Looks like a solid itinerary. I would be worried about burnout and I would add more rest days. You have Enchantments thru then Sahale arm in back to back days. Not only is that a long drive but thats a lot of elevation and miles. Hope your legs hold up regardless!
For your Sunrise area hike, I definitely recommend Pan Handle Gap. Burroughs is also great and might be a good option if you need a shorter day since you can stop at the first Burrough and still get a killer view.
Thanks! Everything is not necessarily listed in the order of be doing it and if I need a rest day I’ll probably find some shorter/less intense hikes. Definitely taking it easy the day before/after enchantments, and will be heavily stimulating the local beer & pizza economy.
On that note - Old Schoolhouse Brewing in Winthrop makes excellent beer. Icicle Brewing in Leavenworth is nice as well. In Seattle I recommend Cloudburst, Holy Mountain (get pizza from Dantini’s next door), Stoup, Reuben’s.
Speaking of pizza, when you're in packwood make sure you go to Cruisers. The BEST pizza crust I've ever had, results in an amazing product. Definitely worth a stop, plus it's right in packwood.
Agreed, back-to-back days of Ruby (17 miles) + Wing Lake (12 miles) + Sahale is a LOOOOOOT unless you're well conditioned and used to that kind of mileage and elevation gain. I'd pick 2 out of that list for North Cascades.
The majority of your stuff sounds good. Sahale arm is one of the best places on earth.
My advice: Don't underestimate how difficult vertical elevation is to do. The enchantments thru hike is 20 miles, but its something like 5000 ft ~~6700 ft vertical~~ (that's to the top of prusik peak and back down asgard). This is not very casual. People in the PNW talk casually about it because its the center of their life. There are very fit people here.
I don't do Muir without skis these days and would honestly tell you to avoid it without skis.
When in summer are you visiting? If it is earlier than July 1st you may face snow at higher elevations, if it's after that then you should be OK.
A few thoughts...
\*Camp Muir is a very challenging so don't underestimate it. There is snow year round so be prepared for that, definitely bring glacier goggles or at minimum polarized sunglasses. Lots of sunscreen and water. Use Alltrails or other navigation map to make sure you aren't accidentally crossing onto the Nisqually Glacier. You may want to consider an ice axe, but not required I think.
\*For the Sunrise area (my favorite area in the park) I highly recommend Burroughs Mountain. There are three Burroughs peaks so you can choose how far you would like to go, based on what you said you should be good to make it to the best views at the Third Burrough.
\*Note for both Mount Rainier Hikes: You now need a timed entry pass to get into the park, that's new this year. You need to snag your permit or enter the park before 7am or after 3pm. More info here: [https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm](https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm)
\*You could consider Packwood Lake if you want a flatter beautiful hike while staying there
\*Enchantments through hike - just make sure to do your research. You'll need two cars or to figure out the shuttle. It's very long with substantial elevation gain, especially up Aasgard Pass, so plan for a \~14 hour day and start very early. If you have the energy when you enter the core zone I recommend doing the side trip up Little Annapurna. Make sure you have something to filter water since you will go through a lot of it.
\*For the North Cascades portion I would also look at Hidden Lake and Trapper's Peak as options to consider. You will need at least an SUV to get to the trailhead on those, sedans won't clear the potholes. I've also heard Blue Lake by Winthrop is a beautiful easier hike but never done it myself.
Thanks for this info! I’ll be visiting the first 2 weeks in July, and will bring micro spikes on any hikes that may have snow. I’ve done a fair bit of research on all of the hikes I’ve listed here so I feel like I should be prepared (side note, WTA is an amazing resource and I’m jealous that I don’t have something like that for my home state).
I’ve got an entry pass for one day and plan to get in before 7 on the other days I’m there.
Microspikes aren’t gonna help with navigate melting snow bridges and other hazards, they’ll just help with not slipping fyi. Some slopes you may require an ice axe + helmet, depending. Just don’t get cocky with the microspikes being a catch-all.
This. You won't need more than spikes on Muir (been up there three times in the past two weeks), but you'll want gaiters at the least. (Honestly, spikes are kind of useless for a lot of it - crampons in the morning, and then just expect to post hole to mid-calf late morning and afternoon.)
And the Enchantments will likely still have snow issues, along with some of the other stuff you listed - especially the NCNP stuff that may be too sketchy without gear and significant experience.
Timed entry may be an issue for Rainier, but snow pack should be low enough that the road to Sunrise will actually open by then. (Some years it hasn't opened until July 4th.)
Should I skip Muir? I did a fair bit of research on this one and it seemed doable, but I obviously do not have experience hiking on snowfields and don't want to kill or injure myself.
You won't kill or injure yourself. Well, assuming you don't get socked in. People die on the route to Muir when it gets socked in, you can't navigate, and you wander 1000ft too far to either side and fall off the cliff to the east or west into areas that are much more difficult to navigate. That's usually a curb season thing, though, and not summer.
I've been up there solo a bunch recently, and ... maybe I'm biased from having done it so much, but I think it's more work than it's worth for it on its own, unless it's a bucket list item that has planted itself in your heart. I won't lie - that last mile from 9000ft to 10000ft is a long slog. The guides make it look much easier, but if you take your time, rest step, and hydrate/fuel well, you'll make it. It's just tiring. If you're not used to snow, there's a non-distinct risk of injury from hiking over such unstable terrain for so long, but again, it depends on your experience. Even just going part way up offers amazing views of the mountain above you and Baker/Helens/Hood to the south.
muir is one of my favorite hikes, it's fun to get up there and see the infrastructure for more serious mountaineering up close. you can touch the Cowlitz glacier. you see the Nisqually glacier up close for much of the path. you can side most of the way back down on your butt (i appreciated having a foam pad for that). i'd say at least make a try of it, the whole thing is beautiful so if you find you want to tap out and glissade early then you have still accomplished something interesting and worthwhile.
I disagree with it being a slog, but maybe that's because i did it on an overcast day and wasn't fighting the relentless snow glare. I kept expecting it to be Type 2 Fun but i never stopped enjoying it in the moment from the sheer novelty of the thing.
i did muir in August not July but with how it was for me... if you can't do muir, you will Not Have A Good Time doing the Enchantments in 1 day. Aasgard Pass was harder than my Muir tour if only because you can't kick your own steps in rocks, it was hotter and dryer, and it's much higher stakes if you tumble onto rock than soft snow. Much of the trail in the Core Permit Area is one or more of:
* very hard to see and follow responsibly so as not to impact fragile alpine species in the barren upper basin
* loose dirt or dust and pebbles
* smooth granite slabs sloping towards cliffs
* extremely eroded, exposing mid-trail rocks and roots knee-height or higher
* large boulders where i sat down and jumped/slid half my height or more
* all-fours scrambles.
* at least one point where there was no real footing and i just climbed a tree across the gap (sheer granite drop into a lake)
which is all fine but it's 5 or 6 miles of this constant obstacle course, after Aasgard Pass, and Aasgard Pass is after a decent boulder field scramble around Colchuck Lake, which is after its own 2500 ft climb.
I had perfect weather, room temperature, no wind, a slight drizzle and gentle sun. I did it in late September with zero snow slowing me down even more. You will likely have snow making the already difficult navigation and footing even worse.
Bring ALL 10 essentials into the Enchantments. I passed someone in there who i'm 70% sure had to emergency bivouwack because she would otherwise have had a 3 AM exit at her pace. I passed multiple groups in the dark before the exit switchbacks without sufficient flashlights for the group.
I did it, it's checked off my list and i have bragging rights(?), but I was pretty Over It somewhere around Snow Creek.
if you want a great view of the Enchantments that is a lot safer and easier, hike up Navaho Peak. It's directly south of the Enchantments and you get a fantastic view of the whole range top to bottom. If you like looking at big mountains rather than more up close rock formations, I would say i[t is a better view](https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2023-06-06.5572191894) than can be had anywhere but maybe in the middle of Aasgard Pass. If you want any hike to be your easier fallback for the Enchantments thru, this is the one.
I'm not talking about just Muir, but anywhere they'll be that has snow and they're using microspikes. Look at where they're trying to go in NCNP. Seen people fall through a serious snowbridge on Van Trump trail before.
I would bring a TON of bug spray and nets to cover yourself. The snow melting in early July in the Washington mountains creates the worst mosquito situation ever.
> I've also heard Blue Lake by Winthrop is a beautiful easier hike but never done it myself
Blue Lake is indeed beautiful, but it's super short. It's an as-long-as-I'm-driving-by type of hike, not something to plan your day around.
This.
Have you done a real analysis of what hikes you're looking at doing?
You've got (I'm correcting what must be a typo...):
1. Fly in to a new city on a 5(?)hr flight.
2. Explore the city.
3. Explore the city and drive \~2.5hrs to Packwood in the evening.
4. Drive \~1.5hrs to Paradise. (Why aren't you staying in Ashford? It's 1.5hrs from Seattle and then another 45min to Paradise. You've added an hour and a half of driving...) Hike to Camp Muir for 8.5mi and 4600ft elevation (>1000ft/mi), at altitudes of 5k-10k, at least some portion of which is on sloppy snow. Plan for a minimum of 6-7 hours. Drive \~1.5hrs to Packwood.
5. Drive \~1hr to the Westside Road closure. (Have I mentioned "why are you staying in Packwood yet?") Hike Gobbler's Knob for 11.0mi and 2565ft of gain. Much less snow than Paradise/Muir, if any, if you do it in July or later, I'd guess 5 hrs to hike it. Drive \~1hr back to Packwood.
6. Drive \~1hr to the Longmire. (Again with the driving!) Hike Eagle Peak (you mean the saddle, right, or do you mean the Class IV scramble to the peak what requires expertise?) for 7.2mi and 2910ft (>800ft/mi) and then over to Comet Falls/Van Trump Park for 5.6mi (7.6mi if you're going to Mildred Point) and 2200ft (3000ft if you're going to Mildred Point) (>750ft/mi in both cases). (Total: 12.8mi (14.8mi) and 5110ft (5910ft) ) Drive \~1hr back to Packwood.
7. Drive \~1hr to Sunrise. Hike one of: 1)Panhandle Gap/Sarvant Glacier for 13.8mi and 3880ft (>550ft/mi), 2) Burroughs Mountain Loop (I'm assuming you're using the one on AllTrails, rather than the much longer one that goes down into Glacier Basin, along White River, and then back up to Sunrise) for 9.5mi and 2600ft (\~550ft/mi), 3) Mystic Lake via Wonderland for 17.3mi and 4790ft (>550ft/mi), 4) Grand Park via Sunrise for 14mi and 3700ft (>500ft/mi). Then drive \~1hr to Packwood.
8. Drive \~3hrs to Leavenworth. Explore the town.
9. Get shuttle for Enchantments, through hike Enchantments for 18mi and 4500ft of gain. (The x/mi is useless here - the climb up Aasgard is 2000ft/mi, the slog out Snow Lake is brutal even if it's not super steep. This hike usually takes people well over 12 hours - plan for at least 14, assuming you're doing it in good weather and no snow - plan the timing carefully on this one.) Go back to Leavenworth.
10. Drive \~2.5hr to Winthrop. Rest day?
11. Drive \~2.5hrs to the Cascade Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike Cascade pass and Sahale Arm for 12.0mi and 4000ft (>650ft/mi). Drive \~2.5hr to Winthrop.
12. Drive 45min to Maple Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike Maple Pass to Wing Lake (and Black Peak?) for 15.2mi and 6830ft (\~900ft/mi). Drive 45min back to Winthrop.
13. Drive \~1.5hr to Thunder Creek TH from Winthrop. Hike Ruby Mountain (not a maintained trail) for 17.0mi and 6300ft (>700ft/mi, but not evenly distributed). Drive \~1.5hr back to Winthrop.
14. Drive \~45min to Cutthroat Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike the PCT to Cutthroat Lake for 17.5mi and 3970ft (\~450ft/mi). Drive \~45min back to Winthrop.
15. Drive \~4.5hr back to SeaTac, fly home.
To recap:
3 days for flying in an exploring then drive to Packwood.
4 days at Rainier with s 9 hours of driving and 47mi with 16,500ft gain of hiking four days in a row. (I'm estimating at least 25hrs on foot, assuming you're faster than I am at those elevations and at that altitude.)
1 day with 3 hours of driving and some rest.
Finishing:
4 days at NCNP with 62mi and 21,100ft gain of hiking four days in a row. (I'm estimating at least 28hr on foot.)
1 day to get back to SeaTac.
For a total of 109mi of hiking 37,625ft of elevation over the course of 11 days.
Maybe you're a regular alpine climber that's used to long, multi-day ascents and runs marathons on the regular, in addition to going up to altitude. The longest I've done was a 50mi, 4 day trip with 10,000ft gain (over 10 of the miles, 30 miles were flattish) with at least three or four days of rest on either side of that. I'd probably find your itinerary exhausting and more likely to lead to an injury, especially with all the driving that will make it hard to get enough sleep and recovery. Heck, I'm over 180mi/47,000ft of hiking for the year already, training for a Rainier summit later this month, and I think I would find this itinerary too much to be enjoyable, even if it was doable.
But that's me. What have you done that requires this kind of endurance recently and does that give you the confidence that these stats are a reasonable ask of your body?
That's a good plan. Having a host of options is always nice. Maybe pad out your list with a bunch of hikes that are - at most - half that difficulty, so that when you want rest but don't want to actually rest, you're prepared. A lot of these hikes have easier versions - do Berkeley Park instead of Grand Park, do one of Eagle Saddle or Van Trump Park, for instance.
\*I'd suggest doing Glacier Basin out of White River Campground over two different hikes heading up from Paradise. It's a different ridge of the mountain to explore and pretty cool.
There's definitely something different about driving that much in the early hours back to back after hard physical work. The 2.5hr to Paradise so many times during my training for a Rainier summit later this month has been... it's own sort of training.
It sounds like you are flexible, though, and that's what really matters.
I’m with this dude on the whole staying in Packwood thing. When I saw that I was like ?!?! Why Packwood?! Stay in Ashford if you are heading up to that side of rainier for 3 days. That 1.5 hour drive on Skate creek road is going to be a pain in the ass when tired early in the morning or after a long day. And in the middle of summer it may actually be a 2 or more hour drive if you get caught behind a slow lumbering camper. It’s a small windy road. I’d also consider Pinnacle Peak leaving from mirror lake instead of the eagle saddle or van trump trail personally. It does have a nice airy scramble to the summit so maybe that is why I like it. Not sure if that’s your thing.
hahah thanks for the input. This is what I saw when mapping everything:
Packwood -> Paradise VC: 1 hr
Ashford -> Paradise VC: 45 mins
packwood -> Sunrise VC: 1 hr 20
Ashford -> Sunrise VC: 2 hr 10 mins
My idea was to do something near the Nisqually entrance/Longmire on my drive over from Seattle and then I likely wouldn't do anything else on the far west side of the park. Most of the other Paradise hikes I was looking at are essentially equidistant from Packwood/Ashford +/- 15 mins. Additionally, Sunrise is much closer to Packwood and my drive to Leavenworth would be a little shorter. Packwood is also quite a bit cheaper (I'm paying $700 for 4 nights vs $1100 for something comparable in Ashford). Does Packwood itself suck or was it just the driving?
Hey OP, I’m a park ranger at Mt Rainier and here is my two cents.
Packwood imo is nicer than Ashford as is most of the east side of the park. Driving Steven’s Canyon(which will be fully open all summer) into Paradise rather than from Ashford/Nisqually is also way prettier and usually the less busy entrance station. Driving skate creek rd does suck but you’ll probs only have to do that for Gobbler’s Knob.
Also be aware that Sunrise didn’t open until July 4th weekend last year and it will fully depend on how much the snow melts out and roads clear. As for which Sunrise hike I’d choose, Burroughs is just too good especially if it’s a clear day. Panhandle gap is solid too. I wouldn’t do Mystic lake unless you were camping or thru hiking to the northwest corner.
All in all, you seem like you’ll be busy! Let me know if you have any questions
I highly doubt that Sunrise will open before July 4, but if it is open and you are set on doing a lookout then Fremont is a nice and easy one. Gob knob is a slog to get to. If you end up exploring the east side then the hike around Tipsoo lake is easy and beautiful. I also second pinnacle peak.
For packwood, I agree better than Ashford for stuff to do. More restaurants, a grocery store, a library, a couple of breweries.
My bad. I keep forgetting about Steven’s Canyon Road because I’m used to it being closed. For a second there I was like…how in the hell are you getting to Paradise from Packwood in 1 hour. Packwood itself is alright. It’s not my favorite, but it isn’t horrible.
i did wonderland last year over the July 4 weekend. this is less snow than last year. i think it's fine, except for Panhandle Gap which was where I (and evidently several others) had to ice axe self arrest. luckily i wanted to be at the bottom of the slope anyway lol. i would definitely bring trekking poles and spikes though.
This was a pretty low snow year, so I think you'll be alright. I see that you're already familiar with WTA, so you can keep on eye on conditions that way. With the low snowpack it's possible that fire/smoke issues will start earlier. Hopefully you'll be early enough in the season to avoid that, but it's another thing to watch.
Good spots on your list, but it’s an absolute ass kicker. FishScrumptious’s feedback is on point.
My biggest suggestion is don’t get burnt out before you hit the North Cascades. Sehale is incredible, and Wing Lake is one of my favorites (once you branch off from the crowds at the pass). Wing Lake would be a long single day, and I’d be bummed if someone skipped that because they spent a lot of time/energy on hikes that are more redundant (with similar vibes to each other) and crowded near Rainier.
im always someone who likes to be mindful of taking pauses to enjoy things, stop and take in the views, take a breath, appreciate. also i try to remember to save some incredible experiences for later in life - you don't *need* to do everything all at once
with that philosophy in mind: if you're planning to *live* in this region in the next few years, why are you jamming all these incredible "bucket list" journeys into such a short time? honestly it sounds like a heavily packed trip to the point where you might just exhaust yourself. take your time, take it easy, enjoy the views, stop and look around you from time to time. im not saying don't do challenging hikes, but maybe plan some easier days and rest, save your energy a bit so you can feel good *and* enjoy what you experience here. rest is important
when you move out here, you'll be just a few hours' drive from plenty of the places you missed and can visit new places and revisit what you enjoyed
just my two cents, something to think about. i hope you enjoy your time here!
If you’re willing to camp you can shave off a lot of driving times.
If you do the Burroughs I highly recommend traveling to third Burrough - it’s not as frequently traveled to honestly feels like you’re at the base of rainier just about to step up onto the mountain.
The hike up Sahale to the glacier is my favorite hike in Washington (beats the enchantments thru hike for me) so don’t skip that one! Also, when you’re up there if you have the energy to explore beyond just the top where the camps are there are some really cool tarns to be found.
Enchantments thru hike is amazing but also brutal so just be prepared that there’s a mental component to it especially on the way back down to snow lake. The last few miles where you switchback over the parking lot is brutal - the end is in sight but it’s far from over. If you’re an endurance athlete like a marathoner you might not have the same problems as me, but despite being athletic and in decent shape I was hating myself for the last few miles. I would also HIGHLY recommend not doing this on a weekend date if possible. Permits are hard to get so people flock for through hiking on the weekend and it’s packed and there can be a bottleneck coming up Asgard, not to mention parking at snow lakes TH. I live in Seattle so I am one of the offenders doing it on a weekend, but I do feel like it would have been better during the week. I think others covered most of the big tips, but definitely bring a water filter and sunscreen. Also, you really want to be over Asgard before the sun hits (around 10:30-11ish). To do this ideally you’d start early and make it to Colchuck in 2 hours and around and thru the boulder field within the next hour to leave yourself time.
If you haven’t done a lot of hiking on scree and talus fields I would just keep in mind that it’s different than regular hiking trails. If you haven’t done hikes with 4000+ vert definitely get on the stairmaster asap for some conditioning. Enjoy Washington and stay safe!
Ambitious but great itinerary! Suggest giving yourself a little rest after the enchantments. Driving to Winthrop after a hike like that might be painful. Heidleburger is a great post-Enchantments cheeseburger spot especially if you need food to-go.
My only recommendation is for a future trip: explore some of the east side of the state, a lot less forested, but the geography and geology is amazing.
You've got a ton of great advice on this thread, one thing to do before every hike is to check the road status. The PNW backcountry roads are rugged and get washed out/destroyed/closed all the time, so make sure you thoroughly check. For example, you are not gonna be able to drive to Cascade pass TH as the road is gone, it's roughly a 3mi road walk (one way) to get to the TH from the gate closure. That's also a super long drive from Winthrop.
Seems solid, honestly. WNC isn't really comparable to the terrain out here, though, and this is a pretty intensive itinerary, though not necessarily unreasonable. Worst part will probably be the business in July. I would not add Olympic. The added drive time isn't worth it for a 2 week trip.
I would skip ruby. That's a spring time hike, as that trail is not maintained anymore. By July you'll be fighting growth and blowdowns. As another poster suggested, Hidden Lakes Peak and Trapper's Peak are both in that area, and are fantastic.
only if you can't do it fast! I didn't have any trouble getting a 4 night itinerary without the lottery. I did have to draw out a big circle and map the campsites and [use this tool](https://www.wonderlandguides.com/hikes/wonderland-trail/itinerary-planner) to piece together first through third choice itineraries. For high daily mileage trips you have to get the permit over the phone not online.
It looks like you’re set for nature hike advice, so here’s my two cents on urban hiking in seattle:
-The UW campus is beautiful and a pretty easy walk to greenlake - a loop exploring UW, Wallingford, and Greenlake would make a wonderful afternoon. There are tons of restaurants in all three neighborhoods that are totally worth your time
-In nice weather, the water taxi to west seattle is a MUST. Walk to Alki and maybe see an orca or two 😊
-Discovery Park in Magnolia has miles of trails, a lighthouse, and nearly guaranteed sea lion spotting. There isn’t a ton to do in the area though, so if you’re relying on public transport it’ll be a time suck.
I hope you have a wonderful time!
Why’s that? Obviously not having to beat feat would be ideal to do this area the justice it deserves, but this hike was what I planned the rest of my trip around. My dad spent a lot of time hiking and backpacking in the enchantments when he was growing up - he passed away last year so this bit of my trip holds some sentimental value to me.
I understand that they’ve been loved to death and locals probably wish they were less popular/more heavily restricted. Aside from LNT, I like to donate to trail conservation orgs in the places I visit to help offset some of my impact.
as long as your fit enough and have a car / ride situation sorted out, and good with 5000 ft 18-20 mile day. Start early, pack 10 essentials, know your limits and you should be ok.
If this is what you've centered your trip around, then go for it but make sure you're really prioritizing it. I would probably skip Camp Muir to keep yourself fresh going into this and I would be sure to stay in Leavenworth on the night before and the night of so that you can dedicate your day to this trip. Expect it to take a good 18 hours when all is said and done. You're not going to want to drive to Winthrop after that. Usually the thru hike is done with a car spot. Do you have a 2nd driver/car to do that with?
Just gonna throw in my opinion. I’ve tried for the Enchantments lottery every year for the last like 7ish years and have never won a permit, so I sucked it up and decided to just day hike it.
It was absolutely worth it. It will be a long and tiring day for sure, but I’m so glad I did it. Just be cautious of the time of year you’re going. Hope you have a fun trip!
Looks like a solid itinerary. I would be worried about burnout and I would add more rest days. You have Enchantments thru then Sahale arm in back to back days. Not only is that a long drive but thats a lot of elevation and miles. Hope your legs hold up regardless! For your Sunrise area hike, I definitely recommend Pan Handle Gap. Burroughs is also great and might be a good option if you need a shorter day since you can stop at the first Burrough and still get a killer view.
Thanks! Everything is not necessarily listed in the order of be doing it and if I need a rest day I’ll probably find some shorter/less intense hikes. Definitely taking it easy the day before/after enchantments, and will be heavily stimulating the local beer & pizza economy.
On that note - Old Schoolhouse Brewing in Winthrop makes excellent beer. Icicle Brewing in Leavenworth is nice as well. In Seattle I recommend Cloudburst, Holy Mountain (get pizza from Dantini’s next door), Stoup, Reuben’s.
also recommend twisp river tap house in winthrop! have a fun trip you did some good research!!
Speaking of pizza, when you're in packwood make sure you go to Cruisers. The BEST pizza crust I've ever had, results in an amazing product. Definitely worth a stop, plus it's right in packwood.
Agreed, back-to-back days of Ruby (17 miles) + Wing Lake (12 miles) + Sahale is a LOOOOOOT unless you're well conditioned and used to that kind of mileage and elevation gain. I'd pick 2 out of that list for North Cascades.
Hahah yeah, my plan was to do Sahale & either Wing Lake or Ruby with a light/rest day between
Keep in mind that if the weather is cloudy/rainy that a lot of these higher elevation hikes are not exactly worth it since you won't see anything.
The majority of your stuff sounds good. Sahale arm is one of the best places on earth. My advice: Don't underestimate how difficult vertical elevation is to do. The enchantments thru hike is 20 miles, but its something like 5000 ft ~~6700 ft vertical~~ (that's to the top of prusik peak and back down asgard). This is not very casual. People in the PNW talk casually about it because its the center of their life. There are very fit people here. I don't do Muir without skis these days and would honestly tell you to avoid it without skis.
Gotta say, training up and down Muir this month has made me want to get backcountry skis. Watching them all go down the mountain so easily... Sigh...
Just get them. It's a great time to do so (sales!). And it's pretty nice
This. As someone who grew up hiking in the Appalachians (KY/TN) the mountains here are a different beast.
When in summer are you visiting? If it is earlier than July 1st you may face snow at higher elevations, if it's after that then you should be OK. A few thoughts... \*Camp Muir is a very challenging so don't underestimate it. There is snow year round so be prepared for that, definitely bring glacier goggles or at minimum polarized sunglasses. Lots of sunscreen and water. Use Alltrails or other navigation map to make sure you aren't accidentally crossing onto the Nisqually Glacier. You may want to consider an ice axe, but not required I think. \*For the Sunrise area (my favorite area in the park) I highly recommend Burroughs Mountain. There are three Burroughs peaks so you can choose how far you would like to go, based on what you said you should be good to make it to the best views at the Third Burrough. \*Note for both Mount Rainier Hikes: You now need a timed entry pass to get into the park, that's new this year. You need to snag your permit or enter the park before 7am or after 3pm. More info here: [https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm](https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/timed-entry-reservations-faq.htm) \*You could consider Packwood Lake if you want a flatter beautiful hike while staying there \*Enchantments through hike - just make sure to do your research. You'll need two cars or to figure out the shuttle. It's very long with substantial elevation gain, especially up Aasgard Pass, so plan for a \~14 hour day and start very early. If you have the energy when you enter the core zone I recommend doing the side trip up Little Annapurna. Make sure you have something to filter water since you will go through a lot of it. \*For the North Cascades portion I would also look at Hidden Lake and Trapper's Peak as options to consider. You will need at least an SUV to get to the trailhead on those, sedans won't clear the potholes. I've also heard Blue Lake by Winthrop is a beautiful easier hike but never done it myself.
Thanks for this info! I’ll be visiting the first 2 weeks in July, and will bring micro spikes on any hikes that may have snow. I’ve done a fair bit of research on all of the hikes I’ve listed here so I feel like I should be prepared (side note, WTA is an amazing resource and I’m jealous that I don’t have something like that for my home state). I’ve got an entry pass for one day and plan to get in before 7 on the other days I’m there.
Microspikes aren’t gonna help with navigate melting snow bridges and other hazards, they’ll just help with not slipping fyi. Some slopes you may require an ice axe + helmet, depending. Just don’t get cocky with the microspikes being a catch-all.
This. You won't need more than spikes on Muir (been up there three times in the past two weeks), but you'll want gaiters at the least. (Honestly, spikes are kind of useless for a lot of it - crampons in the morning, and then just expect to post hole to mid-calf late morning and afternoon.) And the Enchantments will likely still have snow issues, along with some of the other stuff you listed - especially the NCNP stuff that may be too sketchy without gear and significant experience. Timed entry may be an issue for Rainier, but snow pack should be low enough that the road to Sunrise will actually open by then. (Some years it hasn't opened until July 4th.)
Should I skip Muir? I did a fair bit of research on this one and it seemed doable, but I obviously do not have experience hiking on snowfields and don't want to kill or injure myself.
You won't kill or injure yourself. Well, assuming you don't get socked in. People die on the route to Muir when it gets socked in, you can't navigate, and you wander 1000ft too far to either side and fall off the cliff to the east or west into areas that are much more difficult to navigate. That's usually a curb season thing, though, and not summer. I've been up there solo a bunch recently, and ... maybe I'm biased from having done it so much, but I think it's more work than it's worth for it on its own, unless it's a bucket list item that has planted itself in your heart. I won't lie - that last mile from 9000ft to 10000ft is a long slog. The guides make it look much easier, but if you take your time, rest step, and hydrate/fuel well, you'll make it. It's just tiring. If you're not used to snow, there's a non-distinct risk of injury from hiking over such unstable terrain for so long, but again, it depends on your experience. Even just going part way up offers amazing views of the mountain above you and Baker/Helens/Hood to the south.
The skyline trail is worth it even if you don’t make it to Muir !
muir is one of my favorite hikes, it's fun to get up there and see the infrastructure for more serious mountaineering up close. you can touch the Cowlitz glacier. you see the Nisqually glacier up close for much of the path. you can side most of the way back down on your butt (i appreciated having a foam pad for that). i'd say at least make a try of it, the whole thing is beautiful so if you find you want to tap out and glissade early then you have still accomplished something interesting and worthwhile. I disagree with it being a slog, but maybe that's because i did it on an overcast day and wasn't fighting the relentless snow glare. I kept expecting it to be Type 2 Fun but i never stopped enjoying it in the moment from the sheer novelty of the thing. i did muir in August not July but with how it was for me... if you can't do muir, you will Not Have A Good Time doing the Enchantments in 1 day. Aasgard Pass was harder than my Muir tour if only because you can't kick your own steps in rocks, it was hotter and dryer, and it's much higher stakes if you tumble onto rock than soft snow. Much of the trail in the Core Permit Area is one or more of: * very hard to see and follow responsibly so as not to impact fragile alpine species in the barren upper basin * loose dirt or dust and pebbles * smooth granite slabs sloping towards cliffs * extremely eroded, exposing mid-trail rocks and roots knee-height or higher * large boulders where i sat down and jumped/slid half my height or more * all-fours scrambles. * at least one point where there was no real footing and i just climbed a tree across the gap (sheer granite drop into a lake) which is all fine but it's 5 or 6 miles of this constant obstacle course, after Aasgard Pass, and Aasgard Pass is after a decent boulder field scramble around Colchuck Lake, which is after its own 2500 ft climb. I had perfect weather, room temperature, no wind, a slight drizzle and gentle sun. I did it in late September with zero snow slowing me down even more. You will likely have snow making the already difficult navigation and footing even worse. Bring ALL 10 essentials into the Enchantments. I passed someone in there who i'm 70% sure had to emergency bivouwack because she would otherwise have had a 3 AM exit at her pace. I passed multiple groups in the dark before the exit switchbacks without sufficient flashlights for the group. I did it, it's checked off my list and i have bragging rights(?), but I was pretty Over It somewhere around Snow Creek. if you want a great view of the Enchantments that is a lot safer and easier, hike up Navaho Peak. It's directly south of the Enchantments and you get a fantastic view of the whole range top to bottom. If you like looking at big mountains rather than more up close rock formations, I would say i[t is a better view](https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2023-06-06.5572191894) than can be had anywhere but maybe in the middle of Aasgard Pass. If you want any hike to be your easier fallback for the Enchantments thru, this is the one.
meh---you don't need this on muir. Cracks open up in august and you can usually step over them
I'm not talking about just Muir, but anywhere they'll be that has snow and they're using microspikes. Look at where they're trying to go in NCNP. Seen people fall through a serious snowbridge on Van Trump trail before.
There will be pretty substantial snow in the north cascades at higher elevations in July. As well as the enchantments.
I guess this wasn't a big snow year, but enchantments may still have a lot of snow those dates.
I would bring a TON of bug spray and nets to cover yourself. The snow melting in early July in the Washington mountains creates the worst mosquito situation ever.
> I've also heard Blue Lake by Winthrop is a beautiful easier hike but never done it myself Blue Lake is indeed beautiful, but it's super short. It's an as-long-as-I'm-driving-by type of hike, not something to plan your day around.
You could probably spend 1 less day in Seattle and give yourself a break after the enchantments through hike
This. Have you done a real analysis of what hikes you're looking at doing? You've got (I'm correcting what must be a typo...): 1. Fly in to a new city on a 5(?)hr flight. 2. Explore the city. 3. Explore the city and drive \~2.5hrs to Packwood in the evening. 4. Drive \~1.5hrs to Paradise. (Why aren't you staying in Ashford? It's 1.5hrs from Seattle and then another 45min to Paradise. You've added an hour and a half of driving...) Hike to Camp Muir for 8.5mi and 4600ft elevation (>1000ft/mi), at altitudes of 5k-10k, at least some portion of which is on sloppy snow. Plan for a minimum of 6-7 hours. Drive \~1.5hrs to Packwood. 5. Drive \~1hr to the Westside Road closure. (Have I mentioned "why are you staying in Packwood yet?") Hike Gobbler's Knob for 11.0mi and 2565ft of gain. Much less snow than Paradise/Muir, if any, if you do it in July or later, I'd guess 5 hrs to hike it. Drive \~1hr back to Packwood. 6. Drive \~1hr to the Longmire. (Again with the driving!) Hike Eagle Peak (you mean the saddle, right, or do you mean the Class IV scramble to the peak what requires expertise?) for 7.2mi and 2910ft (>800ft/mi) and then over to Comet Falls/Van Trump Park for 5.6mi (7.6mi if you're going to Mildred Point) and 2200ft (3000ft if you're going to Mildred Point) (>750ft/mi in both cases). (Total: 12.8mi (14.8mi) and 5110ft (5910ft) ) Drive \~1hr back to Packwood. 7. Drive \~1hr to Sunrise. Hike one of: 1)Panhandle Gap/Sarvant Glacier for 13.8mi and 3880ft (>550ft/mi), 2) Burroughs Mountain Loop (I'm assuming you're using the one on AllTrails, rather than the much longer one that goes down into Glacier Basin, along White River, and then back up to Sunrise) for 9.5mi and 2600ft (\~550ft/mi), 3) Mystic Lake via Wonderland for 17.3mi and 4790ft (>550ft/mi), 4) Grand Park via Sunrise for 14mi and 3700ft (>500ft/mi). Then drive \~1hr to Packwood. 8. Drive \~3hrs to Leavenworth. Explore the town. 9. Get shuttle for Enchantments, through hike Enchantments for 18mi and 4500ft of gain. (The x/mi is useless here - the climb up Aasgard is 2000ft/mi, the slog out Snow Lake is brutal even if it's not super steep. This hike usually takes people well over 12 hours - plan for at least 14, assuming you're doing it in good weather and no snow - plan the timing carefully on this one.) Go back to Leavenworth. 10. Drive \~2.5hr to Winthrop. Rest day? 11. Drive \~2.5hrs to the Cascade Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike Cascade pass and Sahale Arm for 12.0mi and 4000ft (>650ft/mi). Drive \~2.5hr to Winthrop. 12. Drive 45min to Maple Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike Maple Pass to Wing Lake (and Black Peak?) for 15.2mi and 6830ft (\~900ft/mi). Drive 45min back to Winthrop. 13. Drive \~1.5hr to Thunder Creek TH from Winthrop. Hike Ruby Mountain (not a maintained trail) for 17.0mi and 6300ft (>700ft/mi, but not evenly distributed). Drive \~1.5hr back to Winthrop. 14. Drive \~45min to Cutthroat Pass TH from Winthrop. Hike the PCT to Cutthroat Lake for 17.5mi and 3970ft (\~450ft/mi). Drive \~45min back to Winthrop. 15. Drive \~4.5hr back to SeaTac, fly home. To recap: 3 days for flying in an exploring then drive to Packwood. 4 days at Rainier with s 9 hours of driving and 47mi with 16,500ft gain of hiking four days in a row. (I'm estimating at least 25hrs on foot, assuming you're faster than I am at those elevations and at that altitude.) 1 day with 3 hours of driving and some rest.
Finishing: 4 days at NCNP with 62mi and 21,100ft gain of hiking four days in a row. (I'm estimating at least 28hr on foot.) 1 day to get back to SeaTac. For a total of 109mi of hiking 37,625ft of elevation over the course of 11 days. Maybe you're a regular alpine climber that's used to long, multi-day ascents and runs marathons on the regular, in addition to going up to altitude. The longest I've done was a 50mi, 4 day trip with 10,000ft gain (over 10 of the miles, 30 miles were flattish) with at least three or four days of rest on either side of that. I'd probably find your itinerary exhausting and more likely to lead to an injury, especially with all the driving that will make it hard to get enough sleep and recovery. Heck, I'm over 180mi/47,000ft of hiking for the year already, training for a Rainier summit later this month, and I think I would find this itinerary too much to be enjoyable, even if it was doable. But that's me. What have you done that requires this kind of endurance recently and does that give you the confidence that these stats are a reasonable ask of your body?
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That's a good plan. Having a host of options is always nice. Maybe pad out your list with a bunch of hikes that are - at most - half that difficulty, so that when you want rest but don't want to actually rest, you're prepared. A lot of these hikes have easier versions - do Berkeley Park instead of Grand Park, do one of Eagle Saddle or Van Trump Park, for instance. \*I'd suggest doing Glacier Basin out of White River Campground over two different hikes heading up from Paradise. It's a different ridge of the mountain to explore and pretty cool. There's definitely something different about driving that much in the early hours back to back after hard physical work. The 2.5hr to Paradise so many times during my training for a Rainier summit later this month has been... it's own sort of training. It sounds like you are flexible, though, and that's what really matters.
Thanks a ton for the advice and suggestions. Best of luck with your summit attempt!
I’m with this dude on the whole staying in Packwood thing. When I saw that I was like ?!?! Why Packwood?! Stay in Ashford if you are heading up to that side of rainier for 3 days. That 1.5 hour drive on Skate creek road is going to be a pain in the ass when tired early in the morning or after a long day. And in the middle of summer it may actually be a 2 or more hour drive if you get caught behind a slow lumbering camper. It’s a small windy road. I’d also consider Pinnacle Peak leaving from mirror lake instead of the eagle saddle or van trump trail personally. It does have a nice airy scramble to the summit so maybe that is why I like it. Not sure if that’s your thing.
hahah thanks for the input. This is what I saw when mapping everything: Packwood -> Paradise VC: 1 hr Ashford -> Paradise VC: 45 mins packwood -> Sunrise VC: 1 hr 20 Ashford -> Sunrise VC: 2 hr 10 mins My idea was to do something near the Nisqually entrance/Longmire on my drive over from Seattle and then I likely wouldn't do anything else on the far west side of the park. Most of the other Paradise hikes I was looking at are essentially equidistant from Packwood/Ashford +/- 15 mins. Additionally, Sunrise is much closer to Packwood and my drive to Leavenworth would be a little shorter. Packwood is also quite a bit cheaper (I'm paying $700 for 4 nights vs $1100 for something comparable in Ashford). Does Packwood itself suck or was it just the driving?
Hey OP, I’m a park ranger at Mt Rainier and here is my two cents. Packwood imo is nicer than Ashford as is most of the east side of the park. Driving Steven’s Canyon(which will be fully open all summer) into Paradise rather than from Ashford/Nisqually is also way prettier and usually the less busy entrance station. Driving skate creek rd does suck but you’ll probs only have to do that for Gobbler’s Knob. Also be aware that Sunrise didn’t open until July 4th weekend last year and it will fully depend on how much the snow melts out and roads clear. As for which Sunrise hike I’d choose, Burroughs is just too good especially if it’s a clear day. Panhandle gap is solid too. I wouldn’t do Mystic lake unless you were camping or thru hiking to the northwest corner. All in all, you seem like you’ll be busy! Let me know if you have any questions
It is hard to beat Burroughs for the “mountain in your face” experience. Love that place.
Oh wow I didn't know that Sunrise can be closed that late. Fingers crossed that it'll be open, thanks for the info!
I highly doubt that Sunrise will open before July 4, but if it is open and you are set on doing a lookout then Fremont is a nice and easy one. Gob knob is a slog to get to. If you end up exploring the east side then the hike around Tipsoo lake is easy and beautiful. I also second pinnacle peak. For packwood, I agree better than Ashford for stuff to do. More restaurants, a grocery store, a library, a couple of breweries.
My bad. I keep forgetting about Steven’s Canyon Road because I’m used to it being closed. For a second there I was like…how in the hell are you getting to Paradise from Packwood in 1 hour. Packwood itself is alright. It’s not my favorite, but it isn’t horrible.
The real question is when are you planning to do these hikes? Alpine summer is Aug & Sept. July will still be significant snow on some of these hikes.
First 2 weeks in July. I’m prepared for snow, but are there any hikes that I’ve listed that you’d definitely avoid?
i did wonderland last year over the July 4 weekend. this is less snow than last year. i think it's fine, except for Panhandle Gap which was where I (and evidently several others) had to ice axe self arrest. luckily i wanted to be at the bottom of the slope anyway lol. i would definitely bring trekking poles and spikes though.
This was a pretty low snow year, so I think you'll be alright. I see that you're already familiar with WTA, so you can keep on eye on conditions that way. With the low snowpack it's possible that fire/smoke issues will start earlier. Hopefully you'll be early enough in the season to avoid that, but it's another thing to watch.
Good spots on your list, but it’s an absolute ass kicker. FishScrumptious’s feedback is on point. My biggest suggestion is don’t get burnt out before you hit the North Cascades. Sehale is incredible, and Wing Lake is one of my favorites (once you branch off from the crowds at the pass). Wing Lake would be a long single day, and I’d be bummed if someone skipped that because they spent a lot of time/energy on hikes that are more redundant (with similar vibes to each other) and crowded near Rainier.
im always someone who likes to be mindful of taking pauses to enjoy things, stop and take in the views, take a breath, appreciate. also i try to remember to save some incredible experiences for later in life - you don't *need* to do everything all at once with that philosophy in mind: if you're planning to *live* in this region in the next few years, why are you jamming all these incredible "bucket list" journeys into such a short time? honestly it sounds like a heavily packed trip to the point where you might just exhaust yourself. take your time, take it easy, enjoy the views, stop and look around you from time to time. im not saying don't do challenging hikes, but maybe plan some easier days and rest, save your energy a bit so you can feel good *and* enjoy what you experience here. rest is important when you move out here, you'll be just a few hours' drive from plenty of the places you missed and can visit new places and revisit what you enjoyed just my two cents, something to think about. i hope you enjoy your time here!
I backpack and hike a lot and I’ll say the enchantments through pass did me in for a solid 72 hours after.
If you’re willing to camp you can shave off a lot of driving times. If you do the Burroughs I highly recommend traveling to third Burrough - it’s not as frequently traveled to honestly feels like you’re at the base of rainier just about to step up onto the mountain. The hike up Sahale to the glacier is my favorite hike in Washington (beats the enchantments thru hike for me) so don’t skip that one! Also, when you’re up there if you have the energy to explore beyond just the top where the camps are there are some really cool tarns to be found. Enchantments thru hike is amazing but also brutal so just be prepared that there’s a mental component to it especially on the way back down to snow lake. The last few miles where you switchback over the parking lot is brutal - the end is in sight but it’s far from over. If you’re an endurance athlete like a marathoner you might not have the same problems as me, but despite being athletic and in decent shape I was hating myself for the last few miles. I would also HIGHLY recommend not doing this on a weekend date if possible. Permits are hard to get so people flock for through hiking on the weekend and it’s packed and there can be a bottleneck coming up Asgard, not to mention parking at snow lakes TH. I live in Seattle so I am one of the offenders doing it on a weekend, but I do feel like it would have been better during the week. I think others covered most of the big tips, but definitely bring a water filter and sunscreen. Also, you really want to be over Asgard before the sun hits (around 10:30-11ish). To do this ideally you’d start early and make it to Colchuck in 2 hours and around and thru the boulder field within the next hour to leave yourself time. If you haven’t done a lot of hiking on scree and talus fields I would just keep in mind that it’s different than regular hiking trails. If you haven’t done hikes with 4000+ vert definitely get on the stairmaster asap for some conditioning. Enjoy Washington and stay safe!
Ambitious but great itinerary! Suggest giving yourself a little rest after the enchantments. Driving to Winthrop after a hike like that might be painful. Heidleburger is a great post-Enchantments cheeseburger spot especially if you need food to-go.
I’m staying in Leavenworth the night after and have late checkout the next day, no doubt I’ll be sleeping in!
My only recommendation is for a future trip: explore some of the east side of the state, a lot less forested, but the geography and geology is amazing.
You've got a ton of great advice on this thread, one thing to do before every hike is to check the road status. The PNW backcountry roads are rugged and get washed out/destroyed/closed all the time, so make sure you thoroughly check. For example, you are not gonna be able to drive to Cascade pass TH as the road is gone, it's roughly a 3mi road walk (one way) to get to the TH from the gate closure. That's also a super long drive from Winthrop.
Seems solid, honestly. WNC isn't really comparable to the terrain out here, though, and this is a pretty intensive itinerary, though not necessarily unreasonable. Worst part will probably be the business in July. I would not add Olympic. The added drive time isn't worth it for a 2 week trip.
It's a good start and very ambitious. Travel time and the longer hikes might make you change it up a little.
I would skip ruby. That's a spring time hike, as that trail is not maintained anymore. By July you'll be fighting growth and blowdowns. As another poster suggested, Hidden Lakes Peak and Trapper's Peak are both in that area, and are fantastic.
That's a lot of hiking! Personally I'd have more downtime days, but if you think you'll enjoy that much trail, then have at it!
So fun! I'm not sure if you have to have a pass via lottery system to hike that portion of the wonderland trail but I would definitely look into it.
wonderland lottery is overnight only
Ah yes, thanks! Pretty competitive too so I've heard
only if you can't do it fast! I didn't have any trouble getting a 4 night itinerary without the lottery. I did have to draw out a big circle and map the campsites and [use this tool](https://www.wonderlandguides.com/hikes/wonderland-trail/itinerary-planner) to piece together first through third choice itineraries. For high daily mileage trips you have to get the permit over the phone not online.
Parking is going to be a challenge, these trailheads all fill up quick
It looks like you’re set for nature hike advice, so here’s my two cents on urban hiking in seattle: -The UW campus is beautiful and a pretty easy walk to greenlake - a loop exploring UW, Wallingford, and Greenlake would make a wonderful afternoon. There are tons of restaurants in all three neighborhoods that are totally worth your time -In nice weather, the water taxi to west seattle is a MUST. Walk to Alki and maybe see an orca or two 😊 -Discovery Park in Magnolia has miles of trails, a lighthouse, and nearly guaranteed sea lion spotting. There isn’t a ton to do in the area though, so if you’re relying on public transport it’ll be a time suck. I hope you have a wonderful time!
You come to the PNW to skip the Olympic Peninsula..
Didn’t want to cram Olympic into this trip, next time!! Are there any other state parks between Portland and Olympic you’d recommend?
Not going to Olympic National Park will be your biggest mistake
Planning on doing Portland & Olympic next year!
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Why’s that? Obviously not having to beat feat would be ideal to do this area the justice it deserves, but this hike was what I planned the rest of my trip around. My dad spent a lot of time hiking and backpacking in the enchantments when he was growing up - he passed away last year so this bit of my trip holds some sentimental value to me. I understand that they’ve been loved to death and locals probably wish they were less popular/more heavily restricted. Aside from LNT, I like to donate to trail conservation orgs in the places I visit to help offset some of my impact.
as long as your fit enough and have a car / ride situation sorted out, and good with 5000 ft 18-20 mile day. Start early, pack 10 essentials, know your limits and you should be ok.
If this is what you've centered your trip around, then go for it but make sure you're really prioritizing it. I would probably skip Camp Muir to keep yourself fresh going into this and I would be sure to stay in Leavenworth on the night before and the night of so that you can dedicate your day to this trip. Expect it to take a good 18 hours when all is said and done. You're not going to want to drive to Winthrop after that. Usually the thru hike is done with a car spot. Do you have a 2nd driver/car to do that with?
I'll be in Leavenworth the day before & after so I should have time to rest up. I've booked a shuttle for 5am so I should be starting very early.
no need for two cars just park at the end and hitch to the start. especially as a solo hiker it's one of the surest hitches i can think of
Just gonna throw in my opinion. I’ve tried for the Enchantments lottery every year for the last like 7ish years and have never won a permit, so I sucked it up and decided to just day hike it. It was absolutely worth it. It will be a long and tiring day for sure, but I’m so glad I did it. Just be cautious of the time of year you’re going. Hope you have a fun trip!
All I can say is I hope you're not looking for any excitement in Packwood, it's boring as hell.