Washington Odyssey: North Cascades and Onwards

July 1
This day we took a long and scenic drive through the North Cascades National Park along the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20), and hiked along the Thunder Creek and Fourth of July trails.

We drove west from the Freestone Inn, and immediately began climbing. After several miles we passed through a hairpin turn and stopped at a pullout.

You can see the snow; the air was bracing and the scene was brilliantly illuminated. We were, it turned out, only a couple of minutes from the Washington Pass Overlook (5638 feet).

View Larger Map

The overlook has a short loop trail with views that beg you to linger, such as this one where, near the center, you can see a part of the hairpin curve. As always, you can click to enlarge the photo.

The trail is paved, and there are handrails in the important spots. Here, even on July 1, there were small areas where a snowbank covered the trail. The parking area had obviously been cleared by plows.

The Rainy Lake trail was at the top of our list, but at 4855 feet, the parking area was still filled with snow, and also the woods beyond. We continued driving the long, straight downhill and arrived at the Diablo Dam overlook, well above Diablo Lake itself, which is 891 feet above sea level. Having lost thousands of feet in altitude, we found the air much warmer and the snow gone. The dam, in the center of the next photo, began generating electricity for Seattle in 1936.

Zooming in on the Thunder Arm, just to the left of the above photo, we see canoeists enjoying the sunshine (click to enlarge).

We drove on to the visitors center for the national park. This spacious center had several engaging audiovisual exhibits, a bookstore/gift-shop, and an stuffed banana slug mascot.

It was also a good spot for our brown-bag lunch! We afterwards walked a nature trail looping from the visitors center, and at the main overlook, an enthusiastic Bostonian offered to take our picture. We couldn't turn him down, even if the lighting was less than ideal. I hope he continued to enjoy the rest of his trip as much as he was enjoying this day.

From left, it is Joan, Ben, Lyn, and Elisabeth.

We drove back a few miles to Diablo Lake and then to the Colonial Creek campground, to begin hiking on the Thunder Creek trail. No, I can't explain the difference in the names. Perhaps Colonial Creek is a tributary of Thunder Creek that enters somewhere near the campground.

The trail, friendly and wide, begins where Thunder Creek is also broad and slow. The creek narrows as we gently rise walking up the valley.
 

View Larger Map
The forest here has an open, unobscured feeling. The generous moisture -- we are on the wet side of the Cascades -- allows the trees to grow on top of rocks.

Many of the trees in the next photo, rooted in graveled soil where the creek floods every spring, appear to have succumbed to some event.

Further on the creek has narrowed, and is still high from the prolonged snowmelt.

At this point the trail crosses the creek.

Shortly after crossing the bridge the trail forks, with the Fourth of July trail (heading up to Fourth of July Pass at 3507 feet) leaving to the left. We decided to climb up towards Fourth of July for a short while before turning around. There were downed trees from the heavy snowfall, and I thought the growth rings and chainsaw ripples on this cross-section worth a picture.

On the way back down to the junction, we were all in favor of a pit stop, inspired by a sign at the beginning of a short spur that said "Pit Toilet". We were unanimous in calling it the best view from a toilet that we had ever seen.

Then we were in fine shape to hike back to the car and take the long drive back to Washington Pass, the Freestone Inn and dinner. 

July 2
This day was a travel day, starting with a hearty breakfast at the Mazama General Store. I took a picture of this beauty in their courtyard.

Then it was time to retrace our drive of yesterday through the Cascades, and more, but we had time to stop for a walk at the Gorge Creek Falls and Gorge Dam, which, along with Ross Dam and Diablo Dam, is part of the Upper Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. As you can see from this Google Maps view, there is both an interesting gorge where the creek joins Gorge Lake, and a parking area for the short hike to view the dam.


View Larger Map

To view the side gorge, you cross the bridge.

You can look straight down as well as sideways, for the bridge and its walkway are made of metal grating.

The best views were still obtained by leaning on the railing and looking out and down.

The walk to view the Gorge Dam was a pleasant leg-stretch, but tree growth narrowed the view.

We had hours yet to go, but leaving the Cascades area we came across the perfect place for a snack, for "elevenses," or more precisely, "twelvsies."

Cookies and ice cream, berries and other good things were welcome; the day was warming up, and steady stream of traffic arrived and departed. From the side, the farm shop exhibited an interesting swayback, almost a Thai architectural note.

Then it was time to drive on, through Seattle and down to the Blue Heron Chateau, a bed and breakfast (and event center) just a stone's throw from the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Visitor's Center at Silver Lake. According to Google Maps, today's drive totaled 357 miles.

The ground story, between the garages, is a wine-tasting room run in cooperation with Mt. St. Helens Cellars. The top two stories have guest rooms and spacious common areas.

When we arrived, the manager on duty was overjoyed, for she was anxious about whether the Neely party really existed (Lyn had made the reservations). Two years ago the founder and original owner of the inn had sold it, but the new owner had let it run down and eventually stopped making any payments on it. The original owner went to court to have the property returned, but while the issue was being decided, the new owner milked the situation, abandoning all maintenance yet continuing to take people's deposits up until the day he was evicted. 

The only evidence that a party of four named Neely had booked two rooms for the Fourth of July weekend was a single line scribbled in pencil in a random notebook page. There was no address, no phone number, no contact information whatsoever recorded for the elusive Neely. The original owner, reviewing the ghastly situation after retaking possession, considered dropping this most mysterious reservation of many mysterious reservations, but the manager decided to retain it. What if a family of four showed up on the Fourth of July weekend and were told they had no rooms? Still, the thought of having two empty rooms on the long holiday weekend was worrisome. When we walked in, excitement reigned and the owner was phoned to let her know that the Neelys had arrived!

Because the deposit had been sent to the delinquent ex-owner, it didn't exist for the current and restored owner. We would have to pay the entire amount, and Lyn would need to recover her deposit from the ex-owner, who had a lawyer who was handling reimbursements. There was a form detailing what information to mail to the lawyer.

We felt fortunate to have our rooms, and the reinstated staff had done a great job on short notice to repair or paint over the damage and neglect of the ex-owner. (Repossession had happened only two months before.) We were happy with our rooms, and with the extensive hot breakfast feasts at a long community table. And the fresh cookies each afternoon.

The famous volcano and object of our stop here, Mount Saint Helens, is visible from the inn. It's about 46 miles away by car, slightly less as the crow flies.

 

The mountain presents itself well through binoculars; here is a zoom photo.

Our next two days would be spent exploring the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, and, in a spoiler, I'll tell you that the weather co-operated.