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Traveling The Scenic North Cascades Highway

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Liberty Bell Mountain on the North Cascade Highway in Washington State
Liberty Bell Mountain on the North Cascade Highway in Washington State

“Sometimes you just need to change your altitude.” — Unknown

In our last photography post, we traveled from Oso to Rockport, WA.

This exploration continues from Rockport on Highway 530 onto the North Cascades Highway 20 and over one of Washington state’s most beautiful and dramatic mountain passes.


Google Maps calculates the drive as almost two and one-half hours from Rockport, to Marblemount, through the Newhalem dam region, onto Washington Pass Lookout in the N. Stehekin region, and then to the three small towns in the Methow Valley.

There are frequent points of interest along the way. Be sure to schedule most of the day so you can leisurely explore the highlights.

After driving over the pass, you will enter the Methow Valley corridor. The first town to visit is Mazama. This area is the hub of a vast hiking trail system. Twisp and Winthrop are the next stops on our journey.

We stop for the night in the small community of Carlton to spend the night. We stay at a friend’s Straw Bale home that sits on a ridge with an expansive view of the area.

Points of Interest Along the Way

Marblemount

The town of Marblemount is your last chance to grab a snack or meal and refuel your vehicle before heading over the scenic pass. Here you’ll find a Wilderness Information Center that is the main backcountry permit office for North Cascades National Park and the adjacent Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas.

Learn more, click > Marblemount

Thornton Lakes Road & Hikes

The turn-off to Thornton Lake Road is eleven miles east of Rockport. There is a five-mile drive to get to the trailhead leading to the lakeside. It is best to drive the route in a high clearance or a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The dirt road is steep and rugged in quite a few places.

The hike is another five miles once you arrive at the trailhead. The first two miles are along an old logging road system built in the 1960s, and this part of the trail is easy to navigate. After that, the hike is strenuous and not recommended for the faint of heart.

To learn more, click > Thornton Lake and Ridge and Meadow Trails

Newhalem

The North Cascades Visitor Center is in Newhalem. You can attend their multimedia exhibit to learn more about the natural and cultural history of the Ross Lake Recreational area. A theatre offers large format slide shows and video presentations. Their store has maps, books, literature, trail interpretations, and historical information. Schools and other interested groups can schedule to see various presentations describing the region and its history.

Exploring the vast Ross Lake Recreation trail system that surrounds Newhalem is a photographer and hiker’s dream.

A few of the most popular trails include:

  1. The Sterling Munro Trail
  2. River Loop Trail
  3. “To Know a Tree” Trail
  4. Rock Shelter Trail
  5. “Trail of the Cedars” Nature Walk

You can also book camping time for future trips at the Newhalem Creek and Goodell Creek campgrounds.

Newhalem is a company town owned by Seattle City Light. The three hydroelectric dams in the region are Gorge Dam, Ross Dam, and Diablo Dam.

Seattle City Light also offers tours of all three Hydroelectric dams.

To view some great pictures and see the entire region, click > The Skagit Tours.

Gorge Dam and Falls

At the Gorge Falls Overlook enjoy a walk on a leisurely trail to a footbridge where you can take in views of the falls. After parking, the paved trail leads to an unpaved path. Here it makes a loop offering views of the dam and lake. In the summer the waterfalls are not very spectacular, but this scenic stop is an opportunity to stop, stretch, and breathe in the fresh air.

For a view, click > Gorge Creek Falls Overlook

Diablo Dam and Lake Overlook

Be sure to schedule a stop at the Diablo Overlook. A short walk from the parking area along the wide-open paths has stunning views on clear or even semi-cloudy days. Diablo Lake’s blue waters sparkle and various North Cascades mountain peaks tower above.

For insight on hiking into the lake, click > Diablo Lake Hike

Ross Dam and Lake Overlook

Ross Lake is a large reservoir created by Ross Dam. The lake spans twenty-three miles in length and up to one and a half miles in width in some areas. It also extends into British Columbia, Canada. This man-made lake sits at 1,604 feet above sea level and is a breathtaking wilderness wonderland.

From the Ross Lake Overlook, you have expansive views to capture the region’s natural beauty. To experience the available wilderness activities, turn off the highway and visit the Ross Lake Resort.

Our Stop at Washington Pass Summit Overlook

North Cascades Highway Lookout
North Cascades Highway Lookout at Washington Pass Summit

The Washington Pass Overlook is your first picture-perfect stop and where we stopped to take in the view. It is perched at 5,462 feet above sea level and offers a leisurely walk along several trails adjacent to the parking area.

You can see stunning views of the dramatic ridgeline, roadway below, and picturesque Liberty Bell Mountain (the first image in this post). The Gorge Dam is also visible from this scenic stop. The below pictures are a tutorial that is found at the area describing the formation of the terrain.

The North Cascade region provides some of the most rugged hikes and outdoor adventures available in Washington State’s mainly untouched wilderness. A million years of erosion created by the glacier’s movement over several creek valleys and the Skagit River are visible from this location.

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Watch a short video of a 360 degree view when standing at the Washington Pass Overlook

Stehekin Region and Valley

You can only access the Stehekin Valley by hiking, flying in a plane, or by boat. For those who are adventurous and physically fit, an overnight backpacking trail leads into the valley. The beginning of the 19-mile hike is off Highway 20 on the Bridge Creek-McAlester Pass Trail. Most adventurers prefer the more relaxing route taken by boat from Lake Chelan. You can catch this ride with the Lady of the Lake from the Chelan lakeside just south of the Methow Valley.

Stehekin resort is a destination getaway. It is a unique community nestled along the water’s edge. Since it is only accessible by hiking, boating, or arriving by plane you can experience one of Washington state’s unique northern wildernesses. This area is also a nature photographer’s dream.

To learn more, click > Stehekin Resort Community

Dropping Into the Methow Valley

The Methow Valley is a mix of the Wild West with artistic and cultural experiences. Experience abundant outdoor activities and lodging options from rustic to fully inclusive resorts and lodges.

Mazama

The small town of Mazama is located right off Highway 20 and 17 miles east of the Washington Overlook summit. It is also 14 miles northwest of Winthrop. The elevation is 2106 feet and, the 2019 population was only 963 people.

Mazama is a fun community fully embracing the best of what mountain culture can offer. Its residents are said to be adventurous, open-minded, and good-natured.

Those who pass through can experience a “green” climate-friendly attitude and vast opportunities to explore human-powered recreation. Here you can enjoy a wonderful mix of organic foods and a love of art and music.

Because Mazama is east of the Cascade Mountain range, the weather is much drier than in western Washington. The better weather permits outdoor activities most of the year.

One of the desired features of Mazama is the connection to the Methow Valley Sports Trails (https://www.methowtrails.org) and the activities available on the Methow River.

To learn more about, click > Mazama

Winthrop

Now we drop to an elevation of 1,768 feet. The small town of Winthrop (population 400) resembles an 1850’s western town from our past. Old-style building fronts, antique boardwalks, an emporium, and saloon take you back in time.

Like any good ole western town, the community offers a yearly rodeo on Labor Day weekend!

Winthrop is known for one of the best yearly Rhythm and Blues Festivals in WA state. This music event is well attended and has drawn over eighty thousand people during the past twenty-nine years.

The Winthrop area also offers year-round outdoor activities and some of the best cross country skiing in all of North America over the 120 miles of groomed trails.

Twisp

Traveling a few more miles brings you to the town of Twisp. The elevation drops to 1,637 feet and the population is similar to Mazama (982 in 2019). Twisp is another creative town supporting great food, microbreweries, arts, crafts, and everything homegrown. During the growing season, you can frequent the well-known Methow Valley Farmer’s Market. Across the street, be sure and take time to explore TwispWorks, a 6-acre campus, and a fun and active creative hub for the artistic community.

To learn more about the town, click > Town of Twisp and Twisp, WA

Carlton

After our day’s journey, we dropped another 200 feet in elevation to the next small town of Carlton (population 396). We arrived at the location of our dear friend’s Straw Bale home which is the subject of our next scenic and pictorial post.

In the meantime, here are some additional references about the Northern Cascade region and what this breathtaking wilderness has to offer.

Explore the North Cascades

  1. Hikes Near Ross Dam and Diablo Lake 
  2. Top Rated North Cascades Hikes
  3. Learn More About: Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam and Ross Dam
  4. The OutDoor Project

If you missed the previous post where our journey began, click > Oso to Rockport, WA.

Driving Through Oso to RockPort, WA

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Oso Mudslide
Oso Mudslide of 2014, Bird’s Eye View

“Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination” – Drake

At the end of the summer of 2017, Kirk and I took a car trip to the Kootenay region in British Columbia, Canada. We had several overnight stops planned on the way. You will learn about all our destination in future posts.

After we left our home on a late September morning, our first stop was a couple of hours away in Oso, WA. We wanted to pay respects to those who lost their lives in the historic mudslide of 2014.

For more information, click > Oso Mudslide

In March of 2014, the little town of Oso experienced record rainfall, two hundred percent of the average rainfall for that time of year. The mudslide smothered forty-nine homes and structures. The devastating event ended the lives of forty-three people.

To understand the devastation to the small community, the tsunami of mud swept over one of the largest unincorporated neighborhoods located on the south side of the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. The entire town’s population in 2010 was only one hundred sixty people.

Highway 530 runs through the area and east over the North Cascade Highway and the destroyed highway running through Oso had to be completely rebuilt. GeoEngineers had to reengineer this destroyed section of the highway and reconnect surrounding communities following the Oso landslide.

We spent quite a bit of time at the memorial. Small tokens and personal mementos can be viewed by the gate blocking the area so no one can trespass. A tree was planted as a placeholder for each life lost. They were decorated with treasures that connect to memories of those who lost their loved ones. We were touched and felt honored to pay our respects.

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I Scream for Ice Cream

After the sober and touching experience at the memorial, it was time for a pit stop.

Lucky for us, the original Cascadia Organic farm was just up the road! We heard about their roadside stand with fresh homemade ice cream located just before heading over the North Cascades in RockPort, WA. The Rockport National Park is another tourist stop which is close by in this sparsely populated region.

At Cascadia’s first farm they still grow blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, sweet corn, and pumpkins at this location. We were lucky to see the pumpkin harvest at the end of summer’s growing season. As you’ll see in the pictures a farmer was loading trucks for the market during our visit.

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Of course, we had to have some of their homemade ice cream from the little roadside stand and small store. Other items that were made from their various harvests were also for sale.

We enjoyed the views of the pollinator flower gardens, pumpkins, the river, and glacier-covered mountains visible from the outdoor seating area next to where we purchased the delicious ice cream.

What a treat on such a beautiful day. Our next photo stops are several breathtaking scenic areas as we drive over the pass and include: views of Ross Lake National Recreation area, Manama and Stehekin mountain regions. The next overnight stop is in Twisp, WA where we will include photos of a friend’s straw bale house.

Hope you will check back soon, or a better option is to scroll down and subscribe to the blog. This way you’ll receive an email when the next post is published.

Grand Coulee’s Grandeur to Creston’s Fields of Gold

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Grand Coulee Dam at Dusk
Grand Coulee Dam at Dusk

In 2018, Kirk and I took a road trip from our home in Edmonds. We headed north then east over the scenic Cascade Mountains and then up to British Columbia, Canada. Since it was at the end of summer the kids were back in school so we happily missed the tourist season crowds.

On our return trip, we chose to travel south then east through northeastern, Washington. It was a three-day trip to get back home so the first night we stayed at a hotel with a view of Grand Coulee Dam.

The slideshow below contains three pictures found in our hotel room, and a spanning view of the Dam.

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The history of the damn goes back to the ’30s and was once thought of as a “pork barrel” scheme. It took the Great Depression and President Roosevelt’s need to create a vast public utility project that would employ thousands of men for the approval and funding for Grand Coulee Dam to move forward.

Heading West to Endless Fields of Gold

The next day we drove from our hotel through the adjacent town of Electric City.

After driving east about twenty-two miles we entered the region known as the Big Bend Plateau. The elevation in this area is between 1,500 to 2,500 feet and a system of channels or coulees are eroded into bedrock by glacial rivers and streams that were created from the ice age.

The endless winding road through the fields of gold reminds one to drive safely.

This is a sparsely populated area sitting in the middle of Lincoln County and it’s where you’ll find what remains of the towns of Wilbur and Creston.

The area is known for its agriculture. We drove through endless golden wheat fields as far as the eye could see. Orchards are spotted through the area and cattle graze in the valleys and on the rolling hills. This high plateau region has its own kind of beauty.

Here is a fun video from the car will driving along Highway 2 looking to the north.

A Bit of Lincoln County History

Lincoln County was formed back in 1883 and stories about its first settlers include a character nicknamed “Wild Goose Bill’ (Samuel Wilbur Condit). In 1875 he was recorded as the first actual white settler in the area and his homestead was where the town of “Goosetown” or Wilbur now stands, although we didn’t see any public buildings left standing.

Next, to Wilbur is a pit-stop town called Creston with a population of 236 as of 2010, and the elevation is 2441 ft. The town was formed as a stop along the Central Pacific Railroad. It also has an interesting history. In 1902, the last surviving member of the infamous Hole in the Wall Gang, Harry Tracy, was shot at a Creston ranch and then he killed himself to avoid capture.

The slide show below conveys the unique beauty of the region when driving by the grassy plains and homesteads.

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Transmission lines in Washington state
Transmission Lines in Creston, Wa

Transmission lines now run across the plateau from Grand Coulee Dam and are quite visible from the highway. Their tall stature and the perceived buzz in the air left me with a cold and unsettled feeling due to their dominance.

But that passed quickly as I imagined the history of this area. I wondered about the Native Americans from this region, known as the Cowiche, and the fur traders and gold miners who passed through.

I thought about the first white settlers and those who built the Central Railroad that brought the telegraph.

I thought about all those who died in the region building infrastructure through the years and those who survived in the hard winters and through all the changes.

If time could talk, I am sure this region would provide endless stories.