Washington has some of the most scenic terrain in the entire PCT.
Given our tight time frame and transportation logistics we chose an area that we were familiar with, Section 5 in Tami’s book, also known as Washington Section J.
Kendall Katwalk first snow
Day 1 – Snoqualmie Pass to Spectacle Lake
Tami’s husband graciously gave us a ride to the trail head Friday morning. Fine duff tracks in canopy forest greeted us with perfect hiking temperatures up to Kendall Katwalk. Upon rounding the bend at the ridge line I started questioning the forecast of 0 percent chance of rain as the basin was nearly completely shrouded in clouds. Surprised to see packed snow on nearly all the northern aspects of the trail. We enjoyed peek-a-boo views of lakes below and had great conversations with a nameless through hiker on his last stretches. Put the rain coats on while it sprinkled throughout the stretch through the park lakes.
Getting a later start put us at camp Spectacle Lake at dark.
Day 2 – Spectacle Lake to Spade Creek
We awoke to some gaps in the clouds and poked around the lake shores a bit before packing up.
The sun started to break through the clouds and we were greeted to blue skies by the time we reached water filling spot at Delate Falls.
Great weather was with us all day climbing Escondido ridge where we has a delightful tarn-side picnic.
Bear’s Breast Mountain above Waptus Lake
Shared the trail with a couple sooty grouse on our way down the very long (but well graded) switchbacks to Waptus Lake.
This is where our trails parted. Tami took a left to Dutch Miller gap and out the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River.
We continued along forested Waptus River Trail to make camp along Spade Creek.
Day 3 – Spade Creek to Surprise Lake
Mount Daniel from Cathedral Pass
The day we needed to cram in more miles to catch our plane. With hot coffee in hand we warmed up on the gradual climb along Spade Creek. Filled up water at the Deep Lake outlet before our first climb of the day, Cathedral Pass. Took a side trail to check out views of Mount Daniel which we climbed in 2009. Most trails to the east were marked off closed due to forest fires. Made route finding easy. Found a beautiful forested spot along a dry stream bed for a sunny lunch break. Being this deep and relaxed in the back country made it difficult to leave, but we had to press on.
Walking by Cathedral Rock
Deception Pass followed by Pieper Pass was the most mentally challenging section of the trip. Many miles for day 3 with 3 passes to climb made my 35lb pack feel much heavier (camera, video and audio gear isn’t light).
Finding solitude at Surprise Lake
Relieved to be dropping down in the basin above Glacier Lake we found solitude and lake side camp site at Surprise Lake. Awoke to find a mouse crawling over my head in the middle of the night. A mouse had chewed a hole in the tent the previous night and this little bugger fell in but couldn’t get back out. We unzipped the tent and he ran out realizing we didn’t have anything to eat in there.
Day 4 – Surprise Lake to Stevens Pass
Thunder Mountain and fall colors
Started off the day with a steep climb up Surprise Pass reconnecting to the PCT. Expected clouds and rain on this section (has rained every time I have been on the trails near Stevens). We just had some light rain fall with mostly overcast skies. But it was enough visibility to catch views of Thunder Mountain and fall colors.
Windy trails up and down and around with a few memorable steeper sections by lakes. We knew we were getting close when the power lines and ski lifts came in to view. Reid jogged down to meet us on the last climb and we happily set our packs down at the trail head at Stevens, much stinkier than when we began.
Even though the huckleberries had come and gone, no bugs, fewer people and changing colors fall is a spectacular time to visit the WA back country.
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