Escapees November-December 2022

waterfall falls with such force that it sprays a long way. There are two viewing areas, and the lower one gave us a great view of the full waterfall while the upper one was so loud and dramatic it lured me in too close and I got soaked! Fortunately, Mark was more cautious and he got a great pic from a little further back. The next stop was at the little school house that Cliff’s grandfather helped build in 1921. Cliff told us his father attended school there and he also went there for eight years. One room schooling fascinates me, and I asked him how a single teacher could manage a group of kids in all grades. He said there are certain techniques, including having the older kids help the younger kids. That must make for a strong sense of community among the kids, never mind surviving the cold winters together and living a long boat ride or horseback ride away from the rest of the world. Our last stop on the bus was at The Garden, a goat and organic vegetable farm that sells tasty goat cheese and gorgeous homegrown veggies. Down at Stehekin Landing, the ferry boat was waiting for us at the dock, and before long we were cruising down Lake Chelan with the beautiful mountains fi lling the view all around us. Our stay in one of America’s most isolated spots gave us much to talk about on our ride back as we savored the spectac ular views and the sandwiches we’d brought from the ranch. Not only was the setting truly majestic and the hospitality warm and inviting, but we’d been given a glimpse of a unique piece of American history in a tiny community that is about as remote a spot as you can fi nd in our beautiful country. When we returned to our RV a few hours later and resumed our travels through Washington, we agreed that next time we’ll spend two nights or more when we visit Stehekin! EMILY AND MARK FAGAN #99408 traveled full-time by RV and sailboat for 13 years and now enjoy RVing part-time. Emily has written over 200 articles for various RV and sailing magazines, and the Fagans’ photography has appeared on magazine cov ers, in commercial wall calendars and even in museums! Follow their blog at roadslesstraveled.us.

Valley Ranch many times. They usually ride to the ranch through the North Cascade mountains with their pack mules. Today had been a rare occasion for them where they’d driven their car to the ferry dock and taken the ferry to the ranch instead. All conversation came to a halt when the pies came out, though. We quickly decided there were so many delicious fl avors, the only way to narrow down the choices was to get two small pieces of two pies instead of one big piece of one pie! Blackberry and straw berry-rhubarb pie landed on my plate while Mark got blueberry and apple pie, along with ice cream. Was this living or what?! Historical Tidbits All of this incredible hospitality, from the ferry to the bus tour to the ranch itself, comes courtesy of one large extended family that has been living in Stehekin since 1889. Their ancestors arrived as home steaders, and during our visit, one of their descendants, Cliff Courtney, mingled with us guests and shared tidbits of ranch history. There are photos on the walls of the earliest settlers in Stehekin. The Moore family arrived from Trenton Falls, New York, to homestead in the area in 1889, and the Courtneys arrived in 1917. Their descen dants, Mamie Moore and Hugh Courtney, got married, and Cliff, who was telling us these personal historic tidbits at the ranch, and his brother Jim, who had been our captain on the ferry, are their grandsons! Cliff told us that the very fi rst log cabin for guests was built by his dad, in 1935, when he was 15. It is still available today for guests to stay in. It contains only a bed and has no bathroom, but it’s still cute as a button and offers an overnight embraced by living history. Breakfast was another incredible gourmet meal that included custom cooked omelets, blueberry pancakes and French toast, as well as a variety of top-quality breakfast meats. To one side was a sandwich station where guests were encouraged to make our own sandwiches (on that yummy homemade bread!) to take with us for lunch out on the trail or on the ferry. The bus ride back to the ferry stopped at Rainbow Falls, and this time Cliff was our driver and guide. This towering

For Online Information Stehekin Ferry: STEHEKINFERRY.COM

Stehekin Valley Ranch: STEHEKINVALLEYRANCH.COM Stehekin Tourist Info: STEHEKIN.COM

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ESCAPEES Magazine November/December 2022