Joined: 09 Jun 2004 Posts: 1390 | TRs | Pics Location: Livin' on a prayer
Sun Oct 15, 2006 10:11 pm Heather Pass - Maple Pass Loop (10-15-06)
Smartboard and Upgrade met at my house at about 8:45am and we began the 2 hour drive out Hwy 20 to Rainy Pass.
With the wet weather prediction we had some concerns about limited views... but we also wanted to check out these Larches that I keep reading about... so this was our chance.
We hit the trail (counterclockwise) at about 11:00am... in cool, drippy weather. A short while later we began shedding the extra layers as the drips started to disappear.
At the first clearing, we encountered a whole clan of Pikas... whistling back and forth.
The Pikas were quickly followed by some pleasant fall colors... which reminded me of my favorite ice cream.
A short while later, we found ourselves at Heather Pass... and the opportunity to get up close and personal with a real Larch. No autographs please... photos OK.
We continued onward to Maple Pass... where the precipitation began once again - but this time in the form of light snow. Not enough to decrease visibility and not enough to stick on the ground, but hey... it's snow!!! Woo Hoo!
There are other photos, but they don't do justice to the area - I suggest you check out photos from trip reports from 10/7/06 or thereabouts.
Ultimately, we made the rapid trail descent to the paved Rainy Lake trail. Never having been here before, we opted to follow it to the lake. Very scenic.
On the final stretch of trail toward the car, the clouds finally begin to thin a bit which really brightened up the colors.
We packed up the car and headed westward on Hwy 20 toward home. Along the way we came across this vehicle... and it's "luggage" traveling at its top speed (probably about 35mph or so). That was a sight I've not seen before.
Once in Marblemount, we had dinner at the Buffalo Run Diner (Cafe?)... very quiet in there this evening, but the food was timely and decent. Drove through quite a rain shower after that - we were thankful that our trail time left us materially dry.
Great trail! Too bad we missed the spectacular weather... I'll be back to do this one again some day.
Elvis
-------------- Sedro-Woolley: Where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage.
"Ill habits gather unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." ~John Dryden
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