2001 PCT Hike: Stevens Pass to Stehekin

In the summer of 2001, Peter Tremayne, Jeff Warner and Pat Jenkins hiked from Steven's Pass to Stehekin; a distance of 110 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that runs a total length of 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada, passing through California, Oregon and Washington States.

Steven's Pass, situated on Highway 2 between Seattle and Wenatchee has an elevation of 4,000 ft. as it crosses the crest of the Cascade mountain range from the west into central Washington. From this Pass, the PCT runs north to northeast, rarely dropping below 3,000 and often above 6,000 ft. It contours along the western flank of the 10,500 ft Glacier Peak and then descends to the settlement of Stehekin, situated at the north end of the magnificent Lake Chelan.

There's a major logistic problem associated with hiking the PCT as sections of the trail run for many miles without crossing lateral access roads; in some places through 100 miles plus, of wilderness. This is the situation between Steven's Pass and Stehekin; no resupply without hiking a lateral trail to a road-head and finding transport to the nearest town. After five days on the PCT we chose to walk out on the White Chuck trail, 8 miles each way and 22 miles by road to the timber town of Darrington. We'd previously positioned a vehicle at the trail-head for this purpose.

On our return to the PCT, we were carrying sufficient food and fuel for an estimated six days to Stehekin. In the event, we reached our final destination in five days, then took the lake ferry the 50 miles down the lake to the city of Chelan.

©Peter Tremayne, Vancouver WA 2001