| Henry M. Jackson Wilderness is named after Senator Henry Jackson of Washington who was instrumental in the designation of many of the state's Wildernesses, and this "forest" of fabled peaks recalls his efforts. Straddling more than 30 miles of the craggy north-south trending crest of the Cascade Mountains, with deep glacial valleys spreading out east and west from the crest, this Wilderness is perhaps most distinctive in its northwest section. Here you will find terrain reminiscent of the Swiss Alps: glacial basins surrounded by raggedy ridgelines supporting sharp spires and imposing rock towers, attractions to many mountain climbers. Snow often accumulates to a depth of 20 feet in the higher country, and remains well into summer, eventually melting into the 60-plus lakes, which range from small pools of water to Blanca Lake's approximately 180 acres in the northwest section. A tall forest covers the lower elevations, then thins out and changes in species to eventually open into broad meadows on many ridge tops. This Wilderness shares its northeast border with the huge Glacier Peak Wilderness. |
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