Trip Report

Camp Funkhouser in the North Cascades of Washington, along the Methow River, 23 miles west of Winthrop, was enjoyed by 89 Obsidian summer campers and guests. This was a primitive camp, the first in several years where we needed to bring in all our own facilities. While this year was not the first time we needed to secure a Special Use Permit to set up on National Forest land, it was the first time that the procedures to get the permit were so rigorous. But in the end, all the effort was worth it because our camp at the end of Lost River Road was great, with lots of room to spread out in the open forested areas.
Our camp also provided easy and relatively close access to all the great hiking the east side of the North Cascades offers at Hart’s Pass and Washington/Rainy Passes. Classic hikes such as Maple Pass, Blue Lake, Windy Pass, Cutthroat Pass, Lake Ann, Grasshopper Pass, Goat Peak and Easy Pass were enjoyed. Passes seem to be a popular destination. Thanks to 21 different leaders for leading 35 trips during Summer Camp, with Larry Dunlap leading 5 hikes, one each day.
Sunshine Catering provided our dinners, while Summer Camp staff provided a continental breakfast with hot cereal and lunch fixings for people to prepare their trail lunches. Our evening campfires (sans a fire) included trip reports, skits, singing and an incredible talent show.
Smoke from forest fires, both the Diamond Creek Fire burning about 20 miles northeast of camp and Canadian fires farther north, combined with high temperatures, provided for less than stellar hiking conditions. We did enjoy clear skies on Monday, the first full day of camp, and then on Thursday things eased up somewhat, but then by Friday the smoke and heat returned with a vengeance. While conditions could have been better, Obsidians persevered and had a great week of hiking and enjoying our time in the North Cascades.