Washington Pass

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised."

Traveling from Spokane to our home in northwestern Washington on October 9th we timed our trip so that we arrived in Washington Pass on the North Cascades Highway just before sunrise, and though it was very cold, went to the overlook to watch the sunrise on the Liberty Bell Group of peaks.  These peaks are some of the most dramatic in the North Cascades, standing all alone far above the pass and road.  In the photos, the peaks are in order from left to right (east to west) South Early Winters Spire, North Early Winters Spire, Lexington Tower, Concord Tower and Liberty Bell.

Back in the parking lot we took a few photos of some ice-covered huckleberry bushes and then went out way, well satisfied but very cold.

Blue Lake

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.