Cutthroat Pass via the Pacific Crest Trail — Wednesday, Sep. 29, 2004

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 - PCT CUTTHROAT PASS, GRANITE PASS Ah, the time of the year to seek out photography opportunities in the crisp fall high country where the alpine larch is turning golden yellow in color! I was thinking that I'd be a week too early to maximize peak color in the trees, but a week from now isn't likely to be such clear weather. So I opted to at least enjoy something instead of being socked in clouds or even rain/snow. For many years I have wanted to discover how stunning the scenery and larch trees were in the Cutthroat Pass area along the PCT north of Hwy 20, so finally I had the chance for the long day I needed to see what was out there. Having prepared well ahead I pulled out of the driveway at 3:27am. Great! I was already ahead of schedule since I was hoping to leave at 3:30am!! I quickly used up the bonus time poking my way through a stressful 2.5 hours of driving in fog at night. The cruddy low clouds and fog that have plagued the west side of the Cascades didn't break up even out by Darrington and I was stuck in it until finally reaching Nehalem where it broke to reveal the stars of a clear mountain day. How happy I was to finally see the fog gone! I pulled up to Rainy Pass at 4855' and off Hwy 20 to the PCT parking lot and quickly got cooled off preparing for the trek in 34 degrees of early morning air! Brrrr! It's been awhile since I've been out in temperatures quite that cool. Heading north up the PCT at 7:10am I made fairly quick time of the first three miles of forested trail. The crossing over Porcupine Creek was pretty on what appears to be a new foot log. It would still be pretty intimidating in spring when the water was roaring far below you to cross! As has been the case in most areas the forest floor was a carpet of mushroom varieties that exceeds what I recall ever seeing in past years. Douglas squirrels were chatting and running all over the place...obviously a busy time for them. I sure thought I saw a quick flash of a pine marten in one location, or a fisher, but it was gone before I could verify my thoughts fully. Too bad! The opening in the forest revealed the larches of the high elevation that I'd soon see. And like magic as soon as I reached 6000' elevation larch trees started to show up in the thinning forest. It is truly amazing to me how it appears that upon the creation of the mountain ecosystems God got out a sharpie pen, drew a line at 6000', and then declared, ""Thy Shall Only Grow Well Above This Line""! The last mile to Cutthroat Pass took me at least an hour as I crawled up the way to the pass photographing the scenery. Wow! The morning light over the Porcupine Creek valley was stunning and highlighted the mountains south around Maple Pass and Heather Pass areas so nicely. This upper area before the pass has areas thick with larch trees 6-12' tall--I've never seen so many in such tight arrangements before! These lower elevation trees were only in the middle of changing full golden but the large mature trees were in their prime. Once off trail photographing scenes a huge deer came up out of the valley, crossed over Cutthroat Pass, and descended down into the forest toward Cutthroat Lake far below. Stunning scene in the early light still at 9:00am! Once up at the pass the scenery just was stunning for the next 4-5 hours. The way from Cutthroat Pass to Granite Pass and all side-scrambles up off the PCT to the ridge for wider views was in terrain where virtually all the larch trees ""were done cooking"" and fully golden yellow! More elevation but more importantly less sunlight in areas really showed here in how many were at their prime. The photography options were endless, raptors were circling in updrafts by the ridge, and as I approached and went up above Granite Pass the views were amazing. Tower Mountain, Golden Horn, The Needles, the PCT heading up to Methow Pass...it was one of the grandest lunch breaks I've ever had. Silver Star Mountain to the east was set off so well with foreground areas of golden larches. Blue crisp sky and warm sun in the 60s made this a perfect day---I was so glad I got out before the weather turned sour maybe for good up there! Finally after a very long stop atop the ridge above the PCT for food and photography I packed up for the long trek back out before it got dark. The two miles or so back to Cutthroat Pass went by just as pleasantly as they did going in and the photography was just as rewarding now that the light was at a completely different angle. Areas that looked unfit for photos heading in were really getting me jazzed for more photography on the route back out. Alas, I finally bid farewell to the high country and began the last 5-mile slog back out to Hwy 20. As my friend told me a day earlier about his experience up there…it almost brought tears to the eyes having to leave such a magnificent region of our wildlands. I swore someone re-routed the PCT while I was enjoying myself for so long up in there. The hike out surely was 105 miles and not just the 5 that I hiked in. My feet were tired from so much romping around aside from just the 7 miles of the PCT I hiked and the extra weight I packed on top of the already heavy daypack I utilize as a solo hiker and photographer. I pulled off Hwy 20 just after leaving the trailhead, scrambled down into Porcupine Creek, and sat on a rock for 5 minutes with my feet submerged under 18” of cold water rushing by! Oh man, now my day really WAS perfect. With numb feet and a cooled off human-boiler I now enjoyed the 3.5 hours back home. What a day…utilizing almost every minute of daylight having started 30 minutes after daylight and ended back 15 minutes before darkness…and topping it off with a huge peanut butter milkshake in Marblemount for the drive home! Alan L. Bauer 09/28/2004