| Fall
Hiking:
Don’t let the rain get you down
By Christine Claasen
My
first winter in Washington was a long and dreary one. Having
lived in the Midwest before moving out here, I’d
experienced gray, cold, icy days, but never the constant
wetness that is so characteristic of northwest winters. At
first I didn’t mind spending cozy days inside the house,
drinking jasmine tea and reading a book on my couch while
it drizzled outside. After a while though, especially with
young children in the house, I knew staying indoors would
drive me crazy.
Now
with a couple of years of northwest rain behind me and
some decent rain gear, I look forward to a rainy day, especially
if an adventure is waiting outside.
For
those needing an excuse to get a little wet, here’s
a day trip off of Highway 20 in North Cascades National
Park that will make any rainy day seem like the best weather
you’ve
had all year. These are some of my favorite areas to explore,
and the added bonus is that it gets me moving during the
sluggish winter. (It keeps me from yelling wildly at my
kids too). So, pack a lunch, hop in the car and don’t
forget the rain gear, or this could get a little sloshy.
The
first stop in North Cascades National Park is the visitor’s
center in the town of Newhalem. About 14 miles east of
Marblemount and along the Skagit River, the town of Newhalem
is a little company town run by Seattle City Light. The
Gorge Dam powerhouse, which is located in Newhalem, is
one of three dams run by the power company, providing
20 percent of Seattle’s
hydropower.
While
the visitor’s center winter schedule
is limited to the weekends, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.,
it is a fun spot to learn about the North Cascades.
The exhibit room has historical displays with black
and white photos of the first settlers of the region – during
the great logging boom.
There
are short movies about North Cascade weather or wildlife
you may encounter on the trails. My favorite is the table-sized
topographic map with push buttons that light up specific
mountains within the park. The rangers are always willing
to talk about the forest or mountain ecology and can answer
most any question about the park.
After
spending some time browsing through the warmth and comfort
of the visitor’s center, you can head outside – into
the cool and wet – and take the River Loop
trail, which is 1.8 miles long. The trail provides
good sand banks for watching the shouting rapids
of the Skagit River, and in December and January
you may be able to spot bald eagles perched along
the trees or fishing through the shallows for silvery-red
Coho salmon. After completing this moderate walking
loop, head into “downtown” Newhalem
and turn right where the Skagit General Store is
located. At the end of the road there is a large
bridge marked “Trail
of the Cedars.” This is a nice contemplative
trail, where large centuries-old cedars give cover
from the rain. The bridge provides an open place
to bring out the binoculars for some bird watching,
or to take in the geology surrounding Newhalem. The
trail itself is fairly easy, roughly a mile-long
loop.
After
taking time exploring the trail, walk to the east end of
town toward the gorge powerhouse. Cross the suspension
bridge over the river (don’t
forget to glimpse down again for salmon, as this
is their easternmost migration area) and head to
the Ladder Creek Falls trail, maintained by Seattle
City Light. The trail has some upward hiking on
steps, and is shrouded with lush ferns, bright green mosses
and creeping ivy (which is not a native plant to
the area). The highlight to this loop is Ladder
Falls, which whips around in whirlpools and carves a smooth
gorge in the shining rock. While a fence blocks
visitors from getting too close because of the slick wet
rocks and precipice, your face will feel the mist of the
roaring water. The trail itself is a blast from
the past, with metal handrails and large lampposts that
should be on a 1960s postcard.
Presuming
it’s
still raining on your rainy-day hike, you may
wish to have lunch at a tree-covered picnic bench in
Newhalem, but if it’s too rainy, wait to
save your lunch for the next stop, where a little
more shelter is available. Heading about eight
miles east on Highway 20 and turning left at
Diablo Dam Road, make a stop at the North Cascades
Institute’s
Environmental Learning Center. You will cross
Diablo Dam, which looks like an art deco bridge,
with shimmery pale green lampposts lining the
sides. Be sure to park at the end to walk along
the dam and take a dizzying look down. If your
rainy day isn’t too filled with
cloud cover, you may even catch a glimpse of
Pyramid and Colonial Peaks. After crossing the
dam drive to the end of the road to the Environmental
Learning Center. Visitors must park in the parking
lot, but a pleasant trail leads into the campus,
where you can find the main office and ask for
brochures or a map, as the campus has a few nice
rain protecting forest trails. The classrooms
have large overhanging roofs designed to mimic
the canopy of a forest, making a dry spot to
sit or eat.
After
exploring the learning center to your liking, head for
one last stop of the day before daylight is squeezed out.
Take Highway 20 east to mile marker 134, where the Ross
Lake trailhead is located. During winter the highway
closes because of heavy snowfall and slides.
Ross Lake Trail is a moderately steep trail
that is a 1.6 mile round trip. It heads down to Ross
Lake, which looks like a ringed bathtub because
of the dropped water levels of winter. (Seattle
City Light controls the levels of this reservoir
during winter and spring months, dropping it
down by as much as 100 feet to accommodate
for the heavy snowmelt of the late spring and early
summer.) Views of Jack Mountain to the east
can be glimpsed on a clear day, as well as the massive
540 foot-tall Ross Dam. If you’re feeling too pooped to go all the
way down to the lake area, there are plenty
of viewpoints to gaze at the snow-covered mountains and deserted lake.
After
a day of temperate rainforest walks and drizzly weather exploration, you’ll
be ready to head back home and get cozy under a blanket with a cup of something
warm to sip. You’ll feel invigorated, instead of down, and
for once you may not be wishing you lived in
Arizona, Hawaii or Florida during these long winter months. Getting outside
even during the rainy months, no matter how
much motivation it takes, is well worth the effort. |
