North Cascades Loop (Washington State)

[Stumpy]

<i>Picture this. A twenty-degree night while traveling through a mountain pass in a soft-top Jeep with no heater. "I'll be fine" I told my dad as I left for my trip... little did I know.</i>


I had been planning this trip for months now, but I had to work around the schedule of Hwy 20 because it is only open part of the year due to snow. This was my last chance before it was closed again for the season and I need a break from everything. School, work, and family life have been very draining as of lately and the best solution is a solo 500 mile road trip!

I started my trip after work around 3:00pm and headed for Port Townsend.

The first part of the trip was fairly dull traveling Hwy 16 to 101, I hadn't been over the hood canal bridge in awhile so that was the most interesting part.

I had finally arrived an hour or so later in the beautiful historic Port Townsend. It was an eerie feeling driving around old buildings and military forts built in the late 1800's. I really wish I had more time to explore the old bunkers left behind from both world wars but I had a ferry to catch. On to Whidbey Island!

 

[Stumpy]

Whidbey Island is absolutely gorgeous. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend a visit. My favorite area was the southern end which was mostly farms and vast fields with 19th century homes scattered about. All in all, a great place to catch a sunset. The northern part of the island was more civilized as I began to move towards Deception Pass more modern buildings started creeping in.

I ended up setting up camp in Deception Pass state Park, in retrospect I could spend a week there hiking around and taking in the beautiful scenery.

After spending the night/morning at the pass I decided to recoup and prepare for the next 400 miles of wilderness. I was hungry so I stopped at my favorite place to eat!

I got my regular favorite, a bacon cheeseburger! I had a wonderful waitress who was interested in my mini expedition and after great food and some small talk Red Robin picked up my tab! I'm not sure whether she felt sorry for me because I was alone or if she genuinely wanted to help me with my trip. I'm sure it was the latter...

 

[Stumpy]

So then I was off for my loop around the North Cascades. I planned to continue east until Lake Chelan and set up camp there.

And of course, the local sheriff didn't like the fact that I was going ten over down one of the passes and decided to pull me over and have a little chat... No ticket! Wahoo!

This was the part of my trip where I started getting cold. I mean cold cold. Like shivering. As beautiful as the mountains were, with no heater in the Jeep I was ready to get back down to lower land in the hopes it would be warmer.

 

[Stumpy]

I ended up cutting my trip short because of the cold. Looking back on it, going on a road trip through Eastern Washington in the fall with no heater wasn't such a great idea. But I really did enjoy my trip even if it was by myself.

The beauty of solo trips is that you are never really alone. All the locals you meet are the friendliest company you could ever have, as well as the fellow travelers you meet along the way, and more importantly I had my Jeep with me the whole time to keep me company. This is definitely a trip I want to do again when I have a little more time to explore, a warm vehicle to ride in, and a significant other to share it with.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Great pictures and great write up.:smiley_drive:

 

[Monstero]

Great pics and write up. Having lived in quite a few places in the US, my favorite by far is WA state. I lived in Moses lake for 5 years and toured most the areas you posted up. Beautiful scenery and thanks for the pics. Brings back great memories.

 

[paulj]

I like to stop at the lower end of this loop, and take pictures looking up toward Liberty Bells, the rocks above. That view is especially impressive in the early summer, when there's still snow above. Washington DOT has a lot pictures on flicker of their spring plowing operations on this road.

Last spring, a 'Ice Road Truckers' crew got access to this stretch of road right before it opened to the public. They used this slope to reenact an Alaska highway accident for use in show.

How were the fall colors? I think I see some yellow Alpine Larches in this photo. This is probably the best paved stretch of highway to see those trees in Washington. There are some hikes, for example Blue Lake just to the east of here, that are even better.

Some of my photos from this highway are at
http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/northcascades&page=all

 

[Stumpy]

I like to stop at the lower end of this loop, and take pictures looking up toward Liberty Bells, the rocks above. That view is especially impressive in the early summer, when there's still snow above. Washington DOT has a lot pictures on flicker of their spring plowing operations on this road.

Last spring, a 'Ice Road Truckers' crew got access to this stretch of road right before it opened to the public. They used this slope to reenact an Alaska highway accident for use in show.

How were the fall colors? I think I see some yellow Alpine Larches in this photo. This is probably the best paved stretch of highway to see those trees in Washington. There are some hikes, for example Blue Lake just to the east of here, that are even better.

Some of my photos from this highway are at
http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/northcascades&page=all

The colors were fantastic. I ended up racing the clock to get over the pass so I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to do a couple hikes. I'm trying to go again in another couple weeks.

I'm hoping to try some new glass on my camera. We'll see how that works out.

 

[traveller09]

So then I was off for my loop around the North Cascades. I planned to continue east until Lake Chelan and set up camp there.


This was the part of my trip where I started getting cold. I mean cold cold. Like shivering. As beautiful as the mountains were, with no heater in the Jeep I was ready to get back down to lower land in the hopes it would be warmer.

I have this exact pic from a couple years ago, only I did the trip in my 911. What a fun ride that was.

 

[Master-Pull]

I might have missed it above, but is that picture from 410 over Chinook Pass?

-Alex

 

[paulj]

He drove WA 20 over Rainy and Washington Passes to Winthrop.

The east side of 410 (east of Mt Rainier) has a similar run along the south facing slope, but does not have the sweeping switchback at the start. Both stretches are challenging avalanche slopes.

I just read today that 410 is closed east of Rainier park because of a major mud slide at its lower end (near the junction with US12). Here are WSDOT photos of that slide
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157622438776353/

clearing snow on WA20, spring 2009
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157615892803779/

WA410, sping 2009 clearing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157618459108227/

 

[Master-Pull]

Ah ok that makes sense, I have driven over both many times but they do have some spots that look similar. The Naches Wagon Trail is a great day (or weekend trip) if you have not done it yet.

-Alex

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

IMO, this place (Ross Lake) is *the* gem of the North Cascades. On two separate occasions this last summer I took week-long trips there canoe-camping, hiking, fishing, etc... epic.

Great pics and writeup, thanks for sharing!

 

[paulj]

I've been wanting to drive to the north end of Ross Lake (via Hope, BC), but so far that has not meshed with any travel plans.

 

[bj70_guy]

hwy 20 - a huge amount of fun on 2 wheels! :bike_rider: