Backpacking to Egg Lake on the Copper Ridge Trail
Even after living in Seattle, WA, for two years, I forget that there are other access points into the North Cascades National Park that are not off Highway 20. In July 2024, I took my first trip to the western side via Hannegan Pass and had my eyes opened to a brilliant and beautiful section of the park.
A buddy and I set out backpacking to Egg Lake along the Copper Ridge Trail. I was not entirely sure what to expect, but I knew it should be full of expansive views. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see as much as we wanted as a storm rolled in, and we cut our trip short a day. That said, on our nine-mile trek in, we had A+ level views and could see just how stunning this section of the park was.
Inside is my backpacking guide to Egg Lake. I’ll also have info on Copper Ridge Lookout and Copper Lake, even though we didn’t make it there. Hopefully, this will inspire you to try a new trail in Washington!
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Guide to Backpacking Egg Lake on the Copper Ridge Trail in North Cascades National Park
Egg Lake + Copper Ridge Trail Stats:
Here’s a quick rundown of the Copper Ridge Trail to Egg Lake
- Distance: 18.5 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 5,300 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Permit Required? Yes
- No substantial source of water between Boundary Camp and Egg Lake
- Days on Trail: 2-4
- Hannegan Road Quality: Tons of Potholes, but good for all vehicles
- Trail Closures as of Summer 2024: Closed past Copper Lake due to previous wildfire
- Distance from Seattle: 3-3.5 hours
Day 1 – Hannegan Pass Trailhead to Egg Lake
Once we strapped on our packs and started on the trail, it was a bit past 1:40 p.m. It was overcast, humid, and buggy—quite the trifecta, huh? We knew there was some rain in the forecast for the following day but hoped it would be the fleeting kind—not the overbearing type. (Whoops.) Even with the humidity, we were amped to be backpacking to Egg Lake in the North Cascades!
The four-ish miles to the Hannegan Camp split were a steady incline. Then, we began the push to Hannegan Pass. With heavy packs, my heart rate increased substantially, but the views of Ruth Mountain and wildflowers gave me plenty of reason to dilly-dally and soak in the views.
Into North Cascades National Park on the Copper Ridge Trail
From the top of Hannegan Pass, you quickly drop down, losing 700 feet in a matter of switchbacks. As we took every step down, a little voice in our head reminded us we’d need to climb in again. Once you reach the valley below, you hit Boundary Camp. (Honest Review: I’m not sure why you’d camp at Boundary Camp. There are no views, and you need a permit.)
We stopped only to take a photo of the North Cascades National Park sign and continued. The trail was predominately uphill for 1.5 miles and 1,200 feet until you reached Copper Ridge. From here, the true roller-coaster trail began on the Copper Ridge Trail.
For another 1.5 miles, you weave your way along the ridge, getting stunning views of the North Cascades peaks on all sides. The most dramatic part was seeing what the south side and north side slopes looked like. To your left were snowless peaks, while to the right were massive glaciers and plenty of snow.
I’ll be honest: this section of the Copper Ridge Trail was challenging. The constant up-and-down on tired legs really pushed us. Thankfully, the magical landscape took our minds off the “pain.”
Down to Egg Lake
Five hours and twenty minutes later, we reached the junction for Egg Lake. Two hundred fifty feet down and a quarter of a mile later, our packs were on the ground, and we were fist bumping. We made it to Egg Lake! I initially wanted to go back up to Silesia Camp to take photos, but clouds rolled in, and we wanted to jump in the lake before making dinner.
So we hopped in. The water temperatures were much warmer than you’d expect for an alpine lake. That said, it still wasn’t warm, and I only lasted a handful of minutes. Still, it felt nice to chill my legs after backpacking to Egg Lake and the hilly Copper Ridge Trail.
Once we dried off, we loaded up on food and reminisced about a great day backpacking to Egg Lake. As the light faded, we headed to bed, optimistic that we would explore the area the next day.
Day 2 – Egg Lake to Hannegan Pass Trailhead
That optimism quickly turned to pessimism as I woke up—briefly—before sunrise to see only clouds. I went back to sleep only to be awoken a couple of hours later to raindrops. “Ugh,” I thought. I knew that there was rain in the forecast, but I hoped it would be a quick one or off and on.
I used my Garmin inReach to check the weather forecast, and it disappointedly came back with a forecast of rain for the next 24 hours. After discussing our options, we decided to pack up camp and head out. Sadly, our backpacking trip to Egg Lake would be cut short.
Getting out
We used a short break in the rain to break camp and began the nine miles to the car on the Copper Ridge Trail. On tired legs, every incline portion pushed us to our limits, but we persevered. From Egg Lake to the Hannegan Pass Trailhead, it took us just over four hours.
We hardly stopped (I never even took out my camera) and only took off our packs at Hannegan Pass for a quick break.
The saving grace of the day was that the heavy rain held off until we literally reached the car.
Tidbits on the Egg Lake Backpacking Trip
- This has the potential to be a stunning backpacking trip, and you won’t see a lot of people. I definitely want to go back and explore the Copper Ridge area more.
- I did the 9 miles in with about 2.5L of water. On a sunny, dry day, I probably would have needed more for backpacking to Egg Lake.
- Silesia Camp has EPIC views but no water. That said, if you go in early July, there might be snow on the north side of the camp’s slopes that you could boil for water. Otherwise, you’ll have to venture down to Egg Lake.
- No campfires are allowed in the area.
- For the most part, the trail is in great shape. Once you get into the forest past Boundary Camp, the trail can be narrow but still manageable. Once on the ridgeline, it’s in tip-top shape.
What to Know For Backpacking to Egg Lake in Washington
Here’s everything I learned on the Copper Ridge Trail and what I think will help make your backpacking trip to Egg Lake more successful!
Permit Required at Egg Lake and Copper Ridge
To backpack Egg Lake, you must have a permit through the North Cascades National Park. You can either get that online or as a walk-up. You do not need a wilderness permit for Hannegan Camps or Hanengan Peak.
Do at least three days on the Copper Ridge Trail
It was not our plan to do this in two days, and by the end, we were feeling pretty sore. The goal was to spend three days on the Copper Ridge Trail and venture up to the Copper Ridge Lookout on our second day. On day three, we would then come home.
This would have given us a quasi-rest day and allowed us to enjoy the stunning sights. Sadly, we were getting rained on, had zero visibility, and knew it wouldn’t be better for at least 36 hours.
From Egg Lake to the Copper Ridge Lookout is another two-ish miles and 1,250 feet of gain.
NOTE: The trail after Copper Lake is closed due to a past fire. You cannot travel down into the Chilliwack Valley to complete a formerly popular loop trail.
It’s a real-life roller coaster
The trail is tough because you’re using all of your muscles for the entirety of the trail. My watch had our first day at 3,500 feet of incline and 1,400 feet of decline. The climb to Hannegan Pass was semi-tough, but I spent a lot of time photographing the flowers, so I moved really slowly.
But then you drop that gain down to Boundary Camp. Then you gain it back and more to reach Copper Ridge. From here, you’re going up and down as the trail meanders over various humps on the ridgeline.
Lastly, you have to drop down to Egg Lake, which is not insignificant, especially with heavy packs to and from.
Overall, I was much more exhausted than I expected to be, but that could have been due to a humid hiking environment that sapped my strength.
Egg Lake…is a pond
I’m not sure what the exact definition of a lake vs. pond is, but Egg Lake is on the border. It’s pretty small, and for our July trip, there wasn’t any noticeable water flowing into it. I’m sure by the end of summer, it’ll be even smaller.
Here are some thoughts on Egg Lake:
- Please treat this like Holy Water. It’s the only water source for miles, and we need it to stay clean.
- It needs to be filtered.
- There were a lot of bugs floating on the surface (both alive and dead).
- It’s not frigid. We jumped in and spent a couple of minutes without losing our minds.
Other Water Sources
There is no consistent or substantial water source during the mid-summer months between Boundary Camp (around 5 miles from the trailhead) and Egg Camp. From the trailhead to Hannegan Camp, there are a handful of spots to fill up, and then there’s a nice stream just before you reach Boundary Camp heading east.
You’ll then have water at Copper Lake, which is another 2-3 miles up the trail from Egg Lake.
Toilet at Egg Lake
There’s a legit toilet at Egg Lake, so please use that instead of digging a cathole and burying your poop. Follow the sign and trail to reach it. Just make sure to give a holler as you approach to make sure there’s no one else using it.
PS: Bring your own TP and hand sanitizer.
Bear Box On-Site
If you plan to reach Egg Lake in one fell swoop, there’s no need to bring your own bear canister. As you enter Egg Lake, there’s a bear box where you can store your food and scented items overnight and when you’re away from camp.
Campsites Near the Lake
My buddy and I grabbed the first campsite we saw at Egg Lake near the bear box. We saw one other tent to our right on the ridge (see Egg Lake Camp below), and I’m sure there are at least one or two other sites in the area.
Our site was perfect and technically could have held two tents. It looks like it might have been recently made because it was flat and had rocks built in, creating a two-tier platform.
Hannegan Pass Road is Mostly Bad
Did the Forest Service forget this road exists? For 85% of the road, it is pretty terrible and full of potholes. In a 4Runner, we had no issues—though still plenty bumpy—but a sedan would have to be careful and take it super slow. I was pretty surprised they hadn’t gone in and filled in the holes.
What I packed for our trip
- Light backpacking tent
- 15-30 degree sleeping bag
- Light, yet comfy sleeping pad
- 55L-65L backpacking bag: Men’s | Women’s
- Jet Boil Stove
- Water filter
- Hiking Poles
- Backpacking Chair
- 2x Backpacking Meals
- 1x Hiking Pants, 2x Sunshirt, 1x Down Jacket, 1x Rain Jacket, 1x sleeping shirt, 1x leggings, 1x beanie and hat, 2x Socks
- Headlamp
I also brought my camera, tripod, and lenses that were hardly used.
Final Thoughts on Backpacking Egg Lake in North Cascades National Park
Backpacking to Egg Lake on the Copper Ridge Trail is ripe for exploration and for those looking for a serious trek into the mountains. While not tremendously hard, you do have to work for the views and your campsite. I recommend planning 5-7 hours on the trail to reach Egg Lake and even more, if you plan to hit Copper Ridge Lookout.
Thanks for reading, and happy trails!
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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