North Cascades
September
,
2003
This is a documentary of a short but brutal hike in the North Cascades. We climbed a mile with heavy packs, left the trail, scrambled up smooth rocks, picked our way along a ridge through boulder fields - and that was only the first day. As you can see however, the rewards were great. We were eye level with some of the greatest views of the Cascades ever to be found. We could see all the way into Canada when it was clear. And we were at 5000 to 6000 feet, conveniently above the clouds in the mornings for some fantastic sights to awaken to.
Here is a shot of us looking into Canada on one of the first days. Below Dave stands upon a spire of rock jutting out of the ridge over 100 feet tall.
It was a 2 day hike down the ridge alone. Our destination was Azure Lake, a "short 5 or six mile hike" off-trail following the ridge. The short hike proved to take so long we never made it to the lake. Below we take a break along the way. Notice we all are carrying climbing helmets. We also brought slings, harnesses belay rope and lots of karabiners.
Scrub pines at a dip in the ridge.
Here is a chute leading up from the lower ridge to Elephant Butte. That small blue spec on the left of the chute just a short ways from the top is a member of our party. Although this was steep and we climbed it individually, we did not have to harness up.
Smoke from a fire in the wilderness area collects in the valley to the north of us. On one day helicopters dropped retardant on some hot spots but for the most part it was left alone to burn.
Mike squeezes in that last item before we leave at the trailhead. One of the nicest trailheads I've ever seen, I might add. A nice little park in the city of Diablo, with a domed swimming pool, picnic tables and neatly mown grass.
After hiking about half a day I snapped this shot looking back through the trees. That's the western tip of Ross lake in the lower left there, at about the elevation of the previous picture from the same morning .
Ascending the ridge. Just above us, in the jumbled rock field, marmots are calling out warnings of our approach .
Taking a break on the edge of that field of jumbled rocks a little bit later .
Scrambling up a rock outcropping with heavy packs. All in a day's work. You can see Dave in the center of the photo to give you some scale. On the way back we got smart and just went through the trees to the right using the branches to rappel .
One of our first looks across the North Cascades .
Looking North .
A cloud moves past us on the ridge .
Taking a break , John surveying the valley .
The sun sets over the Pickets .
Lumbering off sometime on our second day .
And along the ridge we go. Nice hat Dave !
After 2 days of hiking we finally get a look at Lake Azure .
Mike and a great trout fishing lake sometime on the second or third Day . The lake is about 2000 feet below us and maybe 2 to 3 miles away. Sure looks easy to get to though doesn't it?
A morning awakening above the clouds . If you climbed the mountain to see this guru you were sadly mislead .
Dropping our packs we find a nice meadow to put up camp .
A roaming sasquatch saunters by. Wait that's a Joesquatch !
Here's our cooking area almost the regulation distance from the tents. Our food is hung over a cliff much farther away .
Bundled up in the morning .
Skeletons of trees burned a decade or more ago. Notice the thick new growth now living on the remains ? Just around the hill on the south face it's more desolate.
Here's our camp . Idyllic isn't it?
Dave looking like Meriwether Lewis .
Another pose I'm sure Lewis and Clark used often in the great Northwest especially after all that coffee!
Everything you need to make breakfast is in this picture. The kitchen is now open !
Bundled up in the morning .
In case you thought this was all walking around and grinning for photos. Here I am before coffee ! Do I look like hell or what? Here's what I'm looking at, there are some hikers on that snow field someplace.
Dave wakes up just a little bit happier . Disgusting isn't it?
Cooking some grub on one of our last nights .
On the way back down. Here's Dave descending through those trees I mentioned earlier . It all looked much easier on the way down.
Descending on that same boulder field I took pictures of earlier. Look at the lovely fall colors!
Washing up in the same stream we used on the way up The EPA closed it down after we were done.
Back on the trail (wow a trail!) here's our last look at Ross lake .
A sunburned but happy Joe turns off the lights at our car camp at the end of the trip . Say goodnight Joe.
