One Park, One Museum, One Stamp at a Time
The Mountains Are CallingThis summer, my wife and I are embarking on an extended National Parks adventure through the southwest and Utah. We built a simple camper in the bed of my truck and wanted to test out our rig before taking off for a month long journey. We decided the only appropriate way to christen the new camper shell was at a National Park. The North Cascades complex comprises of three NPS units, North Cascades NP, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan NRA. The route into North Cascades is an epic road trip along Highway 20, the North Cascades Scenic Byway. The drive is scenic and wooded from either direction, but I was blown away by the approach from the east. We headed into the park from that direction which allowed us to take in some impressive views in the Okanogan National Forest, including the awe-inspiring Washington Pass. The park land along Highway 20 is technically the Ross Lake NRA, not North Cascades, since the hydroelectric project along the Skagit River is the major supplier of energy for Seattle and National Parks typically do not support that type of land use within park boundaries. North Cascades NP is made up of two units north and south of Lake Ross NRA and Highway 20. The majority of North Cascades can only be reached by hiking in or a seasonal unpaved road. North Cascades is a truly wild and untouched area of the beautiful Northwest that is being preserved for generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Lake Chelan NRA is made up of the area around Lake Chelan southeast of North Cascades. We set off after work on a Friday and ventured into the mountains and toward North Cascades National Park. The drive from our home in Spokane is about 4.5 hours so we decided to stay the night in the Winthrop, WA area. Winthrop is an awesome Wild West themed town nestled in the Methow River Valley and in the foothills of the mountains. Winthrop was founded in the 1800s and exists today mostly as a tourist destination and starting point for adventures into the National Parks and Forests that neighbor the town. We stopped for dinner at Three Fingered Jack's Saloon, the oldest legal saloon in the state of Washington. The food was good and the atmosphere was fun. If we were staying in town itself, we might have stuck around for a game of pool and a few drinks. From there we made our way down the block to Old Schoolhouse Brewery. The brewery is in an old schoolhouse overlooking the Methow River. They offered food, which looked pretty good, and had an amazing outdoor seating area along the river where live music was being played. I love to visit craft breweries wherever I travel and enjoyed the setting of this spot. The beer was solid but the atmosphere was great. After our visit to Winthrop, we made our way into the nearby National Forest to camp for the night. Mountain Peaks and Turquoise LakesOn the way into the park from the east along Highway 20 you will find Washington Pass. We stopped at the overlooked and were greeted with one of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen. The rugged peaks of the North Cascades seem to reach right out at you as the highway winds its way through the mountains. We had planned on trying to hike the Maple Pass Loop, found on National Forest land shortly before the National Park. I knew there would be snow on the trail but thought it was worth a shot since I had heard amazing things about the trail. It was a bad sign for us, however, when the trailhead parking lot was impassable due to snow. We parked along the road and gave it a shot anyways. I could see that the trail must be beautiful, but the snow made things too difficult for us and we turned back after reaching a clearing with some nice mountain views about 1.5 miles in to the hike. We spent the rest of the day driving around North Cascades National Park collecting passport stamps and getting a lay of the land. We spent two nights at the Gorge Lake Campground within the National Park. This is a small campground with only 8 sites is located directly along Gorge Lake. After exploring the area around our campsite, we made out way to Diablo Lake. The scenic viewpoint above Diable Lake is one of the most famous spots in the park and is a must stop. The turquoise waters are an intense shade of blue and are quite unique. We spent some time exploring the campground near the lake, a much larger campground than our own, and then I spent some time kayaking on the lake. We spent our final day in North Cascades doing some hiking and exploring. We started out in the tiny outpost of Newhalem. This community was formed to house workers of Seattle City Light that work as park of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. The first dam was constructed in 1921 and there are now three dams along the Skagit River within the Ross Lake NRA. The town has a general store and a visitor center as well as a couple of short trails. We walked the Ladder Creek Falls trail and it was my favorite stop of our trip. The falls are located just behind the power plant for Gorge Dam in Newhalem. You climb up an easy trail into a lush forest and get amazing views of Ladder Creek Falls. There is a light show that is performed on the falls at night but we did not return to see the show. After exploring the falls, you can stop into the powerhouse gallery and get an up close view of the hydroelectric power process. After Ladder Creek Falls, we headed back to Diablo Lake to hike the Thunder Knob Trail. This trail is 3.6 miles and is moderately easy. You climb up about 400 feet to a couple of great view points, one of the mountains and the other of the lake. It was a nice hike and a great way to wrap up our trip. We made our way back to camp to relax for the night and get an early start in the morning. We wrapped up our long weekend by driving to Chelan, the town on the southern shores of Lake Chelan. We visited the ranger station there and spent some time walking around the town. We enjoyed a barbecue lunch at a brewery downtown and then began our long drive home. Chelan looked like a fun town and I can see why the area is known as a vacation destination. Overall, the North Cascades were well worth the visit. The drive is gorgeous and there are breathtaking views at every turn of the highway. The park is definitely a hiker's paradise and there are numerous trails and backpacking opportunities to be had. We had an awesome time and it was a great start to our summer travel season. New Units Visited: 4
North Cascades NP, Ross Lake NRA, Lake Chelan NRA, Pacific Crest NST* Total Affiliated Areas This Year: 8 Total Units: 38
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