ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE
I overslept a bit in the
morning, thanks to the 6-pack of Fat Tire I finished off the night before. A hearty breakfast of eggs and hashbrowns
got me going though. Afterwards I hit
the road, bound for the east side of the park.
My destination for the day was Rainy Pass, where I planned to hike the
Heather Pass / Maple Pass loop.
I parked at the Rainy Pass
picnic area, where I probably should’ve left an offering to the Rain Gods. I wonder if that would help? No offering was necessary today though. It was a sunny morning, with only a few
clouds to break up the blue sky.
From the parking area, I
picked up the trail to Heather Pass.
The trail started out in deep forest, before breaking out into an
avalanche field. Here I found a dazzling
array of wildflowers in virtually every color imaginable. The meadow also featured a nice view back to
the reddish peaks to the east.
From there I headed back
into the timber, before reaching a junction with the trail to Lake Ann. The lake is less than a mile from here, and
can be reached on an easy, flat trail.
Although I’d gotten a late start, I decided to check it out.
BRAIN DAMAGE
An easy 15 minute stroll
brought me to the lake. The only
difficult part of the hike was reaching the actual lakeshore. I found my way through the willows, and
gazed out across Lake Ann. The view was
nice, but I knew the best scenery was still to come. I only lingered for a few minutes, before beginning the hike
back.
I only walked for a couple
of minutes when I heard branches breaking in the dense undergrowth next to the
trail. I looked to my left, and came
face to face with a huge black bear! If
he had been any closer, I could’ve patted him on the head! He looked up, and took two steps towards
me. I uttered a phrase that is
considered impolite in most company, but froze. You might say that I had a bit of a nervous moment just
then. This was easily the biggest black
bear I’d ever seen, and he was so close, I’d never have time to get the bear
spray out if he charged.
I backed away slowly, and he
went back to browsing. I kept backing
away, but quickly realized that he was moving towards a clearing, where I might
be able to get a photo. I stopped where
I had a clear view of the clearing and zoomed in on the spot where I expected
him to appear. This was questionable
behavior, as I was still no more than 50’ away. But, I figured that if he really wanted to eat me, he would’ve
done it already. Plus, I was determined
to get a good photo. I’ve seen a couple
dozen bears over the last 15 years, but none of those sightings has resulted in
a decent picture.
He emerged a moment later,
right on schedule. For once, I was
pleased with the photos. However, I
could tell that he was agitated by my presence, so I didn’t linger for long.
I returned to the main
trail, and made a relatively easy climb on the slope above the lake. Oddly, the views of Lake Ann were better
from the ridge than from the shore. I
didn’t regret the side trip though, since the bear sighting was one of the most
exciting moments of the entire trip.
I climbed up to Heather
Pass, where I stopped for a brief lunch break.
I enjoyed the views here of Black Peak, Lewis Lake, and more. I also noticed bunches of huckleberries, but
unfortunately, they weren’t ripe yet.
That was a shame, as they really would’ve spruced up my pancakes the
next morning.
After lunch I followed the
trail, as it continued to climb along the ridge above Heather Pass. The scenery seemed to improve along here
with every step. The views of Lake Ann
were breathtaking, as I followed the ridge around its basin. To the west, peaks and glaciers marched away
into the distance. The meadows here
featured more fantastic wildflowers, including the best display of Indian
Paintbrush I saw on the entire trip.
I continued to climb through
open meadows, before finally reaching the highest point of the hike at Maple
Pass. From here, I was rewarded with
nearly a 360-degree view. In the
distance, I thought I could just make out the volcanic cone of Glacier
Peak. Although it was getting late, it
wasn’t a place I could rush past. I
stopped for a lengthy break to take in the view.
I lingered for awhile,
before beginning a quick, steep descent back to Rainy Pass. Along the way, I spotted Rainy Lake before
descending into heavy timber. At the
bottom, I reached a paved trail leading from the parking area to Rainy
Lake. I still had some daylight to
burn, so I decided to check it out. The
lake looked attractive from above, and I’d heard that the Lyell Glacier was
visible from the shore.
An easy, 10 minute walk
brought me to the lake. The lake was
pleasant enough, but there wasn’t much left of the Lyell Glacier. In fact, I don’t think it can actually be
called a glacier anymore. There’s not
much more than a small patch of snow remaining.
I paused there briefly,
before hiking back to the trailhead. I
reached the car after 15 minutes.
Before heading back to camp, I drove up to Washington Pass to check out
the view. It was nice enough, but
nothing compared to what I saw up at Maple Pass.
That evening, I grilled
steak and potatoes for dinner. Another
campfire and more Fat Tire rounded out the evening nicely. I went to bed early though, as I had a big
hiked planned the next morning.
Continue reading about my trip as I dayhike to Cascade Pass and the Sahale Glacier.
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Please remember to Leave No Trace!