Blue Lake — Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

Went to North Cascades for some Fall Colors. Due to timing, Blue Lake looked like a good bet for a shorter hike when you are starting later in the day. It it a few miles East of the Rainy Pass Summit. It was a overcast and their were a few Larch commingled with other trees. I think someone has the elevations wrong somewhere. I sync'd my altimeter at the trail head - 5200 feet but it only read 6050 at the lake, not 6380. The watch is historically quite accurate, so I am saying the hike is only about an 850 climb and not almost 1300. And it felt about right too, it was not 1300 feet up there. There is a warning notice at the trailhead about goats and yes they are up there in the lake basin and yes they have zero fear of people. They come right at you and you have to hurry down out of their way.