North Cascades Hike: Lake Ann – Maple Pass Loop

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Andy Porter

Lake Ann

The feeling of exhilaration from being in the mountains is unsurpassed. Sweat and strain, fresh air and a cool breeze, a lake reflected and gathering clouds: these are all part of what makes the trip Great.

The Maple Pass Loop trail starts at Rainy Pass, on the North Cascades Highway. Ascending through the brush and out into the sun a first view whets your desire for more.

Swinging around the head of a small basin you soon plunge back into the cool forest.

Now the climbing becomes more insistent. The trail angles up along the side of a ridge and switchbacks heavenward. Lake Ann beckons below, her silvery waters calling.

Heather Pass appears and you keep climbing, but now the wonder of the view cancels any thought of your body.

You are in the mountains!

The clouds invade the valley as you view the world from above. Its time to start heading down.

Clouds

Bright colors, my favorite thing!

Flowers

Its difficult to keep walking…despite the threatening skies, I just want to sit amid the flowers.

Darkening clouds

I see the skies opening in the near distance…

Meadows

The thunder and lightening are not far off now.

This summer I am offering photo tours of the Maple Pass Loop.

And if you’d like a bold, bright canvas print of any of these images, here is where to go.

Cutthroat Pass, North Cascades

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Andy Porter

Cutthroat Pass Panorama

The hike to Cutthroat Pass is an easy one, both to get to and to hike. The trail leaves from the parking area at the north side of Rainy Pass, along the North Cascades Highway. It’s about 5 miles or so to the top. Along the way there are streams, meadows and higher up, camps.

Cutthroat Pass Trail

Sunrise at Cutthroat Pass

I made the jaunt up to capture some fall colors. We slept on slabs at the top of the pass.

View from camp atop Cutthroat Pass

Cutthroat Peak

Milky Way from Cutthroat Pass

Stormy Skies at Maple Pass

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Andy Porter

There many trails starting along the North Cascades Highway. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses at Bridge Creek, heading south. At Rainy Pass, on the north side, the PCT heads up to Cutthroat Pass. On the south side of the highway is the famous Maple Pass – Lake Ann Loop.

The trail is about 7 miles long, climbing from the road past a spur trail to Lake Ann and then heading up to Heather Pass. The views of Lake Ann along the way are super. The trail continues past Heather Pass up to a border with the North Cascades National Park and then turns, ascends a short distance to Maple Pass and the plunges down switch backs back to the parking area.

This August I wanted to go hike but the weather report called for storms in the mountains, however down in the valley, where I live the sky was blue, so I headed up and well…these images show the rest!

Maple Pass Loop, North Cascades

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Andy Porter

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