The North Cascades is part of the American Cordillera that stretches from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego, and it is second only to the Himalayan Range in terms of height and grandeur. This particular part of the long chain was born from under the sea as it was pushed up due to plate tectonics. It took place some 7-8 million years ago, and the process is still ongoing. Many of the summits and peaks have eroded down, while the retreating and melting glaciers sculpted many of the gorges and valleys that we see today. The North Cascades range is on average 7-8 thousand feet high. However, many of the peaks here have a great prominence with steep rises from about 4 thousand feet giving the area a rugged but majestic appearance. There are also the stratovolcanoes - Coquihalla Mountain, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak - that stand higher than the rest reaching about 10 thousand feet.
The North Cascades is forever changing. It is starts west of the Skagit River/east of the Puget Sound, then to the north it crosses into Canada to as far north as the confluence of the Fraser and Thompson Rivers near Lytton in British Columbia, to the east it skirts along the Okanagan and the Columbia Rivers, and finally to the south it runs along Skykomish and Stevens Pass. In that sense, the scenery and geology of the North Cascades Range has more in common with the Coast Mountains of British Columbia than with it's cousins - the Rockies or the Sierra Nevada. Before the ice sheets retreated 12,000 years ago, the entire Cascades was covered in ice. As the ice thaws, it freed the waterways and alpine lakes. Life began to flourish as the land became lush and green. The native Skagits, Wenatchees and Nooksacks hunted for bisons and mammoths long before the arrival of the Europeans, who were lured here for the fur and lucrative timber trade.
We decided to visit the North Cascades and the national park in the area. We drove along Highway 20 to Washington Pass, and Highway 2 to Leavenworth, and to top it off, we also took a seaplane flight to Stehekin, the heart of the North Cascades.
The traverse by road was a long one from Seattle to Washington Pass. It took approximately 3.5 hours, of which the first hour was mostly highways till we reached Bellingham, after which the North Cascades Highway begins. Along this drive was one of the most scenic views of the mountains, rivers, and lakes. Our first stop was at along Gorge Lake with a view of the Gorge Creek Falls.
From there we crossed the Skagit River and passed Diablo Lake. The road wound uphill past the Ross Lake Overlook. From here we could see Ross Lake and the in far background we could also see Desolation Peak; where poet Jack Kerouac served as the lookout in 1956. He wrote the classic book Desolation Angels in which described the looming twin peaks of Hozomeen Mountain as "the void."
Soon we were back on the road driving towards Washington Pass. Here we could see the many prominent peaks; including the Needles, the Early Winter Spires South, Whistler Mountain and Cut Throat Peak. It was magnificent.
We stopped for a moment to appreciate the mountains. They made us feel small against their majesty. There was only the sound of the wind and the birds, which made it all the better. The sights from here were just incredible.
Washington Pass was as far as we went this time. The drive there was truly memorable. The pictures only capture a portion of what was seen. You truly have to go in person to really fully experience it.
The drive in the lower half of the North Cascades was along Highway 2 to Leavenworth. Here the mountains were green and lush as we followed the Tye River to Stevens Pass and then Nason Creek to Coles Corner which then joined with Wenatchee River to Leavenworth. The road view from here was not as impressive as Highway 20, but in its own way it was a great green drive. Additionally, the mountains around Leavenworth are called The Enchantments. Here there is a great loop hike that traverses the alpine lakes and peaks.
The town of Leavenworth is a unique tourist attraction. When you arrive at Leavenworth, it would suddenly seem as though you are in a Bavarian town in Germany. The whole town is dressed in the Bavarian style, and as you may have guessed, Oktoberfest is a big celebration here. To the contrary, the town has no real ties to Germany, other than it was conceived as a tourist attraction.
Our final approach to the North Cascades was via seaplane from Renton to Stehekin. We chartered a flight with Northwest Seaplanes; a regular provider of seaplane service to and from Stehekin, amongst other locations in the northwest. Our pilot was Shane Carlson, whose father started in the seaplane business some 40+ years ago.
Our flight to Stehekin was onboard a yellow Dehavilland Beaver. It was loud and smooth! One of the most interesting pieces of equipment used with the Beaver was the vehicle used to lift the seaplane in and out of the water. If you didn't know what you were looking at, you would think the truck was floating. These special vehicles are only seen here in the northwest with the seaplanes.
Once we got into the air, the Beaver was in its own element. We were just surprised by how quickly it lifted off from the water and took to the air. It climbed to about 6 thousand feet as we blew past our previous hour drive in just 10-15 minutes. The view from above was different. Everything almost looks better from above! We could even see Mount Rainier looming above Renton and the Olympics shadowing the city of Seattle.
As we flew further north, the suburbs gave way to farms, and finally to the rivers and forests.
All of the North Cascades laid before us. It was expansive and rugged; yet beautiful. The snow capped peaks gave way to the massive Glacier Peak whose prominence is over 6 thousand feet. This is the most remote stratovolcano in the Cascades.
From here we flew over Ross Pass and had the opportunity to see waterfalls, glaciers and alpine lakes, still frozen despite the recent heatwave this past week!
From afar, the North Cascades showed its rugged face of dark sharp peaks against the white snow, blanketed with wisps of clouds, wearing a skirt of pine trees.
Soon we could see Lake Chelan in the distance. As we flew closer, we passed over Stehekin's Rainbow Falls. Every great location has a "rainbow" fall... This one didn't disappoint either.
Stehekin is a remote nature tourist town that is only accessible via ferry, seaplane or hike. It sits on the northeast end of Lake Chelan, surrounded by steep alpine peaks. Its natural beauty is evident as you sit along its shores taking it all in. This location is part of the North Cascades National Park and is the rest stop for those doing the Pacific Crest Trail for the last 88 miles when travelling from the south to the north. Interestingly, there are a number of vehicles in Stehekin, all shipped here via barge. Because of that, many are vintage yet still running!
In all, the North Cascades is a remote natural reserve that has remained beautiful because of its remoteness. Having seen it via both road and air, it is uniquely preserved and hopefully will remain so for a long time into the future.
The best way to see the North Cascades is indeed via seaplane. So if you have the chance, charter a flight and visit the remote places by lakes, mountains and gorges.
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