Boulder Drop is a Class V rapid on the Skykomish River. Located at mile marker 34 on Highway 2, east of Everett these rapids provide excitement and fun photo opportunities, as you can see here! I captured these images last Sunday (07/07/13) while on assignment at the Sky River Fest in Index…
I took these images last night, about midnight, at the Washington Pass Overlook on the North Cascades Highway. The mountain in the foreground is Liberty Bell.
Set the camera at f/4, 8 to 10 seconds and an ISO of 25,600.
Captured as RAW images and some slight mods with PS 6.
The Pasayten Wilderness is located in Washington State along the Canadian Border. Stretching east from Ross Lake the mountains here are drier than the North Cascades National Park, on the other side of the lake. Long ridges, endless meadows filled with wildflowers and solitude is what you’ll find here in the Pasayten.
Here are a few images from an earlier trip…cant wait until July when I’ll be headed back out there on another long trek…
Pasayten Wilderness Wildflowers on the Pacific Crest Trail
Jack Mountain and wildflowers from Devils Dome
Pasayten Wilderness Wildflowers on the PCT
Pasayten Wilderness Wildflowers
Pasayten Wilderness Wildflowers
Em and Jack Mountain
Joker Mountain from the Three Fools Trail
Ross Lake from the Lightning Creek Trail
The Skagit River made the national news last week when the interstate highway bridge across it in Mount Vernon collapsed after getting struck by an over-sized truck.
Draining a large swath of the western slopes of the North Cascades, the Skagit River winds through some of the most strikingly beautiful scenery in the US. From glaciated peaks to tulip fields the river winds its way west towards Puget Sound.
Settlements and towns dot the banks, interspersed with stretches free of any human signs.
Recently I went out look for such a spot and found this vantage point just before sunset.
Baker River, fall
The Baker River flows south into the Skagit draining the western slopes of the North Cascades. There are two dams along the river, the largest of which forms Baker Lake.
Baker Lake
On the North Cascades Highway (Hwy 20) drive about 15 miles east of Sedro-Woolley to the Baker Lake Road. The road heads north-east following along side of tiny Grandy Lake, then passing Lake Shannon and then skirting the west side of Baker Lake. There are numerous campsites along the way and many logging roads branching off. There is a large concrete bridge crossing Park Creek providing great views of Mount Baker.
Mt Baker from the Baker Lake Road
After 20 miles of good paved road you’ll pass Shannon Creek Campground. From here on the road is gravel as it winds the last 5 miles along side the upper reaches of Baker Lake. Depending on the season of your visit and the water level in the lake one can see numerous stumps along the edge of this man-made lake. In the fall when the water level is low there are beautiful marshes along the lakes northern end.
North end of Baker Lake
The road ends at a large parking area where there are bathrooms and to the right a trail head. You can scramble down to the gravel bar and have a look at the river here.
It is required to have a Northwest Forest pass to park, these can be obtained at the Baker Lake Grocery store, back on Highway 20 or in Sedro-Woolley at the Forest Service national park Headquarters.
The trail is in both the North Cascades National Park and the Mount Baker National Forest. Here is a link to a web site describing the trail.
At the edge of the parking area there a big wooden reader board and from there the wide trail passes a few campsites and between two big boulders.
The trail starts here…
Passing through the forest there are more camps and an old horse corral between the trail and the river and soon the trail arcs east and views of the river and mountains appear.
Baker River Trees
Now the pathway re-enters the canopy.
Green Moss and Blue skies
And passes a sign in box for the hike.
Sign-in box
Skirting along side the river you pass several mammoth old-growth trees.
Old Growth
The greens are rich and bright.
Mount Baker Forest
About half a mile from the parking area a suspension bridge appears on the right, spanning the river.
Baker River Bridge
The Baker River Trail continues along the west side of the river while the east bank trail crosses the bridge heading back south along the river and along the shore of Baker Lake.
Trail junction
Blum Creek
Free of dams and roads the river regains its wild countenance. There are gravel bars and huge snags of trees along the shore.
Baker River
The trail is accessible year round. Fall and spring are great times for a visit. And the trail is perfect for young children.
Bridge Running
Fall colors are my favorite
Fall River
Staying on the main trail, you soon pass several huge jumbles of boulders on the left, forming all sorts of caves and cool places to explore. My favorite place along the trail soon appears on the right, a short scramble down to the river bed and bushwack through brush out onto the gravel bar. The river makes a long sweeping curve.
Baker River and Hagan Mountain
Across the river rises the jagged summit of Hagan Mountain. Looking upstream is Jagged Ridge extending from the summit of Mount Shuksan.
Jagged Ridge
This is a perfect place to play. the gravel bar is wide and a great place to camp. There are fire rings and many huge logs and debris for building forts and side channels for swimming.
Autumn Fun along Baker River
This stretch of the river is in the National Forest and no permit is needed for camping.
Camped along the river
Tent and Stars, Baker River
The suspension bridge is a wonderful photographic subject!
Baker River Bridge
Looking up Blum Creek
Sunset along the northern end of Baker Lake
On the trail, headed home
View from Lakeview Ridge
The highest point of the Pacific Crest Trail (7,126′) in Washington State is Lakeview Ridge in the Pasayten Wilderness. Only 8 miles south of the Canadian Border, Lakeview Ridge is a grand and dramatically fitting end to the 2,650-mile long trail.
Of course you don’t have to hike 2,642 miles to get there! The easiest approach is from the Harts Pass road just below Slate Peak. Here is a junction with the PCT, at more than 7,000 feet elevation and it is about a 20 mile hike to arrive there.
Incidentally, the Pacific Northwest Trail, stretching from Montana to the Pacific also travels this section of trail once known simply as the Cascade Crest.
Take Highway 20 to Mazama (just north of Winthrop) and follow the Harts Pass road 18 miles to Harts Pass. It can be a bit of a white knuckle drive! This is the highest place you can drive a car in the state.
The Pasayten Wilderness is more than half a million acres of splendor. Long ridges, endless meadows carpeted in herbaceous wildflowers, dotted with copses of larch and punctuated with stark crags that fill the horizon…
Three Fools Peak and wildflowers
No permits are needed for hiking, you can bring a dog and camp where you like.
The trail slowly descends towards Holman Pass and then makes a gentle ascent towards Rock Pass.
Before the pass is a fantastic place to camp near a spring, just below Powder Mountain. Tiny Goat Lakes are an easy jaunt away…
Campsite below Goat Lakes
From Rock Pass the trail makes a slight dip, traversing a steep gully, before rising to Woody Pass. Here the trail crosses the Cascade Crest and views appear west to Mount Baker and the Picket Range. 
Rock Pass
On the Pacific Crest Trail, headed north towards Lakeview Ridge
The trail maintains its elevation as it heads north towards our destination. The views are superb. Rounding a last finger ridge you now start the final ascent to the top of the ridge.
Final section of trail
Snow lingers here well into august, so water is usually not an issue. .
There are many wonderfully scenic spots to pitch your tent. The only problem is deciding exactly which awesome view you want from your front door.
Looking north towards Jack Mountain
Three Fools Peak is the most prominent peak. Framed in lupines and paintbrush its dark, triangular visage juxtaposes nicely. 
Three Fools Peak and Paintbrush
Smoky Mountain and Soda Peak, due east, form a colorful backdrop to the lakes below.
Three Fools Peak, Smoky Mountain and Soda Peak
To the north Castle Peak, Freeze Out and Joker Mountains guard one of the most remote parts of the wilderness, near Elbow Basin. 
Looking north, down the Devils Stairway to Hopkins Lake
To the west, across Ross Lake a sea of peaks rise, their many glaciers gleaming in the sun.
Wildflowers bloom well into August atop the ridge. The bright colors demanding that you take lots of pictures.
With out a doubt one of the best campsites in Washington, one I will visit again!
Horseshoe Basin is one of those magical places that once you visit you will never, ever forget. Nestled on the east side of Cascade Pass it is less visited than Sahale Arm but certainly no less beautiful.
Last summer I visited the basin twice, first while headed east to Stehekin, to get some pastry, and again on the way back…
Approaching from the east one crosses Basin Creek on a small wooden bridge that is probably flown in when the snow melts…a cairn marks the crossing.
Looking up the valley one gets a hint of whats to come.
The too-numerous-to-count waterfalls stream down from the glaciers, glistening in the sun. The bowl of the basin forms a 180 degree mouth punctuated with sharp granite teeth. Blue, green, red and white, the colors are astounding.
The western turn of the bowl is punctuated by Sahale Mountain and Boston Peak, standing guard.
These images are from August, probably the best month to go. You can find all you need to make a visit here, at the North Cascades National Park page…
Happy Trails!
Panorama of approach along Ptarmigan Ridge Trail
Mount Baker in September from the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail
North Western Images - photos by Andy Porter 