Summer in the Cascades

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Who is excited for the summer?

With the ultra-warm temperatures last week, it almost felt like summer in the Pacific Northwest. And even though mountainscapes like this would be inaccessible for quite a few more months, I feel like I am ready for more adventures in the wilderness areas of Washington.

This specific image was taken a few summers ago, right at the cusp of fall where smoke from nearby fires lent a hazy atmosphere on a crisp summer morning. The open terrain above the treeline, dotted with glistening lakes and panoramic vistas of the North cascades, is really a wonderland that I hope will be incorporated into the National Park System.

Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA

Leave No Trace

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As spring slowly transitions to summer, snow caps high in the Cascades will start to melt away and reveal beautiful alpine landscapes. And for a short span of 90 days, this fragile terrain will be host to not just thousands of eager hikers seeking out sublime vistas, but also delicate alpine flora and fauna, including feeble yet colorful plants that have to grow, bloom, pollinate, seed, and die in that short burst of summer, and hungry animals that have to fatten up for the next hibernation cycle.

So the next time you are exploring the high Cascades, remember to follow the Leave No Trace principles. This simple step will ensure that this natural beauty, such as this scene in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, is preserved for generations to come.

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

WA USA

Eeking out life

Its hard up there in the fringes of a livable ecology. Cold climes, poor soils and rugged terrain make life hard for the flora of this alpine ecosystem. Compound that with a really short growing seasons and with mountain goats and picky humans eager to feed and feast, it is a miracle that this fragile community exists at all. And that is why it is important not to trample this delicate balance during the outdoor adventures in this place.

But more than exist, the vegetation here thrives; during my visit a month ago, I was surprised to see throngs of ripe huckleberry shrub, late blooming daisies and lupines and plenty other wildflowers compete for space in a land dominated by massive glaciated peaks, steep valleys and deep canyons.

Of course it is all under snow know, as proper winter begins in this beautiful alpine terrain. Here's to a generation of montane vegetation growing, budding, flowering, seeding, and setting the stage for the next generation 8 months away.

Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA