On Monday, September 21, my wife and I and a friend hiked the Blue Lake trail near Washington Pass. Washington Pass is along the North Cascades Highway before it descends the eastern side of the mountains to the town of Winthrop. The dominant peaks in the area are Cutttroat Peak and Whistler Mountain north of the highway and the Liberty Bell Group south of the highway. The Blue Lake trail took us around the back of the Liberty Bell group to a small alpine lake where the Larches were changing color.
Cutthroat Peak from the trail
Conifer Coral Fungus
Liberty Bell
Larch
lichens
Cutthroat Peak
Liberty Bell, Lexington and Concord Towers
Larches
autumn color along the trail
more Larches
at Blue Lake
old ruined cabin near the lake
Larches
hiking above and beyond the lake to a small pond
I'd rather be down here
the Liberty Bell Group, the lake and always more Larches
Whistler Mountain
more Larches
blueberries
back to the lake and back down the trail
After hiking at Blue Lake we also stopped to hike the short paved trail to Rainy Lake. The trail is about a mile round-trip and takes you to a viewpoint near the lake.
