Methow Valley/North Cascades

July 2011

Panorama at Goat Peak Saddle

Since we loved our 2007, 2008 , 2009 and 2010 trips to the Methow Valley and  North Cascades National Park so much we decided to return again in 2011 twice!.   Once again the Freestone Inn was our basecamp for day hiking and fly fishing.  Our first visit in July would be a bit different than previous years. Due to the huge winter snowfall and cold spring and summer the rivers and creeks were all really high and running fast and many of our favorite trails were still covered in snow and we would not be able to hike them but it was still a good chance to get some sun.

Friday, July 22

We loaded up the Outback to about full capacity this morning and began our journey around 9 a.m. After a few quick stops in Fall City we hit I-90 and were on our way. No traffic at the construction zone on the pass and Blewett Pass being no problem we hit Wenatchee just in time to grab lunch at Taco del Mar. We gassed up and hit the road again and got to Mazama around 2:30 to check in to cabin 1 at the Inn. After unpacking and totally filling the frig we went to check on trail conditions and then did a nice warm up hike of about 3-3.5 miles up the Sandy Butte trail right out of the Freestone. In all our visits here we had never done this trail before and I quickly decided it would be my hill run trail for the trip.

A very full Outback	Shadows on the trail

After the hike we made a feast. Grilled sockeye salmon, corn and asparagus plus a huge salad. Sure we could have paid $30 a plate for this at the dining room but it was hard to beat sitting on the porch watching Early Winters Creek and eating a gourmet dinner. I then headed to the lake to fish a bit as the sun was setting. Two or three casts in and I was connected to a nice 18" rainbow that took a #16 Prince Nymph, a fly that rarely let's me down on this lake when nothing is rising. In the next hour I got three more rainbows up to 16", not a bad way to start the trip.

Freestone rainbow trout

Saturday, July 23

We started the day with Catherine doing yoga while I fished the lake an hour, catching only one very nice brown trout (two species already caught for the trip, two to go), breakfast and then we hit the road. We decided to do Goat Peak for our first real hike, 5 miles and 1400' of elevation and one of our favorites in the area. This was also our first real hike in the Merrell Trail Gloves and would be a good test for them.

The big first 'hill' was brutal as always and near the top we ran into quite a bit of snow that we had to skirt to avoid soaking the shoes. We scrambled around it and up onto the saddle with views of the valley and North Cascade peaks in every direction. After some photos and me playing with my Autostitch iPhone app we headed up the final peak to the lookout, again having to avoid some snow over the trail. We stayed at the summit a bit to take in the views and drop off some cookie bars for Lightning Bill then began our descent. Amazingly the steep portion of the trail was easier in the Merrells than it ever was with either hiking boots or hiking shoes, both Catherine and I agreed. We lingered a while in the big meadow about a mile from the trailhead then headed back to start the drive down the mountain. On the way down we stopped to watch paragliders who were flying literally over us, it was way cool.

The first 'hill' on Goat Peak	Snow blocking the trail
At the saddle enjoying the views	At the summit lookout
Our 'barefoot' hiking shoes	Cool tree in the meadow

We returned to the cabin to have a huge salad for lunch and then Catherine went for a swim in the still cold pool while I headed down the Methow Community Trail towards Winthrop for a 10 mile run in the sun. I fished a bit in the lake before dinner but only had one hit that I missed and a few follows so I got skunked. There were quite a few guys fishing and they all got skunked so I didn't feel too bad.

We grilled dinner again, Copper River sockeye salmon, corn, asparagus and salad along with a St. Michelle cabernet.  Sitting out on the deck watching the creek and eating was a 5 star experience.  After dinner we walked up to the lake where we sat out to watch the swallows and trout rise and were treated to a buck deer walking around the lake trail eating his dinner from the shrubs.  

Sunday, July 24

We started today as usual, I went to fish the lake an hour while Catherine did yoga. The lake was slow, lots of guys fishing, no one catching. I actually had two eat but missed one and lost the other, oh well, that is why they call it fishing.

We decided on a new hike today, up the Lost River on the Monument Creek trail out of Mazama. This was to be an easy 8-mile hike and it started out looking that way with soft trail through forest with just a bit of uphill grade. After a few miles that changed as the trail got overgrown in places and then began crossing talus fields. There were blowdowns to cross and one avalanche section to scramble up and over to regain the trail that had been nailed out. We finally arrived at the new end of the trail where a bridge had washed out on Eureka Creek.

The Lost River	On the Lost River trail

I carried a fly rod on this hike so fished the few little runs of Eureka Creek that I could, catching a few small rainbows. We rehydrated, had a snack and began our trek back down the trail. At one point it seemed liked we'd been hiking far too long for an 8 mile hike so I turned on the GPS and tracked us a bit. We were doing an 18 minute mile which felt like our average pace mandate we spent 4 hours total hiking time so the math turns that hike into more like a 12-13 mile hike which is which is what it felt like.

Fishing Eureka Creek

Afterwards I fished Robinson Creek a bit where the road crosses hoping for a few dinner sized cutthroat. The creek was flowing way faster than I'd ever seen it so it was hard to get around and not much good water to even throw a fly, most of it was white water churn. I found fish wherever it was slower and clear and got a half dozen but all were under the 8" keeper size though all beautiful little cutthroat that looked like miniature adult fish.

Monday, July 25

We awoke on Monday morning to dark clouds forming over the North Cascades and heading our way. A quick check with the weather showed a forecast of thunderstorms in the morning and evening with some possible clearing mid-day. We decided not to jump on a hike right away so while Catherine did an extended yoga session I ran the Sandy Butte trail to the Methow Community Trail and to Mazama and back for 5 miles. I then fished the lake for about 45 minutes getting one trout on the flats to eat. Then it was time to eat breakfast myself so I headed to the cabin and joined Catherine for omelets.

The weather was looking a bit ominous so we decided to head into Winthrop for gas and groceries in the morning in hopes it would clear up a bit in the afternoon. It poured on the drive in but stopped by Winthrop so we headed north and up Boulder Creek for a small bit of fishing in hopes of dinner. The creek was high like everything else but more fishable than any other water so far. I fished about a half hour and got a dozen cutts and brookies on a Stimulator, keeping two fish for dinner. I also managed now to get all four trout species in the North Cascades on the trip again this year. As soon as we started driving the rain hit again so the timing was perfect. We went to town and resupplied then headed back for lunch.

Boulder Brookie

After lunch we checked the radar and found rain wasn't expected back for a few hours so we decided to walk the trails out of the lodge. We headed west on the Methow Community trail then did a big loop of about 7 miles on River Run and Jack's Trail which are really cross country ski trails in the winter. This turned out to be a pretty nice 'hike' with good views of the Methow River and Goat Wall plus a walk through a not too old avalanche field. The only issue was that the River Run trail was pretty wet so my Merrells soaked through in about 2 miles while Catherine's new ones with the solid upper stayed dry, looks like I need to buy yet another pair of shoes.

Methow River from River Run trail

Tuesday, July 26

Today was moving day as we went from studio cabin 1 to the two bedroom cabin 13 and would be joined by Catherine's brother Dan and his wife Polly. Since we had to move around 11 we decided to stick around in the morning, switch cabins, and then go for a hike.

While Catherine did yoga early I took off for a 5 mile run in my Luna sandals. This was my first run in the Lunas but the trails were perfect for them. I did the Sand Butte Loop trail out of our cabin, back up the Methow Community Trail to Hwy 20, crossed over and then nook Jack's Trail and the Doe Canyon Loop then back. The Luna sandals were great and I would definitely rather run in them than shoes when the weather allows it. After my run I headed out to the Weeman bridge and fished the Methow for about 1 1/2 hours but it was cranking and I didn't even get a hit in what was the only fishable water I could find.

Running with Luna sandals...	... causes very dirty feet

We then packed and moved and took off for a hike. We decided to do Robinson's Creek Trail today since it was close by and about the only trail in the area we had never done. It turned out to be a great trail, climbing gradually from 2400-4000' in the 4 miles we did up to the second creek crossing. We were both amazed by the views since we were expecting a creek valley hike without big views. We found a nice camp near the 4 mile mark where we stopped to eat and hydrate and, for me, to fish a few minutes. There was one fishable run at the camp in the midst of whitewater and falls everywhere on the creek. For the next 15-20 minutes I got about a dozen cutthroat from 6-13" on a Stimulator in a pool about the size of a hot tub, it was a blast. After drying off and having lunch we hiked back down and out. I think we'll be back on this trail in the future, it turned out to be quite a gem.

On the new bridge	Climbing up the trail
Great rest spot at the camp	Fishing for cutthroat

Wednesday, July 27

Another sunny day in paradise today. Catherine and I woke early and she did yoga while I hit the lake for an hour and a half. There were not many fish up in the shallows this morning and only a few rises happening so I got skunked again. Had quite a few fish look at my flies but did not eat, don't know what is up with the lake now but the cold front probably has things a bit messed up.

Panorama of Freestone Lake in morning

I then did a 10 mile run in my huaraches which was great while Catherine, Dan and Polly did a walk. I then spent much of the day fishing while Catherine did a yoga class and massages. I hit the Chewuch River late morning and found a great run where I got a few dozen 6-12" fish on a #16 Adams. The river was ripping though and hard to wade between spots in the very high water. Back at the lake I found Catherine swimming in the lake and as I was walking around to take a photo of her I saw browns cursing the shoreline. I grabbed the fly rod and spent the next few hours stalking big browns that were rising to damsels in 6-10" of water. It was amazing, I landed 5 in the 18-23" range and lost two more. Best overall day of fishing so far on the trip.

Catherine lake swimming	Nice brown trout that took a damsel

Thursday, July 28

Today was our last full day so we filled it pretty full. Running, hiking, fishing, swimming and a trip into town for pizza at our favorite Winthrop place, East 20 Pizza. I did. 5-mile run while Catherine did yoga then we had breakfast and, with Dan, headed up Hwy 20 to Washington Pass. We got some photos with the Early Winter Spires and then headed to the Cutthroat Pass trailhead. We hiked the 2 miles to Cutthroat Lake noting the heavy snow still on the trail higher up, evidently one can't get much farther than the lake still.

Catherine & Dan @ Washington Pass	On the Cutthroat Lake trail
Cutthroat Lake	The rock where we always take photos

After the hike we came back to the Inn and decided to hike some more so we headed up the Sandy Butte trail, this time I hiked either in my Luna sandals or barefoot just to try it out. It was actually fun hiking barefoot but much slower going, I can't imagine running trails like this totally unshod. After lunch Dan and Polly headed to the lake to swim, Catherine to the pool to swim, and me to the lake to fish. There were not as many trout cruising the shore today but I got 3 on the Horny Damsel, they wanted nothing to do with the tan damsel that worked yesterday.

Catherine at the pool	Dan & Pauli reading at the beach