Chasing the Golden Larches ~North Cascade Mountains
October in Washington State is one of the most beautiful seasons and the perfect time to visit .
Look at all the beautiful fall colors that are so vibrant and welcoming๐
The Golden Larches were on full display and we were lucky enough to catch them..they turn the bright golden color for such a short time before they lose their needles .It was interesting to touch them .. they were so soft .
We also talked with another hiker .. Keith from Ohio who recommended a short trail off of the Maple Pass Loop โฆthe Wing Lake Trail ..where he captured the most beautiful hike through the larches .
The weather in the North Cascades is a little of everything โฆsunshine,rain and even some snow and the mountains are basking in the final streams of sunshine as they prepare to welcome winter.
We experienced all their weather including the snow and enjoyed all the beauty of fall. The pics look so unreal but the actual views were so much better! The camera never captures the full experience .So thankful to be able to experience all this beauty!
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โFrom the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.โ
โญโญPsalmsโฌ โญ113โฌ:โญ3โฌ โญNIVโฌโฌ
Descending Maple Pass is so beautiful! You see the path as it zigzags along the mountainside and everywhere you look you see mountains. If you look closely you will see other hikers who look like little specks .
Views of Rainy Lake as we were descending back to where we parked.
Here are our statsโฌ๏ธ
๐Maple Pass Loop
๐งญ Winthrop, Wa
๐ฅพ 6.5 miles RT ( we came in at 7.9 miles)
๐๏ธ 2162 ft elevation gain ( we gained 2254 )
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
The Larches in all their beauty this past week at Maple Pass Loop in the North Cascade Mountains was such a blessing to experience. So thankful we were able to catch them during this magical transformation.
Maple Pass Loop also connects to Rainy Pass with the PCT Trail and we had the privilege of catching up with one of the PCT hikers,Daniel and his dad who was there to provide refueling snacks for those on the trail. Daniel started hiking in April from Mexico and had it had been 179 days since starting and he had just a few more to finish the PCT ! So impressive! He looked great and by the time we finished the hike he was already on the trail again but his dad was still there to cheer on the PCT hikers and us! What a nice guy! You can follow all his adventures on his YouTube channel I linked below โฌ๏ธ
https://youtube.com/@mountainhearthikes?si=bAXXtT3K2Q1OiBRi
Here is a reel of our full day and all the views! Enjoy and donโt forget to subscribe to see more of our adventures!
Colchuck Lake ~Gateway to the Enchantments ~Hiking in the Cascade Mountains
Colchuck Lake has easily become a yearly favorite . The first time I ever had the privilege of doing this hike it turned into a crazy day . We had an injury in our group, we experienced bouldering for the first time , many of us ran out of water , it took us way longer then we planned , and we met our first skinny dippers at the lake ๐ Since then, we have had so many laughs looking back at that first time.
Here is some of the first boulders we experienced.. but stay to the right and you will find a path that makes it easy to get through.
This hike is so captivating that when you first get the glimpses of the water you are in awe that you have just stumbled on this hidden gem . It is surrounded by two of Washingtonโs tallest peaks ,Dragontail and Colchuck Peak. Literally, I could stay there all day ! So beautiful and the water is so clear .
Colchuck Lake is one of the two gateways to the Enchantments. Itโs an iconic hike in itself but if you want to challenge yourself more ,you can continue on to Aasgard Pass, the door to the Enchantment Core. Makes me think of a portal to another world , which now after doing Aasgards ,it actually does seem like a whole different world you step into . Look for that post later!
Here are our statsโฌ๏ธ
๐Colchuck Lake
๐งญ Leavenworth, Wa
๐ฅพ 8.7 miles RT ( we came in at 10.55)
๐๏ธ 2342ft elevation gain ( we gained 2491)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out the full reel of our adventure โฌ๏ธ
And check out our post of the cutest Bavarian Starbucks we went to after our hike
Lake 22 Trail
Lake 22 was one of the most beautiful hikes we did in 2024 . The pics donโt even begin to do it justice or show just how huge the rocks areโฆAmazing!
This trail was not at all what I expected. With the elevation being under 2000 gained I was thinking easy but it was not. It was a great workout and the views were stunning! It was rocky which I wasnโt expecting and had some bouldering .
Definitely one of my top favs!
The stats for this trail are โฌ๏ธ
๐ Lake 22 Trail
๐งญ Granite Falls, Wa
๐ฅพ 5.9 miles RT ( we came in at 8.38)
๐๏ธ 1446 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1526ft)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out our reel below โฌ๏ธ
Kamiak Butte Trail
Kamiak Butte Trail is a beautiful trail tucked into the rolling Palouse farmland and comes with some great view points that is near Pullman ,Wa.
It was the perfect trail to stretch our legs after a long drive and take in the beauty of the area. I love that the landscape is so differant there . It reminds me of parts of Texas with its rolling fields that look like a quilt of patched farmland everywhere you look.
There is also a beautiful park with playground by the parking lot if you are looking to have a picnic with views and want to skip the hike.
Here are the stats โฌ๏ธ
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๐Kamiak Butte Trail
๐งญ Palouse , Wa
๐ฅพ 2.5miles RT ( we came in at 2.57)
๐๏ธ 715ft elevation gain ( we gained 704)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
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Horsetail & Ponytail Falls Hike ~Columbia River Gorge
Horsetail Falls is located in the โWaterfall Corridor โ of the Historic Columbia River Highway. It plunges a 176ft over a basalt cliff and is absolutely breathtaking. This waterfall is easily accessible for all . There is plenty of parking across the street but on sunny days come early because it fills up quickly.
If you want to add another short hike to Pony Tail Falls (Horsetail Falls #438) you will follow the trail to the left . It is a bit steep at first but itโs short so hang with it because when you come around a bend there is a beautiful waterfall that is in sight and feeds the Horsetail Falls. It cascades over a cliff and you can walk behind it . There is a beautiful pool that in the summer we have played in. Itโs almost like a hidden poolโฆSo beautiful!
๐Horsetail Falls and Ponytail Falls
๐งญ Cascade Locks , Or
๐ฅพ .8 miles RT ( we came in at 1.04)
๐๏ธ 301 ft elevation gain ( we gained 294)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out our reel with videos below โฌ๏ธ
Wahclella Falls Trail
Wahclella Falls Trail is one of our top 10 hikes! I lost count of the waterfalls as we hiked in and out but everywhere I turned there was a waterfall . It is definitely the greatest Show in nature and itโs a perfect hike if you are wanting a quick hike with a great views.
It felt a little bit like we were in Jurassic World because of how beautiful and lush it was. Absolutely breathtaking! You get a little of everything with this hike .. rocky , inclines , bridges and so many waterfalls โค๏ธ
Stats โฌ๏ธ
๐Wahclella Falls
๐งญ Cascade Locks , Or
๐ฅพ 1.9miles RT ( we came in at 2.9)
๐๏ธ 308 ft elevation gain ( we gained 591)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Check out our reel โฌ๏ธ
Columbia Gorge Hiking ~Shepperdโs Dell
Shepperdโs Dell was one of the little stops on the Columbia Gorge that we literally could have driven right past and missed out on all this beauty!
Iโm so thankful a friend told us about the trail from the road and that we stopped. It is a very short short hike down a beautiful path to the waterfallโค๏ธ A bonus looking back up at the bridge and path .. I felt like we were in a whole different world
Check out our reel below and follow us for more adventures โค๏ธ
Pinnacle Peak Park via Cal Magnusson Trail Hike to Fire Lookout Tower
Elevation Hike that makes you work for it! Mt Peak in Enumclaw has two routes .. Long and steady or short and steep . We took the short and steep on this trip .
Once we made it to the top , we enjoyed a break in the beautiful Fire Lookout and snapped some pics. It took us just about 2 hours round trip . Below are our statsโฌ๏ธ
๐Pinnacle Peak Park via Cal Magnusson Trail
๐งญ Enumclaw, WA
๐ฅพ 2.7miles RT ( we came in at 2.5)
๐๏ธ 1299 ft elevation gain ( we gained 1004)
โญ๏ธ Stats based on AllTrails and Apple
Family Adventure ~ Little Si
We were up early to try to beat the crowds and were so thankful when we pulled in a little after 8am and there was still parking! Yay! Praise God!
The trail starts steep but then levels out for a bit where you almost think ,โwhere is the elevation gain? โ Oh no worries .. the last part of the hike is all elevation.
Be on the lookout for rock climbers also. We saw several sets of them ascending the rock face which was very cool.
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As you get closer to the summit you will have some rock scrambling so trekking poles are super helpful especially coming down.
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When you come to the top clearing you are met on the left side with a stunning view( top picture on this post) ! In fact it may be our favorite view even more then the summit!
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Then you climb a little more and are on the summit of Little Si. Mt.Si is behind you and the whole Snoqualmie Valley is in front of you .
Such a fun family hike! It took us about 3 hours round trip and we logged just over 4.5 miles on our Apple Watch.
