Route 2 is part of what is called the Cascade Loop. Sometime in the future we will do the entire loop, but on this trip we will veer east about halfway through the loop.
After an oatmeal breakfast, we drove a short distance and stopped at Deception Falls to check out the history and plaque dedicated to the workers of the Great Northern Railway who hammered the last spike at that spot in 1893. We then followed an interpretive trail to the lower and upper falls – a spectacular display of rushing water and a well maintained short trail.
The highway begins to climb higher into the cascade mountains with jagged peaks. At the summit is Mt. Stevens where there is a ski / mountain biking resort – we stopped to check out the area. It was only the 2nd weekend being open for biking this year (in August, Wow) and appeared to be quite popular. One of the ten lifts was outfitted for bikes, and the main lodge had a restaurant open for business. We took a short stroll to stretch our legs on a portion of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) but it was raining and the views not great, so our planned 2 hour sojourn at the summit was cut short. There is a campground as well which was tempting, but at $65 US, no thanks. As we were leaving to start the drive down the mountain a couple PCT hikers were looking for a lift to Leavenworth, our next stop. We wondered if they were going for supplies, or to continue the trail from there.
The weather has been dry, very warm, not humid, and cool at night. Perfect really. As Hwy 2 descends from Steven’s Pass (1238m.) into a valley called the Tumwater Canyon, it follows the Wenatchee river which is fast flowing with cascades all along. We stopped to have lunch at a rest area along the river and there were people swimming, rafting, and kayaking.
In Leavenworth we fuelled up and parked at the edge of the town municipal parking lot (free camping for the night). It is very dusty and right on the main road, but free is free and this spot is all about location. We walked into the very quaint re-made Bavarian village with chalet style buildings and beer gardens.
Part of the main street through the village is pedestrian only and lined with shops, restaurants (many of which have outdoor patios), and along the waterfront are walking trails. We headed to the trails and saw many people floating on the river. Later we saw the trucks come to pick up the floats at the end zone. What fun !
As we slowly made our way back to the parking lot, we stopped at the dog friendly Leavenworth Beer Garten to have a pint and in the heat it was very refreshing. We slept well despite the trucks and campers coming and going. Before leaving, each morning, Chris takes Cedar for a good walk since he will be in his crate much more being on the road. On the walk that morning he discovered a man playing an alphorn from a balcony. He also found out that the city bus is a free shuttle. That’s great service for the tourists.