Another year, another packpacking trip. Our 4th annual, in fact. It all began with the Wonderland trail, and we’ve been creating epic journeys ever since.
For the first time, we finally made it up to the North Cascades. Yes, believe it or not, this was officially the first time we had ever hiked in these woods.
Actually, this was supposed to be the plan for last year. I was just starting to finalize my plans in late June … but fires in early July of 2024 had me rethink everything.
So, in 2024 we ended up hiking Goat Rocks instead. Which … wow … that was incredible. And so it was this year that we finally got to the North Cascades. No fires, amen!
Of course, once again I scoured books and maps to try and come up with the perfect week long loop path. The route I kept coming back to was a 75-ish mile loop outlined in Backpacking Washington.
The only potential issue? I was having a real hard time getting any recent intel on the upper, last leg of the trip that would take us from almost the northernmost point of the PCT back over to Ross Lake (the Three Fools Creek/Castle Pass trail).
The section was described in prevous reports as remote, overgrown, and prone to bears. The boys would not like this.
So, I did what any adventurous and optimistic mom would do … I didn’t tell them. I figured we would wing it. We’ve been on long, miserable trails before. We could do it again if it meant avoiding backtracking and completing an otherwise lovely scenic loop back to our car.
This withholding of information would come back to bite me later, but just know going in, the entire route above was the plan.
Let’s dive into how we planned this epic trip and all the nitty gritty details there within. Blowdowns, detours and bears … let’s go!
Resources for Backpacking the Devils Dome/PCT/Ross Lake Loop
Here are the resources we used to plan this trip.
Washington Trails Association: This site is essential for getting up-to-date trail information for all the various trail sections that made this trip possible. Check back frequently for the latest reports on all your trail sections.
Pacific Northwest Trail Association: Part of this route is on this long-distance thru hike. Check their website for trail updates and even download some free maps while you’re at it. Consider donating as well! We saw their trail crews hard at work on many brushy sections, and it was much appreciated (the new creek crossing about a half mile before Holman pass was being created as we came thru … I was the first person to walk on it)!
National Geographic North Cascades Map: I used this map to mark routes, distance and campsites. We carried it the entire time, and, spoiler alert, it came in incredibly handy when we decided to change plans mid-trip. Don’t leave home without it.
OnX Backcountry: This is an incredible website and app for planning routes and distances. I had never used this before, but I took advantage of a screaming deal they offered over the summer. Was really great for double checking distances compare to my paper maps as well as having the whole route downloaded for easy access.
Backpacking Washington by Douglas Lorain and Mark Wetherington. Great descriptions of the overall route we intended to follow. FYI we found some of their info to be outdated for some sections. A good reminder to always use multiple sources when putting together your plan.
Far Out app: Once again we made it out to the PCT, so our purchase of the entire PCT map on the Far Out app came in handy. Highly recommend for finding ideal campsites and recent updates on water sources.
Permits: Most of this trip is entirely permit-free (yay!), except for anything along Ross Lake/East Bank Trail.
Permits for Ross Lake can be found on Recreation.gov. Check the sites at both Diablo-Ross Lake Boat-in and East Bank Trail, and plan in advance to get the site you want. We had to scrounge for what was left, only booking just a couple weeks before our trip.
*But note, a portion are reserved for walk up … so if your first choice is taken, consider grabbing a permit at the Wilderness Info Center (WIC) on your way into the park.
I’ve highlighted the camps that, from my research, seem to be the best potential options for either your first or last day of the loop. The other ones that appear closeby but are not highlighted are those that are not accessible via foot (boat only).
*Park Passes: You do not need a National Park pass to park at the East Bank trailhead.
Devils Dome/PCT/Ross Lake Loop Itinerary
I’m going to go over both the original and actual itineraries, because I think either is a valid option, and not all that different in distance. But read through our trip and decide what adventure you feel up for.
Another popular option is doing only the Devils Dome loop itself, which is just over 40 miles. But my guess is you are looking for something longer, so let’s dive in.
Original Itinerary
This is taken directly from Backpacking Northwest. Their book is very helpful whether you do this loop or the convoluted one we ended up with. I love their map (pictured above) and literally cut it out and took it with us. *But read our notes for sure, as some areas they describe are, well, not exactly accurate anymore. At least that’s what we found.
Here’s the camp plan and mileage:
As you can see, this is an incredible loop! The change boiled down to an argument with my kids over taking the Castle Pass/Three Fools Creek Trail from the PCT over to Ross Lake. Backpacking Northwest described it as very overgrown and prone to bears. It literally suggested making noise when walking thru head-high overgrowth so as not to startle said bears.
Once Soren read this, he was out. Oh hell no.
And the thing was, I hadn’t found any recent reports online to tell me any different. I did find one from a few years ago; it complained of frequent blow downs which made the trail slow going … and lots of bear poop. Not encouraging.
I was kicking myself that I didn’t just call the rangers ahead of time to ask for information. They check on these trails, right? (Note: I did ask a ranger on the way out and he really couldn’t offer any updates, so that made me feel better about our ultimate decision to change course).
So we made the right choice for us at the time, but I’d still like to attempt this loop someday. If you do this route, will you pretty please publish a report online for me?
Our New Itinerary:
So we sat at camp on our 3rd day, on the PCT, and made a new plan. We scoured over maps and I calculated mileage over and over again. We even discussed ending the trip early by backtracking immediately to Ross Lake across the Devils Dome loop trail.
But here’s where the one permit issue kicked in. Our permit on Ross Lake was for Monday night. We couldn’t just show up to camp a day or two early (especially on a weekend), or simply pick another camp along the lake. The other option was to backpack entirely the way we came in and avoid the lake altogether, but even the boys found that idea depressing.
Finally, we came up with a plan to backtrack south a ways on the PCT and spend another day high-fiving PCT finishers, and then travel back on the trail that goes towards Devils Dome to Ross Lake, which would put our timeline back on track. We even already saw a great camp on that trail we could use for our 5th night, letting us rest assured that, unless a huge party convened there, we had a nice camp with plentiful water source awaiting us.
I was proud of myself for my sudden degree of flexibility. I could have pulled the “mom” card and forced “my” route, but instead I listened to their concerns and, in all honestly, agreed with their conclusions. This is growth for me, people. I hate not finishing something. But it gave us the opportunity to work as a team. The fact that my kids helped drive the solution was a win for us all.
Here’s the plan we wound up with instead:
So clearly not as direct and not as grand of a loop, but it was essentially a similar hike with similar views. I think we still got the best of it all really. And more time on the PCT is hard to pass up.
So if this is the trip you are planning, I hope this helps! Read on for our full experience on this exciting route and all the surprises therein.
Let’s go!
Day 1: East Bank Trailhead to McMillan Park
Wednesday, August 20th
Mileage: 7.5 miles (ended up being closer to 9.5)
Thinking we had a relatively short day in store, we departed Seattle mid-morning. No hurry, no need for early wake-up, which we all dislike anyway (ok, mostly me). Our packs, weighing in at 38lb, 25lb, and 20lb, in order of age, were ready to go. The drive was slated to be about 3ish hours, which held true for a weekday late in summer.
We stopped for a quick view of Diablo Lake on our way in (umm, breathtaking, btw), and then quickly thereafter hit the East Bank Trail. The trail parking is literally right off Highway 20, so no crazy off-roading required. It’s sedan approved.
As for passes, it does not appear this area requires a National Park Pass, but just to play it safe, we displayed ours anyway.
The day was clear and beautiful. Friends, it does not get better than this. You just never know with smoke season, but our chances for a smoke-free hike in 2025 were looking really good.
We ambled along the fairly flat, easygoing trail bordering Ruby Creek for a couple miles. There was one particular blowdown that was very difficult to navigate (it has been written up in trail reports), so when you get there, do some assessment and take your time. We literally climbed up and over the rooty obstacle course which I think was only doable because we had each other to lend an arm for leverage. Come to find out some went down and around it via the river somehow, but we thankfully ended up unscathed despite full-weighted packs.
You can’t tell from the photo below but it was really steep to get over that pile of wood. Maybe trail angels will take care of this for next time. Let’s hope.
Then … it was onto the switchbacks. Our trusty backpacking guide mentioned something like 60 switchbacks in this section leading up to Devil’s Park/McMillan Park. So we counted … and if you let pass some turns that I wouldn’t technically consider a “switchback” per se, they are pretty close. It was steep and exhausting. So happy this wasn’t an out and back.
From there it was fairly easygoing, leading us into a gorgeous meadow that probably a few weeks prior was littered with dazzling wildflowers. We saw the remains, but most of them were well past their prime.
It was now time to find camp. We quickly saw the first campsite depicted on our map, right at the junction that leads off to Crater Lake. But knew our desired camp should be about a mile or so ahead.
But we walked, and walked, and walked. Probably about 2 miles later we were feeling pretty defeated. Maybe we should go back to the first camp we saw? Hearing voices in the disetance, we suddenly thought maybe we were near. Soren dropped his back and ran ahead to check it out, coming back to say the approaching party had indeed seen our camp, and they in turn requested intel on their hopeful site, which was the one at the junction. So we exchanged pleasantries and headed on our way. Only the second group we had seen on the trail all day.
Finally we arrived at what did seem like a campsite, but it really did not feel like the “superior” camp described in the book. But … it was fine. And there was a small stream just a short walk away (the more obvious water source on the other side of the trail was all dried up).
We made camp, prepped a quick dinner (with one of my 7 homemade meals I had packed!) and headed off for our first sleep in the North Cascades.
Day 2: McMillan Park to Devils Pass
Thursday, August 21
Mileage: ~9
Since we ended up hiking a bit further than expected on day one, day two was delightfully shorter, meaning we could take our time and start to really get immersed in this wonderland.
And day two did not disappoint. As we started to ascend even more, the tree coverage decreased and the views opened up. Man, the wildflowers here must have been oustanding. Highly recommend coming earlier in the season if you can. Upside for us though, no bugs.
About a mile in we hit the Devils Park Shelter (noted on some maps but not all). Kinda kicking ourselves we didn’t just hike here for camp, but we had no idea what shape it would be in. Some “shelters” are just piles of wood, so you never know. Sorry I have no picture! But it’s definitely a viable camp option.
*Apparently there’s water behind the shelter, but we did not take the time to investigate.
Then, we hit the scree. This was one of the most talked about sections of our hike. It really looks innocent, but the path was at an incredibly steep angle, and our feet kept slipping under the loose rocks and dry sand. It was slow and scary. But the pics make it look fine! Don’t be fooled. I swear it went on forever.
After the scree we found many more water crossings, some beautiful camps, and plenty of nice people.
And finally we made it to Devils Pass. But here’s where things got interesting … on many fronts.
First, our backpacking book mentioned a very nice camp, once an old horse camp, shortly off a spur trail as you go a little further down the Devils Ridge Trail. Let me quote you the description:
“Better camps [from Devils Pass] are found near a broken-down trail shelter in a meadowy basin southeast of the pass. You can reach this basin by going east on the trail toward Sky Pilot Pass for .1 mile to an obvious but unsigned fork. Veer right and drop down to the meadow with its shelter and nearby spring.”
Sounds lovely, right? Friends, we searched so hard for this camp. We found the obvious but unsigned fork, but beyond that, there was nothing. All 3 of us went in all directions trying to find this glorious meadow and supposed spring, but for the life of us, nothing. We read the paragraph over and over. What were we missing?
So we went back to the junction, feeling defeated, where there was a decent albeit not so private camp right there. Not sure what else to do, we set up camp and figured we’d scout for water later. That sign pictured above quoted water in hard lettering, so you’d expect not a problem. It was a problem.
We followed the sign’s advice and went 900 ft down the trail … but again, nothing. I was getting worried. Are we in a waterless camp? I was not prepared for this. I mean, If there is one thing I’m paranoid about, it’s water. Danielle requires a lot of water. This would not do.
So I sat for awhile zooming in and out of my maps trying to figure out if we had options, while simultaneously thinking how we could accomplish dinner and breakfast for three with just the two Nalgenes we had on hand.
And then I saw it. This faint blue line that, by my rudamentary calculations, was probably a litte over a mile down that same trail towards Sky Pilot Pass. Given sunset was coming within the hour, I made a decision.
We quickly made dinner with the water we had left and then I charged Soren with camp security while I set out to find this faint blue line. I showed him exactly on the map where I was going and then packed Nalgenes, filters, bear spray and headlamp. Bummed I would miss my sunset dram of camp whiskey, I put splash in a camp mug and headed out.
All told it was close to a mile and a half, but success! After finding one stream empty, which sent me into a momentary panic, another one just a short walk over had small pools that were ever so slightly running. Hallelujah! (Had I walked just a bit further I would have found full on running water, but that was for us to discover tomorrow). And because I had traveled with a wee bit of trail whiskey, I unexpectedly had a scooper that helped me easily fill the reservoirs and be done in no time.
Note: Right by this water source was a cute and spacious camp. Beautiful spot which we kept in mind for later. But at this moment it was populated by several tents. I’m sure they saw me run by and must have thought, what the heck?
By the time I left the sun had set and it was getting dark. Finally getting my headlamp out, I tried to speed walk back as quickly as I could. The trail was pretty rocky with some steep drop off sections at times, so many parts I had to take slow, especially in the dwindling light.
About a mile into my travels back I am startled by a figure approaching me. Holy crap, a person. “Mom!” he calls out. Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s Soren. What is he doing?
Apparently Safety Soren got concerned, and so he had come looking for me. But he ventured out with no headlamp. No bear spray. And he had left Theron alone at camp. After I chastised him thorougly for being so careless, we hiked back together with my light illuminating the way.
As we approached camp Theron’s skinny silhouette immediately approaches us. In the short time we were gone … he had stories tell.
Apparently once Soren abandoned his post to look for me, a large, pesky deer came boldly into camp, now undeterred once the larger child had left the scene. It came too close for Theron’s comfort, and so he was using hiking poles to ward it off. But it kept coming back. I laughed, but also glared at Soren once more.
We finally got into our sleeping bags and slept quite peacefully, apart from the intermittent galloping between our tents at random intervals all night long.
Day 3: Devils Pass to Spring Camp/Goat Lakes/PCT
Friday, August 22
Mileage: 9
Another beautiful day! Here is where we departed the Devils Dome Loop and headed east towards the PCT. I can’t remember if this trail has an official name, but it goes towards Sky Pilot Pass and then eventually to Holman Pass which links you to the PCT.
So we ventured down the trail I had partially traversed the evening before. There were some tricky sections (pictured above, right) where some old boardwalks had been eaten up by the ground.
A mile or so beyond Sky Pilot Pass (which isn’t much to see, btw, just a trail junction with no view), we came upon a big work crew literally creating part of a new footbridge and cutting down tons of brush. So appreciated! I would say wear pants on this section (kinda tore my legs up), but likely the narrow brush issues have been resolved with all their hard work. Thank you Pacific Northwest trail workers!
Soon we hit Holman Pass, and with that, we were back on the PCT. Our goal was to make it to an area that Backpacking Northwest called “Spring camp” located near Goat Lakes, which was presumably two small lakes a short ways off the PCT, with a camp and water source.
Once on the PCT the trail was an easy grade and fast moving, so we made it up there in no time.
Finally we hit the spur trail that went towards these “lakes.” Here’s how the book instructed us:
“From here you can make an easy and enjoyable cross-country side trip of about .5 mile to the tiny Goat Lakes, in a small, meadowy cirque to the south.”
Wanna guess if we found said lakes?
So, sorta. We hiked in, found the camp as described, along with a small stream suitable for a water source, but the lakes … nowhere. We found many social trails behind the camp so we dropped our packs and spent some time searching. At one point Theron and I are crawling down a rocky ravine, and I’m like, what are we doing? This is ridiculous.
But finally we did indeed see the tiny lakes, down such a steep, bushy hillside that … there was no way I was venturing any futher. So we abandoned the lake idea and went back to the camp.
While this camp was nice enough, and quite private, it felt rather lonely. With time on our side, we hiked back out the PCT to scout out additional sites that the Far Out app depicted. Finding water and ample sites (probably room for 5-6 different groups) just a short walk up the trail, we made the decision to change plans and camp there instead.
And it was good we got there early. By evening the place was full of PCT hikers, all of them about to finish their arduous journey. Most would go on the next day to touch the northern terminus before turning back around and heading to Harts Pass or other exit points. Because of our stupid government and corresponding stupid policies, Canada had closed the border and thru hikers could no longer exit into Canada. So lame, so pointless.
But anyhow, for us, we could feel the energy in the camp and it was a unique experience to be amongst so many PCT finishers, class of 2025.
Day 4: Spring Camp to PCT Ridge Camp
Saturday, August 23rd
Mileage: 6
So here is where our plans change from the original route. Instead of heading up to Castle Pass near the PCT terminus and then back west towards Ross Lake on the Castle Pass/Three Fools Creek trail, making one giant loop, we instead headed back south along the PCT for 6 or so miles to a camp that someone described on Far Out as having “beautiful views” and was their “favorite camp on trail.”
Why the reroute? Well, as I alluded to much earlier, the boys, with so much time on their hands, had been studying my maps. And they could tell right away that this northern trail did not look exactly well traveled. And given their experience on sketchy trails in the past, they were in no mood.
I pleaded my case, that the views are probably outstanding and the lesser worn trails can be some of the most rewarding, but once Soren read the description about tall grasses and possible bears, he vetoed the journey outright.
So the night prior, we sat at camp and came up with a new plan. Instead of taking the trail through bear country, we could get over to Ross Lake by backtracking to Devils Pass and taking the trail towards Devils Dome and then over to the lake. But in order for everythign to line up with the permit we had for Lodgepole camp, we needed to add an extra day on the PCT and then work our way over.
We decided on a short day back down the PCT to the beautiful view camp, then the following night we would utilize that camp we saw near the water source on the Pacific Northwest Trail, and then finally make a long push all the way over to Lodgepole camp.
The day was gorgeous, once again, and we only had 6 miles, so we left camp late and it took it nice and slow. Several long days make a short, beautiful one so enjoyable!
This water source was only about half a mile from camp, so we lingered here for a bit. Met a cool group of Europeans here about to finish their trek, one from Belgium, one from Norway and another from France.
We met another women that afternoon who left an impression on me. An Asian woman in her mid-50s, maybe early 60’s. We had crossed paths the day before as she was bound for the terminus, and then we caught her on the way back, the full 2,600 miles now under her belt.
She told me she was impressed to see a mom hiking with her boys, and I told her no way, she was the superstar here! A rare woman over 50 undertaking this voyage solo! So we got to talking. I could just tell, this petite woman is a force. The boys listened too, all of us unable to fathom all she had seen and done. Kicking myself I didn’t ask for her IG or other social media, but I hope our paths cross again someady!
Without much extreme effort or fanfare, we made it to the camp. There was one decent camp right at the spur, but we went down the faint trail a ways further and found several more spacious camps with incredible views. I mean incredible. Thank you Far Out hiker for your trusty advice. This is once of the nicest camps we’ve ever had. Well, apart from lack of water, but we knew that coming in and loaded up at the spring just a half mile away.
Getting here early was such a joy. We got our pick of the sites, and we spent a few hours reading and resting. I even had a few sips left of my camp whiskey, so I set up a chair just like the boys above, melted into it, and exhaled.
Backpacking is literally all about moments like these.
Sunset was absolutely gorgeous. And it was so warm, and dry. The kind of evening in the back country that you dream of.
Day 5: View Ridge Camp to Devils Ridge Camp
Sunday, August 24
Mileage: 10
So this day was purely backtracking, as we needed to re-cross the portion of the Pacific Northwest Trail that connects to the Devils Dome trail. We decided to utilize the camp by the water source I had found that second night during my water source treasure hunt. So nice knowing exactly where camp was going to be for once.
The PNT crew had done a lot more work in those short days we were on the PCT, and it was even easier going thru those sections again. Less leg scratching, yay!
Really nothing to eventful to report; low stress and minimal decision-making made the time together light hearted and full of laughter.
Thankfully we got to camp and had it all to ourselves. There are strangely very few hikers once off the PCT, even with primo weather in late August.
Fun fact, I made all of our meals for this trip, cooking and dehydrating everything myself. Not only does it save money, but it tastes SO much better! And you can pack calorific additions such as extra oil, cheese, etc. I found if you make just one meal every week or so in the months leading up to your trip, before you know you have a stock pile of meals ready that didn’t feel overwhelming to make. They are heavy I’ll admit, coming in at a pound or more per meal, but remember it’s for three people, and it actually packs down a lot better than loads of expensive Mountain House meals. Plus, each day gets that much lighter!
After dinner, as the sun was setting and I scrambled up for this overview of camp … I spotted them. Black bears. In them hills behind me.
I stared at them. They stared at me. They appeared young and curious, but once they saw me they scampered further up the hill.
So I went back to camp and reported the news. Bears. Not really what Soren wanted to hear.
Now, we are pretty good at food storage, but we suddenly got extra serious. Everything needed to be hung, and it needed to be high. The boys got to work immediately as the light was quickly fading.
Thankfully you can see from the abundance of trees here we were not lacking for options, as we sometimes encounter. Plus, being day five, our food bags were rather light, so getting it up relatively high was not too difficult.
Once the food and camp was secure, we tucked into bed, with bear spray at our side.
You know, it’s strange, you always know there are bears out there. In fact, those same bears were probably roaming around that first evening I traversed over for water … and I never even noticed. But once you see them, all the spidey senses go into overdrive. It took me awhile to fall asleep. Every single noise was surely a bear….
Day 6: Devils Ridge Camp to Lodgepole Camp
Monday, August 25th
Mileage: 13
Immediately upon waking we went for water and scouted out the hills. And yep, there they were, these little cuties. They are much cuter in the morning light rather than right-before-sleep light.
Eventually they moved up and out of site, so we really didn’t see them as we packed up camp. But to our surprise, once we started down the trail, there they were, chomping on berries not that far up the hill from us.
They were clearly more scared of us, moving quickly to hide themselves in the bushes, but it was a good reminder of bear safety and all the important precautions. Reminds me, I did bring a bear bell for the first time on this trip and I rang it consistently in these hilly, meadowy areas. I had started to think the bell was overkill, but nope!
No more bear sightings after that. Once we got back to Devils junction and on towards Devils Dome, it was all new trail again going forward.
But for a relatively well-known trail (the Devils Dome loop is covered by many online trip reports and blogs), it was rough! There were SO many blowdowns. Plus, it was hot! Unbeknowst to us a heatwave had come through the whole Seattle area. It just seemed unreasonably warm, even as we crested the ridgeline, and then it only got hotter and almost unbearable as we descended towards the lake.
But the views were entirely worth it! Best views of the whole trip.
Getting to the very top at Devils Dome required some huffing and puffing, but the views up there were outstanding. Plus, there’s a decent tent site, so bring a group and enjoy the surrounds. Just a note we did not see any water close by, but we did encounter a stream some distance off trail less than half a mile from the top as you keep going west.
Once again for some reason I did not take sufficient photos (maybe we were hot and tired?), but going up to the dome is definitely worth the trek, which we assured to many a hiker coming up from the other side that were hot, exhausted and about done with this day. We would soon see why.
Felt like the mountains went on forever. Not gonna lie, I kept looking north, trying to spy the area where we *should* have been hiking. Honestly, views were probably all very similar, so no FOMO here.
After the dome we started down the other side towards Ross Lake. This section was the worst! So many of those thick, brushy bushes that eat up your legs. I was so tempted to stop and put on pants … but it was so hot! This is where we passed several hikers who kept asking if the top was worth it. We assured them it was, but dang this was rough going. Steep, brushy, dusty and hot. Did I mention hot? 2/5 stars (2 stars for the mountains).
Finally we made it to the East Bank Trail that runs all alongside Ross Lake. While technically our car and ending point was to the left, we went right to hike up to our permitted campsite, Lodgepole camp. There’s actually a great camp right there at the junction, but alas, we couldn’t change plans at this point. If we had ended our hike from the northern trail as originally planned, Lodgepole camp made perfect sense. As it was, it was just another 2-3 miles of very easy trail.
And the camp did not disappoint! We had a HUGE area right on the lake (it’s a boat-in site as well), with enough spots for at least 4-5 different parties. And crazy thing, not a single other person showed up. We had this huge space, with a bazillion bear boxes and a brand new privy … all to ourselves.
But where we really lucked out was the weather. I think I mentioned it was hot, and having this cold lake at our doorstep was the coolest last day gift. And instead of ending our seven day journey stinky as all get out, we actually felt somewhat washed up and presentable. A far cry from the filthy state we end up in after every other trip prior.
Also, if you’ve ever been to Mexico, you know those tiny fish in a tank where you pay to have them eat all the dead skin off your feet? Well news flash, they live in this lake. We sat at the waters edge as these mini fish tickled our toes and offered a free foot scrubbing.
Even though the privacy was lovely here, the boys honestly had been dreaming that a big boat would pull up, packed to the brim with burgers, soda and chips … and out of the kindess of their hearts share with the young and hungry backpackers … but alas. One more dehydrated meal for us.
But I’m glad I saved this one for last. I think it was pasta noodles mixed with beans, greens, sundried tomatoes and some cheesy sauce concoction. I have to say, we ate really well. No lack of calories or fiber on this trip.
Later we set up camp, which once again I forgot to photograph! But rest assured, we had all the space in the world. And so many bear vaults for everything we brought. Which was good, as I swear we heard wolves howling all evening long, making us a little uneasy.
This was also hands down the worst sleep on trail. It was just so HOT! Have I mentioned how hot it was?
I kept joking to poor Theron that he had to sleep with naked mom, as I was literally down to my underwear and a sports bra … and it took forever to fall asleep. That, along with a gentle breeze (I was sure all those lodgepoles were going to crash down on us) and the wolves, it was the worst.
But it was also one of the best days, the full splendour of the North Cascades on display. We were hot, but also grateful.
Lodgepole Camp to East Bank Trailhead (aka the end!)
Tuesday, August 26th
Mileage: 15
And after what seeemd like a blink, here we were, our last day. It’s crazy how with backpacking the days are long and full, sometimes packing in what seems like a month’s worth of sights, sounds and activities into every single day, but then you blink, and a week has gone by.
I know the boys always complain that these trip sound so long from the outset, but once we get into it, the whole thing passes by so fast. And the memories are forever. I think they get that now.
All I have to say is “remember that scree hill?” or “remember that camp by the bears” and we instantly have a point of reference that brings us back to a specific place and a specific shared memory.
Today’s journey would be long, our longest mileage to date. But it also looked to be flat and relatively easy. We started early to power through some miles and bank some time for burgers on the way home. All we could think about were those burgers. Let’s go!
As suspected the trail was easy, with fun views of the lake and peekaboos of the mountains. And since we left early, we were rewarded with the cool morning shade. Running through five thousand spider webs was not exactly the most enjoyable, but it was a sign we were the first through these trails this morning.
Again, I was somehwat surprised how few people we saw given the gorgeous weather in late August. It was a weekday, but still. So quiet.
We popped into several camps along the way just to get a peek, and they are all nicely laid out with easy water sources, naturally. This would make an awesome first backpacking trip for those wanting something flat and easy going but also beautiful and relaxing.
There were some really cool bridges along the way as well. Always makes the hike that much more fun, especially for kids. Plus a toad!
Also earlier in the day we found what looked to be just a head … a bunny head … with eyes. Yeah. I think a sign we definitely had wolves in the area.
And just like that, by 2pm we were done! Another successful adventure in the woods! Another beautiful time of bonding with these sweet boys.
Will there be another one? Not so sure … Soren will be a senior next year, and he may have a job or other important things that would interfere with a full week out of cell phone range. But we’ll see. Maybe next year’s post will be “Danielle spends a week in the woods by herself,” but let’s hope I can convince at least one young man to accompany me. 🙂 These treks have been priceless.
Thank you North Cascades National Park and all the trail crews and rangers that make this possible! Mil gracias!
