East to West, Crossing the Cascade Crest

After our holiday on Lake Wenatchee, Tierra took me up on my gaff about how "I'd just walk back to Granite Falls from Lake Wenatchee." She ended up dropping me off on the Little Wenatchee River, so I hiked West up to the Pacific Crest Trail, through the Glacier Peak Wilderness and down the North Fork of the Sauk River. I came out 4 days later on the Mount Loop Highway and eventually made my way back to Granite Falls.

See Ya! As Amaya and T slowly drove away, leaving me with a pile of gear at a trail head, it occurred to me: Hey they were really trying to get rid of me!


From the PCT, looking back at the trail up the Little Wenatchee River Valley.

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A sample of some local residents:
Bull Grouse

The Bee and Butterfly

Longhorn Beettle on Valerian

BRUINS! I hiked by three black bear yearlings on the way up the valley, then into a big Mama bruin the next drainage over. Bears are having a lot of trouble foraging this year due to the longer winter and shorter growing seasons for berries. These guys left me (and my food stash) alone thankfully.

The late season lushness---bistort, anemone, and lupine abound above Indian Pass.
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MWF on top of Indian Head Peak

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This was the view from my bivy when I woke up.

Here is the campsite near White Pass (not the white pass located on Hwy. 12) with Monte Cristo group and Mt. Sloan in the distance.

Sunrise! Another perfect bluebird day in the life.


A rare view of Glacier Peak, from White Mountain. Most major access points to the mountain have been blocked by washouts.

Red rocks on the side of White Mountain, with White Chuck Glacier in the background, huge blocks of quartz rich vien rocks in the foreground.

Leaf contrasts on the hike out.