running trips here since 1983, staying at the Ranch and taking the shuttle to hike various trails. The Ranch offers cabins, beds, hot showers, and great food (eight kinds of pie for dessert). All meals, accommodations, and transportation up the lake and within the valley are included in the trip price.

Join a trip leader who recently thru-hiked the entire PCT. He's happy to share stories from his experience with you.

Day 1: We will begin in the morning, taking the Lady II from the town of Chelan up the lake to Stehekin. Your fare is included in the price of the trip. Arriving at Stehekin, we will have lunch before taking the shuttle up valley to High Bridge and then hiking 3.5 miles to Bridge Creek camp.

Day 2: Continuing several miles along the PCT, to Fireweed Camp, we will enjoy valley views along the way.

Day 3: Climbing out of the valley, we will stop for lunch at McAlester Lake on our way into Hidden Meadows.

Day 4: A layover day at Hidden Meadows will give us time to explore the trail to South Pass.

Day 5: We will hike 8.5 miles to Rainbow Meadows.

Day 6: A layover day at Rainbow Meadows will allow us access to Rainbow Lake and Rainbow Pass.

Day 7: We will hike to Reynolds Camp.

Day 8: We will hike to Lake Juanita.

Day 9: A layover day at Lake Juanita will allow us to explore the area more.

Day 10: We will hike down to the valley floor and catch the shuttle to the Ranch for hot showers, soft beds, great food, and eight kinds of pie for dessert.

Day 11: After a hot shower, dinner, and a good night’s sleep, we will spend the day exploring Stehekin Valley. Exploration of the valley will be on your own. Activities available are cycling, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, day hikes, and massage. (These activities are not covered in the trip price.) The shuttle stops at the ranch, the bakery (which has over 10 types of pies), the vegetable garden, the store, trailheads, the waterfall, and the boat landing.

Day 12: On our last day, after a hearty breakfast, we will ride the shuttle to the lake. We will take the boat across the lake to Fields Point Landing. After loading our vehicles, we will say our good-byes and spread to the wind. Boat, bus, and shuttle fees are included in the trip price.

Getting There

You should plan to stay overnight in the Chelan area the night before the trip. The trip leader and Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce (800-4-CHELAN) can help with travel and lodging information. The leader will help to coordinate carpooling from Portland or Seattle. The closest major airports are Seattle/Tacoma and Portland. Amtrak provides service to both Seattle and Portland. The leaders will provide a roster so participants can arrange carpools from Portland or Seattle.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price includes all meals from dinner on day 1 through lunch on day 12. Group camping gear will be provided. Creating masterpieces from freeze-dried and home-dehydrated fruits and vegetables is a hobby your leader cheerfully enjoys. You may even find yourself signing up for future trips for the food! A nutritious, high-energy diet is planned. Any food allergies or limitations should be indicated to the leader as far in advance of the trip as possible. Vegetarians can be accommodated, but participants unable to eat dairy products should consider another outing. Participants will be divided into cook crews so everyone will have a chance to prepare meals a couple of times during the trip.

Trip Difficulty

This will be a moderate hiking trip, with nine nights camping and two nights at the Ranch. Daily hikes will be in the range of 5 to 10 miles. You should be in good physical condition; the principal criteria for acceptance on this trip are physical and cardiovascular fitness and an open attitude toward moderately challenging group hikes. A sense of humor and acceptance of new experiences are also helpful. A regular fitness program, including hiking with some degree of hill climbing, is beneficial.

Equipment and Clothing

Trip members furnish their own backpack, sleeping bag, tent, and other personal gear, including eating utensils and bowl. This must not weigh more than 25 pounds -- and if you can keep it below 20 pounds, all the better. The Club will provide commissary equipment, including pots, stoves and cooking utensils, and all food. For water treatment, the Club will provide a group water filter at camp and purification tablets during the day. Your share of commissary, including bear canister, food and cook gear, will weigh 10-12 pounds to start, decreasing each day, increasing when we pick up the food cache, and then decreasing again. Your pack must have sufficient volume to hold a bear canister. We will have a group first-aid kit; you should bring personal supplies and medications. You must bring mosquito repellent, sunscreen, capacity for at least 2 quarts of water, a hat with a brim, and clothing suitable for possible rain and cold along with well broken-in hiking boots.

References

Maps:

• Green Trails Maps Inc.:
• McGregor Mtn #81
• Glacier Peak #112
• Holden #113
• Benchmark Mtn #144

Books:

• Spring, Ira and Harvey Manning, 100 Hikes in Washington’s Glacier Peak Region. The Mountaineers.
• Lorain, Douglas, Backpacking Washington. Wilderness Press.

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff, and encourages grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy and participation in the goals of the Club.

We will be hiking in an established wilderness area, away from roads and civilization, where we can appreciate past conservation efforts and consider what yet remains to be done. To minimize our impact, we will take special care to practice the Leave No Trace ethic.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under permits from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests, and North Cascades National Park.