The Picket Range is the forbidden heart of the jagged North Cascades. Its isolated brushy valleys, jagged ridges, long and steep climbs on mixed terrain, and variable conditions present an array of mountaineering challenges and spectacular scenery. It is the challenge and ruggedness that are the essence of the Pickets. The reward of a successful trip will echo in your memories for years. The range is getting more popular, but many days of solitude are always available.
A couple labeled diagrams
Labeled panorama of the entire Picket Range from the summit of Luna Peak
Labeled panorama of the Southern Pikets from the summit of Mt. Fury.
A labeled illustration of the Picket Range put together by Steph Abegg.
The Northern Pickets
Here are the peaks of the Northern Picket Range. The range forms a "C", with Mount Challenger and it's large glacier in the north, sweeping down on a continuous ridge to the south and then east to Mount Fury, and then Luna Peak as the eastern terminus. While the Northern Pickets are not as jagged as their Southern counterparts, they are perhaps even more difficult to access and equally rugged to surmount.
The Southern Range is noted for slender spires of rock rising above small glaciers on the southern slopes, and is visible from the North Cascades visitor center down at Newhalem. It has an outlier "view peak" to take in the majesty called the Chopping Block. The northern walls of the Southern Range are truly terrible to behold. It has been said that the slopes below those walls are the most remote place in the continental U.S.
In the last few years local Northwest climbers have done some stunning things. In 2003, Forrest Murphy and Colin Haley made a February ascent of Inspiration Peak's West Ridge. Later that year Wayne Wallace, Mark Bunker and Colin Haley made a high level traverse of the entire Southern Range (VI, 5.10+). In 2009, Steph Abegg and Wayne Wallace climbed the appealing 1200ft ice couloir (appropriately named the "Thread of Ice") on the north side of Twin Needles. There are new classic climbs waiting to be discovered here.
Approaches
Approaches into the Pickets. Each numbered approach is described below. The Cascade Alpine Guide has a map of the approaches that gives a more detailed view of the topography (i.e. creeks, ridges, bends in trail) which would be useful to look at before you set off on a trip.
Route overlays of some of Steph's adventures in the Picket Range.
Elevation and distance profiles of the main approaches into the Pickets.
Bushwhacking in the Pickets. This photo was taken in Luna Creek, which is probably one of the shortest approach routes into the Pickets. However, if you choose this route, be warned that people have been known to abandon all their gear in a desperate attempt to exit the tangle alive, 2 days after they entered the tangle....
There is no easy way into the Pickets. Nearly every approach into the Pickets involves its share of sweating, vegetable belaying, and cursing. But it is always worth the effort, and the difficult approaches and rugged terrain is part of what makes the Pickets so great.
Water Taxi across Ross Lake (Northern Pickets approach)
Goodell Creek trailhead (Southern Pickets approach)
One thing to consider when planning an entry and exit route into the Pickets is the road distance between the trailheads. All but one of the routes into the Northern Pickets start at Ross Lake, while the routes into the Southern Pickets start at Goodell Creek trailhead or Diablo (Steattle Creek). All of these trailheads are within 20 miles along the North Cascades HWY, so it is feasible to enter via one and exit via the other. However, if the plan is to enter via Easy Ridge, then a 2-hour car plant is in order (or, a clever trick is to meet friends who came from the opposite direction and exchange car keys midway).
I'll do my best to give sufficient detail here, but for planning a trip into the Pickets, it would be foolhardy to go without the Cascade Alpine Guide Volume 3. There are many pages of detail on these approaches. My descriptions below cannot match their quality.
APPROACHES INTO THE NORTHERN PICKETS
APPROACH 1: Easy Ridge to Perfect Pass
Photo with beta about a possible rappel into the Impasse.
This is a popular way to get to Mount Challenger. The advantage of the Easy Ridge approach is that there is not too much bushwhacking, and you have a scenic walk along the spine of Easy Ridge. The three disadvantages are: (1) the Hannigan Pass trailhead is a long drive from any other approach route into the Pickets, (2) it is a rather long approach with ups and downs, and (3) the Imperfect Impass shortly below Perfect Pass is a perplexing feature, sometimes easy walked across on snow, other times requiring a long detour down and back up through brutish brush. For my part I was stymied by the "Imperfect Impass," so I can't comment on the route beyond that point.
To get to the Hannegan Pass trailhead drive the Nooksack River road to a left turn on road FR 402. The trailhead is at 3100 feet, starting from a large parking lot at the end of the 4 mile long road. For great detail of the hike to Hannegan Pass see the Ruth Mountain page.
From Hannegan Pass, you can descend to Copper Creek Camp above the Chilliwack River at about 3200 feet (marked as "campsite" on USGS map). This is a good strategy if you came in Friday evening and want to make it to Perfect Pass Saturday night. From the campsite hike two more miles, then start looking for an unmarked trail descending a little bit to the river. You'll ford the river here and find the Easy Ridge Trail on the other side. At first, the trail is pretty brushy and you'll get wet from dew in the morning. Eventually it starts climbing steeply as it works from 2800 feet up to 5000 feet, where you leave deep forest and enter huckleberry bushes at a pass on the ridge. Congratulations, now you can enjoy the scenery!
You'll follow the ridge to Easy Peak (6615 ft) in beautiful terrain. After Easy Peak, travel east on the ridge until walls of Whatcom Peak begin to loom. Drop gently down from the ridge in grassy terrain heading southeast. You'll want to lose about 1000 feet, dropping from about 6200 ft to 5200 ft to get to the base of a buttress of Whatcom where an imposing sight will greet you: the Imperfect Impass.
Going early in the year you may barely notice the Impass: just walk across what is actually a very deep gorge on snow. But when it melts out there is no easy entrance or exit. I see that summitpost user meganerd has also been stymied here, doing the same thing I did - trying to climb around in and above the gorge to find a way across. He describes the experience as "terrifying exposure" and I have to agree, especially once you decide to give up and have to climb down from whatever perch you've treed yourself on. At a minimum, if you want to cross the gorge directly, be prepared to get the rope out, but also know there is little protection on the slabby terrain. Getting out the opposite side looks hard too. In 2001 I saw a forlorn rope hanging on the other side, swaying over featureless wet slabs.
To avoid the Impass, you can descend (another) 1000 feet or so until the gorge ends and you can walk easily across the stream. On the other side grimace and enter the brush and start climbing back up. If benighted, there is a flat spot on the west side of the gorge for a camp. You'll climb up through thick brush and slabs until the way eases below Perfect Pass (6200 feet). Great camping is available here on the edge of the Challenger Glacier.
The climb to the summit of Challenger is a piece of cake compared to the work completed!
(To climb Challenger from here, just drop down onto the glacier (there are a few options, depending on conditions) and traverse across the large glacier to the saddle below Challenger Arm. Then, climb up Challenger Arm. Although the approach up the arm is an easy hike up snow, in the last few years, a gaping bergshrund just below the summit has turned around many parties. There is almost always a way around if you detour to the leftmost ridge, but sometimes this can be tricky as well. Once you have surmounted this obstacle, the final climb to the summit involves a 50 foot fun corner (5.5). Usually it is sufficient to have a rope and a few slings to clip to the 3 fixed pitons. Most parties take a couple of hours from the base of Challenger Arm.)
APPROACH 2: Little Beaver Creek to Whatcom Pass and over Whatcom Peak
Heading towards Whatcom Peak from Whatcom Pass
This is the only approach into the Pickets that lacks bushwhacking altogether. The main disadvantage is that it begins with a somewhat long (but easy) slog along a trail.
Getting to the Little Beaver trailhead requires a water taxi across Ross Lake. (Unlike the Big Beaver approach described below, a water taxi is necessary as there is no trail that goes this far around the lake.) Information about fares and booking a water taxi ride can be found on the website for Ross Lake Resort. Ross Lake is easy to find along the North Cascades HWY.
Once at the Little Beaver trailhead, it is about 18 easy trail miles to Whatcom Pass. Usually, parties camp at Twin Rocks camp about 14 miles along the trail before tackling the 2200ft of elevation gain to Whatcom Pass the next day. From Whatcom Pass, head east (left) along a climbers towards the obvious Whatcom Peak, which you will have to climb over. The trail soon peters out, but the going is easy (Class 3). Just keep heading up towards the summit on the north ridge, and below the summit head to the south side of the peak to gain the saddle. From here, you can look down at Perfect Pass (obvious heather-covered saddle below) and you can easily scramble up the final couple of hundred feet to the summit of Whatcom Peak. If there is good snow, the descent down the south side of Whatcom Peak towards Perfect Pass takes all of 10 minutes. In the late season, this might take a bit longer.
Perfect Pass lives up to its name. Granite slabs interspersed with heather and streams make it a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. From the pass, you can enjoy a sunset over the Pacific, or gaze upon the vast expanse of the Challenger Glacier.
APPROACH 3: Big Beaver Creek to Wiley Ridge
A heather-covered Wiley Ridge with Luna Peak across the valley
This is probably the most frequented approach to Mt. Challenger, for whatever reason. Usually, enthusiasm to get into the Pickets will inspire the the trip to begin with a water taxi ride across Ross Lake to the Big Beaver Landing, which avoids about 7 miles of hiking around the lake. Information about fares and booking a water taxi ride can be found on the website for Ross Lake Resort. Ross Lake is easy to find along the North Cascades HWY.
From the Big Beaver Landing, about 14 easy trail miles bring you to Big Beaver Pass. There is a lean-to shelter that is the last sign of civilization you will see before heading up Wiley Ridge towards the Pickets.
To get onto Wiley Ridge, you leave the Big Beaver Trail about 0.3 miles south of Beaver Pass. The best tact is to go headlong into the underbrush, aiming towards the left-hand timbered rib. I've heard vague stories of the existence of a path, but I never found it. On the timbered rib, the brush thins out and you'll spend the next few hours slowly climbing up steep pine needles and clambering over fallen logs. Continue to timberline at about 5,500 ft. Here, the broad Wiley ridge starts to take shape.
As the terrain opens up, hike from one bench to another on the crest or just south of the crest on talus fields or heather slopes. There is sometimes a faint path, and it's pretty friendly terrain. Pass Eiley Lake on its south shore (good camping here), and from west of this lake follow a glacier past Wiley Lake (often frozen). At this point, you will have views of Mt. Challenger looming ahead. Some parties choose to cross over the north slope of Pt. 7374 and descend east down to Challenger Glacier. Other parties choose to go left down a snowfield to Challenger Arm where there is a nice camp overlooking Luna Basin (you can get to this camp by going over Pt. 7374 too).
Now you've done the hard part, and you can bask in the amazing views of the Northern Pickets and climb up Challenger Arm towards the summit, where the view is even better.
Looking down Access Creek
APPROACH 4: Big Beaver Creek to Access Creek
Like the Wiley Ridge approach (described above), this route begins on the Big Beaver trail. You will hike about 9 miles from Big Beaver Landing before turning off the trail. Turning off at the right point is the trickiest part of this approach (so it might be best to use this route as a deapproach route before attempting it as an approach route). The turnoff is about 1.5 miles north of Luna Camp, just north of the entrance to Access Creek with flows NE from Luna Peak. Hike through forest and cross Big Beaver Creek on a log (if you can find one). Then hike along the north flank of the creek in semiopen forest. Near 3,700ft, where travel becomes very brushy, cross to the creek to its south bank. From here, look for cairns and a faint trail that will lead towards the obvious basin at the headwaters of the creek. There is good camping here.
From the Access Creek headwaters, ascend leftward along a bit rockslide stream, between cliffs, heading up towards a noticeable gap in the ridge. From here there is a traverse of several moderately steep basins to the south flank of Luna Peak. A saddle at the base of the SW ridge makes a great campsite. From here, the climb to the summit of Luna Peak (which offers some of the best views of the Picket Range) is an easy exposed scramble.
Elevation and distance profiles of the main approaches into the Pickets.
APPROACHES INTO THE SOUTHERN PICKETS
View of Stetattle Creek from McMillan Spire. Azure Lake and Stetattle Ridge are on the left.
APPROACH 5: Stetattle Ridge
This is a route neither author had done, and for whatever reason it does not seem to be a popular climbers' approach route into the Southern Pickets. This route begins on the Sourdough Mountain Trail, but leaves the trail just prior to reaching Sourdough Creek. Traverse the ridge until it is necessary to descend to the head of Torrent Creek, then make a rising traverse above timberline westward below Elephant Butte. Traverse above Azure Lake at about 6,200ft to a saddle 1 mile east of East McMillan Spire. As almost every Pickets approach, there will be some brushy travel involved en route to the high country. According to the Cascade Alpine guide, which has a more detailed description than provided here, this approach takes 1-1.5 days to reach the saddle 1 mile east of East McMillan Spire.
APPROACH 6: Goodell Creek to Terror Basin
This is the most popular approach into the Southern Pickets. It is short and steep, and in recent years there is a well-defined (albeit brushy) path most of the way, making access to McMillan, Inspiration and the Chopping Block possible for a weekend trip.
To get to the trailhead, drive a short ways up Goodell Creek (off the North Cascades HWY near Newhalem) until the road ends. Begin walking up the old road. An illegal "brushing out" of the trail occurred sometime in 2003. The illegal trail-maintainers may have used a chainsaw to chop through the numerous blowdowns. Before the brushing out, the trip up Goodell Creek apparently took at least another hour. Deplore it or applaud it, please don't get any ideas from it!
Approach to Terror Basin
After about 4 miles you'll come to a wide spot in the forested trail with a small cairn (in 2008 this cairn appeared as an arrow-shaped pile of stones). The elevation at the end of the old roadcut is roughly 1800ft. To get to climbs out of the Terror Creek basin (like West McMillan Spire, Inspiration Peak), this is your signal to turn up on a steep side trail. The trail heads straight up to the east for 3000+ feet to treeline. There is no water, so stock up at the creek just before the cairn. At least it is good trail, only getting brushy for a brief period near the top before breaking out into stunning views of the Terror Basin to the north.
Now enjoy a glorious traverse north on heather and boulders. The trail climbs to a 6200 foot high spur on the ridge, from which you can look down to an obvious flat camping area at 5800 feet. Descend on scree or snow to the camp. This is a wonderful camp, with an easy water source and a flat gravel bed, with tremendous views of the Southern Pickets.
From this camp, any of the peaks out of Terror Creek Basin are a short approach away. West McMillan Spire and Inspiration Peak are common and worthy objectives with some stellar climbing.
The west wall of Terror Basin is called the Barrier, and you'll need to cross it if your plan is to traverse into Crescent Creek Basin, where you can climb The Chopping Block, Terror Peak, or other points to the west. The Barrier often lives up to its name, and has turned around many parties (the next section on this page describes crossing the Barrier).
APPROACH 7: Goodell Creek to the Barrier to Crescent Creek Basin
Crossing Terror Creek before heading up the Barrier
If, on the other hand, you don't want the complexity of crossing the Barrier, or you've set your sights on climbs in Crescent Creek Basin (such as the Chopping Block, Himmelhorn, West Ridge of Terror), you can ascend from Goodell Creek to Crescent Creek Basin. This way is brushy and hot and less scenic but is quicker if you are heading for Mount Terror or other western summits of the Southern Range.
The approach begins as for Terror Creek basin, on the 4 mile old roadbed along Goodell Creek. When you get to the stone arrow/cairn, continue straight ahead. (Do not turn off to the right in the direction the arrow points, as this will take you to Terror Creek Basin, as described above.) From the cairn, continue traversing through relatively open forest on faint trail. You are heading due north until you hit Terror Creek (you'll hear the roar of water). The faint path now contours above the creek for about a 1/2 mile. Eventually a massive log jam marks the point to cross Terror Creek (roughly 2100 feet elevation). Become hyper-attentive for signs of passage around here. There is plenty of brush on both sides of the creek. Fill up with water at the Creek. You definitely want to find the trail heading up the ridge on the west side of Terror Creek. Once you found it, somewhere near the logjam creek crossing, follow it faithfully up to the forested ridge crest at about 3800 feet. There is a minor saddle here, and in 2008 there was a balloon tied to a tree to mark this spot for climbers descending via this route. Pat yourself on the back here because many folks have gotten lost on the ascent or descent of this trail and endured not only bushwhacking but difficulties with hidden cliffs in the forest.
You are now on the lower part of the Barrier. From here, follow the brushy ridge crest. The going is a bit easier, although the faint trail is not always easy to find. At timberline at 5,600 ft, you can traverse easily up slopes and snow in "Stump Hollow", an open slabby/heather basin between the Barrier ridge and the Chopping Block (marked as Pinnacle Peak on the USGS maps). There is good camping on the Chopping Block ridge.
From Crescent Creek Basin, common objectives include the Chopping Block, West Ridge of Terror, Himmelhorn, and other western Southern Pickets. It is possible to cross the Barrier into Terror Basin to the east (where you will need to go to access Inspiration and McMillan Spires, for instance). However, descending the Barrier to Terror Creek Glacier is tricky as there is only one feasible route (see description on this page) and you cannot see this route from the western side. Unless you have crossed the Barrier from the east and are familiar with the route, it is best to access Terror Basin from the Terror Basin approach (described above).
Some traverse "cruxes" in the Pickets
Once you have done the hard work of getting into the Pickets, it is time to enjoy some high alpine traversing and climbing. The Cascade Alpine Guide Volume 3 is a great reference for describing the climbs and possible traverses in this area.
A couple of my favorite "crux" sections of the Pickets are described below.
Crossing the Barrier as a link between Terror Basin and Crescent Creek Basin
Crossing the Barrier low
Crossing the Barrier high
The Barrier is a long rocky ridge that separates the Terror Basin from the Crescent Creek Basin in the Southern Pickets. Living up to it's name, it has turned around several parties from either side. As a result, many climbing parties do trips to Crescent Creek Basin and Terror Basin as separate trips with separate approaches.
That said, it is possible to cross the Barrier. There are 2 ways: (1) a lower crossing on a loose ledge system at the lower end of the Terror Glacier or (2) a higher crossing over moats and steep choss at the upper end of the Terror Glacier just below Degenhardt. Either way takes less than an hour. Both ways are equally harrowing, classic "Pickets Class 3." The photos above show these crossings.
Pickets Class 3.
The lower crossing takes you from Terror Basin into Stump Hollow, from which you can traverse easily to the Chopping Block and Crescent Creek Basin. This is the crossing to use if you plan on camping on the Chopping Block ridge or climbing Chopping Block. The upper crossing bypasses the Chopping Block ridge and takes you from Terror Basin into Crescent Creek Basin. This is the crossing to use is you plan on camping at the camp below Terror and climbing one of the Southern Pickets (Terror, perhaps) from here.
It is possible to cross The Barrier from either direction at the high or low crossing, although having done the crossing myself, I would recommend crossing from east to west (Terror Basin to Crescent Creek Basin) as this way you can see the cliff you must surmount rather than trying to find it blindly from above.
Crossing Picket Pass as a link between the Northern and Southern Pickets
Traversing from the Northern Pickets to the Southern Pickets via Perfect Pass
Picket Pass
Although most parties tend to stick to either the Northern Pickets or Southern Pickets in a single trip, there is a way to traverse between the two halves of the range via Picket Pass. This is a beautiful and rugged ridgeline traverse. The ridge itself involves a little bit of technical travel (up to low 5th and usually one rappel), but getting to the ridge involves more technical travel than the ridge itself.
From the north, parties typically approach Picket Pass after a climb of Mt. Fury. This route is described in the Cascade Climbing guide, and involves descending the SE glacier on Fury and climbing over Outrigger Peak to gain the ridge. From Outrigger Peak, it is mostly easy ridgetop hiking to get to Perfect Pass (there is one 50-ft section that is best rappelled if coming at it from the north). There is superb camping at Picket Pass with stunning views of the sheer north walls of the Southern Pickets.
To continue the southwards traverse from Picket Pass, there are a couple of options. One of the authors has dropped onto the Mustard Glacier from Picket Pass, but this prooved to be a tricky and tedious descent. The other author has stayed on the ridge as it heads southwards towards the Ottohorn-Himmelhorn Col. This requires a few pitches of low-fifth climbing to a spectacular campsite (I debated whether or not I should reveal this little gem, but finally decided that anyone who gets this far deserves to know about it!). From here, continue to scramble up the ridge until sheer granite walls impede further travel. At this point, a short Class 3 descent brings you directly onto the Mustard Glacier. You can now traverse around to the North Ridge of Terror, or continue straight ahead up to the Ottohorn-Himmelhorn Col and into Crescent Creek Basin. (Note that the col is straightforward if snowfilled, but later in the season, it will take some loose and tricky 5th class to reach the notch. The south side of the col is a bit more friendly, and once in Crescent Creek Basin, the technical part of the traverse is over.)
Camping/Accomodation
A primitive though adequate system of wardened huts links the...HAAHAHAA! Oh sorry I just couldn't resist. Nada. Nichts. Null.
There is a wooden shelter at Beaver Pass. You are only supposed to use it in case of emergency, though I've seen that rule ignored more often than not. Say Hi to Frank the resident deermouse before plunging up towards Wiley Ridge.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of amazing campsites in the Pickets.
Nalgene meteor shower at camp on Chopping Block Ridge
A perfect camping spot in Terror Creek Basin
Camp on the summit of Mt. Fury
The author's parents camping near Challenger Arm in 1981
A permit from the North Cascades National Park Visitor Center in Marblemount (360-873-4500) is required for any overnight stay in the park, almost mandatory for a visit to the range. ("crazy" people have climbed The Chopping Block or West McMillian Spire in a day).
Weather Conditions
Snowstorm in August - 3 nights stuck on the summit of Mt. Fury
Helicopter rescue after a climber spent 5 nights stranded on the north side of Mt. Terror because of a climbing accident followed by bad weather.
Here is a link to a site where you can buy prayer beads :-D.
The Pickets are much more fun in good weather. With their ruggedness and route-finding challenges, poor visibility or uncomfortable dampness can make it a harrowing adventure. Because of the notorious unpredictability of Pacific Northwest weather, it is best to plan a rather flexible weather window for scheduling a foray into the Pickets.
Lowell Skoog's weather conditions page is all you need for Washington State.
They might be beautiful but don't underestimate the Pickets!
And check this out for a parting laugh... Two guys were bushwhacking out of the Pickets a few weeks ago and got separated. One guy stumbled out on the Big Beaver trail. He waited half a day for his buddy. Finally he sees his friend stumbling out of the brush. He asks, "Bill, where the F^&% is your 5-day full pack with the rope, ice axe, crampons etc.?" He replied, "F&^* that stuff. I left it!"
True story. I can vouch for it.
External Links
* Mount Challenger - good description of the climb and approach from Wiley Ridge by Sergio Verdina.
* "Three Amigos" Traverse - one of the author's own Picket Range extravaganza with Theron W. and Aidan H.
* Wayne Wallace's site - Wayne Wallace's accomplishments in the Picket Range are really something to marvel at. I don't know anyone who has more experience than him. Read about his trips here.
I made a movie in 2005 which gives a pretty good overview of the Pickets. It's a computer-generated flight over terrain data, first circling around the Northern Pickets cirque, then down into McMillan Cirque (where no one ever goes). Might be fun to see, though nowadays Google Earth makes it so easy!
Also, here's a couple of interesting photo comparisons...
Interesting comparison of conditions in the Southern Pickets during a low snow year (2005) and a low snow year (2008)
Southern Pickets in 1981 (my parents) and 2007 (me). The glaciers are shrinking...
The north buttress of Fury in 1981, 2007, 2008. The glaciers are melting....
