An intensive long day hike to the source of the Nooksack River
- a phone interview is required to complete your registration
- 12 miles
- Very gradual elevation gain, basically flat
- Extremely rugged off-trail walking over logs, boulders, and sandbars for at least half the distance. Many stream crossings. The hike takes 12 hours on the trail, moving at a decent pace, and is very strenuous.
A journey to a magical place close to home. Few people venture to the very upper reaches of the North Fork of the Nooksack River: the Nooksack Cirque.
It is a long and strenuous 12-mile hike in and out of the North Fork drainage, largely off-trail on rocky terrain, with numerous brief crossings of the reduced-flow late summer river channel. Plan on a very full day, hiking at a good pace, and wearing hiking boots with wool socks.
At the Cirque we will perform the years final Exchanging Water ritual in the ice caves amid waterfalls, transferring water from the Salish Sea with mountain glacial water, which we annually perform at the headwaters of all three branches of the Nooksack.
A Challenging Hike: If you are new to this hike a telephone or email exchange with program coordinator Bob Penny to determine your fitness for the journey will be required to complete your registration.
Timing: Meet at our zendo at 2509 Cedarwood at 5am or at the Nugent's Corner Market in Deming at 6am. A very early start is essential to have sufficient daylight for this long day hike. We hope to return to Cedarwood by 7pm but return times can vary.
What to Bring: Bring a lunch, generous snacks, at least two liters of water, and layers. Wearing hiking boots to protect your ankles with wool socks which we expect to get wet are recommended. Spare/dry clothing to change into back at the vehicles is a good option.
Carpooling: You will indicate during registration where you're meeting the group. Note that carpooling is an indoor "activity" to please be aware of our current Covid Policies.
Registration: While our day hikes are offered without charge, we do incur about $10 of program administration cost for each registration. There is the opportunity during registration to donate to cover these costs for your own registration or, additionally, to help another cover their registration expenses. Everyone is welcome, and no one will be refused attendance for lack of funds. As we do on the trail, we support each other.
Donations to the Leader: As with all of our events, teachers/leaders are not compensated for their time. You can include a donation to the hike leader during registration or at any time through our Donate to a Teacher page.
Questions? Contact Wilderness Dharma Program Coordinator Bob Penny at wilderness@redcedarzen.org and see our Wilderness Dharma Program page for an overview of this program.
