Here's the deal about Stehekin: It's on the northern tip of Lake Chelan. It is in North Cascades National Park. It is only reachable by boat or float plane. It has 95 year-round residents and minimal amenities. Your cell phone won't work there. There are no televisions. It is probably 95 degrees outside. The lake is probably 55 degrees.
Oh yeah, and it is awesome.
In my youth, I went to Lake Chelan many, many times with my family. But I had never been to Stehekin. And so, the week before vacation when Barkernews suggested Stehekin, I immediately went online and booked the only available room at the Stehekin Landing Resort. It was the best decision we made about our vacation.
I know it's a cliche to say this, but the feeling of being in Stehekin is pretty indescribable. Everyone who is there is marooned there- at least until the next boat comes. There is one small restaurant, one extremely limited (and expensive) little store, a boat rental dock, a bike rental shop, and a bakery. And miles and miles of solitude on steep, strikingly beautiful hiking trails.
Nothing moves quickly, and to be fair, you don't want it to. You could spend hours dangling your feet off the dock, staring at mountains that rise 7000ft.(!) up and contemplate renting a kayak or renting a bike or hiking to the top of a mountain. Or not.
I told Barkernews it was like summer camp for adults. I cried when we left.
Without further ado, a Stehekin photo essay:
We wanted to camp close to Chelan to catch the 8:30am ferry. This is the one and only campsite we found. Private, no? The one benefit of this campsite? It was right on the Columbia River which we immediately jumped in to after setting up camp in the 9000 degree heat.
All aboard for Fields Landing, Lucerne and Stehekin!
The captain of the Lady of the Lake II lets anyone drive his boat, including Hazel and I.
Upon arrival, we promptly rented bikes and a bike trailer for Hizz to see what we could see. Someone here knows exactly what is going on.
One of the stop-off points in our self-directed bike tour was Rainbow Falls. The day that we left Stehekin, the area around here burned in a forest fire. We just looked for bears.
Lake Chelan, the subject of my dreams. Cold? Extremely. But I must swim, no matter where I am.
This is how things go in Stehekin. I am going to start calling it Stehekin Time.
Grilling next to the public dock. Most delicious meal of the trip.
One day, I will fly in a float plane, cost be damned
I was keen to swim. Hazel was not.
LOVE IT.
Stehekin Landing Resort, one of the few places to stay in Stehekin. And in my opinion, the best. Right in the center of the "action" (ha!) and right on the lake.
Barkernews finally gave in to my taunting and swam in the frigid water.
Gratuitous family photo on a paddle boat.
I can't help not including this picture. It pretty much describes vacation.
