North Cascades

The North Cascades are a distinct subregion of the Cascade Range located in northern Washington and southern British Columbia. They are perhaps one of the vastest and most rugged wilderness areas in the United States, and without question are one of the most beautiful areas in the US as well. The North Cascades are geographically defined as the Cascade Range north of Interstate 90 in Washington and southern British Columbia, and although their distinction from the rest of the Cascade Range is rather arbitrary geographically speaking, geologically they are very distinct.

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The rocks that compose the North Cascades are far older than the rocks that the Cascade Range are made of, and are of a different type completely. While the Cascades are chiefly composed of volcanic rock under 37 million years old from the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the lion’s share of the North Cascades are composed of accreted terranes of varying lithology. For example, the Shuksan Greenschist is a 150 million year old metamorphic rock that was sutured onto the western margin of North America over 80 million years ago. The Skagit Gneiss is another example of a rock unit representing accreted terrane that makes up quite a bit of the North Cascades. Though the majority of the North Cascades are plutonic and high-grade metamorphic rock from accreted terranes, active stratovolcanoes from the Cascadia Subduction Zone are present, including the 10,541’ Glacier Peak and the 10,781’ Mount Baker. Both volcanoes have erupted within the recent past and will continue to erupt in the future. The North Cascades are the most heavily glaciated mountain range in the contiguous United States, with 312 glaciers in North Cascades National Park alone.

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Ecologically speaking, the North Cascades contain a treasure trove of plant and animal species. The Cascade Range contains both wetter and drier climates, as the crest of the range is a natural precipitation divide. As such, plant species that represent both climates are present in the range. Western Red Cedar, Pacific Douglas Fir, Noble Fir, Grand Fir, Subalpine Fir, Pacific Silver Fir, Mountain Hemlock, Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, Engelmann Spruce, Western White Pine, Whitebark Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Subalpine Larch, Western Larch, Red Alder, Mountain Alder, and Vine Maple are notable tree species that reside in the range. Due to the ruggedness of the North Cascades, several large predators persist here where they have been extirpated in other parts of the US, including grey wolves, grizzly bears, black bears, mountain lions, and bald eagles. Elk, mountain goats, black-tailed deer, hoary marmots, fishers, wolverines, river otters, and ospreys are other animals that live in the North Cascades. Moose are notably absent, due to the fact that the North Cascades are simply too rugged for their liking.

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There are several areas of beauty to enjoy in the North Cascades, including, but not limited to, rugged alpine terrain, deep forests, and beautiful lakes. North Cascades National Park is the largest recreation area within the range, and within the park, you can see several stunning areas. Mount Shuksan (9,131’) is perhaps one of the most picturesque places on the planet, and it resides in North Cascades National Park. The best views of Mount Shuksan are from Artist Point, Picture Lakes, and Baker Lake, in my opinion at least. Diablo Lake is another scenic attraction in the park, and it’s literally a turn-out on Washington State Route 20. Washington Pass is yet another otherworldly locale on Highway 20. In fact, driving State Route 20 (dubbed the North Cascades Highway) from Burlington east to Winthrop through the heart of the North Cascades is a must. Outside of North Cascades National Park, the Enchantments and Colchuck Lake in the Stuart Range just south of Leavenworth are heavenly places. Lake Chelan, the third deepest lake in the United States (1,486’ deep) is another must visit, and several of the backpacking and hiking trips near Glacier Peak (including Miner’s Ridge, Green Mountain, and the Pacific Crest Trail) are gorgeous places to explore. Lastly, Baker Lake and Artist Point near Mt. Baker are absolutely stunning areas to see Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan (two of my favorite mountains in not only Washington, but the entire world). A visit into the backcountry of the North Cascades should be on every outdoor enthusiast’s bucket list, in my humble opinion.