Cascade Pass

I told a friend today that with the late arrival of summer, I’ve been almost manic in getting out. I keep telling myself to chill-I need to chill like chilli, be cool. I think I’m going to take a pass on Where’s Waldo, as my running is just not good enough, and I don’t want to drive 7 hours just to have a bad day. I will do the Cutthroat Classic, which I'm sure I can handle. But these are only events. The thing is to be happy, and not let events drive the bus. And quit registering so early.

So, at about 2 PM yesterday, in light of the amazing hot weather, I decided to bolt up to Cascade Pass.

The Cascade Pass trailhead sits at the end of the Cascade River Road, 23 miles east of Marblemount, in the North Cascades National Park. It is a very popular hike, probably the most traveled hike in the park. There are great views of hanging glaciers off Mount Johannesburg, and wildflowers in abundance if the time is right. Cascade Pass is an ancient trail, used by the Upper Skagit tribe, to travel to Eastern Washington. One of these days I am going to launch from here to Stehekin, on Lake Chelan. Could happen next month.

Almost everyone was coming down as I was going up. One of my guidebooks recommends going up after 3 PM, just for this reason. I’d like to say I was following directions, but really, I spent my morning waiting on the cable guy. Bundling now, saving a few dollars, allegedly. 

I didn’t go up to Sahalee Arm, which requires an extra couple miles each way, and some heavy climbing. I'm posting a picture of the distances, just to give any runner friends who come this way an idea or two. I sort of wish I did go up to Sahalee, but the trail to Cascade Pass was rocky, and the road to the trailhead was really winding. I didn’t feel like dealing with both in the dark. Next time, maybe.

I ran some, and hiked fast some. The distance wasn’t enough for me, but no big deal. The climb to Cascade Pass is actually pretty good for running ups, I'd say.

And now today, I got to run with my good friend Breean, over from Spokane! This is very cool for me, as Breean and I used to run every Saturday and do marathons, some years ago now. He and his family are wonderful, and I wish that we saw more of each other.

Breean and I made it our mission to run from Lake Samish to Larrabee Park, or “Samish to Sea,” as I called it. I know the way, through the Land of the Lost, though it's a bit tricky. We made it, although it wasn't any remarkable piece of running, and then we literally went down to the salt water and swam. And then there was more swimming at Lake Samish later, which was just plain awesome, albeit short because I had to get home. With the 90 degree heat we've had this weekend, swimming is the thing to do. It's August.