[D. Inscho]

North Pasayten country

Cathedral Lake

Few people know that Pasayten means “Beautifully lost”. Few people know because I just made it it up. Anyway, I love The Pasayten. I love its depth, inaccessibility, its inventory of historical and forgotten trails, its grassy summits and tundra-like meadowlands, and because the maps don’t always agree, a mystery that needs to be ultimately itched by boot alone.

Golden flanks

It had been a good year of backpacking but I wanted one more grand escapade in my trail slippers. A generous weather-window opened at the end of September just when the larch trees really begin chanting their golden prayers to vaulted blue skies. I dropped everything and picked up a pack for a 5 night pilgrimage to Cathedral lakes. It was a straightforward journey but I scratched some curiosities when I could.

Under smoky skies

Forest incense under Cathedral

A skull-rattling drive on FS roads 37 & 39 had me at the Cathedral Driveway trailhead by 11a (from Bellingham) and the truck lightened by a bolt or two. The inbound plan was to approach via Remmel lake trail and overnight just below the junction with the 4-Point trail. The Driveway drops about 1300’ to join the river trail in a perfectly incinerated valley.

Golden grove

The liturgy of autumn

After a 9 mile day I found a nice sandbar below a beaver dam on the Chewuch to curl up on. I slept a fine 10 hours to the beaver-induced water sounds. After a brief respite of unburned forest the charred spars returned; they did not relent until surrendering at tree line. At 3 1/2 hrs I broke onto the Amphitheater plateau.

High season

Remmel Mtn and namesake lake

Autumn meadow

Rather than proceed to Cathedral I wanted to lounge in and explore these tundra grasslands and the expansive views, secret tarns, and quiet. Indeed it was; the only disturbance was a pre-dawn chorus of coyotes yipping and crooning their mysterious exaltations at so much I only slightly understood. For all I know, I was just a food smell in a big wilderness kitchen to them.

Resting in camp

I spent that morning wandering the grassy expanse in slippers with a mug of coffee and camera in hand. It is an area so plush you could lay down anywhere and your back would find no insult. I wandered an unofficial stock trail that ascended to a basin within Amphitheater’s grand expanse and then descended back to the trail to Upper Cathedral. A high thin haze of smoke crabbed-in turning the sky to a dull aluminum.

Morning fire

Play time

Amphitheater meadow

Amphitheater was great but there was more to explore, so I packed my bangles to seek-out the golden counsel of larches at Cathedral. On my short journey I encountered Perry and his team also advancing to the basin. I have always enjoyed his destinations and trip reports so it was treasured encounter in an inspiring place. I also met Gil and compatriots as well.

Perry and his team

Golden passage

Amphitheater wall

This is no cheap-suit landscape, but there I was in my trail grubbies in stained-glass-wilderness-attendance with a fool grin on my face. Supplicating journeys have a way of doing that. I had 2 nights to enjoy the gilded and placid charms of Cathedral.

Cathedral in nature

Seasonal gold

Getting into the seasonal spirit

On the second night at the lake a bright full moon heralded smoke-free skies overnight promising some anticipated brilliant shots of the mirrored lake. I lingered till 11a before contentedly packing the camera for an anticipated 11.5 miles to the valley junction.

My kind of holiday tree

Morning glory

Looking back to Cathedral pass

I decided on the grand exit over Cathedral Pass, Apex, and through Tungsten to get me back to the Chewack for a final night. Indeed it was grand under clear blue skies. I took a lingering break at Tungsten to explore the wilderness mine ruins. I love its fascinating history of having operated through the winter months at 7000’. The Tungsten creek trail showed its history as a well worn and rugged market to mine trail as machinery was packed in by poor beasts of burden. The loads must have been ponderous.

Cathedral pass

Looking back to Cathedral pass

Fall flare

After a 5 hour day I was back at the Chewuck with a riverside camp. As in the first night, it was my lullaby through sleep. That left only about 6 miles and a 1300’ climb for the last day.

After a long hard day on the trail

Amphitheater from lake

Larch mosaic

Every trip into the unknown begins with an abstract notion; nothing more than lines dancing in parallel on a two-dimensional surface. The packing process involves an anticipation of needed equipment and supplies measured against the abstract demands of the trip. At the TH an aspirational journey becomes perspirational over the miles and days; it becomes real with effort and reward. As the pack empties I find the heart fills with satisfied curiosities and accompanying appreciation of the powerful mystery of our wild places and the triumph of solitude, in whatever form finds us.

Lakeside larch flare

Tungsten Mine gallery

Tungsten Mine cabins

Rock drill and saw blade

Stamp mill & concentrator

A miner joy

Chow table

Tailings dump

Design work

Power plant

The heart of any cabin

Storyboards

Miner spa

Upper cabin

Original concentrator

Pulaski

Miner living room and kitchen

Bunk room

[RichP]

Lovely and Lonely. A Perry-and-his-goats sighting is a treat. I saw them at Slate Pass some years back.

[Nancyann]

Well, David, your trip report just about brought me to tears. “Beautifully Lost” is a lovely interpretation of Pasayten. I missed getting up to that little piece of heaven this year, so nice to see your pictures!

[Pyrites]

What Nancy Ann said. A couple of those spots looked like prime echo spots. Best.

[smp77]

Great TR and beautiful photos! I love the tungsten mine - I took a sibling there for his first backpacking trip. Would love to see the buildings preserved or restored. It's incredible to see the heavy equipment and infrastructure miles into the wilderness.

[Gil]

Great TR! It was fun meeting you after enjoying your photos all these years. Hope you get many more trips in the Pasayten.

[D. Inscho]

Thanks everyone. It is just one of many wonders in the Pasayten.

[Brushbuffalo]

David, I always enjoy your poetic writing ( reminiscent of Colin Fletcher or a cheerful Edward Abbey) and awesome photos. You are one of the people that make NWHikers so worthwhile. Thank you. ( p.s. on one picture, I believe you mean Remmel Mountain and lake).

[D. Inscho]

Righto! Remmel! Thanks Brushbuffalo (I love those two authors)!

[Get Out and Go]

Up to your usual top-notch standards of photos, narrative, and destination.