I’d never heard of North Cascades National Park before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The idea was to take the 20 east (which runs the length of the park), and stop when something looked cool.
The welcome sign has fake snow on it!
The 20 follows the Skagit River initially.
Standing in the river!
A train in Newhalem! The Skagit River is dammed to create power for Seattle, and from 1927-1954 engine number six hauled people, equipment, and supplies to build dams and powerhouses.
Gorge Lake created by the Gorge dam.
There’s several lookout points over the lake/dam connected by this trail through the woods.
Highway 20 crosses over Gorge Creek where the creek flows into the lake.
Gorge Lake!
Power lines going from the dam to Seattle. “On September 17, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge pressed a gold telegraph key in Washington, D.C., sending electricity from Gorge Power House to Seattle–along lines hung from wooden poles,” the interpretive sign says. (Those lines/poles have since been replaced with high-capacity lines and metal towers.)
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