North Cascades National Park, Maple Pass and Blue Lake – Aug 10

North Cascades Park is comprised of a multitude of glaciated majestic peaks, and the only way to see them is to hike and hike upwards.   But Aaron’s knees are giving him intense grief when hiking steep down slopes, so today we compromised.  I wanted to hike to high elevations for stunning views, Aaron wants to be a lowlander and visit secluded lakes.  So we split up to find our own kind of trail Zen. 

Aaron dropped me off at the trailhead of a precipitous and arduous 7-mile hike while he motored to the nearby trailhead of a flatland 5-mile hike to a glaciated blue-green lake.  The plan was to reconnoiter at my trailhead when we’d finished our respective hikes.  I figured I’m faster but have a much longer and steeper climb, so he should finish first and be able to meet me back in about 5 hours.  Well, the problem was that left to my own devices, I booked it up the steep climb to the top of Maple Pass, about a 3,000 foot rocky climb over 4 miles in record time road killing (passing) 24 hikers along the way.  After a 20-min lunch on top, I trail ran back down to complete my hike in just under 3.5 hours.  So of course Aaron was not at the trailhead awaiting me as planned.  Instead, I started along the road to his trailhead because I have more energy than patience to wait.  But walking on the hot asphalt a couple of miles after a strenuous 7-mile high-alpine hike soon wore me out, and still there was no sign of Aaron.  Just as I was beginning to slow and tire, Aaron drove by and found me walking along the road.  All he could do was shake his head at me.  Why had I hustled so on the trail, he wondered?  And why had I ventured out onto the highway and not just relaxed and awaited his return?  Well, as I said, I have more energy than patience, but it all turned out great in the end.

 I do believe, however, that I got the better deal as my hike was up to the crown of a ridge where I enjoyed spectacular 360-degree views of the North Cascade Range.  Peak after majestic peak could be seen draped in ice fields and glaciers just beneath the high clouds.  What a magnificent sight it was.  My trail wound around the cirque of a high-alpine lake where the marmots scurried, the chill wind blew, and the scenery and views simply could not be beat but only improved the higher I climbed.  This is what folks come to the North Cascades to envision. 

                                                 

For his part, Aaron had a relaxing and completely enjoyable 5-mile mostly flat ramble around sweet little Blue Lake.  He chatted with fellow hikers, enjoyed an hour lunch, and was not nearly as exhausted at the end as was I.  On our return trip, he graciously picked up a hitchhiker, a Dane just coming off the Pacific Crest Trail.  A nice young English-speaking man he was, and we chatted amiably for the 90 minute return to civilization. 

                                        

Indeed I was exhausted and ravenous at the end of my power hike, but a gluttonous dinner and a warm shower rejuvenated me enough for the big day ahead tomorrow.  I plan to hike the even more strenuous Cascade Pass to Stahale Arm Trail which will afford me more spectacular views of the towering peaks and will end at the toe of Stahale Glacier.  Aaron will sit this one out in anticipation of a rather intimidating hike we have planned for next week.

 While in Thailand, we befriended a junior missionary from Vashon Island, WA, who spoke passionately of The Enchantments, the mother of all wilderness hikes.  Like thousands before us, we were not fortunate enough to score the coveted overnight camping permit, so we will complete this intense 19.25-mile hike in one long day.  It’s been on my bucket list for a while now.  Stay tuned for a full report.

PS - Bambi is the perfect trailer for me.  Her holding tanks are large enough for us to bivouac for a week yet she is small enough to go where others dare not.  Because of the Sourdough Fire in the park preventing us from camping where I’d reserved, we were forced to improvise.  We found a gorgeous  remote spot deep in the dense northwest forest along a horridly rutted dirt road where we are the lone trailer in the tiny campground.  We fit in the small space only because Bambi is compact.  It is a secluded and beautiful enclave hidden away down here, and I am one happy camper.