Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

I've realized that I hate blogging.

Since I promised some of you updates of my travels, I've included photos from my 75-mile solo trip. I was expecting it to take me 6.5 days, but due to constant rain I made it in only 4.5 days. Enjoy! :)

Day 1:

8 miles

Steven's Pass in the summer

Lake Susan Jane, right at the beginning of 3 days of solid rain.

Day 2:

12.5 miles

The trail was beautiful, but that low brush gets you WET.

Fatty marmot out to bask in the 30 minutes of sun we had that day

Peiper Pass

Day 3:

16.2 miles

More rain!

This is the river where I slipped on a rock and fell

Although you can't see it, the cuts on my finger were the worst. Also, because of the continuous rain, these cuts didn't even scab over until I got off of the trail 3 days later.

Day 4:

20 miles

Alpine lake

Descending through a burn zone

I forgot that I had Theo chocolate! This got me up the final climb from mile 18 to mile 20 that day.

Day 5:

18.2 miles

I hate scree

Kendall Katwalk

I made it!

My favorite part of hiking

Preparing for Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass hike (S2S)- 74.7 miles, 6.5 days

Tomorrow I leave for my first big solo backpacking trip. I've gone out alone for 3 days (as you can see from the earlier post from the LT Murray Wilderness), but this week I'll be out for six and a half days. At my dad's request, I'll post some details here that he and search and rescue team can use in case I get lost/killed/abducted/eaten/stranded.

Here is a description of the trail from the WTA...

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/pacific-crest-trail-section-j-snoqualmie-pass-to-stevens-pass-east
Note: I'm doing this trail in the opposite direction as PCT hikers would, so I'm hiking from Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass.

My contact person is my friend Heidi. She will be dropping me off at the trail, picking me up, and she knows this area about as well as I do.
Drop off: Tuesday (8/27) at Steven's Pass Ski Resort at approximately 4:00pm
Pick up: Monday (9/2) at Snoqualmie Pass at 2:00pm. I have a 9-mile hike out on Monday, so I should be at the car between 2 and 4pm.

Here is a link to maps of this hike (in PCT terms it's considered section J in Washington)
http://www.pctmap.net/iphone/wa_section_j_map.pdf
Don't forget that I'm hiking this backwards. It can make it a little confusing when looking at these maps.

I'll also include a visual map that I found and edited.

The Enchantments

I'm going to stop apologizing for my lack of motivation to write about my hikes. The pictures speak for themselves :)

There are two main entrances to the Enchantments, which is located in the Alpine Lakes wilderness and is often regarded as the most beautiful place in the Central Cascades. The first entrance is through Snow Lakes, which crosses 10 miles with 6000 feet of elevation gain. The second way into the Enchantments is through Colchuck Lake, which takes 6 miles with about 4400 feet of gain.

We hiked the Snow Lake route last year, so this year we decided to take the Colchuck Lake route. This route was much, much easier, but it did involve a final stretch of scrambling up 2300 in a single mile up Aasgard Pass.

Our first view of Colchuck Lake and Aasgard Pass in the background.

After about 5 miles in, we found our campsite on a little beach right below the pass. Matthew and I got there first and took the best site (right on the beach) and everyone else had to camp a little inland. Muahaha.

The weather was warm so we all took a dip (except for Matthew- typical).

That night we all sat on a giant rock and watched the sun go down.

The next morning, Matthew and I got up early to hike up Aasgard. Half the group chickened out or was to sore from the day before, so it was great to have Matthew to keep me motivated on the way up.

Almost at the top, that's Colchuck Lake below me.

 After reaching the top of Aasgard Pass, you find yourself on a relatively flat area on top of the surrounding mountains. The area is covered in beautiful lakes. Matthew and I sat for about an hour before heading back down.

Upper Enchantment Lakes. You can see all of the way out to central Washington in the distance.

That's all for now! Only 5 days until my first big solo trip!

Salmo-Priest Wilderness

For the 4th of July weekend, some friends and I decided to drive to the Salmo-Priest wilderness in the very NE corner of Washington state. This was a 20-mile loop (with side trips) with about 3400 feet of elevation gain. This was also a great way to break in my BRAND NEW ultralight backpack, tent, and assorted supplies. 

Sorry for how sparse this post will be, but I'm finally adding it a month later. I need a new blogging strategy...

Heidi and I modeling our new backpacks. Mine is brand new and hers is my old pack.

 It was a very log drive to the Salmo-Priest, so we stayed in Steamboat Rock State Park on the way. It also allowed us to see the fireworks over Grand Coulee Dam, the largest electric power-producing facility in the United States and one of the largest concrete structures in the world!

One of my favorite views in the state, Dry Falls, on the way to Steamboat Rock.

Our favorite campsite at Steamboat Rock. We've camped here at least 5 times in the past few years.

Someone installed a rope-swing!

Breaking in my new ultralight sleeping pad.

Another view of our campsite.

Fireworks over the dam.

Grand Coulee Dam

My new tent! Yes!

Look how cute and awkward I am!

 After a night in Grand Coulee, we were off for another 5 hours of driving to get to the Salmo-Priest Wilderness.

Having some extra carbs before the long hike.

I was expecting this hike to be beautiful, but WOW. The easily rivals the beauty of the Enchantments.

We had already hiked a few thousand feet in elevation this day, but we had more to go. You can the cabin we were headed towards on the very top of the mountain in this picture.

We could see into Canada and Idaho.

The view from the cabin.

The crew (from left: Heidi, me, Eamon, and Sam)

We made it back!

Woo! What a great trip!