World Class Views - Sauk Mountain

Sauk Mountain and Sauk River, WA

"Rivers are roads which move, and which carry us whither we decide to go."
- Blaise Pascal

Few of us would disagree with the statement that the beauty of the mountains is addicting and soothing to our hearts and souls. This North Cascades' peak named after the local Sauk-Suiattle tribe is no exception when it comes to deeply touching the core of our being.

We took off early in the morning on a gorgeous Thanksgiving-week Monday. The weather turned out to be fantastic the whole day. Due to the low overnight temperature, there was ice on the road leading up to the trailhead when we arrived, but by the time we hiked up to the top, it was so warm that we had to take off layers to stay comfortable.

The views were great from the get go. For such a short hike, we were rewarded with world class scenery without much physical effort. The river and its valley below were our constant companions. Microspikes and hiking poles made the steep, slippery, and sometimes icy slopes easy to navigate.

There was no breeze whatsoever.   While at the summit, we had a delicious cup of hot tea, soaked up the sun, deeply inhaled the fresh air and delighted in the breathtaking views of Mt Baker, the surrounding peaks, and the glistening river in the valley below.