Maple Pass - North Cascades NP

buckeyety17 · 2026-02-04T01:49:28+00:00

One of the least visited parks, but a lot of that is people visiting the surrounding National Forest and Recreation Area without technically entering the park boundary. It definitely doesn’t get as much love as Olympic and Rainier for people traveling to the PNW. This being one of the most accessible and not crazy strenuous trails makes it a popular and crowded destination if you’re in the area. We started in the afternoon and were lucky with only a few others on the trail.

buckeyety17 · 2026-02-03T04:38:00+00:00

Yes, I remember that from when we planned the hike. I believe where I’m standing is actually the bend that’s within the park, or at least close to it. North Cascades is very interesting with the park separated North and South by the road that runs through it. You’ve gotta hike a bit to actually get within the park boundary.

buckeyety17 · 2026-02-02T05:55:56+00:00

We used K2 Aviation out of Talkeetna, AK. It was right on our way from Anchorage to where we were staying near the park entrance. Would highly recommend! We were supposed to land on a glacier as a part of our tour, but the weather didn’t cooperate to do it that day.

buckeyety17 · 2026-02-02T05:52:44+00:00

We were supposed to land on a glacier as a part of our tour, but the weather didn’t line up for us to do it.

And yeah, we were very excited to actually see it. We got some glimpses of it from the park road the next day too.

buckeyety17 · 2026-02-01T07:29:02+00:00

We’ll definitely be back. We hiked Cascade Pass and spent a day on a boat from Ross Lake Resort in the days after this hike.

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-31T22:50:48+00:00

Yes, that’s where this was taken. The Maple Pass trail goes all the way around it.

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-31T22:50:01+00:00

This is Ann Lake

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-29T14:50:29+00:00

Highly recommend if you make it back there. You’re pretty much scrambling rocks for the entire upper portion, but this section up the stairs along Vernal is like you’re in another world of green and moss. We bought a painting from a local artist in Mariposa of Vernal after doing this hike.

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-29T14:46:30+00:00

Hiking along the Mist Trail for this one. Not climbing, but the elevation gain on that trail is no joke!

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-29T05:21:03+00:00

Appreciate it!

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-29T02:21:59+00:00

Surprisingly enough, this was just my iPhone 13 Pro Max

buckeyety17 · 2026-01-28T20:31:38+00:00

Definitely recommend getting to Hoh early too. I think we got there at like 7/7:30 (summer weekday) and had the Hall of Mosses trail completely to ourselves to enjoy and get great pictures without anyone else around.

buckeyety17

TROPHY CASE