Time out for two... Wanderlust in the North Cascades National Park

Wow, Woowww and even more Wwoooowww!!! That's all I can say. Guys, I want to go back! The North Cascades National Park was one of the most beautiful places and experiences I've had so far. There is an incredible trail after another. And 5 days are simply too short! I had a hard time choosing. From the countless options, I definitely hit two of the top ten.

After driving north from Seattle by car, I made a stop at a typical Days Inn hotel in Mt. Vernon. Otherwise, the drive would have been too long and late. It was enough to sleep. The breakfast with one kind of toast, jam, and cornflakes was awesome :-D But hey, it was included in the price. On the way to my final destination, I took the time and headed to one of the selected top ten trails: the Sauk Lake Trail at Mount Baker. A jeep would have been more suitable for the road to the trailhead. Nevertheless, I managed to drive up the gravel road, which was littered with stones and holes, with my Nissan Altima. 😊

Although I was crazy enough to hike the 4 km uphill in the midday sun, the view and panoramas were indescribably beautiful. I went back the same way to the starting point. I was on the trail for 4 ½ hours, often not making progress because I couldn't stop taking photos and videos. You have to see it with your own eyes! You don't want to leave and stay longer in this place. But you better not mess with the wildlife... The eagle didn't like my drone, which soared out of nowhere in the sky. All I wanted to do was take a quick panoramic photo. Oh shit, I think it wants to attack! With a quick maneuver, I saved my drone just before the eagle's talons. Lucky me! It circled and watched for a short while, and then the eagle flew into the distance. Phew. Who knows what ideas it would have come up with... But it looked beautiful :-D
Earlier, a butterfly also thought it could take on my drone. Well, guess who won... I got it, I'm putting away the drone. But I still got some amazing shots! ;-P

I had another 2-hour drive ahead of me. My destination was the charming town of Winthrop, where I stayed at the North Cascades Mountain Hostel for 3 nights. Diablo Lake, a popular viewpoint, was also on the way. It's amazing how turquoise the water in the mountains can be. It looked fantastic from above! 

I was getting closer to Winthrop and the landscape changed from forests and massive mountain ranges to a desert-like hilly landscape. When I arrived in town, I felt like I was in the Wild West. It was hot, dry, and the houses were built in the traditional Wild West style. Awesome!
With a hungry stomach, after the long, exhausting, and incredibly beautiful day, I finally arrived at the hostel. It was really cozy and furnished with a family feel. Mainly long-term hikers from all over the world, including those hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), gathered here. I made some nice acquaintances again. Now off to the kitchen. Spaghetti with tomato sauce and sausages were on the menu. It was quickly cooked and the best meal to refuel. Tomorrow another long hike was waiting.

My roommate didn't let me sleep at all with his snoring orchestra. With heavy eyes, I tried to wake up early so I wouldn't start too late. I went to the 12 km long Maple Pass and Rainy Lake Trail with a side trip to Lake Ann. This loop trail definitely surpassed yesterday's! After a 6 ½ hour hike with 700 meters of elevation gain and temperatures up to 37°C, I was totally exhausted and totally happy!!! The images have engraved themselves in my mind. How much more beautiful can it get here!? 

In the evening, I met my new roommate. Gunnar from Hamburg. We hit it off right away and had really great conversations! Gunnar was one of the PCT hikers and had to let his feet recover from some blisters for a few days.

The next day was forecasted to be over 41°C on the temperature gauge... Not a good idea for hiking. So I went to the “Methow Rafting” house in town. I quickly booked an afternoon whitewater rafting tour on the Methow River. The tour was more of a relaxed "float" and not comparable to my previous rafting tours in Austria and Iceland, but the cool-down was just right in these temperatures. 

In the evening, Gunnar and I played a popular card game called "BS" (stands for Bullshit) with two kids from the USA. We had a lot of laughs :-D

The farewell was tough... But I had to go back to Seattle. The flight to San Jose, California was leaving the next day. Together with Gunnar, I headed back to the small town of Mazama to the well-visited Mazama Store, a cute little shop with fresh homemade products and everything a hiker's heart desires. After a shared breakfast and nice chats, the clock was ticking. It was time to say goodbye. I drove off and then "Oops!". I left my good Asics shoes at the hostel... Oh man. I have to drive back for another 20 minutes and get the shoes. I'm not leaving them behind!

Next day, back at Seattle International Airport. Now I have a long stay of 2 ½ months in California ahead of me and an exciting time in the helicopter...