An Ode to the Pacific Northwest

 Driving into the North Cascades we were as far north as we will get on our trip, and it was our last stop before we left the great Pacific Northwest. We have greatly enjoyed our time up north and our experiences at North Cascades reminded us of some of our favorite things that set this region apart. 

First things first, the Pacific Northwest has water. Oceans, lakes, waterfalls, no matter how it flows it's all water. And the North Cascades is marked by several rivers and dams. Our first hike at the park was a short but steep trail up to a beautiful viewpoint over a lake. We loved the view so much it immediately inspired us to go swimming, so we spent the rest of the afternoon by the lake soaking up some rays! 

Another feature of the Pacific Northwest is tall peaks and the park isn't called the Cascades for nothing. Although we didn't summit anything, our entire time in the park was spent looking up at the grandiose peaks and foothills. The mountain range dominated surrounding trees and water with their stark cliffs and steep edges. We hiked around the foot hills the next day, but due to snow we couldn't make it up to any passes. 

That's another thing -- snow! You don't need to worry about snow very much down south or even in Illinois (in the summer) but in the Pacific Northwest it can be a year round concern. We were technically at the North Cascades in their 'early season' and it was still warm enough to tan by the lake!  

Now as we leave the North Cascades and the Pacific Northwest we are excited to see some new people, places and things, but we will definitely miss the kind of beauty you can only find up north on the west coast. We had to leave the park a bit early, but can't wait to some back!