Cascade Pass,Horseshoe Basin (Stehekin)

September 6th, 2008: Cascade Pass – Horseshoe Basin



Mighty peaks, festooned with hanging glaciers – a colorful valley, highlighted by shafts of sunshine playfully frolicking with the clouds – a beautiful basin, decorated with frothy, cascading waterfalls and burbling streams…this is what hiking is all about. I last visited Cascade Pass more than 3 years ago. It was time for a return visit; only this time, I would be heading on to Horseshoe Basin, which I had not visited before.

My usual ultra-early start did not quite materialize this time: 2 nap-stops on the drive over meant that I was only on the trail by 6:30am. The Cascade Pass trail is smooth and easily graded. Views of the massive north face of Mount Johannesburg are intimidating and humbling; the periodic thunderclaps of ice/rock fall from the numerous hanging glaciers only add to the show. This time round, I was entertained by an even better showing as shafts of sunshine spilling over Cascade Pass played amidst the shadows on the cliffs.

The 3.7mi to Cascade Pass always go quicker than expected (a testament to the beautiful trail) and I was soon picking my way through the meadow just short of Cascade Pass. My heart began beating just that little bit quicker, in anticipation of one of my favorite views in Washington. Mellow morning sunshine greeted me as I crested the saddle and there before lay the magnificent show that is the Pelton Basin: a lush green valley, cut by a silvery, twirling stream and walled by gorgeous peaks, separated one from the other by gleaming glaciers.

Now on previously unseen territory, I dropped down into the basin, still on a smooth and easily graded trail. Then, after rounding a shoulder of Sahale Arm, I switch-backed somewhat steeply down into the Stehekin Valley – all of the elevation gained on the climb up to Cascade Pass was lost in this drop. Just shy of the low-point I crossed the outlet of Doubtful Lake (up high on Sahale Arm). This was an extremely pretty spot – small, rocky pools momentarily gathered the water before gently releasing it down granite slabs – so I relaxed and soaked in the atmosphere for a bit.

Shortly after the crossing of Doubtful Creek I reached the fork for Horseshoe Basin. I took a left here and headed along the (slightly brushy) old, abandoned mining road. A scant 1.5mi later I broke out of the brush and into the basin: horseshoe-shaped, surrounded on 3 sides by towering cliffs, with numerous waterfalls gleaming in the sunshine as they tumbled down the cliffs. Just gorgeous! A flower and rock-strewn floor led me deeper into the basin, before a final talus-field escalator ended the journey at the Lower Horseshoe Basin headwall.

The Black Warrior Mine, at the end of the basin, nestled near the base of a frothy waterfall, grabbed my attention – not much of a mine aficionado, I still found it pretty cool and poked around for a bit, before heading back out to admire the waterfalls. I had harbored some thoughts of trying to find a way up the cliffs to the Upper Horseshoe Basin, but was more than satisfied with my day, so didn’t expend any effort on that pursuit. I just sat and enjoyed the setting for about an hour before heading back.

Additional Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani/sets/72157607183510971

Stats:

- Distance: 17.8mi

- Elevation gain: 5,000ft

- Hiking time: 10.25hrs

- Total trip time: 17.5hrs