Cascade Pass,Sahale Arm,Sahale Glacier

After moving to Bellingham two years ago, I finally got around to doing this classic hike. Although a longer drive than the alluring SR 542 trailheads, it was well worth the effort. All the superlatives written about the Sahale Arm are true…this is one beautiful trail. The section from the Doubtful Lake junction to the base of the moraine is just spectacular, and for me the best part of the hike. The tread through the moraine is a pain, but the payoff is a great view of the seemingly endless mountains to the south. One reason I’ve avoided this trail is its’ popularity…by the end of the day I had encountered about 35 people, and that’s no where near prime time. By starting at 7:00 AM, I hiked to the pass and part way up the Arm before seeing the first biped. About a dozen backpackers/climbers had spent the night at the Sahale Glacier Camp, and by the time I reached it, the last two had completed the climb and were packing up. For the next 90 minutes I was the Lord of Sahale…also Lord of the Deer Flies. On the way down, I saw at least 13 backpackers headed up to the camp…that would seem a bit crowded . Although seeing the sunset from up there would be great, I was happy to enjoy the hike down and head home for a beer. Notes: the Cascade River Road is long, but not too bad…some washboard sections…fewer potholes than I expected. Hiking time—4 hrs to the glacier, about the same time down with all the stops to take in the view…Great marmot and pika sightings…Signs of goats around the camp, but I couldn’t spot any on the slopes…Black flies moderate in the forest…No problem finding water.