Posted by Chip Phillips on August 16, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Anyone have any favorite hikes in the North Cascades? I haven't backpacked there before and am looking for something epic, with lots of streams, tarns, lakes, and views of the bigger peaks. Any suggestions would be great.
Chip
Posted by David Cobb on August 16, 2009 at 5:11 PM
The areas around the Glacier Peak wilderness (especially Red & White passes) are great in September. Outside of Stehekin there are some good open areas around Purple Pass in the Wenatchee National Forest, also near Hart Pass in the Okanogan NF there are some great areas in the fall with a lot of color. The Pasayten Wilderness stays a lot drier than the North Cascades due to a rain shadow. The Boston Peak area of North Cascade NP might offer the most spectacular crags and glaciers for photography. I camped up there a few years ago with my point-and-shoot (wish I had better at the time). I've taken some loop hikes near Ross Lake, but for the most part found them too forested with few great views.
Have a great time Chip!
David M. Cobb
Posted by Steve Cole on August 16, 2009 at 8:29 PM
Day hikes? Multi-day?....
Hannigan Peak (via Hannigan Pass trail) gives you an amazing amount of peak views (Baker, Shuksan, Ruth/Icy, Whatcom, Challenger, Picketts...) along with great flowers. (day hike)
Yellow Aster Lakes gives you wildflowers, tarns, Mt Baker / Shuksan (day hike or overnighter)
Ptarmigan Ridge (end of Mt Baker Hwy) gives you head on views of Mt Baker along with wildflowers. (day hike)
Lake Ann / Maple Pass loop hike will give you views + Larch Fall Color (day hike)
Mt Maude Accessed via the Phelps Creek Trail / Chiwawa River Rd) gives you some lofty views. Not quite "North Cascades" but central Cascades. (multi-day outing)
Posted by Chip Phillips on August 17, 2009 at 2:44 AM
Thanks guys for the responses. I was thinking multi-day backpacking trip. I would also be open to the Glacier Peak region. David, did you mean Boston Basin? That looks cool, but I read that there are usually a lot of climbers and the camping kind of sucks.
Posted by Marc Dilley on August 17, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Chip -
If you like the Glacier Peak area, here are a few suggestions.
1) The Cloudy Pass Loop: From Lake Wenatchee drive up to the Spider Meadows trailhead. The Meadows feature good camping and are one of the easiest walks in the Cascades to a really scenic alpine camp. From there things get a bit tougher: Continue up valley, take the L fork of the trail and walk over the Spider Glacier (safe-not much more than a large snowfield anymore). Reach the pass and descend through delightful scree and meadows to Lyman Lake. Take trail up to Cloudy Pass Meadows (awesome camping). Take trail up to Cloudy Pass, continue to Suiattle Pass and start down to Miners Creek. (At this point you have the option to take a side trip to the famous Image Lake-no camping allowed but worth the hike). Continue along to Buck Creek Pass (good camping, water is available in low areas towards Buck Creek). Drop down Buck Creek to Trinity. Green Trails Map #113.
2. Trinity to Little Giant Pass via High Pass: From Trinity, hike up to BCP and turn sharp L, heading due S. (Awesome views up here on the ridge) Continue along ridge trail until High Pass. (Excellent camping, but no water. In all but very late season, you can get water below pass to S) If you want to camp at Triad Lake there is a spur trail that cuts off about .5 m N. Continue along trail, going S down valley. Trail will eventually dump you out into the Napeequa where you will hike down stream until the trail makes the long grind up to Little Giant Pass. Hike over pass, drop down to the Chiwawa River, and ford it. Note that the river is only fordable in late season. If you're unsure, do this trip in reverse, crossing the Chiwawa first so you don't have to worry about it.
3. The Cady Ridge Loop: From Lake Wenatchee take road 6500 to trail 1532 - Cady Ridge Trail. This climbs steeply w/o water for many miles, but in early season the wildflowers and views of Glacier Peak are amazing. Trail stays high nearly the entire way, with good views. Continue upward to Lake Sally Ann then Dishpan Gap. Turn R to Meander Meadow or take side trip to Blue Lake (very nice). Hike down into Meander Meadow (excellent camping). There is a trail to the top of Kodak Peak. Continue down the Little Wenatchee River and back to vehicle. Green Trails Map # 144
Of these three, my favorite is #2.
Posted by David Cobb on August 17, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Yeah, Boston Basin. There were climbers in the area, and the camping did suck, but the views were great.
David
Posted by Steve Cole on August 17, 2009 at 12:00 PM
I will wholeheartedly recommened Marc's trip #1 (Cloudy Pass/Buck Creek Pass loop). I did this about 3 years and the views are AMAZING. Marc is correct that the ascent of the "Spider Glacier" is nothing more than a snowfield. The guidebooks also caution about the backside descent to Upper Lyman Lake but we also found that to be a simple snowfield. If you at all comfortable crossing snowfields than you should have no problems.
Marc is incorrect in one of his points, however. Camping IS allowing at "Image Lake." There are 6 or 7 campsites located below the lake. They aren't the best campsites (very sandy & not many good options for hanging food) but there is a backcountry toilet with a heck of a view of Glacier Peak. The sidetrip west along Miners Ridge to the lookout is worth it for the views.
For our trip, we camped at Spider Meadows, Upper Lyman Lake, Image Lake, and then Buck Creek Pass. We got weathered out at Buck Creek Pass so we hiked out a day early. Here's a gallery of photos from that trip:
I'm heading out this morning on a different hike into the Glacier Peak Wilderness which I can probably recommend this weekend when I return..
Posted by Chip Phillips on August 17, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Awesome. Thanks guys. I was thinking about image lake, but was wondering if there would be anything around it to explore, streams-tarns-meadows-etc.
Posted by Stan Rose on August 20, 2009 at 11:11 PM
Image Lake is OK, ive backpacked there in one day (hey that rhymes) but IMHO as has been mentioned the whole Cascade Pass area cannot be beat for its scenery, ive gone up Boston and climbed Eldorado, and it is jaw-dropping amazing up there. Maybe its changed in the last 6 years, but when i was there crowds were sparse and the camping was fine if you knew where to look. You may not wish to do the whole Ptarmigan Traverse, but there are several sections of it that are accessible by other trails, and I can tell you a couple of them blow pretty much anything in the PacNW away (but i cant reveal their names in this forum, cause i want them all to myself! ) The only other true classic IMO is to get into the Picketts--and thats a whole nother ballgame, i never had the chance to make it up there, just some of the subsidary peaks--but enough to see that that is where the action is!
Ive done all of Marc's suggestions, all very nice but if i get a chance to get back out there it will be either the Picketts or my top-secret location (hint: its off the same road that leads to Cascade Pass). Another possible option is to head into Canada, cause epic begins up there.
Very nice suggestions listed above. Note that some of the areas that Stan is referring to are a bit more technical scrambles/ off trail than somebody viewing this thread may be seeking, more specifically the Ptarmigan Traverse, Picket Range, from what I have been told from several people, is best to do with some climbing/glacier travel
experience.
Snowking is also a very nice area, but the route is not regularly maintained and holds similar challenges to the aforementioned.
Discussion
9 repliesChip
Have a great time Chip!
David M. Cobb
Hannigan Peak (via Hannigan Pass trail) gives you an amazing amount of peak views (Baker, Shuksan, Ruth/Icy, Whatcom, Challenger, Picketts...) along with great flowers. (day hike)
Yellow Aster Lakes gives you wildflowers, tarns, Mt Baker / Shuksan (day hike or overnighter)
Ptarmigan Ridge (end of Mt Baker Hwy) gives you head on views of Mt Baker along with wildflowers. (day hike)
Lake Ann / Maple Pass loop hike will give you views + Larch Fall Color (day hike)
Mt Maude Accessed via the Phelps Creek Trail / Chiwawa River Rd) gives you some lofty views. Not quite "North Cascades" but central Cascades. (multi-day outing)
If you like the Glacier Peak area, here are a few suggestions.
1) The Cloudy Pass Loop: From Lake Wenatchee drive up to the Spider Meadows trailhead. The Meadows feature good camping and are one of the easiest walks in the Cascades to a really scenic alpine camp. From there things get a bit tougher: Continue up valley, take the L fork of the trail and walk over the Spider Glacier (safe-not much more than a large snowfield anymore). Reach the pass and descend through delightful scree and meadows to Lyman Lake. Take trail up to Cloudy Pass Meadows (awesome camping). Take trail up to Cloudy Pass, continue to Suiattle Pass and start down to Miners Creek. (At this point you have the option to take a side trip to the famous Image Lake-no camping allowed but worth the hike). Continue along to Buck Creek Pass (good camping, water is available in low areas towards Buck Creek). Drop down Buck Creek to Trinity. Green Trails Map #113.
2. Trinity to Little Giant Pass via High Pass: From Trinity, hike up to BCP and turn sharp L, heading due S. (Awesome views up here on the ridge) Continue along ridge trail until High Pass. (Excellent camping, but no water. In all but very late season, you can get water below pass to S) If you want to camp at Triad Lake there is a spur trail that cuts off about .5 m N. Continue along trail, going S down valley. Trail will eventually dump you out into the Napeequa where you will hike down stream until the trail makes the long grind up to Little Giant Pass. Hike over pass, drop down to the Chiwawa River, and ford it. Note that the river is only fordable in late season. If you're unsure, do this trip in reverse, crossing the Chiwawa first so you don't have to worry about it.
3. The Cady Ridge Loop: From Lake Wenatchee take road 6500 to trail 1532 - Cady Ridge Trail. This climbs steeply w/o water for many miles, but in early season the wildflowers and views of Glacier Peak are amazing. Trail stays high nearly the entire way, with good views. Continue upward to Lake Sally Ann then Dishpan Gap. Turn R to Meander Meadow or take side trip to Blue Lake (very nice). Hike down into Meander Meadow (excellent camping). There is a trail to the top of Kodak Peak. Continue down the Little Wenatchee River and back to vehicle. Green Trails Map # 144
Of these three, my favorite is #2.
David
Marc is incorrect in one of his points, however. Camping IS allowing at "Image Lake." There are 6 or 7 campsites located below the lake. They aren't the best campsites (very sandy & not many good options for hanging food) but there is a backcountry toilet with a heck of a view of Glacier Peak. The sidetrip west along Miners Ridge to the lookout is worth it for the views.
For our trip, we camped at Spider Meadows, Upper Lyman Lake, Image Lake, and then Buck Creek Pass. We got weathered out at Buck Creek Pass so we hiked out a day early. Here's a gallery of photos from that trip:
http://scole.smugmug.com/gallery/4443497_EFc7N#261159166_b2LQJ
I'm heading out this morning on a different hike into the Glacier Peak Wilderness which I can probably recommend this weekend when I return..
Ive done all of Marc's suggestions, all very nice but if i get a chance to get back out there it will be either the Picketts or my top-secret location (hint: its off the same road that leads to Cascade Pass). Another possible option is to head into Canada, cause epic begins up there.
experience.
Snowking is also a very nice area, but the route is not regularly maintained and holds similar challenges to the aforementioned.
Congrats on getting up Eldorado, Stan.