Cross Country Adventure 2022 (day 10)

 Leavenworth KOA campground, Leavenworth, Washington

24 July 2022

Leavenworth Shops

Marc-  Our second day here in the Cascade Mountains was a day to explore.  The family (Jenney, Adam, Emily and us) gathered at our site for a crepe breakfast a la chef Marc.  The campsite is set in tall Ponderosa pine trees surrounded by tall peaks and a glacial river.  There is plenty of water coming down from the peaks.  Emily did the research of hiking trails in the area.  We agreed on something called the "Pipeline Trail" (the name becomes apparent later).  We drove in Big Blue through the Bavarian themed Town of Leavenworth only about one mile to the trailhead set near a beach along the Wenatchee River.  After hiking a few minutes we came upon a rather impressive steel bridge designed to bring a water pipeline across the river.  The planners had repurposed the cast iron bridge by cutting the large diameter pipe (six feet) in half laterally and filling the bottom with gravel.  This made for an excellent path.  Most of the trail followed along the river.  The river itself was full of rather aggressive looking rapids down a steep sided valley.   At several points we could see snow at higher elevations.  After 2 miles the trail became very technical in order to proceed along a cliff, and that was our cue to turn around.  We returned to the beach below after stopping once near a wading area to cool off.  It was 95 degrees and climbing.

We returned for lunch at the campground and then visited the Bavarian Village.  The downtown area was filled with small shops, beer halls, wine tasting shops and a few ice cream parlors.  We stopped for ice cream after visiting a few shops.  The shop owners, or the  town itself, had set up water mist devices above the sidewalks and at eating and drinking areas for people to keep cool.  Afterward we enjoyed walking in the riverfront park set along the Wenatchee River.  It was amazing to see so many people out on the River in tubes, rafts, kayaks and even paddleboards keeping cool in the rather cool river (did I mention glacial runoff).  Later some of us cooled off in the same river at the campground.  It was nice to also jump into the hot tub after that.  

Campsite among the Pines

Pipeline Trailhead beach

Pipeline Trail bridge

Wenatchee River

Kayakers who came down the above rapids.

Specks of gold in the sand.

Welcome to Leavenworth

This was on the back of a t-shirt.  My parents once owned a double cab Volkswagen truck.

Even the bears read here.

Cooling mist.

Cooling River.

Horsetail.

Baby wood ducks.

Rafting

Local flora.

Indoor s'mores.