On a fall weekend, the parking lot will be full by midmorning and cars will be lined up along Highway 20 in both directions. This is one of the state’s most beautiful hikes, especially in mid-October when the larches dust the slopes with gold.Īlthough this hike is a bit farther from Seattle, it’s worth the effort. At Maple Pass, the hike’s highest point, spin around and see nothing but peaks in every direction. Start in a dense forest and soon enter a subalpine wonderland of jewel-like lakes and mountain passes. I came up with a sweet haiku.Prepare to run out of superlatives on this stunning hike on the Maple Pass Loop in the heart of the North Cascades. In my brain I was thinking haiku, but said limerick. On our way back to Seattle we compose poems. A flat half mile out.īack at the car sometime between 4 and 5. Before we know it, we’re on the flat, paved portion of the trail near Rainey Lake. More roots lead to more stumbling lead to walking again. Can’t believe we found one!īack into the woods. And suddenly… Ptarmigan! Wha!!!?!!!! The chill bird skidders slowly then hangs out at the edge of the trail. This portion of the trail reminds me of the Ohanapecosh Park of the Wonderland Trail, on the east side of Rainier with it’s exposed, beautiful ridgeline. We spy a tent perched at the end of a ridge just past Maple Pass, it looks like an awesome spot to camp. There are a few precarious spots with significant exposure, but we make across the hairy spots easily. The return from whence they came.īeers empty. We sip and chat from our glorious vantage point.Ī middle aged couple inquires about the trail down – have we been down before? is it steep? We haven’t been there before, but it’s supposed to be a bit steeper that the first half. I surprise Jared with 2 beers I have stashed in my pack. We keep climbing until we’re finally at the pinnacle of our hike – Maple Pass. Jared walking down along the ridgeĭespite the smoke, the views are still beautiful! Jagged, rugged peaks in all directions. A few ash flakes dust down from the sky occasionally. We chat with an older couple about the smoke and fires. From near Maple PassĬontinue up the ridgeline toward Maple Pass. We meander a few hundred yards down and admire the badass looking peaks from a distance. The social trails lead to the further, more rugged peaks that require scrambles (Lewis and Wing Lakes, Black Peak, and beyond). Up to Heather Pass where two women with a dog tell us about the good views to be had down the short social trail to our right. Views of Lake Ann just below – a photogenic cirque with a tiny island in the center. We start to see a touch of haze above and beyond – wildfire smoke?! A faint smell of campfires permeate the air. Through woods, past a few people, and out onto a beautiful scree slope. We hop onto the trail that points us toward Lake Ann (we think it’s counter clockwise around the loop? seems to be the direction most people travel) and start hiking! Just above Heather Pass. ![]() We arrive at the Rainy Pass trailhead just after 1. ![]() Jared and I each eat our half of the QFC sandwich we picked up along the way – not a ton of food, but somehow so dense and satisfying that we have no desire to eat another crumb until later that evening.We read about ptarmigans on the way and hope we see one. Looking down on Lake Annĭrive the 3 hours north to the North Cascades, realizing along the way that we’re going right by Ross Lake and Diablo Lake – a place we hope to canoe/camp later this summer! Diablo Lake is the most beautiful shade of slightly cloudy turquoise… From Heather Pass We get a smidge later start to the day after an exhausting (but great!) social day (we hosted a random PCT hiker the night before whom we bade farewell, met friends for breakfast, sailed, and hosted music club). The trail according to the map in the parking lot Originally we intended to hike Alta Mountain, but seeing as how the forecast for the Snoqualmie area called for rain and clouds, we diverged north instead. We both managed to get the day off from work. Jared and I went hiking yesterday in the North Cascades. So I’m waaaay behind on blog posts (yes by about 15 posts!) but thought I’d catch up in reverse order…starting with the newest and working my way backward.
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