Escapees November-December 2022

Chelan, the largest lake in Washington, is 1,486 feet deep at its deepest point, and the bottom is 386' below sea level. Near the shore, the water was a vivid aquamarine. We loved being able to move about the boat, both inside and out, enjoying a few complimentary snacks and chatting with the captain and other passengers. Some folks were heading to Stehekin to camp or stay in a lodge in the main village center, and two brought mountain bikes with them (there are e-bike rentals available in Stehekin too). All the travel gear fi t in the ferry luggage area on the back deck. A Place to Disconnect At last, we arrived at Stehekin Landing. There were a few boats suspended in their own re fl ections at the dock, and the distant snowcapped mountains rounded out a picture postcard perfect image. A sign in front of the North Cascade Lodge welcomed visitors to Stehekin and a few people were milling about, eating lunch and riding bikes. This is a place people come to get away from it all, to disconnect from their hectic day-to day lives and reconnect with nature and their own souls. The Stehekin Valley Ranch, where we were heading, has a shuttle bus that takes guests from the ferry to the ranch nine miles up the road. We hopped on the converted school bus, along with most of the other

Located at the north end of 52-mile-long Lake Chelan, Stehekin (pronounced “Ste-HEE-kin”) was settled by intrepid homesteaders in the late 1880s. Descendants of the original settlers now operate the Stehekin Ferry and Stehekin Valley Ranch for overnight guests. W hen we heard of this unusual excursion and destination, we quickly made reservations, packed some overnight bags, and left our fi fth-wheel toy-hauler in the spacious and safe ferry boat parking lot for the night.

The Stehekin Ferry dock is located at Fields Point, and we learned about the history of the lake as we waited for the ferry to arrive. Native Americans traveled up and down the lake by canoe, and fur trappers and gold prospectors followed, rowing for four days to get from one end of the lake to the other! When homesteaders arrived in 1889, the Belle of Chelan steamer ferry began operations. With these thoughts swimming in our heads, we watched the sleek, modern catamaran ferry arrive and then climbed aboard. The boat glided through the water smoothly and the views were breathtaking. As steeply as the mountains rose up on either side of the lake, their bases plunged below the water in a very deep trough. Lake

Page 44–45: Visitors board the Stehekin Ferry at Fields Point on Lake Chelan in Washington. Page 46: We arrive at Ste hekin Landing, a world apart!

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ESCAPEES Magazine November/December 2022