Forum Index > Trail Talk > Need a Lift From Rainy Pass to Cascade Pass, July 2019
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lohester12
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lohester12
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PostSun Feb 24, 2019 12:42 pm 
Hello all! I'm from Tennessee, and I'm currently planning a trip to the North Cascades in July. We want to do some backpacking, and we have 8 days in the park. I'm trying to fit as much of the glorious PNW in before we have to return to our smaller mountains here in TN. I tentatively have planned to try to backpack from the Cascade Pass in North Cascades National Park to Stehekin, and then hike out of Stehekin to Rainy Pass, hitting the North Fork Basin on the way out. The only problem is that our car will be at the Cascade Pass parking area when we get finished. Is there any option for us to shuttle/hire someone to drive us? I'd love not have to backtrack and get as much new hiking in, but it may be too much logistically. Thanks for any help!

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PorcupinePhobia
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PorcupinePhobia
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PostSun Feb 24, 2019 9:21 pm 
The drive up Cascade River road is a long way "out of the way" for someone driving over the pass. A few years ago, we gave a ride to a couple of guys from Nevada that had parked in Marblemount (paid one of the locals 20$ for parking), hitched a ride with some hikers in the morning heading up to Cascade Pass, and then hitched back from Rainy with us. Something to consider. Alternatively, you could park at Colonial Creek and head over Park Creek Pass to Stehekin, that's a fun hike, less crowded, and a much easier hitch back from Rainy. Also, consider McCalister or Bowen Pass to return to Rainy, more bang for your buck (imo) than Bridge Creek.

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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 12:49 am 
I can't commit that far out, but I've hiked from Cascade Pass to Stehekin, it's one of my favorite backpacking trips. Fantastic tour of all the different kinds of environments our northwest mountains have to offer, and a really cool transition from west to east. As mentioned, it will be crowded near the start, but it'll empty out along the way.

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lohester12
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 12:39 pm 
Ok, so after reviewing the options and taking your all's advice into consideration, it may be a better idea with the following intinerary: Leave a car in Marblemount, hitch a ride from Marblemount to Rainy Pass. Hike from Rainy Pass up the McAlester Lake Trail and camp at either McAlester Lake or Pass on Day 1. Hike down into Stehekin and do that on Day 2. Take the shuttle to High Bridge and begin hiking up the Old Wagon Trail (PCT) to the Upper Stehekin Valley Trail and camp at Cottonwood or one of the Trapper Lake Sites on Day 3. Hike out via Cascade Pass on Day 4, hitch a ride back to Marblemount. Does that sound doable according to what you all know about hitching rides in and around the park? This will be in mid-late July, so there should be enough people for us to not be stranded at either location.

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Stefan
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 2:43 pm 
lohester12 wrote:
Hello all! I'm from Tennessee, and I'm currently planning a trip to the North Cascades in July. We want to do some backpacking, and we have 8 days in the park. I'm trying to fit as much of the glorious PNW in before we have to return to our smaller mountains here in TN. I tentatively have planned to try to backpack from the Cascade Pass in North Cascades National Park to Stehekin, and then hike out of Stehekin to Rainy Pass, hitting the North Fork Basin on the way out. The only problem is that our car will be at the Cascade Pass parking area when we get finished. Is there any option for us to shuttle/hire someone to drive us? I'd love not have to backtrack and get as much new hiking in, but it may be too much logistically. Thanks for any help!
Okay. Here is my suggestion. Hitch rides. Put your thumb out. With one person doing the hitchhiking from Rainy Pass--it is difficult to hitch hike with multiple people. Now here is the deal. Lots of outdoorsy folk use highway 20 at Rainy Pass. One of you wear a backpack and have a sign that says "Marblemount". It might take some time during the day, but evenings when the outdoorsy folk return from their excursions, I bet you will be picked up. Tell the driver to drop you off at the bridge going up the Cascade River Road right there at Marblemount. Now once you start walking up the Cascade River Road with your backpack on, put out another sign that says, "Cascade Pass" and start trying to hitch your second ride on the Cascade River road to Cascade Pass. I have given several people rides. And anybody usually heading up Cascade River Road is a good person.

Art is an adventure.
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Cyclopath
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PostMon Feb 25, 2019 10:59 pm 
I planned to hike from Easy Pass to Stehekin one year, but bailed due to fires, and came out at Colonial Creek. I was worried about how long it would take me to get a ride, but it took give minutes. I think it was the first car to go by. This is the area you're taking about. I've given hikers rides there too. I would pretty much never recommend hitchhiking, but highway 20 is just a different kind of place.

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