People and Marmots and Bears, Oh My!

Rated the most beautiful hike in Washington, Cascade Pass has been on my hiking list for several years. So when I learned that the road had been repaired to the trailhead this summer, I decided this was the year to do it. When I heard that a small rain shower was going to clear out smoke and that Saturday, September 24 the conditions would be perfect for great views but not too warm, I put out the word to my hiking group at school and Russ and Angie decided to join in the fun.

Russ picked me up and we met Angie in Oak Harbor and headed from Whidbey Island to Marblemount. Angie tries to do this hike every year because it is her favorite and it was nice to have someone along who knew how to get there. When we arrived in Marblemount we headed straight across the one lane bridge on Cascade River Road and up the road to the trailhead. The road was paved part of the way and then became gravel but was in surprisingly good condition. The views, even on the way up, just got better and better, a preview of what lay ahead.

Russ and Ang get hiking shoes on

We arrived at the trail head and had to park about a half mile down the road since the parking lot was full. There were lots of cars and lots of people. Even in the parking lot the views of the mountains were amazing.

As we put on our shoes and suntan lotion we suddenly heard a rumbling and realized that up above there had been a small avalanche. We paused for a beginning picture at the beginning of the trail and then started the multiple gentle switchbacks up the mountainside. The trail was soft beneath our feet as we climbed gradually out of the trees.

My goal was to hike to Cascade Pass, but Russ and Angela were going to attempt to make it to Sahale Glacier. 

We paused for a water and snack break at the bend of one of the switchbacks that had a clear view back down the valley. Snow glistened on the mountain top glaciers.

Eventually we broke out of the trees and began a more level traverse, crossing a large talus field. The only running water for drinking was along this section, about three mile in.

After that traverse we crested Cascade Pass. We could look down the valley toward Stehekin. There were several large rocks for people to sit on, and people milled around taking pictures of themselves and the views. A path led up the hill with a small toilet sign. Tucked back off that path was a plastic compostable toilet with a view. Bring your own toilet paper.

We settled on the steps leading up to the toilet and began to eat our lunches. The Angela saw a Volvo key lying on the ground. Oh no, someone had lost their car key! We asked the people standing around but it did not belong to any of them. There was a metal survey marker that we laid the key on, hoping the owner would see it if they came back past it, and decided that if it was still there later we would take it down and try to find the car and leave it there.

We settled back down to finish our lunches and Angela suddenly saw that there was a bear about 30 yards from us, munching on blueberry plants. I got a picture of it and then we skedaddled up the trail. Even though Angela and I were both carrying bear spray, that was too close for comfort.

Russ and Angela continued up towards Sahale Glacier and I climbed up a ways before turning around and returning to Cascade Pass to wait for them. The black bear had ambled away when I returned and I sat on the rocks and chatted with some of the international hikers that were taking pictures there. A hiker saw the key and said he'd take it down and try to find the car that it went with and leave it there.

Eventually Russ and Angela returned and we headed back down the trail.

When we finally reach the bottom we passed the car that the key belonged to. There was a thick layer of dust on the back window and the kind hiker had written a coded message in the dust and hidden the key under a water bottle and some foliage on the front window. I hope the people figured it out. From the amount of dust on the back window the car may have been there a few days.

We drove back towards Whidbey, stopping for a fabulous dinner at the Train Wreck, where we ran into a couple of the hikers we'd met at the top of Cascade Pass. What a fabulous hike! Great time with great people and great views. It does not get much better than that!