North Cascades of Washington

Sauk River to Highway 2 in Glacier Peak Wilderness

Snowboarding off the summit of Indian Head Peak
Ski Traversing from Work Fork Suiattle to Stevens Pass Washington

Sauk River to Highway 2 was connecting the lines in the Washington Cascades between the 14 Lakes Traverse to the Suiattle Traverse. Starting on the Mountain Loop Highway we would loosely follow the Pacific Crest Trail for 6 days and over 50 miles. After starting on the North Fork of the Sauk River we would head southeast through the Poet Range. Then halfway through the trip we would descend west to the Little Wenatchee River before following the Pacific Crest Trail to Stevens Pass. With the traverses being almost a week long it was all about the right weather window. Fortunately that came in early May and it was time to attempt it.


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Mount Logan via the Douglas Glacier

Looking at the Douglas Glacier on Mount Logan in the North Cascades of Washington State
Looking at the Douglas Glacier on Mount Logan in the North Cascades of Washington State

Mount Logan in the North Cascades was the final peak I needed to snowboard to complete the 9000 foot peaks in Washington state. Jason Hummel and I came up with a plan to camp at the base of it and climb and ride Mount Logan via the Douglas Glacier. Here is the trip report below.

It all started 3 years ago. A random invite landed me right into the heart of the North Cascades heading up Cascade River road. The previous year my focus had been on riding volcanoes and I was looking for a taste of something different so I jumped at the chance to go ride the North Face of Buckner Mountain. What the peaks lacked in elevation they made up for in personality. Over the years I was fortunate to travel to numerous deep valleys in the North Cascades and each one had a different feel. Logan was the last in a project that slowly came together in mid-June 2012.




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Jack Mountain via Nohokomeen Glacier Headwall

Looking at Jack Mountain and the Nohokomeen Glacier Headwall in the North Cascades of Washington State
Looking at Jack Mountain and the Nohokomeen Glacier Headwall in the North Cascades of Washington State
Climbing up the Nohokomeen Glacier Headwall on Jack Mountain before snowboarding down in the North Cascades

I first set my eyes upon Jack Mountain and the Nohokomeen Glacier Headwall when I was attempting the retreat of the Picket Range. I was attempting to do what took two days of travel back in one long push. Making my way up to Sourdough Ridge I decided to take a water break. I’d gone to use my stove but it wouldn’t work. There was fuel and it had been working earlier, but it just wouldn’t work any more. Quickly I realized I had no access to water, and all I could think was “here I am in the Pickets, alone and without water, good work Kyle”.

With this mindset I looked off to the East and saw the open slopes of Jack Mountain. From my vantage point I could see the Nohokomeen Glacier running down the north face. It looked awesome and I knew before long I wanted to make it out there.




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Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack via Holden

Looking at the North Face of Maude outside of Holden Village
The northern chute of Maude in the north cascades of Washington

Both Mount Maude and Seven Fingered Jack are two of the highest peaks in Washington State. Being over 9,000 they are the source of both the Entiat and Chiwawa Rivers. Most times people access the area via Trinity but since it was early spring we decided to do something different. We would start from Holden Village and turn the trip into a ski traverse. The route we decided on was Heading up and over Copper Basin before following exiting via Big Creek Basin. This would allow us to ride both Mount Maude via the North face and Seven Fingered Jack.




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Magic S Loop via Cascade Pass

Looking at the Magic S Loop in the North Cascades of Washington
Looking at the Magic S Loop in the North Cascades of Washington
Climbing up the Plan B Couloir during the Magic S Loop

The Magic S Loop has been on my radar for a long time as it always seemed like a great ski tour. With both its proximity to Cascade Pass and the quality of lines it was only a matter of time. Being on the edge of North Cascades National park it offers steep and scenic runs. With a nice weather window and some time on our hands Jason Hummel and I made our way north. The plan originally was to have no plans but before long we were at the end of the road. Looking at options we had already skied numerous peaks in the area. One thing that we hadn’t done as a crew was the Magic S Loop. Things kind of fell together as it was a late start and before long it became our mission.




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Tenpeak Mountain in the Dakobed Range

Ten Peak and the Dakobed Range Washington
Ten Peak and the Dakobed Range Washington

Tenpeak Mountain had always caught my eyes while on trips out to Glacier Peak. Standing on the summit I would always look toward both the Dakobed Range and Tenpeak near the head of the Suiattle River in amazement. With the mixture of both massiveness and remoteness it was always a place that I had wanted to spend some time on. Scott, Ben and I crafted a plan to get out there with a two day weather window. The plan was to go up and over Boulder Pass before descent to the Napeequa river. Once in the river valley we would head west to Tenpeak Mountain before an exit via Thunder Basin.

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Goode and Mount Logan via Highway 20

Looking at Goode Mountain in the North Cascades of Washington
Looking at Goode Mountain in the North Cascades of Washington
Climbing up the Northeast Col of Goode Mountain

The North Fork of Bridge Creek is one of those valleys in the North Cascades rarely visited. With both Goode Mountain and Mount Logan in close proximity the area offers great terrain. Both Scott and I had been in the area via a previous trip and had wanted to go back. With 5 days of good weather our plan was to camp. With the opening of Highway 20 we decided on heading there via Black Peak Col. We weren’t sure how the route would go but we knew it was going be a wild journey non the less. It was time to get some redemption in the North Fork of Bridge Creek.




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Chocolate Glacier Headwall on Glacier Peak

Looking at the Chocolate Glacier on Glacier Peak in Washington State
Looking at the Chocolate Glacier on Glacier Peak in Washington State
Snowboarding down the upper section of the Chocolate Glacier Headwall on Glacier Peak in Washington State

It all started with a forecast. If predicted correctly we would finally get three days of sunshine and a shot at getting in the alpine. The plan came together quickly to ride Glacier Peak via the Chocolate Glacier Headwall. Unlike other Cascade volcanoes Glacier Peak is surrounded by some of the most rugged and remote peaks in the lower 48. It has become by far my favorite peak. I had been to this area two times before. Once three years ago on a quest to climb the five Washington volcanoes. The next time it would be via the Dakobeds which was a 60-mile seven day traverse. This time, we would go in via Thunder Basin, a route pioneered by Ryan and Monica years earlier.




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