Finally got to climb some high peaks this year, and two at that. Cascade is one of the most commonly climbed of the 46 high peaks, as the trip is not very long and it has a nice, unobstructed view. Porter is only a mile further along, so we couldn't miss the opportunity - the trip in between was well worth it as well.

We took the approach from the West off of route 73, climbing 2.4 mi to Cascade, and about 2000'. Roundtrip was about 6.2 mi. The hike was quite nice, one of the prettiest of the year so far. At the bottom the fresh spring leaves were still developing, and there were many birches. After not too much of a climb up we were left only with unopened buds, and it could have been early spring in the lowlands. To birches were added many balsam fir and spruce (red I think). In the highest elevations the forest became a thick mesh of short balsam fir, through which it would have been dificult to walk. It was a pretty rocky trail, and on the trek between the two peaks there were still patches of ice.

The top of Cascade is one huge, bare rock, with a nice 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape, including many of the other high peaks. Porter, which can easily be seen from Cascade (and visa versa), is not as exposed, but still produces a summit with nice views in all directions. I can see why many people climb Cascade: it is not too difficult, has a wide trail that's hard to miss, and has a great view. I still look forward to climbing the more remote peaks, as this element adds much to the experience. We ran into about 8 people during the hike, only two of which were coming from Porter. The summit of Porter itself was free of people.

We still want to hike to Porter from the other direction, from Marcy Field preferably - it is a much steep climb, with an additional 1000 feet in elevation.