Pilot Ridge, North Fork Sauk River & Bald Eagle Mountain — Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

Lauren and I set out for our annual backpacking trip. We had chosen the Bald eagle loop. When we got to the trail head at the end of road #49, (North Fork Sauk River Rd) We had two flat tires on my Jeep. After several minutes of utter despair, (no cell phone reception) we were saved by a road maintenance worker with a radio in his grader. He radioed the Darrington ranger station who made a call to Les Schwab Tires. He stayed with us until it was verified that Les Schwab would come out to put new tires on my Jeep. By this time it was getting late so we took off from the Bald eagle Loop trail head and made it to Curry Gap where there was a surprisingly nice little creek for a water source. We camped here the first night. Lots of bees but no other problems. Up nice and early the next morning we hiked to Upper blue lake for the next night. At a high spot on June mountain we got cell phone reception and verified that our JEEP HAD TWO NEW TIRES! ( Thanks Jason) No water along the way at all but miles and miles of blue berries. Our camp at Upper Blue lake was spectacular, with views out the valley at sunset. We planned a fairly short day of hiking the next day so had a leisurely morning and set off with all of our water bottles full, thinking to make a dry camp that night on Pilot Ridge. It became clear fairly early on that hot day that we were going to drink all of our water, so would have to walk all the way to the river that night. By the time we could hear the river on the steep descent of Pilot Ridge we were a couple of hurtin'units. We pitched the tent in the first flat place we found next to the river and had a great nights sleep. Next morning after wading the river(finding no log with suitable access)we made it out to the Sloan Creek campground and walked (with packs, Lauren wanted to be sure we got a good workout)the three miles to where the jeep was parked, with spanking new tires. A stop at the Burger Barn in Darrington was a fun capper to our trip.