17 WASHINGTON NORTH CASCADE PHOTOS

This gallery is a tribute to Washington's North Cascades. The landscape of the North Cascades is bounded by the Fraser River on the north, the Okanogan Highlands and Columbia Plateau on the east, Stevens Pass to the south, and the Puget lowlands to the west. Mountains, rising nearly from sea level, are the signature of this magnificent place. Fifteen peaks tower over 9,000 feet while nearly 300 rise in elevation between 7,000 and 9,000 feet.
Torrents of water fall as rain and snow here, and as a result, 519 glaciers cover over 90 square miles between Snoqualmie Pass and the Canadian border. Lakes nestle in tight pockets between sharp, often serrated ridges.

North Cascades National Park is in northern Washington State. It’s a vast wilderness of conifer-clad mountains, glaciers and lakes. The North Cascades Highway passes viewpoints and leads to trails such as the steep Thunder Creek Trail. Boats dot Ross Lake. The park shelters grizzly bears and gray wolves, plus more than 200 bird species.

Yes, we took our pictures from the road instead of the many trails that are used by a few visitors (around 2500) each year.