North Cascades National Park

The last part of Labor Day weekend was spent in the North Cascades National Park and surrounding areas. I visited this place in the summer of 2006 for class, and it was exactly how I remembered it, including the General Store on Highway 20 that stocked Violet Crumble candy bars.

➳ Cascadian Organic Farms

There is a stand along the highway, so we got blueberry ice cream for a morning treat.

Further down the road, we entered the national park and stopped at the Visitor Center. After narrowing down hike options to Maple Pass, Cascade Pass to Sahale, Easy Pass, and Sourdough Mountain, we decided on the only very strenuous day hike option.

➳ Sourdough Mountain (10.4 miles round trip with 5,100 feet elevation gain)

It was a sick hike, and we basically had it to ourselves. On the way up, we counted nine people coming down, but only five of them had made it all the way to the top. 

The trail starts just off the highway in the town of Diablo. True to the description, it switchbacks relentlessly through the forest and up the mountain. Eventually, there is a creek, followed by a steep meadow of wildflowers with switchbacks back and forth up the mountainside until the historic lookout.  Oh the views... The higher we climbed, the better they got. 

Isaiah 54:10
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord who has compassion on you.

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant in the trail and the change
One thing remains
Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me
On and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul...
In death in life I'm confident
And covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid there's nothing that
Can separate my heart from Your great love.

The views were spectacular on all sides, but we especially enjoyed turquoise-blue Diablo Lake, the snow-capped mountains and the blooming wildflowers.

Psalm 103:15-18
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
BUT the steadfast love of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep His covenant
and remember to do His commandments.

Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

➳ Diablo Lake

The pictures do not do it justice; it was a brillant blue. Pretty sure we are obsessed with glacial lakes now and starting a lake bucket list for the next time we are out in the northwest. 

➳ Washington Pass

➳ Winthrop, WA

is an old west themed town located east of the national park. We stayed the night here and spent the next morning exploring.

➳ North Cascades Mountain Hostel
Just off the main street, we rented a small cabin for the night. It reminded us of being in a tree house, and we look forward to visiting again sometime to cross-country ski in the winter.

➳ Rocking Horse Bakery
We loved this little coffee shop in town. It was an adorable place to get warm drinks (espresso for the boys, chai for me).

➳ Sheri's
Adam and I had homemade ice cream while Matt opted for the chocolate covered bacon for breakfast. First pumpkin ice cream of the fall season!

The rest of the morning was spent walking the small town. It was just as I remember it, cute and quaint, but quiet this time.

The brewery and nordic ski shops were our favorite buildings.

To get home, we flew Frontier out of Bellingham. Our friend Nick had found 10,000 point tickets back, so we met him and Kristina there and flew together (they had spent the previous week in Canada and the Cascades as well). 

First Frontier flight ✓