East of the Mountains

Joe Meche is president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and also serves the chapter as newsletter editor and birding programs coordinator. He has been watching birds for more than 50 years and photographing birds and landscapes for more than 30 years. He has written more than 100 articles for Whatcom Watch.

About twenty miles south of Bell-ingham on Interstate 5 is Exit 232, also known as the Cook Road exit. There’s nothing special to see there but it’s more about what this exit represents. Before you leave the freeway and for more than a mile before the exit, the views up the Skagit Valley and into the North Cascades are merely an enticing prelude to the adventures to be found up the road. Every year, shortly after the snow has been cleared from Washington Pass on the North Cascades Highway, our late spring tradition has been to head east and enjoy the warmer and drier side of the mountains.

This year’s opening was delayed by snow depths that are certain to become part of the lore of the North Cascades. At the last report before the crews broke through to connect east and west, snow was 75 feet deep in some of the avalanche chutes along the highway. At 5,477 feet above sea level, Washington Pass is the high point on the North Cascades Highway and the scenery on the drive between Marblemount and Winthrop is staggering, for lack of a better word. This year was no exception.

When we reached the pass in the first weekend of June, we were stunned, to say the least. It seems there was more snow than I’ve ever seen before during this time of year. It was obvious that the main goal was to clear the road and open the pass, but the signs of natural chaos were everywhere. In addition to the deep snow that had crossed the highway in numerous avalanches, parts of trees and large boulders had also been taken along for the ride. I imagine the highway department will wait for the snow to melt a good deal more before tackling the detritus in the snow banks.

After a long downhill run from the pass, the virtual wall of large cottonwood trees marked our arrival at Winthrop, complete with its relaxing western feel. In the 1960s, the town of Leavenworth decided to invigorate its economy by recreating itself with a faux Bavarian theme. It works well enough, especially with the natural beauty of the area’s alpine backdrop. Winthrop, on the other hand, merely had to continue as the ranching/mining town it had always been. Add to that the lure of the area to hikers, bikers, river rafters and wildlife enthusiasts and you have a healthy economy.

The town of Winthrop has not a single traffic light and the sidewalks are really boardwalks, adding to the overall charm. The Chewuch River was running high and loud when we arrived and the confluence of the Chewuch with the Methow showed more signs of chaotic flooding. It turned out that our visit this year happened on the tail end of one of the wettest springs on record. Needless to say, green was the primary color everywhere and it seemed that evening grosbeaks had invaded the town. You could not ignore their loud, distinctive voices.

Just a short drive from Winthrop, Pearrygin Lake State Park provides the perfect base of operations for extended day trips into the surrounding hills. I received word two days before we left home that our old favorite campsite at the park was not available, due to flooding. Given the drier nature of the eastside, we were taken aback by the amount of water flowing into and through the campground. We learned that a debris dam had burst in the hills above the lake, washing out roads and closing over half of the campsites.

It turned out to be no problem for us and we were even treated to a complimentary site for our inconvenience. As dusk approached on our first evening, it was obvious that we could have packed a few more layers of clothing and even a load of firewood – the traditionally warmer and drier weather hadn’t arrived, yet. We weren’t too concerned, however, since we had established ourselves in a very comfortable camping situation for the weekend. The weather would be just fine and the sounds of birdsong filled the air. A barred owl called in the campground during the night, as if to welcome us back.

The primary focus of this annual visit is not only to get away and relax but also to experience the natural beauty and wildlife activity in the Methow Wildlife Area and the hills north and east of Winthrop. The road to one of our favorite destinations – Sullivan’s Pond – had been washed out and local sources told me that there was no water in the pond this year, so we were forced to adjust our plans accordingly.

I was out of the tent and off on foot early Sunday morning, with the crisp, clear air and blue sky beckoning. A variety of birds was already active in the campground, out on the lake, and in the surrounding sagebrush hills.

All the spring colors were vivid in the morning light and just a short distance up the road, a small flash of red caught my eye and aroused my curiosity. I didn’t expect to see anything red so I climbed the hillside and walked right up to a male dusky grouse, displaying its bright purplish-red air sacs and booming for a mate.

This encounter proved to be a trip highlight for me, but other birds of note were out and about as well, so I was savoring the morning. Numerous Bullock’s orioles were actively courting and nesting; tree, violet-green, and barn swallows were already at work reducing the population of flying insects; red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds were calling on every pond; kestrels and red-tailed hawks were searching for food; and lazuli buntings and western bluebirds added their colors to the mix.

After lunch, we began our day of exploration by checking our favorite spots in the hills on the way south and east of Pearrygin Lake. Pied-billed grebes, coots and mallards were all in place in ponds along the way with flickers and red-naped sapsuckers situated in all the aspen groves. In the open areas were the ubiquitous black-billed magpies and Brewer’s blackbirds. As we rose ever higher above the valley, we encountered black-headed and evening grosbeaks, as well as mourning doves with their inimitable and sad-sounding coo-coo-coos.

Our new plan included a hike into the magical Pipestone Canyon. This canyon is a showpiece for the natural erosive powers of wind, rain, and ice. The rock formations defy description and must be seen firsthand to be fully appreciated. Pipestone has a reputation for being a good place to encounter rattlesnakes, and I can attest that they are there. I had occasion to persuade a western rattlesnake to pose for a quick photo shoot before pitching it off the trail (no snakes were harmed in the process). Walk wisely and carry a walking stick in this canyon, should you need to move one off the trail so you can pass.

For as long as our westside/wetside winters wear on and wear some of us down, there will always be the attraction of warmer and drier places. It’s an annual event for us to mark the change of seasons by heading over Highway 20 to rejuvenate for a few days. There are other ways to access the drier side, but none as spectacular as this remarkable feat of engineering blending perfectly with the natural beauty of the North Cascades. §