North Cascades
FAQFrequently asked questions
What are these mountains and where are they?
North Cascades - the northern part of the Cascade Range, stretching across the border from the state of Washington (USA) to British Columbia (Canada). Mountaineers nicknamed them the American Alps, and not for pretty eyes - rocky, steep and harsh.
What is the highest peak here?
The highest is Mount Baker, 3286 meters. In terms of beauty, she competes with the sharp Shuksan, who appears on almost every postcard from here.
Why are there so many glaciers?
The ridge has about 700 glaciers - more than the rest of the continental United States combined. However, they have mostly retreated since the 1950s, so the landscape is slowly changing.
When is the best time to come?
In summer, when it is relatively dry. In winter, the western slopes are covered with snow almost nowhere (in some places several meters per season), so the off-season here is more for stubborn skiers than for hikers.
Who can you meet and what to see?
Black and even brown bears, wolves, cougars and bald eagles live here - more than 75 species of mammals. In addition, there are alpine meadows, glacial valleys in the shape of the letter U and three stratovolcanoes, among them Baker himself.
