Although larches are conifers, their needles turn from green to gold each fall and they shed their needles for the winter. Larches are an oxymoron: they're deciduous conifers in other words, evergreens that aren't always green. Instead, the most common type of tree here was the alpine larch. Heather Pass had plenty of heather, but there was not a single maple in sight when I was at Maple Pass. Glacier Peak, Dome Peak, and Ptarmigan Traverse from Maple Pass Dome Peak, LeConte Mountain, and Spider Mountain formed the northern part of the glaciated skyline. Glacier Peak formed the south anchor of the snowy peaks that I could see from Maple Pass it was also the only volcano visible along the hike. These were the peaks of the Ptarmigan Traverse: the mountains that spanned one of the most renowned alpine traverses in the Northwest. The glacier-capped peaks for which the North Cascades is perhaps best known rose in the distance.

The view to the west and south was equally impressive. Golden larches were a constant companion on the east side of the pass.Ĭutthroat, Whistler, Silver Star, Liberty Bell, Early Winter Spires from Maple Pass The trail followed the high alpine ridgeline through the broad pass, with stunning views to both sides. The next mile of hiking was one of the most superb stretches of trail in the state. The pass was indicated by a large sign marking the boundary of North Cascades National Park. The trail made a switchback through a beautifully lit larch grove and then finally came to Maple Pass itself. Lake Ann beneath Whistler Mountain and the Washington Pass peaks This high mountain balcony was situated directly above Lake Ann, providing stunning views of the lake and its island and the many peaks of the Washington Pass area. After a period of ascent, the trail began to cut south along the mountainside from Heather Pass towards Maple Pass. I did take a short detour to Heather Pass and caught my first glimpse of the great pyramid of Black Peak I also had one of my first up-close encounters with the autumn larches on this hike.īeyond Heather Pass, the trail continued to climb via switchbacks, with ever-widening views across the valley of Granite Creek towards Porcupine Peak, Golden Horn, and Mount Hardy. A trail branched off to the right, leading to the pass itself you won't miss much if you skip seeing the actual pass as the views accessible there can be seen from the trail itself just a little farther up. Lake Ann came into view a few hundred feet below the trail.Ī continued steady climb brought me to Heather Pass at about 2.5 miles. At first the trail stayed largely in the forest and had a pleasant dirt tread, but part of the way through the ascent the trail broke out onto a rockier talus slope, which meant views but a less smooth trail. The right fork, which headed towards Heather Pass, began to climb steadily. The high, rocky alpine world of Maple Pass lay at the saddle between the two high points visible from the lake.Īfter enjoying the views of the lake, I backtracked to the earlier trail junction. The lake was framed by two rocky peaks the peak to the right displayed a huge slope of red bushes while the rockier peak to the left was dotted with golden larches. I took the left fork towards Lake Ann, which followed the flat bottom of a valley about a half mile to Lake Ann, which lay at the head of a cirque. Whistler Mountain from the first clearing on the hikeĪt a little over a mile from the trailhead, I came to the junction where the trail for Lake Ann split from the trail continuing towards Heather and Maple Passes. At about three-quarters of a mile in, the trail broke out into its first clearing, providing good views of Whistler Mountain along an avalanche slope lit bright red by fall foliage. The first mile of the hike was a steady climb up switchbacks through the forest. After signing in at the register, I hit the trail, taking the loop counterclockwise by first following the trail towards Lake Ann rather than the paved trail towards Rainy Lake and Maple Pass.

Maple pass loop