Washington Cascades - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 316

One of the park's most challenging but rewarding day hikes is the strenuous Sour-
dough Mountain Trail , which gains a mile in height for the 5.5 miles (one way) traveled
on the ground. Most concede the effort is worth it; the views of Cascadian peaks and tur-
quoise Diablo Lake 5000-plus feet below are some of the best in the park.
The 3.7-mile hike to 5384ft Cascade Pass is the best loved in these mountains, and
gets you very quickly up into a flower-carpeted, glacier-surrounded paradise that will
leave you struggling for superlatives.
From the southern end of the Colonial Creek Campground (mile 130, Hwy 20), the
long Thunder Creek Trail leads along a powerful glacier-fed river through old-growth
forest and clumps of wildflowers flourishing in the dank forest. After 2.5 miles the
Fourth of July Trail branches left to a pass of the same name and makes a good early-
season hike (10 miles round-trip from the campground). Alternatively, you can continue
along Thunder Creek to Park Creek Pass and, ultimately, Stehekin.
Just past the Ross Dam trailhead at mile 134.5, the easy and wheelchair-accessible
Happy Creek Forest Walk (0.5 miles) gets you an up-close look at the forest on a raised
boardwalk.
At Rainy Pass, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) crosses Hwy 20. To sample the trail,
strike out north from here for 6800ft Cutthroat Pass (4 miles). Heading in the other dir-
ection down the PCT will bring you to Bridge Creek Campground, 12 miles away, where
you can pick up the road to Stehekin. Several more leisurely hikes also start from Rainy
Pass. Try the easy 4-mile out-and-back walk to cirque-cradled Lake Ann .
Just to the west of Washington Pass, between miles 161 and 162, the Blue Lake Trail
is an ambling 2.2-mile climb through sub-alpine meadows to Blue Lake, at 6250ft.
Rafting
Although it doesn't offer the heart-in-the-mouth white-water runs of less tamed water-
ways, the dam-controlled Upper Skagit makes for a good class II or III family trip
through old-growth forest, offering plenty of opportunities for wildlife-watching. A num-
ber of companies offer excursions here, including Alpine Adventures
( www.alpineadventures.com ) . Prices start at $69/59 per adult/child.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
TAKING THE SUPPLY FERRY
The Ross Lake Resort ( Click here ) runs twice-daily supply ferries ($10 one way)
from the ferry dock situated on the right just after you cross the Diablo Dam. The