I have long pondered my spiritual mentor’s mysterious words, unable to imagine a joy that has no condition—could such a thing REALLY exist in me? How did Maple Pass mysteriously connect me with that truth?
All beings seek to be happy. All beings seek to avoid pain. Only the few realize the unconditional source of ever-lasting bliss from within.
Family, career, health, friends, children, sleep, hobbies, that infinite “to-do” list, etc.—all of it demands our time and space. We tackle all it for love, for enduring happiness. These are the forces that drive human life.
Through our effort and intelligence, we can shape the world around us, achieve our goals, and minimize the pain that our loved ones experience. This is certainly a worthy calling!
Yet, we can’t deny that the happiness we experience is deeply conditional. We have all lived through those non-negotiable events that break our humans plans: we lose a person we love, we become sick, a dream career dissolves, our identity cracks falls apart.
It is usually in this state that we begin to ask the most important questions of all:
Who am I without …?
Where do I find happiness now?
This is the type of inquiry that catalyses a deeper dimension of our being. I was on a mission to dedicate the time and space needed to explore this inquiry!
The More Phenomenon
Photo: Visitor’s Center, North Cascades National Park
In our fast paced world, time and space turn out to be a HOT commodity! While we juggle numerous responsibilities and desires, it can be tough to carve out the conditions for deeper reflection.
So we lean on technology to help us work smarter, not hard harder. From apps to AI, these tools certainly help us automate, organize, and multitask like a pro!
You would think these gadgets would free up more time and space than we know what to do with! You would think… but then…
Have you experienced the “more phenomena?
One or two more free hours mysteriously leads to five more work projects. Another hour of shopping. More scrolling. More media. More chatting. More browsing. More cleaning. Baby diapers.
More, more, more. Into the “more” ocean we go.
Can we recognize our tendency to recreate the “more phenomena?” How do we open up the time and space to see a deeper part of ourselves?
Break from the Noise
Steeped in regular external stimulation, it can feel near-impossible to step away from the instinctual tendency to fill our day with endless to-do tasks.
As the years have gone by, I found myself increasingly curious about how to step outside the familiar cycle of doing, achieving, and moving on to the next thing… into a different mind and heart space.
Is was time to step out of more… but how?
There I was, multitasking like a pro: closing out another project, scheduling a grocery delivery, setting appointment reminders, thinking through dinner with my hunny, and workouts for the next week. Oh yes, “more” was my world!
Just then, a timely advertisement infiltrated my computer screen:
HAVE YOU VISITED THE ALPS OF NORTH AMERICA?
Like slowing down for that yellow-turning-red stop light, I punched the proverbial breaks and detoured to the website. What should have been a one minute recharge turned out to be a one hour adventure, into a mystical land I knew nothing about.
The North Cascades!
The Cascades
They whispered from afar, deep into my heart! The moment I saw them, I knew I had to go there.
Across hours of photos, blogs, and websites, I quickly gained a sense of how unique this part of the county is. It was unlike anything I had seen before.
The Cascades expresses a dichotomy that, in many ways, parallels human life itself:
Chaotic and unpredictable, beautiful and beaming with creative potential.
I saw rugger volcanic peaks meet wildflower- and moss-covered valleys, and lush hills slide down the shoulders of Great Granite Mountain Peaks.
I read about Mother nature’s moods—she sweeps through this mysterious land, radically shifting from dewy calm to powerful storms in a matter of minutes.
And then there was the other-worldly shapeshifting fog-currents, carrying moisture into the river lands, where trees and turquoise waters give birth to life.
Everything is in a state of transformation The scene was nothing short of Lord of the Rings’ Misty Mountain!
An adventure was upon me!
This was the time and space I was looking for. I decided to take a risk!
I planned an experience where the time and space—otherwise occupied by life’s obligations—were not only available, but non-negotiable! I wanted to hear something deeper in myself, something buried beneath the clamor.
Who am I? Where is that unconditional happiness within?
Timing is Everything
So off I went to research, what felt like, hundreds of trails throughout the national park and surrounding forests. I started on AllTrails and then shifted to a website featuring more localized summaries and discussions tailored to the time of year: Washington Trails Association.
I highly recommend this website. It helped me understand the trails from a seasonal and experiential perspective; many of the trail notes are updated regularly, sometimes every week. It was a treasure trove of local, insider information.
I discovered Maple Pass Loop Trail on this website, a landscape that embodies a spectacular juxtaposition between soft, crystalline-blue lakes and wildflower meadows with jagged mountain megaliths ascending into the clouds. The trail carried the same energetic tension that attracted me to the region in the first place.
As it turns out, its beauty attracts thousands of other people from all over the world each year. If I was going to have any shot at experiencing this place in a calm, spacious, and peaceful way, I needed to time it carefully. This led me to plan an adventure in a season less traveled.
Photo: Maple Pass Loop, Washington Trails Association
Late June & Early July
At this time of year, the Cascades favor colder temperatures that preserve the snow-decorated landscapes, while allowing signs of early spring to speckle the valleys. This is a transformative time of the year!
The June and early July crowds are especially lighter, as I imagine most travelers have little appetite to brave snowy conditions at higher altitudes and sporadic storms that roll through the region.
I enhanced the seasonal remoteness one step further, selecting accommodations farther from the park . The B&B was located in Deming, about 90 minutes from Maple Pass Loop Trail. This location gave me an opportunity to traverse the landscape by car, which I have always found to be a powerful experience in itself.
This particular B&B was affordable and offered everything I needed for a comfortable stay: multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, a washer and dryer for dirty hiking gear, and a big backyard for campfires in the evening.
As an added perk, there was a small gas station adjacent to the building, stocked with amenities. This feature goes a long way in a city as quiet and quaint as Deming.
🌲 Sea-Tac to Demming
The drive up from the Seattle-Tacoma airport was a straight shot, with plenty of places to stop for groceries, firewood, and snow gear.
I highly recommend picking up gear while in the city, since many of the rental shops around the park are closed through June.
Over the next two hours, signs of civilization dissolved into a remote and wild landscape. Deming turned out to be as quiet as I imagined it to be, with little in the way of food, entertainment, and shopping. Time and space stood still.
I woke up to cool mornings that hovered in the low 70s.
Moisture-pervading mist coated my skin—cooling and calming—and tiny rain drops ticketed my nose. Dewy hills and shape-shifting clouds stretched across the horizon, as far as my eyes could see. This was peace.
🏔️ To The Mountain
The North Cascades is famous for its inclement weather in June and early July. So I made sure to pack for all of mother nature‘s moods!
Packing List
🎒 Waterproof backpack
🗺️ Offline map
👕 Moisture-wicking layers
👖 Quick-dry pants/shorts
🧢 Hat (sun or warm)
🌧️ Waterproof rain jacket/parka
🧤 Gloves and hat
❄️ Snow spikes
🦯 Trekking poles
💧 2–3 liters of water
🩹 First-aid kit
🆘 Bear mace
📣 Whistle
🔪 Multi-tool or knife
🔥 Lighter + waterproof matches
🪪 ID + emergency contact information
🦟 Bug spray
🩴 Water shoes
📱 Waterproof phone/camera protection
⌚️ Watch with SOS feature
I journeyed on Highway 20 due east with the road almost entirely to myself—what a treat. With an ominous storm clouds above, I listened to the quiet hum of tires gliding across a weathered road.
Video: Morning Fog in Deming, Washington
Sunlight parted the ominous cloud ceiling, revealing a luminous beam of light on the road ahead.
Somewhere in that moment, I felt my entire being take a deep, long breath: in and out, in and out.
Tension, from my toes to my nose, unfolded in stages, like a flower opening in the sun. All that holding, bearing of life’s weight, softened into this gentle sensory experience that expanded in all directions.
Deep relaxing sigh…
Winding highway roads parted rain barriers in the distance, revealing flowering lowlands and moss-covered trees that easily could have decorated a hobbit village.
The land was so still, yet overflowing with life—aquamarine rivers, tree canopies, and endless bird species busily building nests. Divine Mother was in full expression here, nourishing this sacred land. And I am a part of it.
Deep breath…
Gradually, layers of ancient rock ascended in the distance, with stunning views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. Maple Pass here I come!
And then…
The Mountain Spoke
There I was, wrapped in Earth Mother’s blanket of comfort, disconnected from the churn of busy life. Only the quiet hum of the road filled the car; my every thought flattened into a rippleless mountain lake of thought.
That is when I heard “it.”
Who are you?
What are you searching for?
Why have you come here?
Admittedly, I was taken aback by the questions, somehow streaming through the sensory silence into the deepest part of my mind and heart. Instinctually I answered:
I am me… the same busy, striving, achieving, caring me I have always been!
I am thankful for the people in my life, proud of my work ethic, and grateful for spirit’s blessings.
Just as soon as I answered it, a subtle emptiness followed: something was missing.
What was I searching for? Instantly, I recalled my original intention—the search for the unconditional happiness my mentor spoke of.
Why was I searching for it?
Perhaps to be a “better” me for the people and responsibilities I have been entrusted with?
To be better, I answered.
Hmmmm, there it was again… that same empty echo. Something was missing, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
If the happiness is unconditional, then why would I need to be “better,” I thought.
Truthfully, I didn’t have any answer! A part of me doubted that such a happiness could exist in the first place. I allowed myself to sit in the unknowing. What did I mentor mean by all of it?.
Dear Mountain, teach me the secret to unconditional happiness.
🥾 Trail Talk
Pulling up to the Maple Pass’ parking lot, a scintillating excitement rippled through my mind’s tranquil waters.
Only one parking space available!
Yet another confirmation that traveling this time of year was the right choice!
In high season, the Maple Pass parking lot overflows by dawn. Many travelers find themselves parking along the highway, sometimes a half mile or longer down the pullover.
The parking felt symbolic. I was meant to be there.
Stepping out of the car, my attention settled on the spectacular forest giants encircling colorful vehicles—shades of green, blue, maroon, brown, and gold dusted with fresh rainfall. There was a profound stillness, almost eerie to ear.
I grounded my entire self in that moment.
No past or future to be anxious about.
No to-dos.
Just being.
This was a new experience; with closed eye and a calm heart, I soaked in the sun just beginning to shine from behind the thick cloud veil. There was something very special about this place.
Lugging my backpack out of the trunk, I’m skipped over to the trail map, excited to “be” one with this magical place! I can’t remember the last time I skipped! Do you?
I was completely out of my busy-life element, with only the sound of mountain chickadees to answer to.
These chubby little feathered friends are adorable!
Photo: Chickadee, National Park Service
At the trail map, I spent some time studying the summit options and unexpectedly found myself at a “Y” in the road:
Do I take the counterclockwise or clockwise route?
⏰ Counterclockwise
The counterclockwise experience led through a dense forest canopy, opening up to overlooks of the crystal blue Lake Ann and her alpine, ridge-like backdrop.
The trail steadily gained altitude along rocky slopes, reaching the high point at Maple Pass, roughly 7,000 feet, where I expected to see a 360-degree panorama of Black Peak, Cutthroat Peak, and Glacier Peak.
The descent led to steeper switchbacks and polished off the experience in wildflower meadows. This seemed to be the easier route to take.
🕰️ Clockwise
The clockwise route presented challenging terrain from the get-go—a steep climb up switchbacks through a dense forest and its oddly shaped trunks… more on that later.
The path emerged onto dramatic ridge walks with front-facing views of cascading waterfalls, deep blue waters, and sweeping vistas of the surrounding Cascades peaks.
Navigating the trail from this direction offered prolonged views of Lake Ann as you gradually descended from the summit of Maple Pass. The trail ends with a downhill, relaxed finish.
This was a tough decision . Which way—and more importantly, why?
Photo: Maple Pass Loop Trail Map
I imagined that if I tackled the hard portions of the trail first, the reward would be greater! No pain, no gain right? That was my life philosophy!
So, I instinctively began my trek along the clockwise trail. Just as soon as I took the first few steps, that niggle in the back of my mind spoke:
Dear friend, try again!
Try again?
It wasn’t the right choice… but why? I need to have another honest talk with myself. What was this hike really about?
More work, more effort, more striving to be “better?” Yet, I had no idea what that better was ultimately for? I had nothing to prove. This was about finding my deeper why.
Take a different approach—the path less traveled.
I reluctantly decided on taking the counterclockwise direction. The niggle finally settled down. There was something about the gradual ascent that I needed to experience, as underwhelming as it sounded in that moment.
Gripping my backpack straps, I took a deep breath and began the journey up the mountain.
And then…
The Mountain Spoke
Video: River off Maple Pass Loop Trail
Brought back to that unanswered question, again I wondered why being “better” wasn’t enough. Why didn’t I wanted to take “better”back into the life I worked so hard to build?
What does being “ better” really mean?
Does “better” lead to unconditional happiness?
I carried those questions with me through the Rainy Pass trek, climbing through dense forests of subalpine fir and spruce. I allowed that space to permeate peace into my being.
Over the increasing elevation, I could see the trees becoming shorter and more scattered, and the trail opened into beautiful subalpine meadows filled with lupine, Indian paintbrush, heather, phlox, and penstemon wildflowers.
I was excited to see wildlife! Stuck in the city, you rarely have a glimpse of the mountain creatures that uniquely live here. I was ready—well, as long as I didn’t run into bear!
And yes, I highly recommend carrying bear mace. It is the best $40 you will ever spend… and make sure the bottle is not expired!
Video: Maple Pass Loop Trail
Step by step, the gradual ascent met me in here was.
The connection with the land cleared my mind and heart, leaving me with a sense of overwhelming gratitude to be alive in that moment. That gratitude felt like the right starting place to find the answers I needed.
Climbing higher, I entered alpine terrain with rocky and rugged slopes, where Mother Nature unabashedly tested my will and endurance. I could ice and snow at higher altitudes, and it was quite beautiful.
Frozen and silent.
Only the cool breeze.
And those answered questions.
Why are you here? What better really for? Others? For yourself?
Each labored step exposed that inbuilt tension between what I knew and the unknown experience.
Heartbeat pounding at a steady 140+ bpm, I dug my heals into the hard ground and propelled myself up the steep slopes like a mountain goat. Thanks to a good amount of inclined training prior to the trip, I felt strong and capable—ready for the challenge ahead.
I could see peaceful views of stunning Lake Ann and the glacially shaped mountain walls that protected her beauty. Energy spiraling upward in ever-unfolding motion, I sensed I was entering into a creative energy center.
Creation. Nourishment. Destruction.
The land felt like a transformative bridge, a place where inner breakthrough postures for birth. Eventually, I reached Maple Pass, standing roughly 6,600–7,000 feet above sea level.
Alpine meadows.
Bouldered ridges.
Expansive valleys.
Dramatic views of Corteo, Frisco, Black Peak, and Liberty Bell.
It was a sight of epic proportions. A beauty that will surely make my final life review!
I was energetically charged, with the same upward spiraling motion I had sensed on the switchbacks earlier. There was a polarized quality to it, traversing my body, through every in and outward breath.
Like sitting at the edge of the world, I stood still in silence, shell shocked by the view.
Then, that bubble tension—that question I wrestled with—rose up from the depths, popped over the surface of my conscious mind, and delivered a timely message:
It is not about being better
It is about being
Being is joy
Joy is your essence
Photo: Maple Pass Loop
Perplexed by the insight, I chewed over the possibility that maybe I had it all wrong.
Maybe this joy has always been with me, yet somehow obstructed from view. Like the being of the the I couldn’t see over the tree line. I needed the time, space, peace to see it from an elevated view.
Tingles through my body seemed to concur.
But what being better? Doesn’t than secure happiness?
The mountain revealed:
Unconditional joy is different than the happiness of getting what we want, avoiding what we don’t want. The joy is yours and always will be. Be still and you find it.
I saw an image in my mind, waking up from a dream and remembering I was still in bed.
It is an inner process.
That is why time and space matter.
So that we can recognize it: like heat to fire, inseparable.
Time and space are gateways.
🌈 The Highest Joy
Perched at the top of the world, I gazed into those mountains, effluent with universal wisdom. There was so much to be thankful for, even more than I could have imagined. Joy is ours to remember.
And that begins with gratitude!
Each of us can certainly to think of at least one person or circumstance that we are incredibly thankful for.
A beautiful child.
A loving partner.
An accomplished career.
A stunning sunset.
An unforgettable meal.
A mountain summit.
Health.
Wealth.
Hope for the future.
This is part of what it means to be human. Relationships matter. Service in our world matters. Building better circumstances for all matters.
We should absolutely work to create better conditions for ourselves and for one another, but not because of the reason we assume we should.
We make a subtle mistake when we ask those conditions to give us something they were never capable of giving us permanently:
A joy with no beginning or end.
A joy that requires nothing from us.
A joy that is “I.”
It can be a tough thing to wrap our heads around, as it certainly was for myself! Year, somehow, creating that time and space to introspect and be still stepped me closer to it.
Joy is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt before.
When our basic needs are met, when we are safe, and when we have access to the most precious resources—space, time, and peace—we have the greatest opportunity to explore that inner state, shared by all beings.
In essence, I realized that all the striving we do to secure our lives is useful insofar as it serves us in discovering the real source of joy inside.
We must endeavor to build better lives for our loved ones, ourselves, our communities, and the world—not because those accomplishments will finally complete us, but because a better world gives more people the opportunity to become quiet enough to discover what is already within them.
Photo: Wildflowers, North Cascades
Can you imagine a world where every person has found that unconditional joy? Not a world without responsibility, challenges, suffering, or difficulty.
But a world where beneath all of those experiences, people know something essential about themselves that cannot be taken away.
And it belongs to all of us.
This is the kind of world I want to live in!
Descent to Wisdom
In gratitude to this great wisdom, I bowed to the ancient mountain teachers and beloved Queen Ann, thankful for what I had learned.
Time and space were not the treasure.
They are the doorways to it.
Better and more were never the final destination.
Being joy is!
With energy flowing upward and the kind of lightness that follows inner breakthrough, I descended into the wildflower-covered slopes with clarity and ease. Conifer forests on either side, I enjoyed the relaxing trek back to where I started.
Not a cloud in sky!
The sun shined on its throne!
No And I was granted the sweetest goodbye! Ahead on the path, a chubby and smiling Mammouth plopped its belly on a chisel boulder, happily chewing on a midday snack. It stared directly at me, with a smug smile, as if to say:
You found it! You found the treasure! Now, where is that snack I know you have filed away in your backpack?
Initially, I was quite surprised to come face-to-face with this adorable little friend. I knew better than to feed him, lest I attract bears to the path. I paused for a moment, gazing at how content this adorable traveler seemed on his jagged rock.
It was the final reminder that wherever we are, joy is there.
On a jagged rock, on the soft wildflower grass, or the smooth river rock… Joy is there.
The Marmoth reminded me of that.
Video/Photo: Marmoth, North Cascades
As the peaks faded behind the trees, I continued downward, back to that “Y” in the road. To whatever or whoever compelled me to follow the path I did, thank you. I will never forget this grace.
The End is the Beginning
The drive back to Deming was as silent, spacious, and peaceful as it had been in the beginning, yet something in me was changed.
Clear blue skies overhead illuminated stunning views of Mount Baker and neighboring Twin Sisters, Church, and Tomyhoi Mountains, dusted with winter-pearl snow gleaming in the distance. Something about these mountains had delivered a deep realization about the inner journey we are all on:
Open the time and space to remember.
Remember the joy that we are, a joy without external conditions.
This was the ultimate goal.
How did the mountains teach me this wisdom?
Perhaps from the universal consciousness that serves as an infinite library of everything that can be known in incarnate experience.
Perhaps it was simply what became available when the noise finally became quiet enough for me to hear myself.
Nature has more to teach us than we could ever imagine—lessons so deep they transcend human intellect and understanding.
Time in space is just the beginning! In future hiking articles, we will explore what it means to explore that inner joy as it felt reality. This deeply intuitive process is a fantastic art, one all of us have the opportunity to create. I look forward to sharing more experiences that bridge our natural world to the most beautiful parts of our human consciousness.
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