Day Hike to Cascade Pass, August, 2004

Day Hike to Cascade Pass, August, 2004

Click on the small pictures to see larger ones.

This was SUCH a neat trail! You drive to the end of Cascade River Road (out of Marblemount, WA) to the trailhead. Then the trail winds through the woods and around the valley to Cascade Pass. It's an easy 3.7 miles, with 34 switchbacks (we counted them) and you just can't believe the view from there. There are other trails from the Pass that take you to Sahale Glacier and down the valley toward Stehekin. But we were just on a day hike and it was a spectacular day to be out. I was entranced by the dripping water from recently-upturned tree roots. The water was running so smoothly and with such peacefulness...I stood transfixed for quite some time. These pictures will never do it justice, but it was a very Zen moment for me and regardless of what the rest of the hike was like, the water features made it perfect for me.

mind the edge, sir
neat rock slide
winding trail
peace
serenity now

As we hiked, we spied various glaciers through the tree branches. Occasionally, we could hear what sounded like thunder as a glacier 'calved', or broke down the mountainside. The colors of the glaciers is that cold, cold blue that you see in Alaska and even though it wasn't a cold day, we shivered in our jackets.

a bit of sun
glistening rain drops
now you see it
and now you don't
what a view!

Various animals peeked at us as we hiked along the rock slide area. Marmots and picas whistled and peeped and generally scurried about. We saw a bear near the end of the day in the valley, but we weren't close to him at all. Every now and then, I stopped along the trail to look back at the valley. It was gorgeous, but I was excited to get to the Pass, too!

peep
twee
the fast way down
glaciers at the Pass
a bit windy

We had lunch at the Pass and admired the scenery for quite a while. Eventually, though, we turned around and hiked back to the car. Someday we'd like to keep hiking all the way down to Stehekin, camping as we go. It'd be neat! What a great day hike - how fresh the air was, and how majestic those glaciers.

great color of blue
cold, ice, brrrr
here comes the fog

page maintained by Cheryl

This was SUCH a neat trail! You drive to the end of Cascade River Road (out of Marblemount, WA) to the trailhead. Then the trail winds through the woods and around the valley to Cascade Pass. It's an easy 3.7 miles, with 34 switchbacks (we counted them) and you just can't believe the view from there. There are other trails from the Pass that take you to Sahale Glacier and down the valley toward Stehekin. But we were just on a day hike and it was a spectacular day to be out. I was entranced by the dripping water from recently-upturned tree roots. The water was running so smoothly and with such peacefulness...I stood transfixed for quite some time. These pictures will never do it justice, but it was a very Zen moment for me and regardless of what the rest of the hike was like, the water features made it perfect for me.

mind the edge, sir	neat rock slide	winding trail	peace	serenity now

As we hiked, we spied various glaciers through the tree branches. Occasionally, we could hear what sounded like thunder as a glacier 'calved', or broke down the mountainside. The colors of the glaciers is that cold, cold blue that you see in Alaska and even though it wasn't a cold day, we shivered in our jackets.

a bit of sun	glistening rain drops	now you see it	and now you don't	what a view!

Various animals peeked at us as we hiked along the rock slide area. Marmots and picas whistled and peeped and generally scurried about. We saw a bear near the end of the day in the valley, but we weren't close to him at all. Every now and then, I stopped along the trail to look back at the valley. It was gorgeous, but I was excited to get to the Pass, too!

peep	twee	the fast way down	glaciers at the Pass	a bit windy

We had lunch at the Pass and admired the scenery for quite a while. Eventually, though, we turned around and hiked back to the car. Someday we'd like to keep hiking all the way down to Stehekin, camping as we go. It'd be neat! What a great day hike - how fresh the air was, and how majestic those glaciers.

great color of blue	cold, ice, brrrr	here comes the fog