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Pacific Crest Trail Washington Section J

Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass-Slow Packing the PCT Part 3

ccatte · May 20th, 2020

Backpacking

Starting Place:

Stevens Pass

The PCT from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass is one of the most traveled sections of the Pacific Crest Trail. At 71 miles, it can be completed in a week or less and is close to Seattle. It is also incredibly beautiful with lush green forests, high mountain peaks and plenty of lakes for camping. It’s a real roller coaster of a hike though with constant ups and downs of several thousand feet at a time!

Four of us hiked it over 7 days in August from north to south which meant we passed many, many thru hikers on their way north. We chose this direction because the first day would be easier. The second day made up for it! Our total elevation gain was 18,256 ft. Total elevation loss was 19,957 ft.

Getting There

From Seattle, drive north on I-405 to State Route 522 East (Exit 23). Continue to US Highway 2 (Stevens Pass Highway). Drive east on US 2 for 50 miles to Stevens Pass. Just past the Stevens Pass Ski Area, turn right into a large parking lot.

From Wenatchee drive west on Highway 2 to Stevens Pass. The parking lot is on the left just before the Stevens Pass Ski Area.

Notes About Hiking This Section

This section of the PCT is in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. A NW Forest Pass is required to park at both Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass. There are self-issue stations for these $30 permits at the trailhead. A free self issued hiking permit is available at the beginning of the trail.

There are many campfire restrictions on this section of trail. Check with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest for current information.

There are two potentially hazardous water crossings. One is at PCT Mile 2441 that crosses an unnamed stream below Mt. Daniel. The stream roars down from a narrow rocky canyon. At high water it can be quite difficult to cross. At lower water, it isn’t bad. There are two channels to cross. The first, coming from the north, is a smaller one easily crossed on downed logs. After it, hike upstream a ways and find a spot to pick your way across. The other potentially hazardous crossing is at Lemah Creek. The bridge crossing has been washed away. It can be waded or there is a log crossing downstream not too far.

If you like camping on lakes, this is the section for you. Numerous lakes are found along the trail. There are also some long water carries on this section. The first is a 5 mile section from the hazardous water crossing below Mt. Daniel over Cathedral Pass and down to Deep Lake. Next is 7 miles from the Waptus River up Escondido Ridge to the small tarns at the top. Finally, the 8 miles from Park Lakes to Ridge Lake up Chikamin Ridge is waterless.

Day 1 August 20, 2018

Stevens Pass to Hope Lake

8 miles, Elevation gain 2,222 ft., Elevation loss 1906 ft.

The adventure began with a gradual climb up the slopes of the Stevens Pass Ski Resort. We wandered through open meadows and forested slopes to the top of a ridge where a ski lift terminated. Would have been nice to ride that up!

Smoke from nearby forest fires filled the air and immediately dampened our spirits. We had been so lucky the previous two years with no smoke at all. We hoped this wouldn’t persist for the entire trip. The limited views through the smoke hinted at silhouettes of ridges across a valley.

At the top of the ridge we met a young thru hiking couple from Italy. He was wearing Crocs because his shoes had completely worn out. He was hoping to get some new shoes once they reached Stevens Pass. Hiking in Crocs sucks, and I know because I did it once on a 13 miles, 3,000 ft. elevation gain hike. I had forgotten my hiking boots but was wearing Crocs so decided to do the hike in them. It wasn’t bad going uphill but the return trip down was torture. My toes bumped into the front of the Crocs so each step was very painful. I tried curling my toes under but it didn’t help much. We stopped once and cut some new holes in the toe but that didn’t help either. It just meant that a different toe was bumping the front of the shoe. I sure hope that hiker got some new shoes as I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone!

Descending the other side of the ridge, the trail continued through open brushy hillsides. Bright pops of hot pink fireweed beckoned us onward. We stopped for lunch and a well deserved break at Lake Susan Jane. A number of northbound hikers passing by stopped to chat.

From Lake Susan Jane, the trail climbed a ridge to the east, giving us nice views of the lake. We then wandered for the rest of the day through dense forest, passing pretty Mig Lake and stopping to camp at Hope Lake where there were a number of tent sites. We chose a large patch of grass on the edge of the lake. Arriving mid-afternoon we had plenty of time to set up camp and rest. A family was nearby picking blueberries. They had day hiked up from the Tunnel Creek Trail. There was only one other person camped on the far side of Hope Lake that night.

Day 2 August 21, 2018 Hope Lake to Campsite 2445

11 miles, Elevation gain 3335 ft., Elevation loss 3279 ft.

The morning was cool with heavy dew which made everything wet. We had our coffee, breakfast, packed up and were hiking at 7:00. I was ready before the others so took off a few minutes early since it had become clear that I was the slowest of the slow packers! They soon caught up to me on the 4 mile, 1400 ft steady climb through the forest to a pass above Trap Lake.

On and on we lumbered, burdened by our heavy packs. Along the way we met a southbound hiker and his daughter doing trail magic as they hiked. He had a big pack like Santa and was passing out candy, chips, coffee and other snacks. As section hikers, we didn’t qualify for a treat.

Eventually Trap Lake appeared below the trail, a sparkling jewel nestled below smokey jagged gray ridges. Views like this make it all worthwhile! Finally we reached the top of the pass above Trap Lake and stopped for a break before descending the other side. At the top, the air was clearer but the valley below was blanketed in smoke. We enjoyed visiting with several other hikers who were stopped for a break as well. Meeting and talking to other hikers was something I didn’t like at first. I thought it spoiled the wilderness experience, but over time, I’ve come to really enjoy all of the people on the trail. Everyone has a story, and we’ve met people from all over the world.

Steep switchbacks through dense forest dropped us far below the ridge followed by a nice section of level trail that traversed large open boulder fields. Sunlight twinkled on the surface of Surprise and Glacier Lakes below us, two more places that invited us to come back for a longer stay some day. Lunch and a break were on a side trail leading down to Glacier Lake.

Next up was a lovely half-mile or so of relatively flat trail before an endless 2 mile, 900 ft climb to Piper Pass. This was a tough one! Switchbacking up through a huge open boulder field of very large rocks was a slow, hot trek. The sun was bright and very warm with no shade. Eventually the trail leveled out and traveled around the north side of the mountain. I hoped the hard part was over but looking ahead I could see a number of tight switchbacks ascending a steep hillside. The climb wasn’t over yet but at least it continued in the trees offering a bit of shade. Two big climbs in one day challenged our ability and our spirit.

Again we dropped steeply down the far side and continued through dense forest to Deception Lake where we took a short break. A number of people were already camped there, but we had planned to go on anyway. Our unremarkable but flat campsite was in the trees about a mile further. A stream trickled just beyond camp. The only other camper there was a section hiker from Cleveland who does a different big hike each year.

Day 3 August 22, 2018 Camp 2445 to Deep Lake

10 miles, Elevation gain 2661 ft., Elevation loss 3395 ft.

Off at our usual time of 7:00ish, the trail continued for four miles of easy walking through dense forest. We crossed Deception Pass that deceptively did not look like a pass. A trail junction led down to Hyas Lake which offers an alternative route to the route we were following. However, it requires a big drop to the lake followed by a big climb back up to the PCT. I was very nervous about crossing the upcoming unnamed creek. It is notoriously dangerous and I wondered about taking the Hyas Alternate. It was late summer and surely the water was much lower than earlier in the year. No one coming the other way had mentioned it other than to say to cross the second part up higher. I had watched a number of Youtube videos of people crossing. It looked tricky. The creek falls from high above on Mt. Daniel, thunders down a large boulder strewn channel where it braids into several channels before disappearing below. First up, we would be crossing a channel that had several logs to walk on. I had seen video of a woman crawling across this. It turned out to be extremely easy. The crossing above was not too difficult either. It was just a matter of taking our time and stepping carefully through the rushing calf deep water. After the crossing, we took a long snack break and watched others cross. One hiker took a misstep, slipped and fell into the icy water on the upper crossing. He quickly recovered and moved on, embarrassed I’m sure.

So, I was relieved to have that over and looked forward to the next part of the trail. However, this was a 3+ mile, 1700 ft. climb to Cathedral Pass. It was now late morning and getting hot. I trudged through waist high shrubs that obscured the view of Hyas Lake. Nothing to do but soldier on. A hiker passing the other way told me to “just put one foot in front of the other.” Indeed. My companions waited for me at a campsite about halfway to the pass. I think they waited quite some time. I was really slow that day!! On we hiked to Cathedral Pass where we stopped for lunch and a long break in a lovely area with large open parks and views of peaks all around although we continued to have smokey skies.

Finally at the top, the trail wandered through a large open alpine area near tree line. For those who want more of a challenge, there is a side trip to Peggy’s Pond which is supposed to be stunning. We did not do it. Next up was a switchbacking drop over approximately 3 miles and a descent of more than 1,000 feet to Deep Lake. The lake teased us with views through the trees but never seemed to get any closer! The long switchbacks were endless but at least we were going down! Once at the bottom we scouted around for a campsite and found a nice one on the east side of the lake. I walked over to the west side, managing to slip off the rocks crossing the outlet and getting my feet wet. Maybe my socks got a laundering then. There were many, many campsites in that area.

Our campsite was on the edge of the lake where we had great views of this spectacular lake. A distant waterfall roared from the peaks above. Looking across the lake, we saw a number of people by the water, swimming and bathing. This was truly a special campsite.

Day 4 August 23, 2018 Deep Lake to Escondido Ridge

12 miles, Elevation gain 2562 ft., Elevation loss 1746 ft.

The trail started off very nicely through the timber with just a little bit of downhill but soon we were dropping more than 1,000 feet over 4 miles to a hillside traverse above Waptus Lake. The trail above Waptus Lake was a wonderfully flat 3 mile section. Knowing what was coming soon, made this section of trail even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the trees were so thick, we never had a glimpse of the lake until we were high above climbing Escondido Ridge.

There was a large bridge crossing the Waptus River, and it was easy to get down to the water for a break and to fill up for the next section that was waterless. We would not have access to water until the following day so everyone filled up every bladder and bottle. Just a little extra weight to make the climb a bit more challenging!

The rest of the day was spent climbing 6 miles and 2200 ft up Escondido Ridge. The numerous switchbacks made the climb easier although much longer. We stopped for lunch when we were about 1/3 of the way up. After a long break, we marched on. I decided to have no expectation about how long the climb would last. The trail was narrow and perched on the edge of a very steep hillside. I thought to myself that one little misstep would send a person over the edge where they might never be found. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

After three miles of switchbacks I came to a campsite. It was a small but beautiful site overlooking the lake and the towering peaks beyond. I tried to pick out where the trail we had walked but couldn’t figure it out beyond Waptus Lake. My companions were waiting there for me. We took a break, had a snack and took some pictures of this beautiful spot.

Another two miles of climbing and we arrived at our home for the night, a large flat area with many campsites scattered through the brush. We chose a large grassy area away from the main trail and set up camp. At 5200 feet, it was quite chilly especially after the sun set. We went to bed around dusk, and as far as we knew, no one else camped in the area.

Day 5 August 24, 2018

Escondido Ridge to Spectacle Lake

13 Miles, Elevation gain 2835, Elevation loss 3546 ft.

It was a cold night but we slept well in our toasty little nests. Heavy dew coated everything in the morning. Our frozen fingers fumbled as we packed up our wet tents. We started off hiking in down jackets but the day warmed up quickly. The first three miles were easy walking at timberline along Escondido Ridge. Inviting small ponds nestled in the rocks. We stopped at the second one to fill up our water bottles. Finally, the smoke had cleared out.

The views to the west of Escondido Ridge were beautiful. Lemah Mountain towered above the valley although clouds had started to move in and the top was obscured in them. A silver ribbon of waterfall roared across the valley as it plunged thousands of feet to the valley floor. Such incredible beauty!

The trail switchbacked for 5 miles down from the ridge top. It was a very long descent of 2,200 feet but we continued to have great views across to the other side and the cascading water serenaded us the whole way. A forest fire had opened up views at the top but eventually we dropped into green forest. At the bottom of the drop the trail leveled out and was pleasantly flat for a few miles. A bridge carried us over a tributary of Lemah Creek, but the bridge for Lemah Creek itself had been destroyed so we had to cross it or cross on a log just downstream. My daughter and I chose the water crossing. Usually we just splash through water in our hiking shoes, but we changed into our camp shoes for this one. She went first and had no problem. I followed. My first step was on a rock that turned in the water. Down I went on one knee, banging my shin soundly on a large rock. I hopped up as fast as possible, wet to the thighs. Fortunately it was a very warm day so the dunking felt good.

On the other side, we changed back into our hiking shoes and had lunch. I had a huge bruise on my shin that lasted about three weeks. Luckily, it didn’t affect my hiking. It was another reminder that we are all one misstep away from serious injury.

The afternoon was heating up as we started the climb to Spectacle Lake. The trail entered a burn area. Stark white and black trees blanketed the area. Large patches of fireweed added bright pink color as we climbed an open hillside with nice views looking east.

Delate Falls was a lovely cool refreshing spot as it plunged below the bridge we crossed. The mist from them was welcome and cooling. On we climbed up the ridge above Spectacle Lake. From here we left the PCT to descend to Spectacle Lake’s campsites. The trail down was steep and in bad shape but not too long. Many people were camped around the shore, and it was difficult to locate a site. Apparently gorgeous Spectacle Lake is a destination for weekend hikers. We saw many young children and even heard a baby crying. Finally we located a campsite big enough to accommodate our three tents. Our site even had a nice rock wall for sitting in the evening. Low dark clouds appeared over the lake as night fell, an ominous sign!

Day 6 August 25, 2018

Spectacle Lake to Ridge Lake

10 Miles, Elevation gain 3999 ft., Elevation loss 3081 ft.

Our biggest day of elevation gain. I felt ready for it. Chikamin Ridge was waiting. Sure enough the weather had changed over night. The day broke very cold with low rain clouds looming. We packed up and headed out for the long climb up Chikamin Ridge. The beginning of the day was a climb through the forest, but we were treated to spectacular views of Spectacle Lake far below with low lying clouds all around. We could only imagine the dynamic peaks that surely surround it.

A short descent took us down to Park Lakes where we filled up on water for the remainder of the day and donned our rain gear as the drizzle began. Next up was the three mile ascent up gravelly Chikamin Ridge. The clouds lowered around us, and we really had no views of what must have been a spectacular valley below. In fact, we could barely see the ground in front of us. I could sometimes hear my brother somewhere in front of me as he click clacked through the rocks, but couldn’t see him. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. The beginning of the ridge was covered in areas of large jumbled scree. The trail was indistinct and it was very hard to pick my way through the rubble. A twisted ankle here would not be a good thing. Fortunately, this section did not last too long. The rocks became smaller and easier to walk on as we gradually climbed up, up and up through the clouds.

Near the top of the ridge, I caught up to my brother and we rounded a bend that marked the end of our ascent. The guide books say the views from here are spectacular, including Mt. Rainier, but in the gloom, we couldn’t see the rocks ten feet in front of us let alone any mountains in the distance. The trail descended to traverse the side of Huckleberry Mountain above the beautiful waters of Joe Lake. The clouds had lifted some and the rain had stopped so we had some nice views of the lake and the Gold Creek Valley far below.

We stopped for lunch at a clearing and moved on as the rain began again. I was glad to have my Patagonia rain jacket and Sierra Designs rain pants. Both worked great.The next miles were our last climb of the trip, about 600 ft. up and around Alaska Mountain and above Alaska Lake, another beautiful gem, far far below. Finally, we arrived at Ridge Lake. A large group was camped there so we looked at a site right down on the water. It was small and had no grass, just dirt or today because it was raining, mud. It would have been a mess to camp there. After a bit more exploration we found a nice large campsite in a flat grassy area near the southeast end of the lake. Everything was enveloped in dripping wet clouds. The lake was nearby but the clouds were so thick we couldn’t see it until we were almost on it.

We quickly set up camp. Our rain tarp was assembled near some big rocks, so we at least had a somewhat dry place to sit and eat dinner. My daughter and I walked over to the lake to fill all of our water containers. It was early to bed this night- too wet and cold to stay up.

Day 7 August 27th, 2018

Ridge Lake to Snoqualmie Pass

7 Miles, Elevation gain 642 ft., Elevation loss 3004 ft.

Smoke or rain? Smoke or rain? Which is worse? This trip was a test to answer the question. Both suck, but I think I’ll take smoke. The views are obscured with either, but at least there is less misery with smoke. No cold wet hands, shivering body and unsuccessful attempts to keep clothing and sleeping bags dry. Just red irritated eyes and irreparable damage to the lungs.

It rained all night but when we got up in the morning, the rain had become a constant drizzle. Since this would be our last day, we didn’t worry too much about packing up the wet tents. As my daughter was putting on her down jacket, I noticed a big wet spot on the back of her jacket. Her raincoat had failed to keep her dry and the down jacket was soaked completely through. We had to improvise a way to keep her dry. I gave her my down jacket and we cut holes in a trash compactor bag for her head and arms. It wasn’t great but at least it kept her core dry. I wore my down vest under my raincoat and was fine since we were moving. This last day was a seven mile downhill trek to Snoqualmie Pass.

The gray gloomy mist enveloped us as we headed off. There was no hint of a beautiful lake that we had camped beside the night before. According to the map, Gravel Lake lurked nearby, but there was no sign of it either. It felt good to be moving and get some blood flowing to warm up. At first the trail meandered through mostly open rocky terrain with stunted trees shrouded in the mist.

Soon we arrived at Kendall Katwalk, another section I had worried about. It is famous for being very narrow and dangerous with steep drop-offs. A low gray misty blanket covered the whole area, matching the grayness of the cliffs.The trail was actually comfortably wide, but I can’t attest to the drop off since I couldn’t see it.

After the Kendall Katwalk the trail crossed to the western side of the ridge, and we began the long, long descent to the trailhead. The clouds started to lift and we had some short range views. At first we were hiking over a barren rocky slope brightened by fireweed. It must be stunning in clear weather. The clouds lowered again, the trail entered the forest and continued through trees for the remainder of the trip. As we hiked, we started encountering many hikers, some thru hikers but more day hikers.

At long last, the trailhead appeared and four sodden weary hikers piled into the car. After a great meal at The Commonwealth at Snoqualmie Pass, we continued on I-90 to Cle Elum where we spent the night. Another section of slow-packing the PCT completed.