[Pics to come--I'm having trouble with the net connection right now.)
A small opening in the weather and my work schedule gave me half a day to hike today: I did these two easy hikes from High Bridge--a fairly strong hiker can take the morning bus upvalley, do both hikes, and return on the noon bus down: that's what I did.
These are two really nice hikes for if you're pressed for time in Stehekin, or party ability or weather prohibits longer, more ambitious higher-country hikes.
Agnes Gorge: 5 mile round trip, minimal elevation gain.
Unlike the PCT on the other side of Agnes Creek, which climbs high above Agnes Gorge, the gorge trail contours just above the creek for a couple miles and then drops into the Agnes Gorge. It is a pleasant, nearly level low-elevation forest walk ending at the beautiful gorge. The fall colors are probably a week away from their peak at this lower elevation. There were a few drops of drizzle and a few small sunbreaks.
Agnes Gorge took exactly two hours, which gave me just enough time to go to Coon Lake and still catch the 12:15 shuttle home.
Coon Lake. 2.6 mile round trip, about 500 feet of elevation gain/loss.
This trail climbs steadily through more open forest with some views across the Stehekin Valley and up to McGregor Mountain. I watched a duck feeding in the lake for a few minutes, but never got any decent pictures. Coon Lake is a very scenic lower-elevation lake with lots of animal activity. NOTE: This could make a nice camp, but I didn't see any running water, and the lake water--well, there are some lakes you don't mind getting drinking water from, and this isn't one of them.
Critter notes: Agnes Gorge is considered one of the best places to see bears (I have seen them there before). And the trail to Coon Lake is considered one of the best places to see a rattler. Unfortunately, I saw neither. (This is my third time hiking the Stehekin area, and I have never seen a snake, although they are by no means rare around here.)
The aspen photo's are awesome
Come back to Stahekin in the spring and you will see a ton of snakes. I came across a few there earlier this year.
Did you catch any of those huge brookies in Coon?
No fishing gear, but they were definitely feeding there.
I watched the kokanee spawning for a while this afternoon in a pool in Blackberry Creek. (It flows into the Stehekin just below Company Creek, a bit downstream from the Harlequin bridge.)
I'm heading up to N Fork Bridge Creek Friday--if I have time I'll poke around Deadman creek a little and see what I see by way of a route up.
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Come back to Stahekin in the spring and you will see a ton of snakes. I came across a few there earlier this year.
Did you catch any of those huge brookies in Coon? 
