North Cascades Hikes August 21-22, 2013

I went with Tony's Trekkers hiking group for two days of hiking in the North Cascades. Tony's Trekkers is the hiking group associated with our church, St. Antony Episcopal Church. We were hosted by Rick and Robin Schoenberg at their cabin on the Skagit River near Sedro Wooley.

(Click on the photos for a larger view)

I camped on the front lawn of their cabin, with the Skagit River right near my tent.

On Wednesday, August 21, we drove up to the Park Butte trailhead and started up the trail. It begins easily, then makes some serious elevation gain in a series of grueling switchbacks. Then it opens up in meadows, with Mount Baker looming above.

The last section of the trail got quite steep as we made our way to the lookout tower on Park Butte.

You can see the lookout perched on the very top of the peak.

The lookout was built in 1932 and is kept in good shape by the Skagit Alpine Club. It has sweeping views in every direction, and the catwalks give a sense of vertigo until you get used to it. We ate our lunch at the lookout, then started down.

The group photo. From left, Jenny, Me, Phil, Ann, Ruth, Robin, Marcos (in front), Carol, and Rick.

On Thursday, August 22, we took a short hike up Sauk Mountain. Rick drove us up a series of switchbacks to get to the trailhead at 4,300 feet. The trail is laid out in a series of 26 switchbacks up an avalanche slope, going right to the top. The trail is well made and keeps an even grade, and we made it up the 1,000 feet or so to the (almost) top in a little over an hour.

Looking down at the switchbacks we'd just come up.

We stopped for lunch at a resting place near the top. We didn't go up to the very peak because of perilous footing on the loose rock.

Although it was a hazy day, the views in every direction were astounding.

Our group photo on top of Sauk Mountain. From left, Ann, Carol, Ruth, me and Rick.

Schoenberg's cabin

The whole outing was a great success. It was such a pleasure being together for three days and enjoying the hospitality of the Schoenbergs. I made this sketch of their cabin to remember it by.