After our whirlwind visit to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Mark and I wished to explore Glacier National Park in Montana. My intention was to then continue our trip into Canada: Waterton Lakes NP, Banff and Jasper NPs, and saying a quick “hello” to our friends Sue and Dave in Calgary, before heading west to Vancouver and Vancouver Island. I write “my intention”, because we never plan much in advance, and this whole itinerary might have been a tad ambitious, as summer was already ending this far north. Why was that a surprise to me?
Upon doing research online about Glacier National Park, we discovered that massive forest fires raged on the western edge of the park. This was the preferred side for us to enter, because it offered spectacular views, contained free camping, the distance was doable, and it made most sense for our route north. But, the western entrance was closed. We decided to skip this park altogether and drove westwards within the United States, choosing North Cascades National Park as our new destination in Washington state.
The Logistics
This area in the North Cascades is actually called the North Cascades National Park Complex, since it contains multiple parks and recreation areas. It’s best known for its wilderness hiking and many trails, lodges, and campgrounds are only reachable by boat via the handful of lakes. The main road that passes through is not a national park road, but the fast and furious WA-20 highway. Because of all this, our stay didn’t feel quite like a national park experience, but it was memorable nevertheless.
Our resources told us there was a free (!) campground within the national park region, called Gorge Lake. There are only eight spots, next to a glacial river, so we had an early start that Wednesday morning at the end of August. Labor Day Weekend was coming up and getting there before the crowds was important. We were pleasantly surprised to find a few open spots and picked the end site right above the river, which offered us some privacy as well. The sign noted that this campground is free until next spring. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, there are two vault toilets, and – best of all – garbage and recyclable receptacles! After looking in vain for weeks to recycle cans, bottles, paper and plastic containers while on the road, this “service” made me very happy. We settled in for a week.
Our campsite for the week
We did not pick up a cell connection (T-Mobile) in the park, yet, I decided to accept a big translation project, which took me two days to complete. I managed that feat thanks to the Environmental Learning Center nearby, which has a library, and the free WiFi signal we picked up in the little village of Diablo.
Diablo – A Ghost Town
The first evening, Mark and I crossed a small bridge into Diablo, a scattering of houses, some of them lived in by employees of the electrical company. There was no one around. We approached the power plant and high voltage signs; nobody chased us off. As dusk arrived, we walked over a grate covering rushing water. We kept walking. An eerie feeling came over us as we noticed a yellow sign indicating playing children. The swing was empty, creaking in the chilly breeze. More empty houses. No cars. An abandoned square. A bygone post office, a deserted open-air waiting room, a defunct phone booth. Electrical cables escaped from an open cabinet full of wires… It was surreal. As if we were on the film set of the Walking Dead; a zombie could appear out of nowhere at any time. I returned to this area another day to take photos.
Hiking in the Park
As I mentioned before, multiple-day hikes are the norm in this national park. But, there are shorter options as well. One day, Mark and I hiked the Pyramid Lake Trail which is four miles long and has an elevation gain of 1500ft. We could reach the trailhead from our campground by adding another three miles to this endeavor. Once in the forest, the path was extremely steep. It was good exercise (and preparation for our next hike) and I sweat buckets. The destination, a small log-filled lake, was blah.
Another day, we planned a different hike into the wilderness. We would combine the Thunder Creek, 4th July, and Panther Creek Trails. Usually, hikers climb to the 4th July pass and return. We hoped to make a loop out of this day trip by hitching a ride back to Zesty once we reached the main road. We multiple-checked our calculations: the total trail length would be 7 miles. We packed water, snacks, and lunch for a 3-hour hike.
It was a beautiful walk, first along Thunder Creek, flat and easy, then deeper into the forest and up the mountain, a steep 1.5-hour climb. We crossed what we thought was the pass, and started our descent, through the woods and along rushing Panther Creek. As we approached the 7-mile mark on Mark’s GPS, we reached the end of the hike. Or so we thought. 8 miles in. We could have made a miscalculation on this route. No worries. Nine miles in. We really ought to reach the road soon. We’re out of water. 10 miles. You’ve got to be kidding! Where is the road?
Another mountain to cross. We became desperate. What if this is the wrong path? Trails run for tens of miles in this wilderness park… Short, steep switchbacks, straight up another mountain. Then, down again, as steep. I was exhausted, parched, sweat ran down my face, my knees hurt, my head throbbed. But, I heard a loud Harley Davidson. The noise that usually makes me cringe now put a smile on my face. The road must be nearby. Finally, after 11.5 miles, 3000ft elevation gain and six hours of hiking, we reached an empty parking lot. We hadn’t passed anyone else. The sign at the beginning of the trail mentioned the stretch we just covered as a suitable two-day hike. And, yes, we managed to hitch a ride back to the van not too much later.
The third hike I did was an easy one. Mark had completed it previously while I worked. It started in Diablo, climbed a hill and brought me across the Diablo Dam and back. There are a few dams in this national park and they are all quite spectacular. I learned from another visitor that the smoke in this part of the park had been extremely dense, right before we arrived. This time, we got lucky!
Biking in the Park
This activity is not recommended as the shoulders are narrow, people drive fast and there are a couple of tunnels. Yet, Mark and I braved a short, 10-mile ride to the town of Newhalem and back, which offered nice views and different sites.
On the day Mark and I left North Cascades National Park, the smell of smoke penetrated our home on wheels and nostrils. Good timing. Next stop: British Columbia in Canada.
Note: I’m slowly catching up on blogs about our RVing lifestyle, which started the end of July. Our current location can be found in the right column of this website.
PS: To read the photo captions, hover your mouse over the images, tap them once, or click to make them larger.
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October 11, 2018 at 12:07
You guys are so adventurous! That 11+ mile hike would have done me in for sure. Glad you made it out thanks to that loud Harley Davidson. Which resource helped you find that terrific campsite within walking distance of Diablo? Great that you found the Environmental Learning Center too. Would definitely be involved with that org if we lived out there.
October 17, 2018 at 00:45
Oh, that 11-mile hike did me in! But, I also realized during that massive effort, that our bodies are so resilient! We can really push ourselves, if we have to. Crazy stuff.
We might have found that free campsite in the park through the free app iOverlander. We’ve been using that lately, instead of freecampsites.net, because we can access (and add to) it offline. An incredibly helpful resource. This particular campground will be free until next spring. From then on, the park will charge $10 a night, I believe.
October 11, 2018 at 13:19
Your photos from the Cascades are beautiful . . . and tempting! I doubt that we’ll ever make it ourselves, but your post definitely makes me wish we had. Cheers.
October 18, 2018 at 23:25
Thanks, Stephanie. I have a feeling that you guys will explore the United States overland one day. How much fun that’ll be. After your next adventure! 🙂 It was so nice meeting you both. We are still talking about it. 🙂
October 11, 2018 at 13:34
Beautiful scenery Liesbet for walking and freedom camping! Though I am not so sure about the downhill biking. I love flat land biking, granny style 🙄
October 18, 2018 at 23:28
I love that Kiwi expression “freedom camping” much better than boondocking (USA) or wild camping (Europe)! 🙂 I’m a “flatlander”, as well and enjoy walking and biking on flat roads and trails the most. That being said, my adrenaline level and excitement rise as the road points down.
October 11, 2018 at 14:12
Wow! Your photos are absolutely incredible Liesbet. Ugh…I think I would have had to pass on the downhill biking…yikes! I guess if I were in a side cart with my eyes closed…maybe. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us. Stay safe!
October 18, 2018 at 23:31
Thanks, Jill. The photos keep piling up. Sorting them once a week doesn’t seem to be enough, as I have a hard time remembering where everything was taken, at the pace we are traveling and sightseeing these days. No complaints at all, though. Life is good!
Not sure where all the references to downhill biking come from in the comments… Yes, the road was a bit hilly, but nothing too crazy. We love our electric bikes!
October 11, 2018 at 14:38
Beautiful photos. That abandoned village looks eerie and not altogether safe!
October 18, 2018 at 23:33
It was pretty abandoned, but some employees of the electrical company still seemed to live there. Intriguing! 🙂 It would only have been unsafe if there were zombies roaming around. You never know, I guess.
October 11, 2018 at 15:19
These are wonderful hikes, Liesbet and Mark (I am more than a tad jealous)! I look forward to your upcoming post on British Columbia!
October 18, 2018 at 23:35
British Columbia coming up soon! We’ve been extremely occupied with all the sites everywhere, and the sunny days. Unseasonably warm in Oregon right now. Big smiles on our faces! 🙂 Mark and I hope you and Richard are enjoying the desert!
October 11, 2018 at 15:31
Now that was one heck of a hike! Good thing someone gave you a lift.
Weird the town was so deserted.
And I would’ve spent the whole time there thinking about the computer game Diablo!
October 18, 2018 at 23:36
I think this abandoned town of Diablo would have given you inspiration for an entire new book, Alex! 🙂
October 11, 2018 at 15:34
Beautiful place to spend few days hiking, it looked incredibly peaceful surrounded by nature. The abandoned village looked a little scary, did you feel safe there?
October 18, 2018 at 23:39
It was a wonderful place to go hiking, without the crowds! I hope you get to visit one day, Gilda. Although there are national parks that appear to be similar and maybe in better reach, in the US and Canada. Mark and I never felt unsafe in Diablo; it was just a bit eerie, as if everybody disappeared at once and left everything untouched. Not sure in what ways it could/would be unsafe, as there was nobody around. Bears?
October 11, 2018 at 19:33
I have done those kind of hikes before , where I am wondering if I took a wrong turn because of how long the hike is. That area was on my list of places to go last summer when I was housesitting in Washington and Oregon, however last summer those states where on fire !!! So many fires. I drove thru a part of the cascades and kept on going because the smoke was so thick. I did end up in Glacier which by the way is an amazing park !! On the way back I stopped off at Mt Ranier and I highly recommend it if you are still touring in Washington. It is a gorgeous park !!!
October 18, 2018 at 23:44
Hi Sue! Thanks for swinging by and leaving a comment. Those hikes where we think we are lost are pretty intimidating and humbling at once. And, a tad scary at times.
It sounds like you found some good alternatives in this area, when sightseeing last year. Mt. Rainier looks and sounds attractive, but we had to pick a certain route in Washington and had to skip it. We did visit Mt. Hood, though. And saw the peak of Rainier on one of our hikes in Oregon. Cool indeed!
The wild fires seem to have become a problem every summer, but in different areas. Soon, we will have to plan all our national park visits around the smoke and fire! 🙁
October 11, 2018 at 22:01
We would have happily welcomed you with open arms to be sure. I hope another time you will find yourself pulling up in front of our home. Free parking, a guest bedroom and great WiFi. 🙂
October 18, 2018 at 23:49
How could anyone resist that, Sue! Thank you so much for the offer and hospitality. I do hope we can make this happen one day, after all the snow clears. 🙂 We will give you a little heads up, though. In the meantime, you are always welcome to visit us in Zesty, in warmer climes. We have a spare bed!
October 11, 2018 at 22:11
We took that drive last year – I remember that the color of the water was amazing! Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stay long… just a stop now and then and a quick trip to the visitors center for my National Park Stamp (with the other 6-year-olds 🙂 ). Looking forward to your next adventure!
October 11, 2018 at 22:32
My first smile of the morning was reading your comment about collecting your National Park Stamp 🙂
October 18, 2018 at 23:52
Do you collect those as well, Suzanne?
October 18, 2018 at 23:52
Haha, Janis! That’s too cute. I didn’t know you guys drove up there last year. Did I forget or did we never talk about that? By the way, I have a “funny” stamp story to share with you as well, once we get together again. Mark and I will be in San Diego, the last three weeks in December. Or longer.
October 13, 2018 at 15:20
That’s the worst feeling: to think you are at or near the end of a hike and then find out (a) you’re not, and (b) you have no idea how far it really is! Having to go up and down a mountain in that situation might have done me in! Too bad about your routing; Glacier NP is gorgeous, and it would have been so fun to see Sue and Dave!
October 18, 2018 at 23:56
I kept thinking about you, Lexie, when that trip to Glacier didn’t work out, since I seem to remember that that was the one NP I mentioned earlier that you suggested we shouldn’t miss. Maybe next year? And, hopefully, we won’t get into a hiking situation like that 11-mile one ever again. That feeling is not much fun, as you have probably experienced before as well. Remembering your blogs about hiking uphill to tops of mountains makes me think about you a lot when I’m on these steep trails!
October 14, 2018 at 05:03
What a spooky little village, Liesbet. As you said, like something out of a movie. A Stephen King novel came to mind while I read about that small abandoned you discovered. I guess it had closed down for the season?
Washington looks like a scenic place, with plenty of mountains and pine forests. The fires must have been devastating to the area and for the wildlife. I’m guessing there must be bears and deers in the forest?
Glad you found that road, and that you managed to get a lift back.
October 19, 2018 at 00:02
I should read more, Hugh, so I would know about all those references to books you make. I need more time! 🙂 The Town wasn’t closed down. Some workers of an electric power station still live there, but most houses and buildings were abandoned. It was interesting. I’m sure if you could have sat there for a while, 99-word flash fiction stories with those twisty Hugh endings would have poured out of you! It was that kind of an environment.
The forests in the Pacific Northwest teem with wildlife, but we don’t seem to see much more than deer and squirrels these days. In the forest anyway. Yesterday, we visited the Oregon Coast and saw pods of whales right off the shore. Tons of spouts. It was magical. And, if you like bears/wildlife, I have a nice surprise for you in my next post. 🙂
By the way, you would love the climate here in the fall!
October 19, 2018 at 03:53
Indeed. A place like that would have certainly inspired my mind into writing a short story or piece of flash fiction. I wonder how much more different my scribblings would have been if I’d actually written it while sat in that abandoned town, Liesbet? Still quite scary, though, even with just a few residents living there. Put’s me in mind of a few more books and movies.
I’m sure I’d enjoy the climate of Washington state. I’ve already seen that some parts of the U.S.A have had their first snow. I’m so envious.
October 19, 2018 at 09:50
I think that being in an inspiring spot while writing would really influence the pages in a positive and unexpected way. Being in the moment where all these senses are tickled, has to be beneficial.
October 14, 2018 at 08:43
Thanks, Liesbet, for sharing your visit to North Cascades NP, and beautiful photos. I had a similar hard hike like your #2 hike, down Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France, for a couple of hours after sunset! Glad you made it back to Zesty safely and onward to another hike. Looking forward to your post on BC, Canada.
October 19, 2018 at 00:04
Unexpectedly having to hike at dusk and when it gets dark is a bad scene. I’m glad you were alright and managed to finish that hike “in style”. I hope you at least knew where you were going… Scary, though.
October 14, 2018 at 15:10
Hi Liesbet
Wow! Some excitement on the long hike. Glad it all worked out ok. Your photographs are beautiful
Safe travels
Laura
October 19, 2018 at 00:09
Thanks, Laura. Sometimes life is about pushing your comfort zone and being humbled, I guess. 🙂 It’s now a thing of the past, as we collect more enjoyable experiences and prepare our hikes better.
October 15, 2018 at 06:10
I’ve been to all these sites you describe, but in a comfy car and motels at night. I admire your “pioneer” spirit though. AND, using your wits to figure out your next step(s). Deductive reasoning at work, eh?
You might be in British Columbia by now. We visited Vancouver and Victoria last July/August. I’ll look forward to your take on this segment of your travels, Liesbet!
October 19, 2018 at 00:13
Our Zesty is very comfortable as well, Marian. 🙂 I love how you call this lifestyle “pioneer” spirit, especially since Mark and I were recently following the Columbia River (and some of the Lewis and Clark route). Deductive reasoning is what one does when one has a hard time making choices, right? Sounds like me!
I think July/August is the better time to visit Vancouver Island, like you guys did. We were there for the month of September. While the weather wasn’t ideal, other things were… More about that very soon. 🙂
October 15, 2018 at 09:24
Nice adventures! Wish I could have tagged along. I love ghost towns, but I haven’t had the opportunity to explore any in North America.
Beautiful photos, as usual.
October 19, 2018 at 00:14
Thanks, JH. You’ve got to visit some of these ghost towns in the northern US. It’s research, and it will be quiet enough to work on your current WIP, let alone envelop you in inspiration. 🙂
October 16, 2018 at 15:32
Stunning photos as always. I must admit, that ghost town you returned too looked quite errie. Not sure I would have gone back, lol. 🙂
October 19, 2018 at 00:26
If I would have had my camera with me the first time we visited, I might not have returned. 🙂 Although, during the day it was much less eerie. And, it’s where one of the hikes started. I never felt unsafe by myself either.
October 16, 2018 at 17:38
The vivid blues and greens of your images are so restful and peaceful, Liesbet! I’m so thrilled you are using Westy and having a great adventure. I’m so inspired by your camping prowess and your ability to find just the right places without a ton of planning. On a fun note, Hans bought his new truck this weekend (you might have see on FB), so we have the green light to go on our Arizona adventure in late December!
October 19, 2018 at 00:28
We are very much enjoying this lifestyle, Terri. And soon, you will too! How exciting. Congrats on finding the right truck. Ready. Set. Go. 🙂
Not only does finding these free campsites require little planning, there is no checking in, no payment, and (often) no neighbors.
October 16, 2018 at 17:59
I’m just in awe of the natural beauty of the wilderness (or parks). I could, and did, get lost in your pics this round. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
October 19, 2018 at 00:30
You are so welcome, Anna. I’m glad I could take you on a virtual trip with my photos. This country, just like yours, is stunning. And, a good and inspiring place to escape from writing for a bit. At least it is for me.
October 17, 2018 at 14:52
Although North Cascades National Park is not that far from where I live, I have never hiked there. Your photos make we want to go check it out.
Jude
October 19, 2018 at 00:32
Maybe next time you visit one of your children on the mainland? You certainly will enjoy the hikes and the scenery of the North Cascades, Jude, let alone the inspiration and material to paint that it will provide!
October 18, 2018 at 00:13
Too bad about the fires, and that you guys didn’t get to Sue and Dave. However, the landscapes look magnificent but I suffered with you through that overly long hike with no end and all the physical pain!!! So many adventures here…
Ben was wondering what language you are translating from (for the job assignment) ie from what to what?
Peta
October 19, 2018 at 00:38
Oh, Peta, I wish I could fill you in about some of these adventures in person. I think the four of us could sit down (or hike) and talk for hours, days, and weeks! One day… 🙂
You can tell Ben that I’m doing translations from English into Dutch and Dutch into English, for a company called Day Translations (hence the tight deadlines and urgency of the assignments). The context ranges from manuals to legal documents as in birth certificates, company documents, etc. When the subject is too dificult (like legal or medical lingo), I decline the work. Thanks for asking!
October 22, 2018 at 06:20
Sometimes when Greg and I go on a long hike I fear we are on some kind of nature lovers trap that goes on and on with some sort of giant pit that we fall into at the end. Glad you got back safely from your “7 mile” hike!
Got to put Cascades on our list for when we don’t have to work in the summer any more.
October 24, 2018 at 11:20
I recognize that feeling. It usually happens when I’m not feeling energetic and I curse my naivety the day before, when I was all comfy and cozy. “Yes, let’s do this long hike tomorrow. That sounds awesome.” Then, once on the steep trail, facing upward, I often grumble. 🙂
October 23, 2018 at 04:49
GORGEOUS photos. Seems to me that most of your “intentions” were fulfilled.
October 24, 2018 at 11:26
Thanks, Pam. I certainly am in a period of my life where I can’t complain right now. Mark and I are doing what we want to be doing and that makes us happy.