At 1,669 metres, Washington Pass is the highest point on the North Cascades Highway, and from the overlook just beside the road you look straight across at a wall of grey granite that seems to have been designed by a rock climber. Liberty Bell Mountain stands out as a smooth, blunt dome, with the sharp spires of the Early Winters group beside it, and the whole group rises above a basin of scree, larch and bare rock. The overlook is reached by a short, paved path from the car park, with a viewing platform above a cliff, and it is one of the best easy views in the state.
The highway was opened in 1972, after a long and expensive campaign, and it is still one of the most spectacular roads in the Pacific Northwest. East of the pass, it descends in a series of tight bends, hairpins and long, open bends toward the Methow Valley, through forests of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine, with signs of earlier wildfires. The road surface is excellent, the radius of the bends is generous, and the gradients are manageable. On a clear day, with the sun on the peaks and the road empty, it is a rider's dream. Weather can be savage: snow can fall in any month, and the highway is closed for the winter, typically from November to April.
The best moment of the year is the last week of September or the first of October, when the larches turn gold. These deciduous conifers cover the high slopes, and their needles turn a brilliant yellow-orange before falling, in a display that draws crowds. It is also cold, with frost on the road in the morning and wind on the ridge, so dress accordingly. Early summer brings wildflowers and waterfalls, and mosquitoes.
Mazama, down the eastern side, has a small store, and Winthrop, a western-themed town in the Methow Valley, has petrol, cafes and a bakery. On the west side, Marblemount is the last stop. Fill up at either, and carry food and water. Remember that cell reception is poor, and the weather can change in a flash.