North Cascades National Park

I recently went on a father/son trip to backpack and hike in North Cascades National Park in early to mid July. It's a memory I'll cherish forever. Grateful doesn't even begin to express my feelings on being able to spend this quality time with my son Jake.

We began our trip by backpacking the super challenging and epic Copper Ridge Loop. It actually begins in the Mount Baker / Snoqualmie National Forest then loops around in the NW portion of the North Cascades National Park. We were only about 6 miles from the Canadian border at one point. We spent 3 days & 2 nights on the trail, clocking in a total of 38 miles and 9,000 ft elevation gain. Our legs were cooked!

Day 4, we had a recovery day to explore North Cascades National Park along Highway 20 with all the overlooks, viewpoints and some short hikes. Then our 5th and final day, we day hiked Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm Glacier - 12 miles and 4,000 ft elevation gain. Jake and I both agreed it was one of the best, if not the best, day hikes we've ever done.

North Cascades National Park has the most glaciers, over 300, of any U.S. National Park outside of Alaska. Interestingly, it's one of the least visited national parks probably because just touring it along Highway 20 doesn't really do it justice. You have to hike high up into its mountains to really see it & truly experience it. 

Logistics notes:

Backcountry camping in North Cascades NP requires a permit which can be obtained via early access lottery (in April) or first come first serve at the local park office early morning on the day you are to begin camping. We secured ours via the early access lottery, which is what I would recommend with proper planning especially for popular trails & campsites. More NCNP backcountry permit info here.

We flew into Seattle and stayed in a hotel in Bellingham, where we bought a few camping supplies that we couldn't pack on our flights, such as Jetboil fuel, bear spray and some camping food. The next morning we drove the 1.5 hrs to the trailhead located at the end of Hannegan Pass Road (a dirt forest service road) past Glacier, WA.

We packed 1 two-man tent (actually a 3 man rated tent but it really only has room comfortably for 2), Jetboil stove, 3L gravity water filter (there were several good water sources throughout the trek), sleeping pads & bags, trekking poles, food, clothes, among other backpacking/camping necessities. I'm happy to share a full list and answer any questions about backpacking, camping & hiking in general upon request. 

The weather was outstanding. It was dry our entire time backpacking with chilly nights in the high 40s/low to mid 50s and daytime highs of 70s on the high ridge and low 80s in the river valley. Always a risk out west in the summer, there was some faint wildfire smoke haze obscuring some of the long range views at the end of our first day. Our timing was good as I read the very next week, the wildfire smoke in the area got worse.

After coming off the trail the afternoon of day 3, we drove to Marblemount, WA...the closest town bordering the west side of North Cascades National Park. We stayed at the North Cascades Inn for a couple nights, which is a nice and rustic place that served our lodging needs just fine. There isn't much else in this town...some campgrounds, only a couple restaurants (Mondo Restaurant was really good), couple gas stations, and a coffee shop. There's not a grocery store here (there are a couple back in the small town of Concrete, west of Marblemount) so you won't find camping supplies or good camping/trail food here, so plan accordingly. Further east after you cross into the park is the small outpost of Newhalem which has a small grocery store with more items you won't find in Marblemount but check their operating days/hours.

More notes and commentary in the captions below. This website has some good info on planning for North Cascades NP. 

Starting out on our Copper Ridge Loop journey. Great views right from the start.

We had some remaining snow patches on parts of the trail but didn't need crampons or spikes. Our trekking poles worked just fine. However, this changes year to year and some years have more snow remaining well into July. 

Along the ridge at around 5,500 ft elevation by our first night's campsite, Silesia Camp

Silesia Camp didn't have any water sources, so after setting up camp, we had to hike 1 mile roundtrip down to Egg Lake and back to gather some more water. 

Silesia Campsite views

Silesia Camp Sunset

Good morning!

We set out early in anticipation of a long day 2

Looking back at Silesia Camp (on top of the ridge in foreground). The snow capped mountain on the right is Mount Baker.

This marmot has the best home and view at the top of Copper Ridge (around 6,200 ft elevation)

Copper Ridge Lookout 

Mount Baker

More snow!

Copper Lake

After Copper Lake, we hiked through a large wildfire damaged area.

After descending to the Chilliwack River Valley, we had to ford the river, which was about knee high at that time.

A long walk in the woods along the Chilliwack River Valley. There were a couple long stretches of overgrown areas and blown down trees we had to hike over or under.

Crossing the river again along a suspension bridge

Not far from the Canadian border

The final river crossing, this time in a self propelled cable car. which was a first for us.

Silesia Camp the night before had a secure bear locker that we placed all our food and other scented items into. Our night 2 camp, US Cabin Camp, didn't have one so we had to hang all our food high up using standard bear bag hanging technique (learned in the Boy Scouts!). Jake nailed it on his first try to throw the line up and over that tree limb. We didn't see any bears but did see big piles of fairly fresh bear scat.

our US Cabin campsite, along the Chilliwack River, after a long 17 mile day that began at 7:30am and ended here at 7:30pm.

Day 3, looping back to the Hannegan Trailhead

Copper Ridge Loop completed! We were very tired!

Jake & I at Picture Lake at the end of Mount Baker Highway, after our backpacking trek, with Mount Shuksan in the background.

Day 4 along Highway 20 in North Cascades National Park

Skagit River

Diablo Lake

We hiked the short 4 mile (roundtrip) Thunder Knob trail which overlooks Diablo Lake

Washington Pass Overlook

Day 5 - Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm Trail - we set out early on the Cascade Pass trail. To get here requires an approx 1 hour, 23 mile drive starting in Marblemount along Cascade Pass Road. The last 13 miles is rough dirt, washboard rutted out road. 2 wheel cars can make it but drive accordingly based on the bumpy conditions. Get there early before the parking lot fills up. We got there at 6:15am and there were several spots still available. I'm guessing it was full by 7:30am.

Here is another great description of this hike.

The weather forecast called for morning cloudy skies then the sun would come out. This was our view all the way up Cascade Pass's 6 mile ascent. We were holding out hope that the sun would make its appearance. 

We passed by several majestic looking mountain goats

The clouds started breaking up and the sun came out as we neared the very top of Cascade Pass on the final scramble up to Sahale Arm Glacier

The big reveal as we neared the top 

The final scramble up to Sahale Arm Glacier and the hardest part of the hike up

Looking down at Doubtful Lake

in the clouds at approx 7,600 ft elevation

Sahale Arm Glacier

The 360 degree alpine views from here were unreal

Jake & I

A mountain goat in a surreal setting

Descending back down into the clouds

Looking back up to where we were at Sahale Arm Glacier (top left of that far off ridge)

Getting to see the views on our descent that we couldn't see earlier on our ascent

a nice rest stop area halfway up Cascade Pass

A nice sunset on our final night at a hotel along Lake Washington in Seattle before flying out the next morning.

A nice view of Mount Ranier on the flight out of Seattle