My North Cascades Story - By Chip Jenkins

By Chip Jenkins, Superintendent, North Cascades Park Service Complex and Hayden Jenkins, age nine

Hayden, my nine-year-old son, came to look over my shoulder. After contemplating the heading on the page, "My North Cascades Story," he said, "Dad, can I tell my story?"

Here it is: We get out of the car, clear blue sky and we are surrounded by snowy mountains. We're excited because dad is taking us for our first backpacking trip. Mom and dad help us on with our packs. I've got all of my gear including my sleeping bag; my little brother Logan has his emergency kit and rain gear. Mom and dad shoulder their packs and off we go up the trail. As we go along we see marmots and pikas; the pikas whitle and we try whistling back, but they don't seem interested in talking. The pass! Glaciers! Mountains! M&M's! I don't know what's best. We lead our parents to the camp. It's a long way but we get there. We pitch in to pitch the tent. Dad gets the stove going for hot chocolate while mom takes us exploring. A ptarmigan and her chicks! We sip cocoa and watch. After dinner we make pudding on a big rock and watch the alpenglow. Before bed I help dad hang the food and then climb in the tent. Before I know it I'm awake again with the patter of rain on the tent. Warm breakfast and time to explore. We found a waterfall that we could climb behind and look through; no wetter than being in the rain. We put our packs on and head back to the pass, learning the names of wildflowers from our mom. It's easier heading back down but the lemondrops still help. Every time people ask me what I like to do, I think of this trip and I can't wait to go again."

He finishes the story, gives me a hug and says, "I'm gonna get my jammies on now, ok?" and skips off after his six year-old brother.

The North Cascades are a place of stunning beauty, world renowned mountaineering and valuable biodiversity. The North Cascades are also a place of families and friends. You come to see this when you visit the North Cascades with kids; there is some homing mechanism built into kids that attract them to other kids and families. Camping at Colonial Creek, hiking Maple Pass, paddling on Diablo Lake and Lake Chelan, climbing at Fun Rock, swimming a river in the Methow Valley and watching eagles on the Skagit - wherever we go we find other families. Exploring. Laughing. Having fun. Creating memories that kids will carry for a lifetime.

The North Cascades are calling. The North Cascades called my family. The North Cascades are calling your family too.