Heather - Maple Pass Loop — Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

This was my first time hiking in (fresh) snow since a trip to Mt. St. Helens back in May. Sometime between Friday and Sunday morning, the ridge received 1-2 inches of snow. Heading counterclockwise means you encounter snow just beyond Heather Pass and lose it maybe half a mile past the high point. Trail conditions varied from snow-covered to snow-free during this stretch, but hiking counterclockwise means you'll always be descending on dirt while hiking clockwise would be a bit slipperier. Colors are still pretty good in the areas not covered by snow and the larches certainly stand out against a white background. All of the larches were golden and most still had all of their needles. There are some mushrooms at lower elevations, but obviously the high country is the star of this hike. We showed up around 10:15 and had our choice of parking spots. Everyone else arrived around 10:30. The lot was nearly full by mid-afternoon.