Backpacking In The Great PNW

[AlienSoul]

I am looking for some good ideas for places to go backpacking this summer. For the most part I usually end up in the Eagle Cap area every weekend that I go camping. I am looking for some new spots to try out. What are some good ones in other parts of WA and OR?

 

Also what are some good guide books for backpacking in the PNW?

 

Thanks,

Josh Gesler

 

[JoshK]

glacier peak wilderness and north cascades park. hard to go wrong anywhere in there.

[AlienSoul]

awsome!

 

Is there a good guide book that covers those?

 

[rbw1966]

Getting permits in some areas may be a problem.

 

The Sisters area is awesome for backpacking. I've done some day trips in the Gorge that were very nice as well. Wahtum Lake is fun, as is anything along the PCT.

[skyclimb]

Is is possible in the eagle cap to do a one week backpacking trip, and climb all the major peaks?? There is a line i am thinking of starting i beleive with sacajewia, and hitting all the majors like eagle cap. Also just plain kick ass trips for a few days??

[JoshK]

AlienSoul, the best bets for backpacking ideas in those areas are the spring and manning 100 hikes books, specifically the ones called "north cascades national park" and "glacier peak area" If you gave me an idea what type of terrain, length, etc. you are looking for I might be able to make a recommendation. I really love the glacier peak area (esp. the more eastern areas) due to the (relatively) small number of people there.

[Dave_Schuldt]

Pasaytin wilderness north of Winthrop. Very few people and great wandering. Once you get up to 7,000 ft set up baxe camp for a few days and take off on day trips.

[allison]

I'm real partial to the Eastern half of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Pretty much anything E of the Cascade Crest and above 5000 feet is awful nice country!

 

Having said that, it is not the most desolate place to go hiking. Popular spots can be a bit crowded on the weekends, though if you are willing to go off the trail there are some spectacular gems out there, and no people!

 

The only part of the ALW that is permitted is the Enchantments, Lake Caroline, and Eightmile Lake if I am not mistaken. A NW forest pass is required for parking though.

 

 

[lummox]

AlienSoul said:

I am looking for some good ideas for places to go backpacking this summer. For the most part I usually end up in the Eagle Cap area every weekend that I go camping. I am looking for some new spots to try out. What are some good ones in other parts of WA and OR?

 

Also what are some good guide books for backpacking in the PNW?

 

Thanks,

Josh Gesler

 

straight out, hike the wilderness beaches in WA.

[klenke]

Re: touring the Eagle Cap Wilderness

 

Skyclimb, there are many entries into the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Here's what I did a few years back in August:

 

From the Wallowa Lake Trailhead, I backpacked into uncrowded Aneroid Lake and set up camp. The next day I climbed 9,702-ft Aneroid Mountain and then packed up my gear and schlepped it over 8,800+ ft Polaris Pass. What a grunt that was! That night I camped down at Six Mile Meadow. Near Polaris Pass there are other 9,000-ft peaks of climbing interest. These are 9,675-ft Pete's Point to the north of the pass and 9,401-ft Sentinel Peak to the south of the pass (class 3?).

 

The next day, I made a loop trip up and around people-crowded Lakes Basin (very picturesque and a must-see area). I climbed 9,572-ft Eagle Cap and then descended its east side to gorgeous Glacier Lake. There is a 9,495-ft Glacier Peak southeast of Eagle Cap that could be a worthy climb. I then took the trail back to Six Mile Meadow by way of Frazier Lake. There is another imposing mountain above this lake: 9,578-ft Cusick Mountain. This was about a twenty mile loop trip camp-to-camp through some lovely terrain.

 

On the third day I moved my gear down the W. Fork Willowa River Trail to the Ice Lake Trail, whereupon I took this (after stashing half my heavy gear under a log) for a day climb of 9,845-ft Matterhorn (the disputed highest peak in the range) before heading back to the car in a two-valley loop (both valley trails start from Willowa Lake Trailhead). Ice Lake is very pretty--especially if the weather is good. 9,838-ft Sacajawea Peak is north of the Matterhorn and can be completed via a ridge traverse (class 3?). NNE of Sacajawea is 9,616-ft Point Joseph, the prominent peak visible from the town of Joseph.

 

I intend to go back in there some day and backpack/climb in a completely different area. The opportunities and possiblities are grand. The Wilderness is quite large. Away from the Lakes Basin Management Area the crowds can be expected to be much less. Do not expect any solitude within this management area.

 

I definitely highly recommend the area. All the mountains look different and they seem to all be comprised of different rock. Some are even volcanic and some are limestone. A lot of the lakes are of the pretty alpine variety too. With a week at your disposal, you could see and do a lot of memorable things there.

 

IMUS GEOGRAPHICS makes (or made) a great map of the Wilderness. My version is copyright 1995.

 

[skyclimb]

Right on!!! great advice. These are just the peaks i was thinking of. Thanx for the info.

[plexus]

Dave_Schuldt said:

Pasaytin wilderness north of Winthrop. Very few people and great wandering. Once you get up to 7,000 ft set up baxe camp for a few days and take off on day trips.

 

sshhhhhh........

[alienPDX]

There is a great book called "Don't Waste Your Time in the North Cascades" by Copeland (I think) that outlines and rates a number of hikes and backpacking trips in the area from "premier" all the way down to "don't do"

[gapertimmy]

rbw1966 said:

Getting permits in some areas may be a problem.

 

The Sisters area is awesome for backpacking. I've done some day trips in the Gorge that were very nice as well. Wahtum Lake is fun, as is anything along the PCT.

 

3sisters really isn't much fun for hiking. there are no views and lots of cougars that attack people, its a good idea to go somewhere else

[Stefan]

alienPDX said:

There is a great book called "Don't Waste Your Time in the North Cascades" by Copeland (I think) that outlines and rates a number of hikes and backpacking trips in the area from "premier" all the way down to "don't do"

 

I also highly recommend this book for backpacking anywhere within Washington. It is better than the 100 hikes books becuase it tells you where to "NOT GO" also. It also groups the hikes by "dayhike" and "overnight" backpacking and has a rating system as to which hikes are "decent" compared to which ones are "awesome".

[Fejas]

gapertimmy said:

 

 

3sisters really isn't much fun for hiking. there are no views and lots of cougars that attack people, its a good idea to go somewhere else

 

Cougars... bang.... I was almost attack by the visious northwestern puma... it was not afrade of any of my yells and rock throwing... but when I pulled my gun up and fired a shot it took off like a bat outa hell...

[gapertimmy]

on a serious note, i've heard many cat stories about 3 sisters wilderness. big tracks seen all over the place, tam mcarthur, pct, you name it

 

personally i'm more afraid of the yokels that wander the trails packin heat

[rbw1966]

Deja vu. Didn't you say that very same thing about a year ago?

[gapertimmy]

probably, i'm not a very interesting person and i often do repeat myself. its hard for me to come up with new material

[gapertimmy]

probably, i'm not a very interesting person and i often do repeat myself. its hard for me to come up with new material

[gapertimmy]

probably, i'm not a very interesting person and i often do repeat myself. its hard for me to come up with new material

 

ahhh fuck there i go again

[erik]

TIMM@Y is not a very interesting person and he often does repeat himself. its hard for him to come up with new material

 

 

[Alpine_Tom]

AlienSoul said:

I am looking for some good ideas for places to go backpacking this summer. For the most part I usually end up in the Eagle Cap area every weekend that I go camping. I am looking for some new spots to try out. What are some good ones in other parts of WA and OR?

 

Also what are some good guide books for backpacking in the PNW?

 

Thanks,

Josh Gesler

 

 

You a Whittie?

 

The "100 hikes" book series also includes a couple of books of hikes in Idaho and eastern Oregon. The simple thing is to get the books from the public library, that gives you plenty of time to look at the books w/out buying the ones you don't want. King County library lets you reserve them over the net, which is really convenient.

 

As far as what's good, it depends a lot on what you want. Some folks like to go 30 miles in a weekend, some like to find a secluded lake and just hang out...

[AlienSoul]

LOL No I am not a Whittie

 

I am looking for 3day weekend trips. Hike through is ok, but in and out is easier. I want to do some photography so scenic is good, but this is the PNW so that usually is everywhere. I want some easy ones so I can drag the wife along. She is diabetic so it is easier if it isn’t too hard.

 

I also want some tougher stuff. I did Ice Lake last year (with a 60lb pack ‘cause I was stupid) and everyone thought it was tougher than Mt Adams, but it felt great to have accomplished it.

 

I’ll be sure to pick up those books. I want to do a lot more backpacking and stuff this year. Last year my job didn’t allow me much freedom that way. Also if anyone wants a partner for slogging up some snowfield I am not terrible fast but I love a good hike.

 

Thanks

 

Josh Gesler

 

[Fejas]

gapertimmy said:

on a serious note, i've heard many cat stories about 3 sisters wilderness. big tracks seen all over the place, tam mcarthur, pct, you name it

 

personally i'm more afraid of the yokels that wander the trails packin heat

 

I woulda been puma dinner if I hadn't been packin' heat dood... that is a no shitter...