Heather - Maple Pass Loop — Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

Hiked counterclockwise, as suggested. I started at the trailhead at 6:30am and never saw another person until the descent. I highly recommend starting early, so you can ascend while it's cool and see the dawn wildlife. After the hike, I headed back to camp for a little nap in the shade, and then hiked a few other local trails. Hwy 20 was closed at Rainey Pass until this morning at 10am due to mudslides. I camped at Lone Fir campground (which I highly recommend! The camp hosts keep the place pristine!). I saw the biggest, friendliest marmots ever; two of which let me photograph them quite extensively. One black bear at the intersection to Wing Lake. People are reporting bugs, but I did not find them bad at all. Just a few here and there, but I am fresh from a Goat Rocks Wilderness backpacking trip with mosquitoes so thick that it was hard to even eat. Wildflowers are blooming, but not much of the lupine has budded yet. I highly recommend this hike. If you are deciding between Cutthroat Lake or this hike, I would definitely pick this one. It has it all; do-able steady climbing (it's difficult, but the grade it not really much more than the highway grade). If you are going to hike any hike on Hwy 20, I would pick this one or Cascade Pass. The views are incredible.