Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [298]
The trip along Wash. State Route 20 through the park and west of the park between Rockport and Marblemount is strenuous but beautiful. The road has a wide shoulder in many (though not all) places, and developed campgrounds. There are some extremely steep stretches.
Mountain bikers will want to try the Stehekin Valley Road route, a 21-mile stretch from the community of Stehekin to Flat Creek, on Lake Chelan. The road parallels the glacier-fed Stehekin River and provides plenty of great views of the North Cascades peaks. The 312-foot-high Rainbow Falls is a wonderful stop along the way.
Cross-Country Skiing. West of the park complex, the Mount Baker Ski Area is where most skiers end up. If you're looking to do some cross-country skiing away from the crowds, consider Stehekin. The chance to ski past 312-foot-tall Rainbow Falls should not be missed.
Fishing. Anglers must have Washington state fishing licenses, which are available at sporting goods stores. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (☎ 360/902-2000; www.wdfa.wa.gov) publishes a pamphlet, Fishing in Washington, that lists regulations and seasons.
Ross Lake contains populations of both native rainbow and cutthroat trout, as well as eastern brook trout and a few bull trout (which must be released). The Ross Lake Resort (☎ 206/386-4437) rents fishing boats. Fishing season on Ross Lake is July 1 to October 31.
Lake Chelan, although it looks like an awesome fishing hole, is so large, so deep, and so cold that it doesn't support a large fish population. However, it does have quite a variety, including kokanee; landlocked chinook salmon; cutthroat, rainbow, and Mackinaw trout; and freshwater ling cod (burbot). The Stehekin River and its tributary streams offer excellent fly-fishing. Check fishing regulations for seasons.
If you want to hire a guide to take you where the fish are biting, try Big 1 Fishing Guide Service (☎ 509/682-4647) or Graybill's Guide Service (☎ 509/667-9203).
Hang Gliding & Paragliding. In recent years, Lake Chelan has become one of the nation's hang gliding and paragliding meccas. However, neither activity is allowed in the national park or the adjacent national recreation area. Strong winds and thermals allow flyers to sail for a hundred miles or more from the Chelan Sky Park atop Chelan Butte, on the outskirts of town. Paragliding lessons are available here through Chelan Paragliding School (Alpman@ dellepro.com).
Kayaking & Canoeing. Diablo Lake and Ross Lake both offer excellent flat-water paddling. They are among the few inland waters in the Northwest with extensive boat-in campsites. However, there is no road access to Ross Lake in the U.S. (the unpaved Silver Skagit Rd. enters the park from Hope, British Columbia, and leads 40 miles to the north end of the lake). Ross Lake Resort (☎ 206/386-4437) offers a canoe and kayak shuttle service from Diablo Lake (which is accessible by car) around Ross Dam to Ross Lake. Check with the resort for charges per canoe or kayak. You can also rent outboard motorboats, kayaks, and canoes at the resort.
You'll need a backcountry permit, available at the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount, to overnight on Ross Lake. A permit allows you to stay at the many campsites along the shores of Ross Lake. Backcountry permits are also available at the Hozomeen Ranger Station. Here you can explore the Narrow Ruby Arm using Green Point Campground (1 mile above the dam) as a base camp. Farther north are the Cougar Island (2 miles above the dam), Roland Point (4 miles above the dam), McMillan (5½ miles above the dam), and Spencer's (6 miles above the dam) campgrounds.
Because of the 24-mile length of the lake and the strong winds that often blow in the afternoon, many paddlers stick to the lower end (unless they enter at Hozomeen at the lake's north end).
If you aren't inclined to spend the money for the shuttle, you can have a similar experience paddling on Diablo Lake, which is an amazing turquoise color