Goat Lake

In normal circumstances, this little outing might not have made it's own post. But, after 10 months of issues, including body non-compliance and Covid lockdown, it needed to be celebrated. Summer comes pretty late to the mountains in Washington, so adventuring into the high alpine country still requires negotiating snow, though it's never clear how much or where. So, I opted for a day trip to relatively-low Goat Lake in the North Cascades (in an area sometimes known as the rainy valley).

While not a particularly spectacular hike by Cascade standards, the trailed wandered through a lush, fern-filled forest ... bursting with shades of green! A large creek tumbling down the mountain provided a soundtrack, and a number of substantial waterfalls to admire. And some huge trees (mostly cedar and hemlock) populated the forest for the last couple of miles to the lake. Interestingly, much of the area had clearly been logged many years ago, but some of these mongo trees obviously survived the cutting. Perhaps they only cut the Douglas Firs for some reason.

The lake was mostly forested (we usually avoid these when possible), but was quite a sight for sore eyes. And it came equipped with a substantial peak (North Cadet Peak, 7000'+) that soared nearly 4000' above the lake at the far end. I found a nice relaxing spot along the shore to rest, absorb the view, and have some lunch before heading down. The outing was just what this boy needed to recharge the soul ... some lonesome walking in the mountains and lung-full's of fresh air!