SPEAK TO ME

Early Wednesday morning, prior to my dayhike from Heather Meadows to Lake Ann, I swung by the ranger station in Glacier to pick up a backpacking permit. I got an early start, as I wanted to be the first person in line when the ranger station opened. Since North Cascades National Park doesn’t accept backcountry reservations, applying for a permit the morning prior to my planned departure was the best strategy. The route I’d selected is popular, and I didn’t really have a backup plan.

I arrived 30 minutes before they opened, and was the first person there. Another couple did arrive a few minutes later, but it turned out that they weren’t there for a backpacking permit, anyway. After an interminable wait, the doors finally opened.

My first choice of campsites for Thursday night, at Silsea, was booked. Apparently several groups starting earlier that week had already claimed those sites. Fortunately, there were sites available at Egg Lake, which is just beyond Silsea. I took one of those, along with sites at Indian Creek, Tapto Lakes, and Copper Creek for the remaining nights. My intended route would take me through the alpine meadows of Copper Ridge, before I looped back through old-growth forest along the Chilliwack River. However, I did plan on one diversion from the standard route. From the river, I intended to spend most of 2 days on a side trip visiting Whatcom Pass and Tapto Lakes.

The ranger I spoke with mentioned that Tapto Lake was one of her favorite destinations. The lakes are above treeline, and provide spectacular views of Whatcom Peak and the Challenger Glacier. Well, that’s assuming that the weather is agreeable. Although the forecast for Thursday and Friday looked great, more rain was expected on Saturday. Unfortunately, Saturday was the day I’d be hiking up there. In passing, the ranger mentioned that the off-trail route from Whatcom Pass up to Tapto Lake can be hazardous when wet. I decided to go for it anyway. If I was lucky, maybe the rain would move in a day later than expected. The possibility that it might actually miss me altogether didn’t really cross my mind – not after sitting under a tarp through most of 4 consecutive rainy days. If the weather did deteriorate, I figured I could tough it out, or cut off that portion of the hike and head back to the trailhead.

The ranger also mentioned that the road to the trailhead was washed out in several places due to flooding back in November. High clearance 4WD was recommended. I certainly didn’t have 4WD – in fact, I was in my friend’s ’88 BMW, which has rear-wheel drive. She thought I could make it if I was careful. I decided to go for it, but knew I’d have to be cautious. After all, I wasn’t driving a rental car! If the road proved to be too difficult, I could always park off the side of the road and walk. This might add a couple of miles to the hike, but the distances I’d planned were reasonable.

BREATHE

I was up early Thursday morning ready for some backpacking. The first 2 ½ weeks of the trip had been fantastic, but there had been entirely too much car camping, and not nearly enough backpacking, for my tastes. I was ready for a true wilderness experience.

I checked out of the campground, and gave Dave, the campground host, my best wishes. Then, it was on to the trailhead…almost. It was a beautiful, sunny morning, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Although the previous day had been nice, it still hadn’t provided a crystal clear view from Artist’s Point. I decided to make a quick diversion and drive up there before starting my backpacking trip.

Reaching the end of the road didn’t take long. There, I stepped out of the car to take in a fantastic view of Mount Baker. At first, I thought there was still a wisp of cloud near Baker’s summit. Then I realized that I wasn’t looking at a cloud. Actually, it was steam escaping from the volcano’s summit. The vista of Mount Shuksan was even more spectacular from here. I enjoyed the views for a few minutes, before heading back down the mountain. On the way, I passed a group of people sledding along the edge of the parking lot. I always wondered where I’d have to go to find people sledding in mid-August. Somehow, I should’ve known that it would be Washington State. In fact, I should’ve guessed that it would be at Heather Meadows. A few years ago, that area set a record by accumulating something like 95 feet of snow over a single winter. 95 feet! Can you imagine that? I can’t. Try to picture an 8-story building, but replace all that steel and brick with snow. That summer, the parking area at Artist’s Point never opened.

I drove back down to the bridge over the North Fork of the Nooksack River, and turned off the pavement in favor of the dirt road up along Ruth Creek. This road had plenty of potholes, and a couple of minor washouts, but no major obstacles. 4-wheel drive certainly wasn’t necessary. Anyone with even a little experience driving rough dirt roads could make it to this trailhead in virtually any vehicle.

I verified this point when I arrived at the trailhead. The parking area was full, and all sorts of cars were parked there. I found a spot a short distance before the main parking area, and gathered my gear. While I was getting ready, a ranger passed through, presumably checking vehicles for the appropriate parking permit. I had purchased a National Parks Pass several months earlier, which covers virtually all entrance and parking fees on federal land. However, I’m not sure if I really needed it. The ranger that passed by spent all of 30 seconds circling the parking lot. I imagine I could’ve hung just about anything from my rearview mirror and gotten away with it.

I left the trailhead around 11AM and began the gradual climb above Ruth Creek towards Hannegan Pass. I was hoping that my late departure, combined with the abundant sunshine, would dry out the vegetation along the trail. Alas, it was not to be. Although the trail is heavily used, it passes through thick brush. All that brush was still soaked, after days of rain. It wasn’t long before I was dripping wet, too. In the Cascades, you’re likely to get wet, even when it isn’t raining.

Fortunately, all that vegetation did have some redeeming qualities. The slopes above Ruth Creek held some of the finest wildflowers I’d see on the entire trip. Tiger Lilies and Indian Paintbrush were numerous, but there were many other varieties as well. The colorful flowers, along with the many views of Ruth Mountain and its glaciers, helped pass the time as I climbed steadily towards Hannegan Pass.

I made good time, despite the uphill grade. This was probably because of the plentiful horseflies that attacked every time I paused. The flies were so brutal, rest breaks were out of the question. Even stopping to take a photo was a challenge. Eventually I found a breezy spot that was mercifully bug-free, and I stopped for an early lunch. While I was there, a couple passed by, heading back towards the trailhead. They had spent the previous night at the Boundary campsite, but the flies had driven them to madness. The bugs were so bad there, they decided to abort their trip.

The final climb, past the Hannegan Pass campsites, was fairly stout, but not brutal. At the pass, I was treated to nice views to the east, towards the main spine of the Cascades. The view was pleasant, but not as spectacular as the vistas of Ruth Mountain along the way up. From the pass, it’s possible to hike a short, steep trail to the summit of Hannegan Peak. I thought I might do that on my return, but I wasn’t about to climb up there with my full pack, which was loaded with 5 days worth of food.

A quick descent on switchbacks took me through a garden of wildflowers that managed to surpass what I’d seen earlier along Ruth Creek. A few minutes later, I crossed a small stream, where I stopped to filter water. Beyond, I reached the National Park boundary, the Boundary Campsites, and a junction. From here, the trail ahead drops down into the headwaters of the Chilliwack River. That would be my return route. I turned left, and began the final climb towards Copper Ridge.

I climbed steadily on switchbacks, passing through lovely stands of fir trees. Eventually the trees dwindled, and I entered the famed meadows of Copper Ridge. Reading about these alpine meadows is what had drawn me to this route to begin with. There’s nothing I enjoy more than rambling along through open meadows on the crest of a ridge. I’d brought high expectations for Copper Ridge, and I wasn’t disappointed. To the east, I was treated to jaw-dropping views across the Chilliwack valley to the spine of the Cascades. Glacier-studded peaks soared skyward as far as the eye could see. The view back to the south was even better, as Mount Shuksan, Mount Ruth, and Icy Peak dominated the scene.

Despite the difficult climb, I felt like I could really breathe for the first time in a week. Although I had enjoyed camping down by the North Fork of the Nooksack, hanging out under that tarp had been a little suffocating. Up here, I felt free. Fortunately, I was able to restrain the urge to sing the theme from “The Sound of Music”.

I strolled along the ridge, passing the scenic (but dry) campsites at Silsea. Far below, I spotted the quaint tarn of Egg Lake. A few minutes later, I strolled through a patch a late-lingering snow and reached the junction with the trail down to it. The junction is in the middle of a vast meadow, with more spectacular views to the east. I decided to hike down to the lake to setup camp, and return to the meadow later.

The path to the lake is steep, rough, and eroded. It may have been the most difficult part of the hike’s first day. At the lake, I had my choice of 3 campsites. I quickly rejected the first one. The second was nice, but it was a double site, and I was solo. It would’ve been a bit rude to take it. When I reached the last site, I knew I’d chosen wisely. It’s on a bench, up above the lake (and the bugs), and has a great view to the northwest of Copper Mountain and the Silsea Creek valley. Best of all, the site features a rock outcrop that provides an ideal cooking spot that includes this view.

By the time I set up camp and endured a horde of mosquitoes getting water, I’d gotten lazy. The idea of climbing back up to the top of the ridge had lost its appeal. Plus, the scenery at camp was almost as nice. I settled in, and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

Later, a ranger dropped by to check my permit. That evening, I dined on Asian noodles with chicken and vegetables. After dinner, a rogue cloud rolled in, coming up the Silsea Valley. All of a sudden it filled the valley, with the rocky peak of Copper Mountain protruding just above. Then it surrounded me. The temperature must’ve dropped 20 degrees in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, it didn’t last long. The cloud cleared away in plenty of time to enjoy some fantastic star-gazing. At one point, I actually fell asleep, lying out on that rock outcrop. Later, the moon rose, directly above Egg Lake. I woke in time to take in this sight, before heading to the tent for the rest of the night.

ON THE RUN

Everything was soaked the following morning, thanks to a heavy dew. I was up early, but killed a lot of time lounging around, hoping that the sun would dry out my gear. This resulted in only modest success, and a late (9:45) departure. The highlight of the morning was probably breakfast. It was only oatmeal, but I spiced it up with fresh huckleberries I’d scavenged from around the campsite.

I struggled up the gully to the top of the ridge. From there, I quickly became reacquainted to the delights of the previous day. The weather was perfect again, and the views may have been even better. The scenic highlight was probably the summit of Cooper Mountain, which I reached after a hearty climb.

At the top I found at lookout tower, which is used by the Park Service as a ranger’s outpost. The ranger wasn’t there, but I stopped at an adjacent rock outcrop for lunch. Here I was rewarded with a 360 degree view of the North Cascades. In addition to the fantastic scenery I’d enjoyed along the ridge, I had a great look at the snowy face of Mount Baker. In the opposite direction, the views of Mount Redoubt, Challenger Peak, and numerous glaciers were overwhelming. Just north of Challenger, I could see the deep, narrow notch of Whatcom Pass. From my vantage point, I could see that I was in for a killer climb the next day.

During lunch, I enjoyed the sunshine and the views while fending off a gorp-addicted marmot. Afterwards, I had a motivation problem. Cooper Mountain was an exceptionally difficult place to leave. I knew that I only had a couple of miles of hiking along the ridge ahead of me, before I’d have to descend into the valley. I wasn’t in any hurry to leave the alpine country behind. Eventually though, I knew I’d be pushing darkness before I reached camp. The hike from Egg Lake to Indian Creek is 12 miles or so, and I’d only covered a couple of them getting to Copper Mountain.

The descent from Copper Mountain was particularly attractive, as I passed through lush meadows full of Heather and wildflowers. On the way, I passed the ranger, heading back up towards her perch. We chatted briefly, and she mentioned that the Sockeye Salmon were on the run, heading upstream in the Chilliwack River to breed.

The views continued, as I dropped down to Copper Lake. There are campsites here, too, but I had to push on. I did enjoy the lake for a few minutes though, as I had to stop there for water.

Beyond the lake, I endured an unexpected climb. Along here, the trail wanders in and out of the woods, but it still featured some nice views. The best vistas were in my rearview mirror though. To enjoy them, I was continuously looking over my shoulder. Then I reached an avalanche chute, and was startled when I spooked a black bear. He was maybe 50’ away, but took off running when I emerged from the woods. Clearly, this bear wasn’t used to seeing people.

Beyond here, I reached a final viewpoint to the north and east. From here, I could just see a small corner of Chilliwack Lake, in British Columbia. A few minutes later, I reached a steep snowfield. Crossing looked hazardous. Fortunately, there was a spur trail leading steeply down through the woods to pass below the snow. I took it, and scrambled back up a gully to regain the trail. As soon as I did, the trail descended rapidly on switchbacks. This part of the trail was brushy, and the footing was occasionally tricky. Beyond the switchbacks, the footing improved, but occasional blowdowns created obstacles. Despite the fallen trees, I was making pretty good time. This was probably because I had to. After loitering up on Copper Mountain, I needed to hustle to reach camp before dark.

A long, steady descent without the benefit of switchbacks followed. This took me down into deep, dark forest. Then the switchbacks resumed, and I could hear the Chilliwack River roaring far below. I knew I was almost at the bottom when I reached a small stream crossing. Beyond, the trail disappeared. I followed the creek downstream, and regained the trail a few minutes later. From here, I wandered through beautiful forest to the banks of the Chilliwack River.

The river is wide and swift, but it didn’t appear to be very deep. Unfortunately, the best place to cross was partially blocked by a large fallen tree. I waded into the icy river, and headed towards the tree. At the log, I tried to climb over before resuming the ford. However, the tree was too big, and the water was too swift and deep. I couldn’t get over it, so I retreated back to the bank.

I tried crossing again, this time a short distance upstream. I was able to get through there, but the river was much deeper than it looked. The water was thigh-deep, and my shorts got drenched. At least I was on the far side!

From there, I wandered among massive Cedar trees to Indian Creek. At the creek, I found the Sockeye Salmon. They were spawning there in the broad, calm waters of Indian Creek. There were probably a couple hundred of fish, flashing red in the deep blue pools. I watched them for awhile, as they swam in lazy circles. Although our trip had featured all kinds of wildlife, including Bears, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Elk, and Bison, this may have been the most fascinating sighting of them all.

I headed upstream, and reached a “bridge”, which was actually just a huge fallen tree spanning the creek. The log was so wide, crossing it was virtually effortless. On the far side, I continued upstream, before leaving the creek behind. The trail was hard to follow here, due to fallen trees, but I eventually regained the path. From there, it was only a short, easy walk through a beautiful forest to the Indian Creek campsites. The campsites are located near Indian Creek, but on the opposite side of the trail.

A couple I had met earlier on Copper Mountain had taken the first site. I took the next one, where I found an impressive stash of firewood and kindling. I hadn’t really planned on having a fire, but the wood was there, and my shorts were still wet from the river crossing. That evening, I warmed up with a great fire, and a hearty spaghetti dinner. I slept great that evening, soothed by the white noise of Indian Creek.

TIME

I was up at 7 the next morning, and on the trail by 9. I knew I needed an earlier start if I was going to make it up to Tapto Lake that evening. However, I still had a decision to make in that regard. It had clouded up overnight, and rain looked likely. Did I really want to make the climb up to Tapto Lake in the rain? I wasn’t so sure. Tapto Lake is above treeline, and it would be a nasty place in foul weather. Plus, I had to consider how best to spend my time. After today, I had four more days to enjoy the North Cascades. Would it be better to spend a couple of (probably rainy) days hiking up to Tapto Lake, or should I move on? I still had several dayhikes in the park that I wanted to do. Decisions, decisions.

I made lousy time on the trail to Brush Creek. There were lots of fallen trees, as well as several areas that were badly overgrown. I was hacking my way through some particularly dense brush when I stumbled into a trail crew. One guy was heading my way, clearing the path. If I’d started a little later, I could’ve saved myself a headache. A couple minutes later, I met two more guys clearing a deadfall with chainsaws. I thanked them all for their efforts before continuing on.

I reached the junction with the trail to Whatcom Pass a few minutes later. The weather didn’t look too bad, but I decided to go with my gut feeling, and headed out. I hated to miss out on Tapto Lake, but I had a bad feeling about the weather.

My decision was validated a few minutes later, when it began to rain. I only had to endure a few sprinkles though, before it ended. Easy hiking brought me to my second, and final, crossing of the Chilliwack River. The first one had been a challenging ford, but this was different. At this crossing, a cablecar spans the gorge. I could’ve avoided it by taking the horse trail (I’ll bet the horses hate the cablecar!), but I didn’t want to. I’ve never crossed a river in this fashion, and I was intrigued.

I put my pack in the car, and hopped in. Then I began hauling myself across the gorge. The cables are probably 50’ or more above the river, and the car swings on them in an unnerving fashion. I pulled myself across, but found the last part a bit tiring. The cables sag in the middle, so you have to go uphill to get the rest of the way across. Fortunately, I didn’t have any trouble making it. Once on the far side, I descended from the platform on a ladder. This was a little awkward, and it was a relief to be on solid ground again.

I passed the U.S. Cabin campsites, and hiked on to a small creek, where I stopped for lunch and water. Beyond, I passed the Copper Creek campsites, where I was supposed to be the following night. Both of these camping areas looked ok, but they weren’t as nice as Indian Creek.

THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY

I rock hopped Copper Creek, and began the hearty climb to Hannegan Pass. Along the way, I spotted a waterfall on the Chilliwack River. It was the second waterfall I’d seen that day, as I’d passed a nice cascade on Indian Creek earlier. An assortment of mushrooms, some of which looked rather vulgar, provided additional entertainment.

I was approaching Boundary camp when the rain began. It was coming down hard, and I was forced into my rain gear. Is there anything more miserable than hiking uphill in rain gear? I trudged onward, wondering how much the Gore Tex was keeping my dry, considering how much I was sweating.

Reaching the pass was a relief. From there, I headed downhill quickly, bound for the Hannegan Pass campsites. The campsites are located along the headwaters of Ruth Creek, below the pass. Since permits aren’t required there, I knew I could spend the night there and head out in the morning. Well, that was assuming that there was a site available. It was a Saturday afternoon, after all.

I wandered around in the rain for awhile, before finding a couple of vacant sites. I set up camp quickly at one of them. That morning, when I packed the tent, I’d left the fly attached. This helped me get the tent up quickly, without letting any rain in. Afterwards, I walked up to the cooking area and made dinner. Soup helped warm me up despite the chilly rain, and I followed that up with a freeze-dried dinner. It was a nasty evening, but it would’ve been much worse up at Tapto Lake. Skipping that is one decision I do not regret. After eating, I retreated to the tent early, to get out of the rain. I did a little reading, but quickly fell asleep to the pitter patter of rain drops on the tent fly.

MONEY

It was still raining when I got up the next morning. At that point, I debated why I hadn’t just hiked out the previous evening. I already knew the answer though. At that point, I know I wouldn’t have gone to a campground to find a campsite in the rain. I would’ve ended up car camping at a hotel. Although this was a fairly low-budget trip, I was getting concerned about the mounting expenses. I still hadn’t gotten over the $318 grocery bill at Albertsons we rang up on the first day of our trip.

Cooking in the rain seemed unappealing, so I had a quick, cold breakfast while packing up. Then I began the short but damp hike out. After only a little more than an hour, I arrived back at the car. I headed back to the town of Glacier, where I made a few stops. First I checked in at the Ranger Station, to let them know that I had come out early, in case anyone wanted my vacant campsite at Copper Creek that night. Then I swung by Graham’s restaurant and store. At Graham’s I feasted on a cheeseburger, fries, and draft root beer. It was one of the better post-hike meals I’ve had, although it wasn’t cheap.

While at Graham’s, I discovered that Whatcom County is an official Sasquatch refuge. Yes, in this part of Washington State, Bigfoot is protected by law. I guess that’s why a Sasquatch is occasionally spotted there. They don’t enjoy any sort of legal protection in North Carolina, where they’re completely extinct.

After lunch, I headed over to Silver Lake County Park to get a shower. The good news is that they have public showers, and they only cost $1 for eight minutes. The bad news is that the water is cold. I wasn’t aware of this little fact when I arrived, but I doubt I’ll ever forget it. The water wasn’t just cold. I think they must get it directly from a glacier. Next time, I’ll gladly splurge for a warm shower somewhere else.

From there, I drove on to Sedro-Wooley. As I drove, I noticed that the clouds were beginning to break up. By the time I arrived at the Food Pavilion there, the sun was out. After getting groceries, I was ready for a few more days in the North Cascades.

US AND THEM

I enjoyed a pleasant drive up highway 20 into the park. In Newhalem, I stopped briefly at the visitor’s center. There I picked up some information, and noted that the weather forecast for the next few days looked great. That was a relief!

From there I continued on, deeper into the park. I stopped at one overlook, to view a waterfall, before continuing on to the Colonial Creek campground. The campground is quite large, and it was mostly vacant on this Sunday evening. However, almost all of the sites along the lakeshore were occupied. It seemed like almost everyone there had gone directly to the sites on the lake. There were still a couple free, but I didn’t find them appealing. That area was crowded, and noise from powerboats seemed likely there. I guess that’s one key difference between myself and other car campers. I’d much rather have a quiet spot, isolated from everyone else, even if it isn’t on the lake.

It wasn’t hard to find one. I found a great site at the back of the campground, hidden away in old-growth forest. There were only a couple of sites nearby, and they were vacant. After several days of quiet in the wilderness, this spot was ideal.

That evening, I grilled chicken for dinner. The chicken, along with mac-n-cheese and a six-pack of Fat Tire, made for a great meal. I spent the rest of the evening enjoying a roaring campfire, while planning out my hikes for the next few days.

Continue reading about my trip as relocate to the Colonial Creek Camground and dayhike to Heather Pass and Maple Pass.

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