North Cascades National Park

The North Cascades National Park is a slice of a mountain chain, filled with “land locked” fjords, and steep snow covered mountains. Lake Chelan one of the deepest lakes in the country reflects the ancient glacial activity, its surface elevation is at 1100 feet and its bottom lies below sea-level! Glaciers still hang tenaciously off the sides capped with clouds and creating an alpine environment. Orange, red Purple, white and an abundance of wildflowers fill the waterfall covered hillsides.

I still wish I could say I have hiked and climbed in the back country of the North Cascades National Park. This time we accessed the North Cascades from Stehekin, a bucolic valley pocketed with a few amenities, but the park service still limits access to the day tripper. We did cross into the park, but the majority of pictures are peripheral, and peeks (pun intended) deep into the park.. The pictures reflect the borders of the park and some of the area. And if you ever cruise past Leavenworth and highway 2, or over Highway 20 and Rainey pass, you will be able to get a feel for its natural beauty.

Still it is a park that teases, somehow just beyond the reach of anyone but the trekker.