North Fork Sauk River — Sunday, Aug. 25, 2002

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

A change of plans left me pursuing my long time goal of reaching Red Pass and its surrounding meadows. It was all I could imagine, and indeed, I must return again soon. I left Seattle I thought before the afternoon rush hour, but it met me, so I didn't arrive at the Sauk River trailhead till 5PM. At least the late afternoon was cool as I went up valley till the campsite 1/2 mile before the shelter. The crossing of Red Creek has a nice log, only a little difficult to access on its west side. Otherwise, the trail was buggy and well-maintained. Beginning the switchbacks in the early morning was an upside of my lateness. Wouldn't want to do those in the heat of the afternoon! The trail crew has done a fantastic job with managing the avalanche debris. It's really quite remarkable to see! Bugs accompanied me as I gained elevation, gaining increasing views of Sloan and the Monte Cristo peaks. After a while, I began the final traverse through lovely green meadows, surprising two marmots. I first journeyed to White Pass for lunch, hoping for a nap, but the bugs didn't allow it. So, off to Red Pass and down to the meadows. The country there is stellar; up high, I felt like I was in Alaska, rugged, alpine, etc. Found a campsite around 5600' and dove into my tent to escape those bugs. It wasn't until after dinner that I got to explore the area. I had many exploratory plans for the morning, but the clouds came in thick and wet, changing them. I spent an enjoyable day reading, napping, with short strolls, meeting my neighbors. With no change in weather on the horizon, I left the next day (had planned for 5 days but left on day 4), and headed all the way out to the car. It was a long day, and my feet may still be sore, but I have many more hiking dreams to accomplish next year...