We begin with a boat ride up Lake Chelan into the stark beauty of the NE corner of Glacier Peak Wilderness, deep in the Central Cascades. Besides the dazzling beauty that awaits us, this route also allows us freedom and spontaneity.

August 12, we drive together to Lake Chelan and sleep at a bed and breakfast. The next morning we take the Lady of the Lake uplake to Lucerne where we briefly enter the wonderful world of Holden Village as we ride their rugged school bus into the mountains. Beginning at 3,000 ft elevation, we walk west out of the Village into a magnificent, craggy valley which will lead us up to Cloudy Pass. Most of our days we hike 5-6 miles. On our rest days we wander in the beauty of glacial lakes, alpine meadows and mountain passes.

As we head down from Cloudy Pass, north towards Stehekin, we savor the transition from majestic alpine views to a wild and beautiful, river-forged valley. Towards the end of the trip there are two 7-8 miles days and a brief overlap with the PCT, but these days are all downhill with lighter packs.

I consider this hike strenuous. We are walking on trails, hiking up to and down from a 6,000 foot pass. We are each carrying full packs. We cook all our food in small cook groups; we bathe in alpine streams and sleep in tents. Days tend to be hot and nights can be cold. We all need to be strong, capable and able to tolerate the inherent challenges of living in the wild. You will want to train vigorously and pack wisely. I can help with all of this.

Most of us (except my youthful co-leader) are 40-60 years old. We go slower, rest more often and cover fewer miles each day. Rumor has it that these trips inspire greater confidence, increase wilderness competence and forge new friendships. They also invite us to bring our minds into this precious moment. We begin and end each day with a gathering where we share simple prayers, poetry , stories from the day and some yoga. There will be time for wildflower adoration, bare feet dabbling, and even some basking in sunlight.

We will be a group of 8 with two leaders - Kathie McCarthy and Olivia Sanders. Right now there is room for four more women.

Your fee covers planning and leadership plus all group gear, all trail food, all transportation - ferry, car, Lady of the Lake, Holden Bus, Stehekin Bus - and all lodging and meals before and after the hike. It also covers two required pre-trip hikes.

The trip costs $1800. A non-refundable deposit of $300. holds your place. Registration is first come, first served. See FYI Backpack for more info. .

You may also enjoy this description of the route. They cover more miles each day than we will. https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2017-08-22.6041231318