This is a multiday post covering a 7 day trip from Stevens Pass to Dutch Miller Gap Day 7 Sat. Aug 5th 2006 The boys sprinted from Williams Lake to the Dutch Miller Gap Trailhead. All in all the PCT trail is in excellent shape. We saw 20 or so day and overnight hikers headed up. Can’t say we spent a lot of time enjoying the scenery coming down, we had the XXX Root Beer stand in Issaquah within our grasp…. The Dutch Miller Gap Trailhead road, is a true test of driving patience. 2 hours to go 27 miles ranks right up there on the go slow scale. When dry 4 wheel drive isn’t required, but good CLEARANCE is. There are lots of rocks and deep pot holes. All enjoyed the break from daily challenges and pursuits, the boys learned a lot, the leaders learned a lot, the mom’s proved to themselves that they could go the distance, and Shadow perfected the art of napping at any stop.

This is a multiday post covering a 7 day trip from Stevens Pass to Dutch Miller Gap Day 3 Tuesday Aug 1st 2006, Trap Lake to “Deception Creek Camp” Another day full of ups and downs. Out of Trap Lake the PCT climbs steeply over an unnamed pass (Trap Lake Pass?) and drops down to a trail junction between Surprise and Glacier Lakes. Spectacular views, tons of wildflowers. CAUTION: There is an abandoned (unsigned) climbers trail that branches off in the valley below Piper Pass, past Glacier Lake. One of our leaders was seduced by the “potential” shortcut over Surprise Gap down to Deception Lake. We violated the first two rules of backcountry travel, never hike alone and don’t separate your group, all worked out in the end, albeit with some significant abrasions. A sign here might have helped. NOTE: The TOPO CD electronic maps show the PCT following this hikers trail, the Green Trail Map show the trail going over Piper Pass. The short cut works (although not recommended). Our wayward hiker went off route by going to far west. Before eventually working his way east and dropping elevation to reach the trail, he managed to fall, climb and scramble his way back and up over Surprise Gap. Lesson learned, bullet dodged, one of nine lives used. Passed a trail crew working the PCT North of Deception Lake. Deception Lake had more bugs then any place I have ever hiked in my life, breathing was difficult. The boys had a short lived contest to see how many they could swat with one hand, I believe the record was 8 at once. The bugs were so thick we couldn’t get out of here fast enough. The PCT has a number of blow downs on it from Deception Lake to Deception Pass. With a crew working the area I assume these will get cleared up quickly. There have also been trail reports of difficult stream crossings on either side of Deception Pass, as of this date all are crossable easily, hiking poles strongly recommended. Deception Creek Camp There are few places to camp between Deception Lake and Deep Lake (TR 1396.1). There is one good campsite, just a few hundred feet north of where stream coming out of Taus Creek crosses the PCT. The campsite is below the trail. This is approximately 2 miles south of Deception Lake and 1 mile North of Deception Pass. Few bugs, not real scenic but a good break point between Trap and Deep Lakes.

Pacific Crest Trail 2000 Stevens Pass to Dutch Miller Gap July 30 – Aug 5, 2006 The WTA Trail reports were a great help in planning our Scout Troops 50 Miler and preceding training hikes. Before the trail memories fade, here is an overview and my strongest trail memories. Thanks to all that have contributed, you made my job as trip planner significantly easier. We started two groups of eight (kids, adults and Shadow the Shepherd), one group Southbound from Stevens Pass, one group Northbound from Dutch Miller Gap. Thus pre-positioning exit cars. Shadow led the Southbound group so these descriptions will come from that perspective. Once we were more then a day away from the trail heads and midweek, we encountered a total of 13 hikers and one forest service trail crew in 5 days. Reading reports of 10s of cars at trailheads, and hundreds of hikers passed, treat yourself to a midweek multiday hike, it is true a refreshing experience. The center section of the trail is absolutely spectacular, only day 5 disappointed from a scenery standpoint. Water, wildflowers and mosquitoes were plentiful as there was a large snow pack this winter. I have broken the trip into an individual post for each day.

This is a multiday post covering a 7 day trip from Stevens Pass to Dutch Miller Gap Day 5 Thur. August 3rd 2006. Deep Lake to Base of Dutch Miller Gap Trail This was the transit trail day. The goal was to position ourselves for the climb up Dutch Miller Gap on Day 6, so we took the PCT trail above Wapatus and camped up the Dutch Miller Gap trail .5 miles from the PCT junction. There are a set of wooden trail signs nailed up on tree as the trail comes close to Wapatus River 100 yards before the switch backs start up Dutch Miller Gap. Good camp area which appears to be regularly used. There is a huge bug infestation all the way down Spinola Creek and around on the flanks of Wapatus Lake, with tons of dead and dying fir. If there was ever a forest ready to burn this one is it and I hope no one is close by to watch… It was spooky and all in all not the least scenic section of trail on the trip.