Stehekin

I got to take May 3rd to May 12th off from school and spend in Stehekin. For those who don't know Stehekin is an area at the end of Lake Chelan in the North Cascade. It's part of the North Cascade National park and has it's only community of people who live there all year round. I was up there to help Heather Biermann with her Stehekin Kite Project. She did a workshop and taught the community to make kites. We flew them and then they went up in the gallery of the visitor center at the end of week.

I as much as I had fun helping Heather out. I was more excited about the land that was all around me. We were camped out with a tent and sleeping bags (My friend Jessica was with me). I had no internet and no cell service. Life just slowed down. I hiked almost everyday. Played with some goats, went to a orchard and saw lots of rushing water. I had fallen in love by the time we had gotten off the three hour boat ride it takes to get to Stehekin. The only way in is by boat, flying in or hiking in from different trails. It felt like you were on an island.
Stehekin reminded me why nature is such a big part of my life and who I am. The waterfalls show me, that man is not all powerful. All the animals, give me hope for a new day. The mountains remind me that I am a very small part of this world as they cascade over me. The community reminded that you don't have to live in this fast pace life that we as humans have set up for ourselves, that it is okay to want to live it slower. It's actually really hard to put into words how much I enjoyed my trip, so here are some pictures I took. I can say left kick and screaming because I did not want to leave.

If we are to master the sensitive arts if building a life-encouraging environment, we need to realize that bigger may not be better, slower may be faster, less may be more. _Stewart Udall

-Heather