Heather-Maple Pass Loop

Location: North Cascades Pass

Length: 7.5 miles roundtrip 

Elevation: Gain/2000 ft. Highest/6650 ft.

Difficulty: Moderate

Time: 4.5 hours (with plentyyyyyy of breaks)

 

My best friend and I tried to do this hike last weekend but it ended up pouring down rain. We did, however, get blessed in witnessing a most majestic moose! Yeah, bitches, moose exist in western Washington. I am their leader and am drawing them hither. You’re welcome.

I’m going to let this hike fall under ‘moderate’ in hopes that it would’ve been a lot easier if I didn’t do it in 83 degree weather. The trailhead is at the Rainy Pass picnic area. Many folks say to do this trail “counter-clockwise” as the grade up is gentler, so I asked some gentlemen where to start. The trailhead information board closest to the park entrance is by a paved path that leads into the woods to the left. This path crosses a couple of little bridges and forks off to the right where there’s a sign for “Maple Pass Loop”. If you keep to the left, you’ll reach Rainy Lake. Otherwise, the trailhead going toward Lake Ann first starts at the information board where a dirt path cuts up into the woods immediately. So, if I started to the left, that’d make it clockwise, right? But that’s where the old guys told me to go! Anyways, I went up that way and also descended that way because it was about 6:30 p.m. when I reached the top and didn’t want to descend alone on a loop hike I’d never been on before. I need to make the entire loop next time but either way the total distance is still around 7.2 miles.

Holy shitness! Drool inducing beauty. The gentle grade lasts until the paved path forks off into the woods. The still, fragrant, air is delicious but also sort of creepy when you’re the only creature making any sound. I’m not a fan of my own heaving breath. Throw on some headphones and you’re golden. At this point, the dirt is very fine and the trail is very rocky and rooty. You’ll work for about 35 minutes before reaching a gorgeous spot above Rainy Lake where you’ll just wanna sit and stare and the sparkling, jewel colored orb. Listen and you can hear the glacial drain cascading down into the lake. Binoculars are a must as bears, moose, ground squirrels, ptarmigans, and many more critters frequent the area. Do not turn around… Ascend just a little more and you’ll reach a cool potential camping area where across the valley you can see the trail leading up to Lake Ann—your potential route of descent—and Rainy Lake behind you. Keep going as the final destination will come into view soon. The meadows open up with wildflowers and what’s left of the glacier is all up in yo face. This is prime bear territory.  The mountain breeze kicks in here and just makes the sweat and toil completely dissipate. The switchbacks up the final bit go a lot quicker than they look. Spoiler alert: the odd bench-shaped silhouette at the summit is actually a wooden sign for the North Cascades National Forest Boundary.

The curious, furry Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel.

Rainy Lake

Lake Ann

The summit offers so many cool views from so many spots. You get 360 views of endless craggy peaks. The layers of mountains just leave you in a daze. It’s like a 3D puzzle. My favorite part of this hike, much like the nearby Easy Pass, is the sound of the wind cascading through the valley. Peace and contentment at its finest. I cannot even begin to fathom what the sunset and deep twilight looks like here.

Love those Toy Story clouds :)

The picnic area itself is beautiful. Stop here for a stroll on the way to or back from Winthrop. The flat trail to Rainy Lake itself is totally worth it. Do this hike. You won’t regret it!