We were uncertain about conditions, but hopeful there would be little snow after the recent storm. Not. Once we got into the open areas about a mile or so into the hike (we chose the western trail) we began to encounter increasingly deeper amounts of the white stuff. We were able to make it to Heather Pass with some occasional post-holing but became a little concerned about the possibility of avalanches on the 35-40% switchbacks. Since the day was warming into the mid-50s, increasing the danger, we decided to have our lunch at Heather Pass where there was about 2 feet of snow, then return. Not to scare you off, as the avalanche danger may have been relatively small, but we like to retain a large margin of error, so we made our way back. Nonetheless the snowy mountains were set off in stark relief on a Kodak day. Absolutely beautiful! The Larches were a little bit of a disappointment as they have not reached their peak. We encountered a surprising number of people for the conditions, including some campers. Things are probably melting fairly fast right now but if you are planning on hiking this trail right now I'd recommend bringing layered clothing, hiking poles or ice ax, and gaters. Where the trail is not snowy, it is frequently wet or muddy, too. Given the lateness of the season, this hike may have snow from now on. For more Maple Pass trail photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barrybrower/sets/72157636225073036/

Luckily the partisan politicians in DC weren't capable of shutting down this trail. Shamefully certain people are putting their personal ambitions ahead of the good of the country. I've said enough and will not mention it again. We left the trail head around eleven with light snow in the air. The visibility was never good but the snow's freshness kept our spirits moving. The fall foliage, still clinging to the branches, weighted by snow, pulled alder, maple, and devil's club into the trail. We got a bit wet. Another couple form Rhode Island turned around just before Lake Ann. The lake was beautiful but provided no where to sit and reflect. We continued our hike towards Heather Pass but turned back when the snow was getting above our knees. Winter will be here soon enough. Hopefully this will melt off and we'll have some autumn splendor.

My first trip into the North Cascades area and what a treat it was. I started the loop counter clock wise. The trail was quite busy as I took my time to photograph the spectacular scenery. There was still some 2-3 inches of snow on the second half up near 6700ft. The downed trees had been cleared off the trail. Very few flowers left now but I was announced by a very vocal Pika. Very cute and no one that I know of has ever made a kids cuddly in her image. The trees are still turning. As I came by the trail head on my way home today it was snowing and cloudy up there. If you only do one trail in this area, this is it. Too many wows to count.

One of our all-time favorite hikes. Some spectacular scenery of surrounding peaks, made even prettier by a dusting of recent snow. There was a little snow on the trail, but not a problem for hiking. The hike around the cirque, with the ability to view distant sections of the trail is really special. The number and variety of mushrooms on the hike added to the beauty. It got cold and quite windy near the top, so dress appropriately.

We arrived at the parking lot in the late morning under cloudy skies. On our way east fron Mazama, we had noticed all the peaks capped with a fresh layer of snow. We started up the north side of the loop trail through a beautiful forest glittering with droplets of water from the cool autumn showers. Huckleberry bushes are all starting to turn red, and the recent moisture has brought tons of mushrooms up through the forest floor. Wish I knew if any were safe to eat! About half way up to Maple pass, the snowflakes started falling, and by the time we reached the pass,we were trekking through about 4" of fresh powder. Spectacular views of the closest ring of peaks through the drifting clouds. We even saw a distant rainbow through the snow. We decided to hike back down the way we came in. The steep southern half of the loop trail was hidden under snow, and we didn't like the thought of trying to navigate the steep, rocky meadows without a clear trail. The sun did pop through the clouds for a few minutes while we were at the pass, and the snow really started melting fast. So hopefully, there's still time to complete the loop before winter!