We went for a pretty incredible hike yesterday up at Cascade Pass. This hike was a good excuse for the backcountry camping night, as the trailhead is located a good 90 minute drive from the campground where we have the trailer parked. Spending the night closer by meant getting a much earlier start without having to wake up well before the birds.
We started with breakfast at the picnic area (instead of up the hill at our campsite with the silkworms and pesky flies). I believe food prepared eaten outdoors after sleeping under the stars in the fresh air could be the most vile fare available yet still taste like the heavenly wedding feast. We had omelets, apples, hot cocoa and coffee then packed up and hit the trail.
A view through the trees We started with breakfast at the picnic area (instead of up the hill at our campsite with the silkworms and pesky flies). I believe food prepared eaten outdoors after sleeping under the stars in the fresh air could be the most vile fare available yet still taste like the heavenly wedding feast. We had omelets, apples, hot cocoa and coffee then packed up and hit the trail.
The trail begins in the forest and winds through 36 switchbacks up about 1800 feet over three miles. We found salmon berries and blueberries in abundance, unfortunately not yet ripe. But that's okay because we had MnMs.
The final stretch of the trail is the best as you emerge above the tree line to a dazzling view of the opposite mountain ridge. There are craggy peaks frosted with snow and more waterfalls and snowmelt cascades than I could count. All throughout the hike we could hear the snowpack cracking and breaking apart and we strained to find the evidence of the avalanche we had heard at bedtime the night before. We never got lucky enough to witness a slide. I think because of the scale and the fact that most of what we heard was just smaller movements one would have to be staring right at the exact location at the moment the snowpack broke loose. Also, it seemed like most of the action happened at night.
Marmot!!!! The final stretch of the trail is the best as you emerge above the tree line to a dazzling view of the opposite mountain ridge. There are craggy peaks frosted with snow and more waterfalls and snowmelt cascades than I could count. All throughout the hike we could hear the snowpack cracking and breaking apart and we strained to find the evidence of the avalanche we had heard at bedtime the night before. We never got lucky enough to witness a slide. I think because of the scale and the fact that most of what we heard was just smaller movements one would have to be staring right at the exact location at the moment the snowpack broke loose. Also, it seemed like most of the action happened at night.
One of our favorite reasons to get above the tree line is marmots. If you've never seen one, imagine a fluffy mountain beaver. The marmots up here are super fluffy and not shy at all. We startled one and watched it bound up the hillside to a safe distance, then after a pensive moment it came waddling a lot closer and sauntered down the trail in front of us, looking back over its shoulder like some sort of mute, buck-toothed Sherpa.
Enjoying the view from the Sahale Arm Trail At the top of the trail we stopped for lunch. The weather was positively perfect. Warm with a light alpine breeze and a pure blue sky. We took a quick side trip about 200 yards up the Sahale Arm Trail just to get a view from the other side of the saddle. It became clear to us why this is one of the park's premier hikes.
After working up a strong appetite we stopped in the tiny burg of Marblemount and grabbed some supper from the Cue Car BBQ, a place recommended to us by our friend, John MacMurray. We give serious props to the grub here. If you're driving through Marblemount on the main drag you can't miss it - it looks like a locomotive engine. There is a great shaded dining area out back, perfect for unwinding and refueling after a great day.
Close to our campground at Newhalem is the Gorge Dam. There is a pretty spectacular waterfall with a lighted path and at night they have the falls all illuminated with colored lights. It's a little odd and as Kevin said, "Hard to improve on what God did," but still a must-see if you are here after dark.
-Jenni
Close to our campground at Newhalem is the Gorge Dam. There is a pretty spectacular waterfall with a lighted path and at night they have the falls all illuminated with colored lights. It's a little odd and as Kevin said, "Hard to improve on what God did," but still a must-see if you are here after dark.
-Jenni