As we drove up to the Leavenworth Ranger Station at 8am sharp on Saturday of 4th of July weekend, you’d think I’d be upset to find it WAY more crowded than Friendly Phone Ranger let on. At least half of these thirty or so eager hikers, just as packed and ready-to-go as we were, would leave permitless. But even though we were just as likely to be one of those disappointed hikers, I was actually more excited than anything. I thought this was going to be easy. And now, it was shaping up to be more interesting.

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