lake

The PCT from Mount Adams to Goat Rocks passes through a variety of forest, some lakes and offers up the occasional view. Plus the weather took an unexpected turn.

After a challenging couple days I was ready for a break. Instead of hiking the long detour trail to Stehekin, I left Holden by bus to join my husband and friends on the Lake Chelan ferry. I was grateful to be with my friends and to have time off to rest, recuperate and to explore the unique town of Stehekin.

Day 3: American Lake to Bear Gap Junction. It was a beautiful morning at American Lake. I had a little under 12 miles to hike, and some wonderful lakes, alpines meadows and passes to travel through.

Day 2: Snow Lake to American Lake. Today was an absolutely perfect day. I put nearly 13 miles under my boots, enjoyed meadows, wildlife, mountain views and gorgeous alpine lakes.

Day 1: White Pass to Snow Lake. My first day back on the PCT, jumping past Mount Adams & Goat Rocks and starting into the 100-mile “Section I.”

Crater Lake is an amazing geological formation that can teach us a fair bit about the world around us, from rock formations, to water minerals, to weather patterns. Visiting this park is best done in a couple days than in a couple hours.

This year we knew we had to get our packs on and do a “shake down.” Thankfully we are lucky enough to have an amazing National Park right in our back yard. North Cascades National Park is about a 2 hour drive from where we live and has a huge variety of backcountry trails. We studied our map and some trip reports and finally decided to hike alongside Ross Lake on the East Bank Trail.