Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - September 19th
Day 149: Thursday 19th September
Reflection Lake – Kennedy Hot Springs
I was only going to do a short day today, as I was going to detour down to Kennedy
Hot Springs. The main excitement of the day was the sight of what I believe was a
Gyrfalcon. This is the largest of the falcons found in the USA and is rare in these parts.
I continued my traverse of the high level ridge before dropping down into White Chuck
River Valley. The upper valley looked very much like the Scottish Highlands on an
autumn day. Glacier Peak should have dominated the valley but it was hidden in cloud.
In the valley was White Chuck Cinder Cone, looking like a red slag heap; a reminder
that this region is still volcanically active. Since it wasn’t eroded it must have erupted
since the last ice-age. Glacier Peak itself last erupted 12,500 years ago and the hot
springs showed there was still hot magma close to the surface.
Unfortunately a gentle drizzle had started by the time I reached Kennedy Hot
Springs at lunchtime. The springs were deserted in this weather. After putting up my
tent I went for a soak in the hot tub. It was more like a jacuzzi than the other hot
springs I had visited. The water was only at about 93ºF and was bubbling vigorously up
from the sides of the tub. The tub seemed bottomless so I had to support myself, but I
imagine someone taller would have been able to touch the bottom. Skinny-dipping was
popular at the hot springs in the 1960’s, so was banned in the early1970’s. It seems very
puritanical to ban something because it is popular. There was no sign that the ban was
still in force. After I returned to my tent the drizzle turned into steady rain, so I was
confined to my tent.
Day 149: 12.9 miles 5.09 hours Camp: Kennedy Hot Springs
Reflection Lake – Kennedy Hot Springs
I was only going to do a short day today, as I was going to detour down to Kennedy
Hot Springs. The main excitement of the day was the sight of what I believe was a
Gyrfalcon. This is the largest of the falcons found in the USA and is rare in these parts.
I continued my traverse of the high level ridge before dropping down into White Chuck
River Valley. The upper valley looked very much like the Scottish Highlands on an
autumn day. Glacier Peak should have dominated the valley but it was hidden in cloud.
In the valley was White Chuck Cinder Cone, looking like a red slag heap; a reminder
that this region is still volcanically active. Since it wasn’t eroded it must have erupted
since the last ice-age. Glacier Peak itself last erupted 12,500 years ago and the hot
springs showed there was still hot magma close to the surface.
Unfortunately a gentle drizzle had started by the time I reached Kennedy Hot
Springs at lunchtime. The springs were deserted in this weather. After putting up my
tent I went for a soak in the hot tub. It was more like a jacuzzi than the other hot
springs I had visited. The water was only at about 93ºF and was bubbling vigorously up
from the sides of the tub. The tub seemed bottomless so I had to support myself, but I
imagine someone taller would have been able to touch the bottom. Skinny-dipping was
popular at the hot springs in the 1960’s, so was banned in the early1970’s. It seems very
puritanical to ban something because it is popular. There was no sign that the ban was
still in force. After I returned to my tent the drizzle turned into steady rain, so I was
confined to my tent.
Day 149: 12.9 miles 5.09 hours Camp: Kennedy Hot Springs
AncientBrit
Beth
Upper White Chuck
River Valley
River Valley
Kennedy Hot Springs
 |  |
| |