Spreading ashes - Part 1

We made breakfast this morning and put our daypacks on for the day's adventure. We set out from Cottonwood on the unmaintained trail up to Horseshoe Basin.

En route to Basin Creek camp with Sahale Arm in the background.

Map showing our route up to the Mine at Horseshoe Basin and the other path up to Cascade Pass

Eric carrying the Bergans pack we were sharing with Horseshoe Basin in the background

We heard and then saw a whistling marmot and her baby (on the lower right part of the rock). They must have been warning us about the black bear that was wandering around on in the scrub and scree very close to us. In fact, at one point the bear was between Will and Rebecca on the trail! Kinda scary but everyone was ok.

Eric in the foreground with Horseshoe Basin and the lower part of Boston Peak behind

We got up to the upper part of the snow field and then Will, Eric and I peeled off and went up to the mine entrance to spread some of Dad's ashes while Kristin and Rebecca waited below.

Will, me and Eric at the mine entrance

The mine entrance - I left some ashes near my bear dagger on the right side of the entrance

The bear dagger that I left in the ground by the entrance

The waiting spot when we were all back down there, just before we boot-skied down the snow field, with Glory Mountain, Trapper Lake and Trapper Mountain in the background.

Sliding down the snowfield of Horseshoe Basin, with the mine entrance on the left

When we got back to the trail junction at 3pm, Will and I scampered up the trail to Cascade Pass, which was another 3 miles one way. I really wanted to get up there and peer over the pass to the north side, and I also really wanted to get a ways up Sahale Arm and leave some ashes in a special spot there. But it was already pretty late in the day and I wanted to be back in time for 6:30pm dinner at Cottonwood, so we turned around at Cascade Pass. Sahale Arm is going to have to wait for another year.

Self take at Cascade Pass, with the Ross Lake side in the background

Will waiting for me on the trail at Cascade Pass, with Pelton Basin, Trapper Mountain and friends in the background. Mt McGregor is on the left in the far background.

Will's self take of us on the trail back from Cascade Pass

Me and Will with the Stehekin Valley and Mt McGregor behind

 We made pretty good time and were able to get some fishing in close to Cottonwood before dinner at 6:30pm. It was a gorgeous afternoon and evening at the end of a really great day.