Hidden Lake, North Cascades

Dan is in Seattle for a few days so on Saturday we went on a hike to the North Cascades, which is about 3 hours away.  Once we actually got there the hike was pretty intense! There was a narrow path that climbed up for 4.5 miles, for a total elevation change of about 3200 feet, with the high point at about 6900 feet above sea level.  In some places the trail died, in some cases we had to cross over some streams, and sometimes we even had to cross the mountain on some treacherously slushy snow.  The higher we went the more big rocky boulders we had to climb over, but we finally got to the "Hidden Lake" ridge in the late afternoon.  Then 4.5 miles back downhill - definitely not good on the knees - and 3 hours to get home again.  We were so tired by the end of it we could barely lift ourselves out of the car.

Starting fresh and happy

See that peak? We have to go somewhere around there

Those rocks up there are about a third of the way

View of Mt. Baker

 Definitely can't slip here

Looks like a hobbit shire

We thought we'd reached the ridge. Ha, no. 

Hidden Lake (seriously, it was hidden behind some boulders)

The Iranians