Cascade Mountain Backpacking from Stevens Pass
World Class mountain hiking
Hike Length: 67 Miles ( 79 to North Bend)
Difficulty: Very Strenuous backpack
Maps: Green Trails #176 “Stevens Pass”, #208 “Kachess Lake, #207 Snoqualmie Pass
Add Green Trails Skykomish #175 , Mt Si #174, and Mt Si NRCA #206S for the North Bend variation.
The hike from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass has long been considered a classic by locals and visitors alike. The mountain scenery along this route, which follows the crest of the Cascade Mountains, is some of the finest in the United States. You’ll want to allow a full week to get the most enjoyment out of the trip.
Unfortunately, this trip has been adversely affected by the Greyhound service cutback at Snoqualmie Pass (8/2004). If bus service to the pass has not been restored by the time you want to do the trip, you will have to get a friend to pick you up at the pass, or hike out to North Bend. A possible way of doing this is described below.
Another option for very fit, expert backpackers is to go north from Steven Pass, ending the trip at Holden Village near Lake Chelan, a hike of 97 miles. The scenery along this section of the Pacific Crest Trail is superlative. Various forms of public transportation can be used (boats, county buses, NW Trailways or Amtrak) to get from Holden back to Seattle.
This guide is not intended to teach advanced backpacking techniques. Be advised that this trip is suitable only for experienced, fit backpackers who can handle extended time in rugged terrain with a high potential for poor weather. Heavy snowpack will often make hiking difficult until July. August offers the best weather, but biting insects--flies and mosquitos-- can be a problem. Perhaps the best time to do these hikes is in early September, when the weather is still warm and the insect population has died down.
The trip descriptions given here are brief, as experienced backpackers should need little more than the suggested maps for trip planning. The guidebook “100 Hikes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness”, published by the Mountaineers, contains more detailed information on the area.
Williams Lake near Dutch Miller Gap
Getting There
Northwest Trailways runs currently runs one bus a day from Seattle to Stevens Pass, leaving from the downtown Greyhound station. The bus can also be picked up at Everett Station. The Stevens Pass stop is a “whistle stop”; meaning that you must inform the bus driver that you want to stop there.
The Hike
Once you arrive at Stevens Pass, its just a matter of following the renowned Pacific Crest Trail (Trail 2000) south to Snoqualmie Pass. The trail begins at a parking lot on the south side of the highway, just east of the main ski lodge. Once away from the ski area, the scenery becomes continuously scenic as the trail follows the crest of the Cascades. Water sources and good camping sites generally abound. The following table gives mileages and elevations at key points along the hike:
[Mileage, Elevation] Waypoint
------------------------------------------------
[0.0 ,4056] Hike’s start at Stevens Pass Trailhead
[4.5 ,5000] Josephine Lake and Junction with Trail 1551
[8.0 ,4400] Hope Lake
[12.0 ,5800] Trap Lake Pass
[13.3 ,4900] Glacier Lake
[17.5 ,5100] Deception Lake
[21.0 ,4500] Deception Pass
[26.2 ,5600] Cathedral Rock Pass
[29.1 ,4400] Deep Lake
[36.7 ,3000] Waptus River
[42.3 ,5500] Escondido Ridge Pass
[45.3 ,3200] Lemah Meadows and Pete Lake Trail Junction
[49.6 ,4000] Spectacle Lake
[53.0 ,5700] Chikamin Ridge Pass
[59.4 ,5300] Ridge Lake
[64.2 ,4000] Commonwealth Basin and Red Pass Trail Junction
[66.7 ,3000] Hike’s end at Snoqualmie Pass Trailhead
As previously mentioned, since 8/2004 there is no bus service to or from Snoqualmie Pass. Hopefully the bus service will be restored in the future.
Image Lake, Glacier Peak in distance. Hiking north from
Stevens Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail will take you to this
magnificent spot.
Stevens Pass to North Bend Variation
This backpack itinerary follows the standard Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass route for a long way, then deviates from the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to cross spectacular Dutch Miller Gap. Beyond the gap, the route makes a long descent along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River all the way to the town of North Bend, where Metro buses may be caught to get back to Seattle.
Running fast and clear in its rocky bed,the Snoqualmie River is a pretty sight, which makes up for the lack of alpine scenery in the deep, forested valley that the river flows in. One highlight of the river valley is Goldmyer Hot Springs, perhaps the finest in Washington State. The springs are on private land; the caretaker will charge $12 for a soak. The fee allows you to camp overnight there, too. Be aware that the number of visitors to the springs is limited to 20 a day, so you may not get in without a reservation, especially on weekends.
Soaking pools at Goldmyer Hot Springs
Hike the Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass route (see previous table) to Waptus River, then continue as follows:
[36.7 ,3000] Waptus River crossing(leave PCT here)
[40.6 ,5000] Dutch Miller Gap
[41.6 ,4400] Williams Lake Junction ( 1 mile side trip to lake is worthwhile)
[48.2 ,2800] Dutch Miller Trailhead
[50.0 ,2000] Goldmyer Hot Springs
[56.7 ,1500] Dingford Creek Trailhead
[62.5 ,1000] Middle Fork Trailhead. End of Trail 1003. Follow CCC Trail.
[65.0 , 960] CCC trail rejoins Road 56. Walk road a short distance to start of the next portion of the CCC Trail.
[67.7 ,1300] CCC Trail intersects Bessemer Peak Road
[73.3 ,1300] CCC Trail ends at gate. Continue hiking on dirt road
[74.2 ,950] Start of paved road (Mt Si Road).
Note: Four miles of road walking from this point may be avoided by hiking on trails on the lower slopes of Mt. Si; consult a good map for details.
[78.2 ,500] Leave Mt Si Road, follow Snoqualmie Valley Trail west to North Bend.
[79.4 ,500] Arrive at downtown North Bend. Catch Metro 208 bus to Issaquah, Sound Transit 554 to Seattle.
Campsite at Dishpan Gap, on Pacific Crest Trail north of Stevens Pass
Stevens Pass to Leavenworth via the Icicle Ridge Trail
Hike Length: 44 Miles
Difficulty: Strenuous backpack
Maps: Green Trails #176 “Stevens Pass”, #177 “Chiwaukum Mountains”, #178 “Leavenworth”
This packpack trip takes you through a region of extraordinary alpine beauty. The trailhead (Stevens Pass) and bus access is the same as the Stevens Pass-to-Snoqualmie Pass route described above. This itinerary starts out on the southbound Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), but soon turns east and traverses the heights of Icicle Ridge, a landscape rich in lakes and alpine meadows. Icicle Ridge is located on the dry, "rain-shadowed" side of the Cascade Mountains, so you may have a better chance of enjoying good weather than on the Stevens Pass-to-Snoqualmie Pass route. However, the downside of this is that the eastern end of Icicle Ridge may lack water late in summer.
The good news is that trip has not been affected by the Greyhound service cutbacks.
Getting There:
Go to Stevens Pass via Northwest Trailways, as previously described.
The Hike:
The route proceeds as follows:
[0.0, 4056] Starting point at Stevens Pass. Follow PCT south.
[4.5, 5000] Leave PCT, follow Icicle Creek Trail 1551.
[7.6, 3800] Follow Trail 1569 at junction.
[12.1, 5700] Arrive at Doelle Lakes. Follow way trail to Frosty Pass.
[15.1, 5700] Arrive at Frosty Pass. Follow Trail 1570.
[17.5, 6800] Arrive at Ladies Pass. Continue on Trail 1570.
[19.8, 4800] Index Creek Crossing.
[23.8, 6800] Arrive at Augusta Lake.
[27.5, 5000] Cabin Creek Crossing (possible last water late in season).
[33.0, 6800] Arrive at old fire lookout site at summit of mountain.
[42.0, 1200] Trail’s end at Icicle Creek Road. Walk north on the road to Highway 2, then east on the highway into Leavenworth.
[44.0, 1200] Downtown Leavenworth bus stop
Getting Back
Currently there is one Northwest Trailways bus departure from Leavenworth to Seattle. Taking the train back to Seattle may be possible, as the westbound Amtrak also stops near Leavenworth once a day.