North Cascades Highway over & back – 26-27 August 2023

Hosted by: Don Hutchins

Join us for a fantastic 2-day drive thru the American Alps, to Washington’s best Cowboy town.  This is a ride Susan and I have done every year since we’ve lived here, often more than once, by motorcycle in our younger days and by Miata now that we’re on 4 wheels.  We perfected it in recent years with the overnight stop in Winthrop.  

We’ll meet at Bob’s Burgers & Brew, 8822 Quil ceda Parkway, SE corner of their parking lot in Tulalip (I-5 exit 200) for a 10:30 Drivers Meeting with departure at 11:00.  Route will be I-5 N to exit 208, then WA 530 E to a brief stop at the Oso slide memorial before our lunch stop, Moe's in Darrington.  After lunch, the route is 530 N to WA 20 E at Rockport to North Cascades National Park, then continuing on 20 E to rest stop 1, Diablo Lake Vista Point.  From Diablo Lake again 20 E to Washington Pass Observation Site - rest stop 2 then 20 E to our overnight in Winthrop.  

Room and board in Winthrop are regretfully on your own.  No place there can handle our group. We’ll be staying at the SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE, highly recommended!  Be sure to get a room there, or elsewhere in Winthrop, before registering for the trip.  

The return route will be your choice.  I highly recommend the same route Westbound.  The morning sun on Early Winters Peaks is truly spectacular, and the “S” curves thru the National Park cannot be beat. But you may prefer to complete a North Cascades Loop from Winthrop using 20 E to WA 153 SE, down the Methow River to WA 97, and WA 2 W home thru Leavenworth. 

Either way, this is a spectacular weekend in your Miata!  One caveat: leave EARLY Sunday. Both 20 and 2 are jammed after noon!