I had about a week to spare, and a few hours of internet access in Houston. What better thing to do than to go on a free trip to Holden Village, a mining camp/ Lutheran retreat center/ climbing base camp in the North Cascades at around 3200 feet. So I sent in a registration form for the biennial summer work camp, and was quickly informed via Facebook that two of my friends from church were going as well. So we hopped into two separate cars at 5:15 in the morning and drove to Field's Point Landing, ready to get onto the slow boat headed up Lake Chelan. Unfortunetely, the slow but was down and there wasn't enough room on the other boat for everyone, but I managed to get a ticket.
We hopped off the boat at Lucerne after a choppy two hour ride. Normally a quaint settlement of about 30 one-room cabins owned by the lake chelan yacht club, Lucerne is now a loading area for Rio Tinto (RIO), a large mining corporation and owner of Howe Sound Mining, which was the original owner of the copper mine and now superfund site at Holden.
After an 11 mile uphill bus ride, with 11 switchbacks, we arrived at the village to rice and beans and salad for lunch, as well as lodging from the 1930s. I got this luxurious queen room with a bunk bed to myself (first time in 18 years of coming to Holden Village)
A view out my window into the partly-cloudiness of the North Cascades
A view down the Railroad Creek Valley where Holden is located, taken from Hart Lake (where I ran several times, about 9 miles RT). The weather was near 35 or 40 at night, and hit 60 some days. Perfect for working 5 hours per day and playing 10.
Water was running high, as indicated by the outflow from Hart Lake. The river continues a few thousand vertical feet and several miles to Lake Chelan, picking up large amounts of toxins along the way from the mine tailings.
The mine itself. I got to cross the river to go to the saw shop, but otherwise the mill side of the river is closed as mine remediation work starts. Lots of mobile offices and orange fencing definitely don't fit in with the log and shingle buildings, but are still a welcome change for the ecosystem.
Me mid-run to near Lyman Lake, which was still covered completely in snow.
The boom truck (not to be confused with the bomb truck, a small, green army surplus truck used for logging as well). We carried logs and unloaded them for bucking with this blue beast.
My work done (its a bit difficult tot throw logs and take pictures or saw and take pictures). I alternated between splitting wood, bucking wood with a chainsaw, and climbing up high and stacking wood to the ceilings. Others gardened, drywalled, tested fire alarms, worked on the trails, and watched kids among other bizarre and standard tasks.
The avalanche debris near Holden Lake, still present and a mess after 2 years. This must've been a huge slide when it happened.
Holden Lake, sauked in by snow. Not recommended as a hike unless you know the trail by heart due to the snow, ice, and hard snow that doesn't retain footprints. Probably don't walk on the rapidly thinning ice either (though I've been known to do such things with my brother)
A parting view from Lucerne looking across the lake.
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