Bluebird hiking in the North Cascades

This blog was originally created to log some of my hikes, so let’s do that.

I’m staying at a cabin in the Cascades this weekend to spend time with family - reading, writing, playing cards and guitar. We’re right on the South Fork of the Skykomish in Index, Washington.

I know it’s midwinter, and there was some consideration for a day trip over Stevens Pass to the faux Bavarian snowy mountain town of Leavenworth.

But it was stunningly windless, cloudless and only in the low 40s. A sun-drenched Cascades bluebird day. (And we hadn’t brought skis.)

So we headed up the Heybrook Lookout trail. It’s about 2.5 miles and 1000 feet vertical to reach an open fire tower with panoramic mountain views.

With the weather, it wasn’t a surprise that th trail was crowded with lots of families and dogs. But honestly, cloudless and windless, and it could’ve been June as far as I’m concerned. No bugs, and even the mud was not bad; a little bit toward the bottom and a bit 2/3 of the way up. The only wind was at the top of the tower.

Here it is on AllTrails: Afternoon hike to Heybrook Lookout

Also here in Index - the Bush House Inn.

Built in the 19th Century and lovingly restored in 2021, it offers 10 restored bedrooms and a farm to table restaurant (and saloon) the North Fork Kitchen.

Index is a beautiful small town about a mile north of US-2. The locals would prefer that everyone heading to the pass thinks the town is only the Espresso Chalet on the highway.

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