Forum Index > Trip Reports > Cascade Pass to Stehekin (9/20 - 9/24/02)
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Ice Girl
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Joined: 30 Apr 2002
Posts: 291 | TRs | Pics
Ice Girl
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PostTue Oct 01, 2002 3:01 pm 
Sun, rain, go or stay were just a few of the last minute things on ones mind right before leaving for this five day trip. In the end we decided to go. Got to the TH late, but was ok. Driving up the Cascade River Valley was a new experience in it’s self, beautiful. At the TH there was numerous glaciers and Mt. circling the valley. Although we packed on the heavy side, 30+ lbs., we did all right. As we climbed up to Cascade Pass, the views around got only better. At one point we saw an icefall, down the side of the mountain. (insert icefall pic from below). About ˝ of the climb is in the forest, the rest you travel along the valley about the tree line. You can recognize scene from books you have seen before. Such as this one I have seen numerous times in books I have read. (insert Cascade Pass pic). Upon reaching Cascade Pass, we then continued on up the trail to Sahalee Arm, this climb, (which is a climb) is straight up switch backs. As we reached the trail to Doubtful Lake it was getting late and the wind was picking up. After scouting around for a little while we decided to not go up the rest of the way, just to be on the safe side. Sahalee from the TH at Doubtful Lake. (insert Sahale Peak pic). It was late in the afternoon and we wanted to make camp before dark at Pelton Basin. Almost dark by the time we reached there, the night was extremely cold. In the morning we had granola bars, and water. The show for the morning was a mule deer, and a huge rockslide on the other side of the valley. We packed up and headed off to Horseshoe Basin. We climbed up to the saddle between Pelton Basin and Stehekin Valley, the views of the Mt. we grand. Stehekin Valley from the ridge (insert Stehekin Valley pic) Penlton Basin. The trail travels down a dozen or so switch backs to a great waterfall across the trail. We were more than happy to spend several hours, laying on the rocks playing in the water and enjoying the day. We saw no people until we were ready to leave this little bit of heaven. (insert Doubtful Lake Waterfall). One can see why we spent so much time here. As we purshed on along the valley trail the weather warmed quite a bit on the way down. We arrived at the TH to Horseshoe Basin, mid afternoon, and decided to continue on to the next campground and get an early dinner and rest up and do Horseshoe Basin the next day, as a day hike. Basin Creek, has a great little bridge right before you come to the campground, with a waterfall as a back drop. At the advice of a fellow traveler we camped in site 5, had dinner and went for a lookyloo. Came back had a nice campfire, some other hikers joined out area. Around about midnight every night the moon (full) would show up and seem to wake me up. So I would get up and stroll around for about an hour looking at the mountain by moonlight, which was bright enough to move around with out a flashlight. Weather was always nice, and clear. Next morning we go up, had our usual Deer in the camp and packed a light goody bag, our tent bag…resourceful. Off we went to Horseshoe Basin. The hike there was short and a little buggy, but once you clear the trees the waterfalls surrounding the cliff walls are unbelievable, I was thinking they would be low this time of year, not. There were even quite a few snow caves and a rather large snow pack still in the valley. We worked our way up the trail and then over the creek. Sat down on the creek and got wet and then spotted a huge rock by the creek. We settled there for several hours, eating, drinking and getting wet. Not far up stream was the snow cave openings, of which we investigated later. (insert Horseshoe Basin pic). Of course we had to go up to the legendary Black Warrior Mine. You can see the tailing piles, (the brownish dirt above the snowfield to the left, the mine opening is just to the right of that, before the waterfall. After spending most of the day here were went back to camp, light a fire, cooked dinner and watched the stars for sometime. Next morning we were up packing our stuff, and or morning visitor was a ground squirrel, trying to steal our food. The trail from Basin Creek to Cottonwood was the buggiest of all. The Stehekin River runs along the trail most of the was and is lovely. The huge washout of this rd. that everyone mentions in the information is rather large. We traveled the 2.7 miles from Cottonwood to Glory Mt. in less than 1hr. Then continued on to Flat Creek before the Shuttle finally picked us up on the way back down. Upon arriving at Bridge Creek we had to change shuttles, while waiting we were told that the Silver Salmon of Lake Chelan were spawning in the river near the bridge; the waters of this river are an aqua light blue. One of the biggest highlights of the area is Rainbow Falls, of which our driver was nice enough to stop and let all of us see. (Rainbow Falls pic). Both the drivers were very informative and nice. Upon reaching Stehekin, we got showers and ate at the only restaurant in town. Very friendly town, a few PCT travelers were in for the day and night. Made for interesting talk. The next day we took the shuttle out in the morning and headed into some pretty dense smoke from a fire up Deer Creek, that started up the night before. (insert Fire pic). So ended our five day adventure to Stehekin.. Ice Girl
Ice Falls
Ice Falls
Cascade Pass
Cascade Pass
Shahale Peak
Shahale Peak
Stehekin Valley
Stehekin Valley
Doubtful Lake Waterfall
Doubtful Lake Waterfall
Horseshoe Basin
Horseshoe Basin
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls
Smoke in the Chelan Lake Valley
Smoke in the Chelan Lake Valley

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Sore Feet
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Location: Out There, Somewhere
Sore Feet
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PostTue Oct 01, 2002 10:23 pm 
Good report. Nice pics too. You guys keep posting reports and I'm gonna end up dipping into my college money to buy a tent. biggrin.gif

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-lol-
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-lol-
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PostThu Oct 03, 2002 8:06 pm 

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McPilchuck
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Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 856 | TRs | Pics
Location: near Snohomish, Wa.
McPilchuck
Wild Bagger
PostWed Oct 09, 2002 3:38 pm 
Ice Girl, now those are nice pics! I was up there not too long ago and came way with some inner feelings about the place being the crazy mountain romantic I am ya know: http://www.alpinequest.com/mtngreeneyes.htm

in the granite high-wild alpine land . . . www.alpinequest.com
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