Autumn in Skagit Valley and North Cascades

Posted on September 15, 2019 by Andy Porter

One doesn’t normally associate the northwestern corner of the US with fall colors. New England the Mid-Atlantic states in the northeast are usually the focus of any autumn photo spread.

But autumn in Skagit Valley and North Cascades is not too shabby.

The valley and the rivers make wonderful spots for fall.

Double Rainbow, Fir Island

Gordon Skagit Farm

Sedro Woolley

Grandy Lake Sunset, Skagit County

Gordon Skagit Farm

Sedro Woolley Panorama

Fir Island

Berries

Skagit Valley Sunset

Sedro Woolley

Skagit Valley Barn

Mt Baker and Mt Shuksan

Up the valley a bit along the Baker and Skagit Rivers fall colors abound. Salmon spawn in the fall. The entire valley is lit up and on display!

The 2020 Washington State Night Sky Calendar is now on sale! Get your copy here.

Mt Baker from Baker Lake Road

North Fork, Skykomish River

Baker River

Mt Baker from Baker Lake Road

Baker River

Baker River Trail footbridge

Mt Baker from Baker Lake Road

Baker River Trail

Baker Lake

Mt Baker from Baker Lake Road

Baker River

Baker River Salmon

Baker River Bridge

Baker River

Baker River Trail

The main contributors to Fall here in the North Cascades are the blueberry/huckleberry bushes, which carpet the mountains in bright reds and the larch, who’s green needles turn bright orange in the first week or October. . .

North Cascades Photo Tours are also available!

Above Cascade Pass, North Cascades National Park

Mt Shuksan and Picture Lake

Doubtful Lake, North Cascades National Park

Artist Point

Lake Ann and Maple Pass

Lake Ann

Heather Pass

Washington Pass

Mt Baker from Artist Point

Twin Lakes

Heather Pass

Lake Ann and Maple Pass

Cutthroat Pass

Cutthroat Peak

Larch grow new green needles each spring, and in early October they turn orange and fall off! The elevation of the larch varies in Western Washington, usually you can find the larch between 5,000 and 7,000 ft elevation.

Fine Art Prints as well as Canvas Wraps are also available in a wide range of sizes and frames. Here is the Gallery Page.

Colchuck Lake, Enchantments

Prussik Peak, Enchantments

Amphitheater Mountain, Pasayten Wilderness

Blue Lake

Goats in the Enchantments

Early Winter Spires

Amphitheater Mountain, Pasayten Wilderness

North Cascades Pond

Perfection Lake, Enchantments

Prussik Peak, Enchantments

Windy Peak, Pasayten Wilderness

Cathedral Peak

Cathedral Peak, Upper Cathedral Lake

Winchester Lookout

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Andy Porter

Twin Lakes Panorama

Last Saturday I made it up (finally!) to Twin Lakes and the Winchester Mountain Lookout.

Winchester Mountain Lookout

Located on the north side of the Mount Baker Highway (Route 542) the trail is approached via the Twin Lakes Road. It’s 7 miles from the highway to the start of the trail, 4.5 miles are easy for any car, and the last 2.5 miles require a high clearance vehicle, its a bit rough!

Weekends in the late summer and early fall will find more than 200 cars and pickups parked along the road over the last 3 miles. There is a veritable network of trails originating along the Twin Lakes Road such as Yellow Aster Butte, Tomyhoi Peak, High Pass and more.

Twin Lakes

If your vehicle can make it up to Twin Lakes there are camp sites along both lake shore, out houses and camp fire rings/grates. I saw quite a few parties there car camping with bikes for kids, small boats for fishing along with lawn chairs and coolers.

Here the road ends and the hiking begins. From the parking lot you are right in front of Winchester Mountain, and you can see way up above the flag flapping next to the lookout.

The trail zigzags up the mountain side, 1,300 feet in about 2 miles to the summit. The lookout tower is open to the public, and you can spend the night there. If you get up there and its already taken there are plenty of spots close by to pitch tents.

The view from the top is choked with stark jagged peaks. Goat Mountain, Mount Larrabee, the Pleiades, Tomyhoi Peak crowd the horizon. Mt Shuksan and Mount Baker loom up about all other summits.

The crisp air is perfect for hiking up a steep slope and the fall colors create a luscious palette.

The Winchester Mountain Lookout was clean and spacious, sporting a table, chairs, bed and a wide selection of books.

Saturday was the new moon, and one of the reasons of our visit was to hope for clear skies at night to capture images of the Milky Way.

The low angle of the setting sun set the blue berry bushes on fire.

An hour after sunset the sky exploded with stars.

I opted to sleep out under them, with no tent.

The early morning found the mountain surrounded by clouds. Just as I arose the sun breached the canopy and the sun dance atop the summits across the valley commenced.