Day Hike! North Cascades by Mike McQuaide

Day Hike! North Cascades by Mike McQuaide

Author:Mike McQuaide
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Published: 2011-02-17T16:00:00+00:00


At about 1.7miles, go left at a fork and in about 0.25 mile reach Cutthroat Lake, crossing a couple of creeks and passing a few campsites along the way. Ogle the towering rock wall surrounding the lake on almost all sides, with turretlike Cutthroat Peak watching over all. After exploring and reflecting, return to the main trail and resume your journey to the pass. Almost as soon as you’re back on the main trail at 2.2miles, go right at an unsigned intersection that’s just ahead.

The trail climbs steadily—switchbacks galore—but, for the most part, not steeply. As the forest thins the higher you go, the views become more expansive, especially to the south—Cutthroat Lake below, its peak above, and Silver Star and the steeples of the Liberty Bell massif beyond. To the east, jagged peaks seem to be everywhere in this arid, high country that’s almost a photographic negative of the west (wet) side. In fall, the larches, which dominate here, put on a grand show as they turn gold.

Nearing the pass, cross some boulder fields and pass through massive rock slabs that are a haven for ground squirrels—they’re everywhere. At 5.5 miles (6 miles if you made the side trip to the lake), reach the pass and the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail. For even more scrumptious views, wander south on the PCT for a short way, where Cascade views seem to unfold themselves before your very eyes. Return the same way.



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