Granite Cliff Studio

Normally, when I am looping it means I am on the golf course reading putts and looking for golf balls in the tall grass. Those days are now few and far between. This story is about my wife and I traveling around the mountain range in central Washington. My wife hadn’t left Hawaii since before 2020 and the pandemic, so we decided to go somewhere neither of us had been. The PNW or Pacific Northwest has always been appealing, with its large mountains and lush forests. I had heard and witnessed through several medias that this region is a photographer’s paradise. I discovered a really useful website to help navigate this region. Check it out below.

Planning a trip can be intimidating, especially a place you have never been. There were definitely some places that were recommended to us by friends and family. The link above though sent me down many rabbit holes to discover some truly magical locations. Even talking to Washington residents, some of the places I mentioned had them scratching their heads trying to figure out where I was talking about. I am going to breakdown our epic road trip by each stop.

Skykomish, WA

We were arriving to Seattle from Maui on a Wednesday. We were going to spend one night and then hit the road to Skykomish the next day. I started watching local news outlets about two weeks before our departure date to familiarize myself with the area and watch the weather trends so we knew what to pack. Fall in Washington starts to get really dry and rain is at a minimum. I learned very quickly this is fire season and there is typically a day in September when it starts to rain and ends that fire season. Well that day did not come. The Saturday before we were scheduled to leave Maui a fire started on Highway 2 which was our route from Seattle to Skykomish. Named the Bolt Creek Fire it was a rare fire on the western side of the Cascades. Typically, the wetter side, this area was more dry than normal as the winds were blowing from the east and drying out the area. We were a little unsure what to do as Highway 2 was now closed and we could not take the short trip.

We contacted Henry, the owner of the Cascadia Inn, and asked what he thought. He advised us that we were free and clear to book somewhere else and he understood the last minute changes. It did seem the fire was settling down and containment was progressing. The area had been evacuated on Monday so it was very serious. That morning we decided to just start driving and see where we ended up. What would have been about a 90 minute drive to Skykomish on Highway 2 could be about a 4 hour drive going around on I-90 and some various State Routes back on Highway 2 to arrive from the east rather than the west.

Leaving Seattle was a relief, and as we got out into the country, Washington became very beautiful. Rivers and lakes around every bend. It was a smokey day but that just added to the experience. We were making great time and gave Henry a call and let him know we would be coming to Skykomish that night. We stopped and saw Snoqualmie Falls which was an outstanding waterfall that reminded me of Rainbow Falls in Hilo. We stopped at a drive in and got some great fish and chips. The food in Washington was all great, we didn’t eat out a ton but we were never disappointed. We arrived in Leavenworth and the smoke was getting real thick. We embarked our apocalyptic drive down Highway 2 towards Skykomish. This part of the road was called Stephen’s Pass and there is a small ski resort at the top. It’s 55 miles from Leavenworth to Skykomish and I would imagine since the leaves were changing colors, normally this road would be busy with RV’s, boomers and adventure couples exploring the post busy summer season. Well, driving though the heavy smoke, we only passed two cars, I believe.

The drive for me was amazing and felt special. When you are alone in nature and know that there is a powerful force nearby that could destroy the whole area, it makes you feel insignificant. These days where everyone is so important and the constant cycle of politics and corruption, this feeling is a grounding experience. Nothing else matters but what is in front of you. Survival instincts start to kick in and you want to jump in and help. The thought that this fire could destroy such a beautiful forest was a little frustrating and saddening. As we headed downwards from Stephen’s Pass it was hard to fathom how a fire could start here and spread. There were waterfalls, rivers and the forests that were more lush than that on Hawaii’s windward sides. Emergency vehicles and road blocks guided us to ground zero of the Bolt Creek Fire.

We arrived to our destination and saw we could go no further even if we wanted to. Highway 2 was closed and so was the Old Cascade Highway. We checked in to our Inn across from the Great Northern Railway. Normally, a busy line full of trains was quiet with no action. Skykomish really only exists because of that train. Finished in 1893, the Great Northern Railway connected St. Paul, Minnesota to Seattle, Washington. You can read more on that here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern_Railway_(U.S.)

Quickly, we checked in and were eager to eat and explore this little historic town. Only a gas station was open but we were loaded up on travel snacks, beer, wine and liquor. We had a snack on a picnic table next to the abandoned railroad tracks. A small bridge crossed the Skykomish River and there was a small park along the shores. We noticed real quick that this town was locked up tight and only residents were here to protect their property. As we walked around the couple streets that made up this village, it felt as if we were walking around and everyone else was in their homes thinking, what’re those people doing outside? At any moment some monster was going to come out of the woods and rip our limbs off and run off back into the woods with our spines as trophies. I joke, but if you wanted to film a horror movie this would have been a great set. As scary and nervous it may have felt it was so beautiful here and probably was only enhanced by the circumstances. The river was a perfect pace, babbling over smooth rocks, with deep turquoise pools. Ducks were diving for snacks and flowers and berries lined the shores. This lonely town was happy that us out-of-towners were visiting.

We would be spending two nights here, so we went to bed and woke early to go explore some nearby hiking. Our first destination was Deception Falls, one of the most tranquil little forest waterfalls I have ever explored. Mossy crooked branches, long geometric bridges over streams, wild mushrooms, purple wildflowers, towering pines and giant boulders of epic sizes and colors highlighted this area. We spent a lot of time here because again the highway closure halted this area’s invasion of humans. We were the only car in this large parking lot. We were really able to enjoy Mother Nature at her finest. My wife and I finally felt rewarded for the stressful days that we endure from our work and everyday lives. Alone in a forest with water bumbling down the canyons, a first class start to our adventure.

We continued towards Stevens Pass and the Iron Goat trailhead. We weren’t sure exactly what we were getting into here, I had spent most of my research time on other hikes that were inaccessible due to the closure. At the trailhead was an old train car and a history lesson that Henry, our innkeeper had shared with us as well. The railway through here suffered a huge avalanche and I believe had to be rebuilt in a different area. The Iron Goat Trail was a hike though some of the old tunnels that actually switchbacked up and down these steep mountains. It was a nice flat trail most of the time with a moderate ascend halfway through. We were able to meander through some of the old train tunnels, secured with huge timber and protected by stone walls fifty feet high to keep snow off the tracks. We made it to an overlook that probably on a normal day would have had great views of mountains and valleys but today it actually was a little cloudy with a sprinkle which was helping the nearby Bolt Creek Fire. The view we had that day was a misty, foggy and cloudy evergreen jungle, spectacular, just what we were looking for. The final descent was rough, 700 feet down in about a third of a mile. Well that wore us out. We retreated to town for some hot dinner at the pub. Happy to see out-of-towners at the local coffee shop and the pub the residents were happy to talk and learn all about why we were visiting Skykomish from Maui. Skykomish was a great little town and we really hope it survives.

Because of the rainy day, the trains were back in business. My wife was a little shocked as we kept our window open to let the cool air in that night. I grew up in a train town and I actually enjoy the sounds, she on the other hand thought there was some sort of monster outside. It was just the air brakes of the monster cargo train waiting for engines to come move it. The horns, whistles, psssts and ka-chunks of the heavy iron wheels over a bump on the line were a symphony to my ears. We move on from this living train museum and onto the North Cascades version of Central Europe.

Part 2 Coming Soon.