Morning at Sahale Glacier Camp
Mount Baker in the North Cascades is quite a magnificent mountain. Standing guard over north Puget Sound like a white sentinel the mountain dominates the horizon. Each season her countenance changes. Here are three very different images of her personality.
Mount Baker, Western Flank, from Baker Lake Road
Mount Baker in the Morning Light, taken from the South on the Park Butte Trail
Mt Baker and Coleman Glacier, taken from Heliotrope Ridge on the North Slope
Mount Baker and Coleman Glacier, from Heliotrope Ridge
Mount Logan viewed from North Fork Bridge Creek, North Cascades National Park
Rock Pass is about 20 miles north of Slate Peak (where you park the car!) and almost the same distance south of the border with Canada. The Pacific Crest Trail (Mexico to Canada) and the Pacific Northwest Trail (Glacier National Park, Montana to Olympic National Park, Washington) both traverse this section of trail.
Mount Shuksan reflected in Mirror Lake
East of Puget Sound in Washington State the jagged, glacier-clad North Cascades rise skyward.
North Cascades National Park
Sahale Glacier Camp
Due to its abundant rainfall the range boasts some of the deepest snow accumulations in the world, more than 95 feet in one winter. Three quarters of all glaciers in the lower 48 states are here.
Mount Challenger Glacier
Streams and rivers coursing over this terrain give raise to a huge number of waterfalls.
Mount Logan and Waterfall
On the Thunder Creek Trail
Forests of spruce and cedar, hemlock and fir carpet the terrain.
Boundary Trail, Pasayten Wilderness
Horseshoe Basin, North Cascades
When the winter snow melts the meadows are afire with myriad wildflowers.
Wildflowers on Lakeview Ridge
Lupine on Sahale Arm
Wildlife abounds, black bears, bald eagles, deer and marmots, to name but a few, grace the land. Grizzlies, wolverines and wolves are reported with increasing frequency.
Black Bear
Deer at Cascade Pass
Autumn creates a riot of colors. Larches turn bright orange, vine maples explode in reds and yellows.
Cathedral Peak
Amphitheater Mountain
Maple Pass
The best months to visit are July to September.
See you on the trail!
Arriving at Copper Ridge, North Cascades National Park
From my home its a short drive up the North Cascades Highway to the Baker Lake Road. The first 20 miles is paved and follows along side Grandy Lake and then Baker Lake.
Intermittent views of Mount Baker appear.
Mount Baker from Baker Lake Road
The last 5 miles skirt the northwestern shore of Baker Lake, the road is gravel here and ends at a parking area.
From here a trail heads north along the Baker River. Views of the glacier-clad North Cascades appear and the river is spanned by a suspension bridge.
Baker River Bridge
Along the way there are several spots where you can scramble down to the gravel bars near the water.
Baker River
At this time of year the water level is so low that its easy hiking among the snags and channels.
Maples and spruce, old growth and new, the trees are full of color.
The bright green of the river is remarkable and the reflections of the fall colors.
Baker River
The way back home I keep stopping, here another fantastic sight of color and light…
North End of Baker Lake
Baker Lake
Fall in northwestern Washington is glorious!
Escaping the inane demands related to income production is like fighting shadows. The barriers seem substantive until you shine some light towards them and call bullshit on the strangle hold they have, at which time you’re free.
Well… free for the afternoon anyway!
We arrived at the Rainy Pass parking area at 3:30. In 5 minutes we were on the trail heading up to Maple Pass. It was Thursday afternoon and there were few people on the trail, mostly on the downhill part of their hike.
It felt good to stretch the legs. And even better to be with out a big pack.
Driven by the urgency to catch the sunlight we flew up to Maple Pass. Pushing on towards the light just over the ridge.
Approaching the crest Lake Ann came into view with its distinctive foot shaped island, the meadows near her outlet stream aglow in the sun.
Lake Ann, North Cascades
The angle of the sun was now providing some illumination on the ridges to the east, the orange accent of larches highlighting the edges…
View from Maple Pass
North Cascades in the Evening Light
And we made it! The sun was now well above the horizon, igniting the fires of inspiration. All of the colors bright and vibrant, urgent and insistent, soothing and satisfying, the hair-line of perfection.
Textures appeared, foot prints on the dry trail…
Along the Ridge near Maple Pass
Maple Pass Loop Trail
Orange and yellow against the backdrop of blue…
Maple Pass Loop
Larch on the Maple Pass Loop Trail
We lolly-gagged along the ridge cooling off from the sprint upwards, warming up from the cool breezes, alternately staring at the beauty of the North Cascades, scurrying about looking for the best viewpoint /angle of light and basking in the glory of it all…
We made it to the highest point of the trail. the light was fast fading and so we headed down the switchbacks toward Rainy Lake and the car…
Switchbacks headed down from Maple Pass
Pausing here and there for more parting shots.
On the trail down from Maple Pass
Happy trails!
Maple Pass Panorama
Along the trail to Blue Lake, North Cascades…
Backlit Larches
On the trail to Blue Lake
North Western Images - photos by Andy Porter 