Serendipity and Orchids: Heather and Maple Passes

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Heather and Maple Passes

"...as the morning spread upon the mountains"

I haven't been able to do as much hiking as I would have wished, both because of the weather and because I've been very busy. I did get away on September 16th and met two friends from eastern Washington at the Heather-Maple Pass trailhead which we hiked together. I was early and also did an extra two miles to and from Rainy Lake, and easy trail that starts at the same location in the Cascades. We had hoped to catch the autumn color, especially the larches changing, but we were early and only saw the beginning of the wonderful change from green to yellow that the larches undergo at this time of the year before dropping their needles. The weather could have been better - it was a bit cloudy and dull but at this time of the year a hike without rain or snow is welcome. The trail through the passes is a 7.2 mile loop with a 1 mile side tail to Lake Ann. In all I would do about 10 miles with 200 feet of elevation gain.

sunrise along the North Cascades Highway