North Cascades of Washington

Mount Pugh on the Mountain Loop Highway

Snowboarding to the Straight Glacier

With the unusually warm winter and lack of snowfall, peaks and highways usually inaccessible until late spring were accessible much sooner in the season. Mount Pugh along the Mountain Loops Highway is one such otherwise dormant destination. It was an early start as Jason and I left Tacoma around 6 a.m. Our plan was to meet up with Conor at a Park and Ride before driving to the Mount Pugh Trailhead. We feared that the Forest Service road would be gated blocking us over 3 miles. We were quickly relieved to drive all the way to the parking lot. It felt like spring as we packed our gear onto our backs and climbed miles of dirt trail under a blazing hot sun. Soon enough the snow pack went from nonexistent to three feet deep as we entered Glacier Peak Wilderness.

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Heliotrope Ridge October Powder on Mount Baker

Looking at Mount Baker and the Heliotrope Ridge
Looking at Mount Baker and the Heliotrope Ridge
A closer look at Heliotrope Ridge

Heliotrope Ridge is the Mount Baker equivalent of the Muir Snowfield on Mount Rainier. There are a few places in Washington where you can hike to to get early season turns. With low elevation glaciers and an easy hike it just takes a little bit of snow to get powder turns. After our first storm of the season it was time to drive north. The plan was to set up camp at the base of Heliotrope Ridge and spend the following day lapping the area. With a phone call from Jason Hummel I was on my way up the Glacier Creek Road. Soon enough I would be getting for first blue sky powder turns of the season.




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Dakobed Traverse to Glacier Peak

Looking at Glacier Peak and the Dakobed Traverse
Looking at Glacier Peak and the Dakobed Traverse
Looking at Glacier Peak and the Dakobed Range

The Dakobed Traverse is a high alpine route from the Boulder Pass trail in Glacier Peak Wilderness to White Pass and the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington state. The trip starts off forest road 6400 and the White River Trailhead and can be coupled with Glacier Peak. Following the Dakobed Range it is one of the more scenic areas within the Cascades.

The Dakobed traverse had been a dream of mine for years and to end it off with Glacier Peak. Compared to other volcanoes this is by far the most isolated within the Cascade Range. For instance any approach to the mountain is a minimum of 30 miles compared to the parking lot on the lower slopes of Mount Rainier. Glacier Peak Wilderness is above all what I consider to have the most stunning scenery in all of Washington.

Dakobed Traverse to Glacier Peak

I had always looked at the Dakobeds (translated to mean Great Parent) in a sense of mystery. Studying the contour lines of the massive peaks hosting several glaciers lingering on the edge of granite cliffs. The Dakobed Traverse to Glacier Peak were to me as Mt Olympus and the Valhalla’s was to Jason Hummel. From the tiger striped gold tinted rock to the never ending crevasse filled glaciers. Glacier Peak Wilderness is easily one of the most amazing places I have ever set my eyes upon. We decided the perfect way to climb Glacier peak would be via the Dakobed Traverse.




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Blue Lake Cirque: Highway 20

Blue Lake Chute near Washington Pass

Blue Lake is a popular area off of Highway 20 during both Summer and Winter conditions. Located near Washington Pass it is an easy place to get to with some good skiing in the area. Being the starting point of the Birthday Tour that is usually the main reason people go there. With good terrain within the Cirque most people pass by some of the best skiing around. With the first big storm of the season hitting the North Cascades Drew Tabke and I were looking to ski. At the moment Highway 20 was still open but it was a mater of days before closing. Soon enough WSDOT wouldn’t be managing the area. It was a race against time.

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Glacier Peak via the Cool Glacier Route

Glacier Peak is the most isolated volcano within the whole Cascade Range and gets little attention compared to its larger brothers. Earlier in the season I had made a goal to summit and ski all five volcanoes in Washington State realizing that the biggest challenge was going to be Glacier Peak on the Cool Glacier with an approach of at least 35 miles. Earlier in the Season I had spoken with someone knowledgeable about the area and he said that the road was closed because of flooding causing an extra few miles. Well after doing some research I found that the extra few miles was 6.5 each way making the total trip 48 miles.

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Easton Glacier Route on Mount Baker

With the Weather forecasts looking promising for the weekend Scott and I decided to make a quick push for the Summit of Mt Baker at an elevation of 10781 ft. I had done the Colman Demming route before and wasn’t to impressed by the ride/traverse down so we decided to head for the Easton Glacier approach which had a much better fall line. During the winter/spring Easton is a snow park and is littered with snowmobiles so it keeps most climbers away.

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Coleman Deming route up Mount Baker

Looking at the Coleman Demming Route on Mount Baker
Looking at the Coleman Demming Route on Mount Baker
Looking up the Coleman Glacier route on Mount Baker

The Coleman Deming is possibly the most popular route to the summit of Mount Baker. Climbing up the Heliotrope Ridge Trail it’s over 7,000 feet and 5.5 miles. Starting on the Coleman Glacier it heads in a southeast direction. Soon enough the final steps are up the Deming Glacier via the Roman Headwall. The route is usually done in two days but is easily possible in a long day. Though it is a non technical route it does pass by crevasses so it does require caution. The first summit of this route and the volcano was done in 1868 by Edmund Thomas Coleman on his third attempt. This days the Coleman Deming Route has become the standard climbing route. It is both popular with skiers and hikers throughout the year.

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