Stehekin Trip 2010

Stehekin...."the way through" , the Indians named it that because it was one of the few travel routes through the formidable barrier of the North Cascades. They traveled to trade between tribes east of the mountains and tribes on the Puget Sound coast and beyond.

You can't drive to Stehekin there are no roads to get there. You get there either by foot, hoofstock, float plane or boat. This was the 2nd trip for me, something like the 16th for my friend, Tara, and the first for my other friends, Ellen and Lacey.

It is 18 miles in by horseback/foot leaving from Bridge Creek trailhead on Rainy Pass. The trail is beautiful, rugged and sometimes a bit treacherous with narrow rocky paths etched into the side of mountains.

We left at 9 in the morning with the intention of making it to Stehekin Valley Ranch for dinner. I started out leading on my new horse, Max. Max, is a 7 year old Kiger mustang gelding who has had previous mountain experience. Ellen was riding the only experienced horse/mule on this route, Ganny (Gandolf), who is part of Tara's herd. Lacey was riding Stormy. Stormy is a Tennessee Walker mare and the mother of the two mules on the trip, Bert and Ernie (Ernestine) that Tara was riding (Bert) and packing (Ernie).

After a while Max started slowing down so Stormy took the lead and kept up a ground covering pace. We encountered all kinds of footing, water, mud, log bridges high over rivers, slippery rock and all the horses/mules did exceptionally well. There was a bit of hesitation on the mule-lettes and Stormy's part but with a bit of encouragement from Ganny the Wise, they decided it wasn't too much to be concerned about.

At this point I have to apologize for my pics. In 20/20 hindsight I never should have taken a fairly new camera, with a brand new lens that I was totally unfamiliar with. I should have taken a point and shoot and I would have had lots of great photos to share. At least I can still share a few pics to give the feeling of the trip.

Ellen in front on Ganny followed by Lacey on Stormy.



Lunch stop
Switchbacks going down to river.....





We encountered a few hikers, one with a dog and backpack that gave the mule kids some serious pause. Even Stormy wasn't too sure about these grotesquely misshapen humans and their dog. It took a bit of work on Tara's and Lacey's parts to get Stormy, Bert and Ernie convinced it was ok to walk by and turn your back on these "creatures".

On the Stehekin side of the mountains we encountered a sow bear and her cub on the trail. We patiently waited while she grazed and finally ambled up the mountainside away from the trail and our attentive horses/mules. Ellen/Ganny, Lacey/Stormy, me/Max

As we got closer to Stehekin, on a narrow, rocky trail we had to turn around go back out quite a ways and find a spot to get off the trail because we met another group of horse riders and they outnumbered us (rule of who has to turn around.....) It was difficult to make ourselves go back as we were definitely ready to get off our horses/mules!

We did make it in for dinner that night. One thing that is great about the Stehekin Valley Ranch is all your meals are included with your lodging (tent cabin or cabin with "indoor" plumbing). Meals including wonderful baked goods from the Stehekin Valley Bakery. They make the most delicious fresh fruit/nut pies and breads. They have a regular menu and a special of the night. The night we arrived it was BBQ ribs/chicken, Sat night was prime rib and Sunday was baked chicken.

After we unloaded our gear, settled the horses/mules in their pole corrals with some hay we headed to the main lodge for dinner and to chat with Sandy who took the boat up from Chelan to spend the weekend with us. Sandy is an old teaching friend of Tara's (old in that they have known each other for a long time) :)

We spent the next two days resting our weary bodies and eating to nourish ourselves to get ready for the ride out on Monday. Sunday another friend, Erika, took the boat in from Chelan. She planned to hike out with us back to Rainy Pass.

It was great having two days to enjoy the area of Stehekin. The Stehekin River is so pristine, we could look down from the bridge and see fish like we were looking through glass. Almost made me wish I had brought along a fishing pole.




Lacey and Ellen enjoying the sun on the riverbank.


We took the bus into Stehekin town "proper" and waited for Erika to arrive while admiring the lake and taking a tour of the interpretive center.


Looking towards Stehekin Valley Ranch from Lake Chelan.

Ellen and Lacey enjoying the Lake.


Heading out on Monday morning, now with the addition of Erika on foot, we pass Coon Lake on the way out of the Stehekin Valley.




Ellen/Ganny, Lacey/Stormy, me/Max
Tara on Bert with Ernie being the perfect pack mule.
Erika Riding along a wide part of the Pacific Crest TrailThe weather started to turn nasty on us and we had to ride in intermittent rain storms, it was cold enough that it was snowing on the higher elevation above us. We were pretty soaked by the time we made the trailhead.

Erika was still about 1/2 hour+ behind us and Tara decided to ride back in and accompany Erika to the trail head. All of the horses/mules were tired and pretty much done in, Tara took the two that had a few ounces of energy left in them, Ganny and Stormy, and headed back down the trail.

As Ellen, Lacey and I sat in my truck with the heat going full blast we started really worrying about both Erika and Tara. We were just about to the point of going to where we could get phone reception and we saw the mule kids looking hard across the road and start to bray. We were VERY relieved to see them coming into the parking lot.

Loading everyone up, Ellen, Lacey and Erika headed for home while Tara and I headed back to the Mazama Ranch House to spend the evening with the horses/mules. It was definitely a great adventure with great friends!

Max waiting to be unsaddled at the end of the ride.

Wrensong East....

Some of you already know of our latest purchase, and wanted to see pics. Some don't know yet that we have plans to move (hopefully in the near future).

Guerdon and I bought 10 FLAT acres approx 7 miles East of where we live right now. It is bare land so it will be a definite work in progress. This is the gate going into the "estates" where our property is:

It is fenced, with post and pole but other than that it is nothing but 10 acres of Scotch Broom, an invasive weed. There is a beautiful view of the mountains going into Stevens Pass, but unfortunately when I was taking these pics it was cloudy at the peaks. We hope to face our living room and back deck towards that view.....

First step will be to eradicate the Scotch Broom. I had a Snohomish Conservation District certified Farm Planner, Bobbi Lindemulder, come out to discuss the property. She is going to help me with a farm plan. After the Scotch Broom is taken care of they will fly over and take a pic to get a good idea of the "lay of the land".

I'll try and include each step we do on the property, maybe it will be helpful to others developing acreage. I want it to be a sustainable farm and we are hoping to get mostly if not completely off the grid. We're looking into solar, and geothermal for heating and power etc. Also, hope to put in a russian type fireplace. We will probably be living in the barn for awhile as that will be the first thing that goes up.
More shots of the property:
Looking north, there is an enormous barn and riding arena on the property north of ours, beyond that is a home and then the river.

This next shot is our only close neighbor, they are across the street from our place and have lots of nice horses. :) There is a great trailhead just down the street, you can ride forever (well, almost) I hear you can ride all the way over to E. WA and I'm sure you can pick up the Pacific Coast Trail along the way somewhere.

Here is a sustainable farming course that Bobbi told me about that I hope to get signed up for:

Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching

For more information please visit www.cultivatingsuccess.org

or call/email Sarita Schaffer 206-914-7948 sschaffer@wsu.edu

Course Dates/Times for Fall 2010 Wednesday Evenings, 6-9 pm, Sept 8 – Nov 24

Cost $250 per person or farm couple/family

Location Classes will be held at the WSU NW Research and Extension Center on Memorial Hwy (SR 536) in Mount Vernon. Field trips may include farms in Snohomish, Skagit and/or Whatcom County.

Course Format

Classes consist of presentations and activities led by local farmers, WSU graduate student Researchers and local agricultural professionals. Participants will meet as a class once a week on Wednesday evenings. Two farm field trip days are included, scheduled on weekends. Instruction is bilingual (English with simultaneous Spanish translation & occasionally Spanish with simultaneous English translation)

Course Objectives

1) to gain knowledge of the practical aspects of sustainable small acreage production systems for a wide variety of enterprises

2) practice assessing the feasibility of developing a small acreage farming enterprise, including how to: evaluate personal and family goals, evaluate land and personal resources, develop a farm plan, and research marketing, regulations, and community resources.

3) experience the challenges and opportunities faced by small acreage farmers, preparing them for farming and/or technical, advisory, and agricultural educational positions.

Sample Course Modules*

*Weekly course modules vary slightly from year to year, depending on participant interest and guest speaker/farmer availability. The following overview from last year is intended to provide a general idea of the topics covered. Modules are not necessarily presented in the order below.

Module 1: Starting with Whole Farm Sustainability in Mind

· Understanding “sustainability” and “whole farm” concepts

· Applications of sustainability and whole farm concepts on the farm

Module 2: Successful Whole Farm Planning

· Applying the “Whole Farm” concepts to develop a farm plan

· Whole farm planning tools

· Assessing personal (and family) interests, skills, and values

· Developing your whole farm goals

Module 3: Evaluating Your Whole Farm Resources

· Introduction to the whole farm plan layout

· Resource inventory and assessment

· Mapping the farm property

Module 4: Direct Marketing Strategies

· Exploring methods to market direct to consumers

Module 5: Enterprise Assessment

· Enterprise ideas for small acreage farms/ranches

· Production requirements and feasibility of enterprise

Module 6: Evaluating your Market

· Consumer and market trends

· Researching the market and customer base

Module 7: Sustainable Crop Production

· Implementing farming practices that promote sustainability

· Growing organic

Module 8: Ecological Soil Management

· Soil characteristics important to plant growth

· Building healthy Soils

· Soil testing

Module 9: Integrated Pest and Weed Management

· Basics of Integrated Pest Mangement

· Ecological weed management

Module 10: Sustainable Livestock/Poultry Systems*

· Sustainable animal production

· Grazing management on small acreages

Module 11: Facilities and Equipment

· Selecting Appropriate Equipment

· Irrigation Systems for small acreage farming

· Meeting the building and fencing requirements

· Renewable Energy Resources on the Farm

Module 12: Assessing the Potential for Profit

· The basics of farm economics

· Enterprise budgets as decision making tools

Module 13: Enhancing Success of Your Whole Farm Plan

· Tools for tracking success

· Assessing Sustainability

· Proactively addressing legal liability issues

As we go along I welcome any suggestions and helpful hints people can offer! This will be where we retire to and live out our lives so I would like to make it as smoothly functioning as possible.

I'm a sucker....what can I say.....

For a sweet, drooly face :) (click to bigify)


A friend of mine who does dog rescue, as well as training, texted me about whether I would be interested in fostering a ASD/Kangal cross pup, neutered, up to date on his shots that had been pulled from a local humane society...."Sure!" says I, what is the harm in that....

Not even two days later I was thinking of my guardian dogs as a team, the Degerli and Suti show! Watch out mountain lions and coyotes you may have met your match!
They make the rounds together, walking the fence line and practicing skills in dealing with predators.....
Yes that is a leaf that Degerli has in her mouth....:)
Degerli and Dulcie seem to have a special connection which makes it hard to face the fact that Dulcie will be going to a new home soon. We have the sweet itch under control, but now she has allergies to the molds/pollens/etc. that we have here on the west side of the Cascades, that will keep her from being ridden as I had hoped. Not to mention it making it hard for her to breathe without medicinal help. :(


Heading back to the barn...
For a little cooling off which Suti has down to a science.....

Random Goat Shots....

Including the usual suspects, Violet, Daisy, Roca & Opal, and introducing Ashley aka Fiona aka FiFi and her wethered brother, Orville Wright aka Reddenbaucher (yes there is a story behind those names to be divulged on a later date) :)





















The End