Please Note: This trail (Maple Pass Loop) although considered by most to be in Cascades National Park, is technically just outside the park in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Hence, the reason drones are also permissible.
First of all, I hope your calf is doing well, and it is great to see Shane out there with you :) He sure has grown since last we have seen him. Amongst the beauty and wonder that nature provides lies the potential for danger. We must be in awe of both. In my years as an outdoor educator, I have seen and heard tales of folks putting themselves in dangerous situations mostly due to lack of knowledge and being unprepared, neither of which you bring with you. I am always grateful when you teach, talk about, and/or share your knowledge and experiences in these situations. Safety first! You have done some videos on how you plan and pack for trips and hikes. A future video on how to use GPS and downloadable maps might be helpful to those wishing to venture further into the wild.
Right on, Jymn! Even with all the preparation/proper equipment, I learned a lesson that anything can happen and there's no substitute for personal experience. It was a type of hiking I was not familiar with. Still, thankful we went and everything (for the most part) turned out okay.
Thank you Randy. It was so nice seeing both you and Shane hiking together. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Thank you Shane for looking after your Dad when he hurt his calf, you saved him. God Bless you both.. Robin 🙂
Randy, What a great Father-Son trip! Glad to see you made it back to Washington State! Shane is growing up so fast, and we can see is a very good hiking companion for you. As always, I enjoy the family videos the best and was pleasantly surprised to see this new one today. It is going to be hot this coming week, and we were surprised how hot it got at the North Cascades National Park last summer, that snow will melt quickly now (we had above average snowfall this winter/spring). What great views and weather you had on your hike (great video of teh Mountain Goat!). THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE VIEW AND TAKING US ALONG ON YOUR HIKE, . . . Mike
Thanks, Mike! Washington is such a beautiful state! So thankful for Shane and his interest to join me on the hikes. Hardest part is keeping up with him! lol!
So you were there just 3 days after us! We did this hike counterclockwise too and turned around at that well known 2.5 mile mark near Heather Pass. I had the Alltrails app and winter equipment but my son didn’t so we decided it was best to turn around. Sorry about your injury but so glad you finished the loop! One of our most remote parks but definitely worth visiting! God bless.
This is such an amazing trail! The technicality and physicality of it does give the hiker fantastic payoffs throughout the hike with scenery, flora and fauna. Congratulations to both you and Shawn for persevering! I appreciate your continual teaching moments in your videos. Thanks for sharing this with us and for all your efforts in planning, packing, doing, and editing! I pray that your injury has healed well…take care always.
Thanks so much, James! Glad you understand all that goes into these productions! It really was one of those trails that offers a lot. Reasonable distance, but a nice workout with amazing sights in the process.
Love seeing that beautiful creation once again. I'm so glad you and Shane had some Father son time. Sorry about your calf. That's an owie! Our bodies are amazing natural healers. God bless!
That view from the top was wild! Endless peaks in every direction. And the snow, with all the green in the valleys - love the colors. Glad you guys had a good time hiking together!
This is great. I've grown up in washington my whole life (just left it for college) and my brother and I for the first time went to Mt Rainier a few weeks ago. We did the Pinnacle Peak trail which was virtually completely snowed over. We had to navigate with my phone to see where the trail went. Some parts were really sketchy as we hiked over snowed over banks that had to have been an incline of 45 degrees. At one point we both started to slip and had to dig our fingers into the snow to catch ourselves. I absolutely love North Cascades too. I've only been to the southeastern part of the park where we take our family ski boat up to Stehekin each year. Absolute blast!
Thanks, Ethan! Absolutely love your home state. You nailed the issue with snow/trail navigation (which I wish I said in the video). It's working the trails on the steep hill/switchbacks. Take care and have a great year at college!
I can say from personal experience that the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking. Great views, great shot selection, and great calf laceration 😊 Looked like you guys had quite the adventure, and I’m glad you made it down safe. Thanks for sharing your trip!
Awesome, stunning views. It really did look to be the top of the world. An amazing trail. Experience really does count on trails like this where there is still plenty of snow. I hope your injury was not too serious. You both looked ready for that trail to end as darkness fell. I am sure though after you were both pleased to have had such a day.
I live in Washington state, and this is one that has been on my bucket list for awhile. Another great video!! By the way, we had greater than average snowfall in the Cascade Range this past winter-spring, and even at this time, there is still plenty of snow. I do not anticipate that many thru-hikers will complete the whole section of the Pacific Crest Trail for that reason. Thank you for sharing!! :)
Loved the comment! There is no place in the US with the unique beauty of Washington. The folks we ran into were all so hospitable as well. Hope you can get up to NCNP!
Yeah I'm actually going to North Cascade's National Park for the 1st time in September and I can't wait! After all the years of adventuring and stuff that you've done thankfully this is the worst accident you've ever had. You have truly had the lord watching over you my friend. Great hike and thanks for sharing Randy!
I love that you have taken each of your kids separately, over the past years, on hikes!! That says so much to me! First and foremost, the love and respect that you have for your kids is most high! In turn, the love and respect that they have for you is admirable! “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” nkjv Pro 22:6 (though I know you know this verse and its address, I couldn’t resist! 😉) Hope the calf is healing without issues!!
The snow up here takes long time to melt. Go to Esmeralda basin hike to longs pass. Go down Ingalls creek. Up Mount McClellan. Bam. Enchantments. PCT off I90 at Snoqualmie Pass-Kendall Katwalk, and Chinook Pass-Rainier. Bam easy.
Amazing scenery! It's always interesting to have to work through snow in the middle of July, but it can kind of be refreshing too when the weather is warm. Glad you made it off that mountain safe and that the injury was not worse! Also great to see you brought Shane out west for another trip. Looking forward to your next videos in the series.
Thanks, Andy! Super challenging to find those snow-covered trails on the step hills/switchbacks. Looking forward to releasing our Mt St Helens hike tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend!
Beautiful place! Yeah that would be pretty scary attempting that hike without a GPS or some kind of map. I'm surprised that's your worst injury out of all the parks you've been to! Hope the leg healed up pretty good! Thanks for sharing!
What an incline! The views from the top are stunning & expansive! Not a place you want to get lost. I'm glad you didn't and had the main trail by darkness. Thats great gps worked out there. Signals sometimes get lost in NP. Hope you are healed & feel better soon!
We did this hike for the first (and second) time last October...was snow free and much more crowded. So much beauty and magnificent views. Kudos on being prepared. That hike is no joke. Blessings brother!
Thanks much, Rob! Locating those switchbacks on the snow-covered steep hills was a challenge for me. Glad you enjoyed this one. Blessings to you as well, brother!
Awwwww great job Shane!! Looks like he did awesome! Also I can’t believe you wear shorts even in snow, I’m so used to seeing your other videos, ya know, I’m summer 😆
sorry about your leg but otherwise spectacular hike, wow those views! glad you made it out west. Looking forward to more videos form this trip! We just got back from a week on long island, nothing special this year just visiting Mom but lots of desert weekend camping and a short trip to yosemite over summer
Glad you returned mostly in one piece! We were there a month ago when the trails at elevation were still completely snow covered, to the point of being difficult to even find the trailhead. I was pretty upset we couldn't attempt Maple Pass. But even with our micro spikes and GPS, we knew it wouldn't be safe. Seeing what is was like for you, a month later, I know we made the right decision. We were able to make it to Rainy Lake though. It was almost thawed and the view was breathtaking.
Hi Cindy, totally agree that you made the right call. There were a couple really tricky places finding the trail at the highest points of elevation (even with the proper equipment and planning). Personally don't think I'd do this one again (with my skill set/knowledge) under these conditions.
I did this trail in early September 2017., and it's one of the best I've done. It was wise of you to turn back. Better to return on another trip than end up lost or worse. I am glad you guys made it back! I recently watched your Big Bend video, and I highly recommend that you guys pay another visit to Big Bend to do some of the Chisos Mountain hikes. I go every winter with my brother, and I love that park. Chisos Basin campground is amazing. It's too bad getting all the way to the park can be such a challenge. Thanks for sharing your adventures. God bless!
Chinnok Pass is crazy too but you can take sourdough pass to Crystal Lake. Views of Rainier are great. Naches Peak. Loop easy. Dogs allowed on sourdough side/pct
Welcome to my back yard! Will you be visiting Mount Baker? Artist Point is so beautiful this time of year and the hikes are fun. I visit every year with my daughter for a hike. I am you you two would love it there as well.
If going North Cascades take the lake chelan ferry up start there. Bam. PCT TH at snoqualmie pass is south but gets up high 15 miles in. Very scenic alpine. Best in America.
Oh man! Glad you're alright! This park was the highlight of our trip 😂 n 2015. Your boy sure is growing up! Great video and amazing scenery. The cascades are a great place to loose yourself and feel the hand of God around every corner. Can't wait to see you he next episode.
Great video. Sorry you bloodied your leg. Did you have one of those slip then slide moments? I've had times where if I'd just fallen is probably be fine, but the fact that I then slid was what tore me up That area is def. near the top of my bucket list.
6:06 ouch. 😬 Next year I am visiting the Washington parks. I was suppose to this year, but life got in the way. But I am coming in mid August 2023. The snow is a little too much the more I kept watching the news weather in the washingin parks in July. I hoping mid August is a bit better.
Your son is growing up. I have this strange feeling on one of these trips he is gonna save you. That being said, with your kids and seeing a lot of their teen years in these vlogs.. they always seem happy and content on these trips. I just got home from northern Michigan with my kids 13 and 11, and wow do they want to complain and not go anywhere. Don’t know if I can change that till they get older. Also Washington always seems to be bad luck for you. Who knows haven’t seen the rest of this trip yet though :)
Thanks for the wonderful comment! Thankfully the hiking has been built into the culture of the family. Kind of like... you're expected to do this! All my kids would have probably preferred other stuff too, but they went along. Knowing they'd enjoy a final video also helped a lot too.
Holy! Shane looks so much older in this video! Looks like there were a few steep spots along this hike, but your both powered through! Incredible views from the top! Smart choice bringing a light with you. Yikes! Hopefully that leg has healed up without any issue.
Yup it is super easy to lose the trail up here in washington I was scrambling up a rock outcropping a few years ago and got so turned around I was lucky to be with a partner that I called out to and had to follow the sound of his voice to get back. Scary.
Great video. You use Garmin? I use Garmin Oregon 750T for geocaching and upstate NY hiking. Probably most tired I've seen y'all in the videos. Keep em coming.
What an amazing portion of God's creation. We visited there in June of 2021. Views were somewhat obscured by low clouds and smoke from forest fires but still an amazing experience. Hope you healed up well by now. God bless you and your son. 👍🙏💕
As stated, the drone work was all shot in a National Forest. You are fine there with the exception of the wilderness areas and locations of a forest fire. Take care and appreciate your desire to follow the rules.
we tried maple pass in late june and sadly it was too early :( way too much snow everywhere couldn't find the trail at all. Im going back in september though :) to redo north cascades and mount rainier
Good call, Alex. We were there last year in June and ran into the same problem. On this round, didn't expect this much snow near the end of July. "Top 10" trail for me.
Map helps. Preplot azimuths. Know hiw to shoot to peaks general to major major to general Grid to magnetic magnetic to grid to correct convert back azimuths. Old school.
I spent whole summers in the North Cascades...NEVER wore hiking shorts! Your leg scrape is a painful but minor reason why to wear full jeans, etc. But regardless..gorgeous views a nice video.
Also at Snoqualmie Snow lake. Exit 47 go to day use area not up to Denny Creek. Park walk river Ashal Curtis trail 👣 under I90 then other side. You can also go up to lake on that side. Then drive out Denny Creek Franklin Falls. Do them if you want. When you get to top going out one way drive stop at the low rock wall on left before I90 bridge. Falls. Across the road to left is PCT trail head. Snoqualmie exit. Left is Asplendal Snow Lake madhouse on weekends. Right I90. The Actual alpine lakes TH is at same exit. Insanity on weekends. Exit park on North side exit 47. Tinkham road is abysmal I do day use walk under I90.
Yes, have to agree Jim, setting up in the rain is not a pleasant experience! There's been a couple times when we just slept in the car when we've pulled in late during a downpour.