Desolation Peak, of Kerouac Fame (pics)

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
edited December 21 in Fitness and Exercise
Desolation Peak is a remote mountain near the Canadian border. It features heavily in Kerouac's writing, because he lost his mind there.

On Monday a friend and I were officially the first hikers of the season to visit the fire lookout on the summit. We were beat by three rangers who were flown in. (There's a visitor's log.)

The book lists Desolation as 4,400' of gain over 4.7 miles; my Garmin says 4,740' over 5.4 miles. Either way, it was a lot of work. 7 hours 39 minutes boat to boat, including an hour on the summit enjoying our prize.


The view from my cabin.
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Like glass. The ride back to the cabin would be more exciting.
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My climbing partner takes in the scenery.
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This is how all Cascades hikes begin.
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Jack Mountain and the shrinking Nohokomeen Glacier.
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Looking north, Hozomeen on the right.
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Desolation Lookout
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Looking south.
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Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Brilliant, as always.
    Love the Kerouac reference.
    This may be my ‘Beat’ re-read summer now.

    Cheers, h.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Wow gorgeous pics! So cool you were the first ones up there!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    So gorgeous!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Amazing pics :+1:
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,742 Member
    Those are gorgeous!
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Simply stunning!
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Gorgeous pics, and sounds like quite the hike!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Like glass. The ride back to the cabin would be more exciting.
    48101319931_d33af65143_o_d.jpg

    On the way back, the swells got to about 4 feet, and the boat was occasionally catching air. There's an ancient curse, "may you live in exciting times."

    I've been staying in that cabin for 5 years. I know the wind gets stronger as the evening wears on, and the water is roughest by Devils. I also knew to beach the boat and hike back to the resort if things got out of control. So I hugged the east bank because there's a trail on that side. We made it back without swimming, but there was a moment I wished I'd had my PLB ... so it's probably for the best I didn't bring it.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    Beautiful! I think I could probably make it up there (slowly), but my knees hurt just thinking about the descent! :D
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,748 Member
    Gorgeous!
  • cheriej2042
    cheriej2042 Posts: 241 Member
    I hiked the Trans Catalina Trail - 38 miles/4 days and I wondered if you like to hike outside the Cascades. Then I saw these pics and I stopped wondering 🙂
  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,742 Member
    Is that a dam at the far end of the picture of the lake?
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    It's Ross Dam, 100 years ago there was no lake, it was the Skagit River. That Sam generates all the electricity used in Seattle.
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