Ray Courtney died in an accident while leading such a pack trip with 29 hikers when the horse he was riding lost its footing and fell down a gully.

Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to the various climate differences.

[7]  In addition, small fragments of the oceanic and continental lithosphere called terranes created the North Cascades about 50 million years ago.

[7] During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris.

Uplift and faulting in combination with glaciation have been the dominant processes which have created the tall peaks and deep valleys of the North Cascades area.