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Article: Aspens in apple country. (Washington)(includes trip planner to Methow Valley and Okanogan)(Cover Story)
- Article from:
- Sunset
- Article date:
- September 1, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Sunset Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Though aspens grow throughout the Cascades, they rarely take over whole mountains as they do in the Rockies and Sierra Nevada. Instead, they show up as fiery islands glowing among deep green tracts of firs and pines. Most years they start coloring up in late September, reaching their peak in October.
On the east slope of the North Cascades, the colorful town of Winthrop makes a great base for aspen hunting. You get there via one of the most spectacular alpine drives in the West: take Interstate 5 to Burlington (about 60 miles north of Seattle), then head east on North Cascades Highway (State 20).
You won't see many aspens until you drop into the Methow Valley. ...