North Cascades National Park: Glaciers, a Giant Beaver & a Billion-Dollar Dam Scandal

We're covering one of the least-visited parks in the whole system: North Cascades National Park in Washington State. This place has over 300 glaciers, turquoise glacial lakes, ancient Indigenous trade routes crossing the mountains 10,000 years ago, and a wild history of dams, clear-cut forests, and an international fight with Canada that just got a nearly $1 billion resolution THIS YEAR. Plus: the fire lookout summer that inspired Jack Kerouac, our must-see spots, best trails, and — obviously — a Bigfoot check-in. Grab your sticks and come hike it with us! ⏱️ Chapters below 🥾 Established 1968 | 300+ glaciers | No entrance fee 📖 Jack Kerouac's fire lookout summer 🦫 The bear-sized beaver that used to roam here ⚡ The Skagit River dam fight that's still unfolding Like what you heard? Subscribe, drop a comment with questions about this park (or the next one we should cover), and check out our Zazzle merch store and buy-us-a-coffee link in our channel description! Go hike your own hike. 🥾 #NorthCascadesNationalPark #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #NationalParkPodcast #HikingPodcast #PNWHiking #WashingtonState #AmericanAlps #NationalParks #OutdoorAdventure #HikeLikeAGirl #ExploreWashington #GlacierCountry #JackKerouac #SkagitRiver #JuniorRanger 0:00 Intro & Catching Up 3:10 Introducing North Cascades - The American Alps 4:23 That Gorgeous Park Sign & Founded in 1968 5:54 300+ Glaciers - Comparing to Glacier National Park 6:56 Why Cascades Doesn't Mean Waterfalls & Turquoise Glacial Lakes 8:52 Just How Remote Is This Park 10:30 No Entrance Fee & the Visitor Center 10:56 Fun Fact - The Bear-Sized Prehistoric Beaver 13:44 Visitor Center Art & Storytelling 14:38 Ancient Indigenous Trade Routes 10000 Years Old 16:38 The Skagit River Dams & Clear-Cutting the Old Growth 18:25 The High Ross Dam Showdown With Canada 20:00 The 1984 Treaty & This Year's $1B Salmon Settlement 23:25 Jack Kerouac's Summer as a Fire Lookout 24:31 Must-See - Diablo Lake Overlook & Scenic Drives 25:01 Best Trails - Thunder Knob & Trail of the Cedars 25:52 Bigfoot or Yeti Check-In 26:47 Wrap-Up & Outro