Backpacking Guide to High Pass in the North Cascades
Some views in Washington are easy to come by, while others require you to work your tail off to reach them. When it comes to backpacking High Pass in Glacier Peak Wilderness, it’s the latter. This trail, boring for 70% and with gobsmacking views for the other 30%, puts itself into the upper echelon of incredible views in the North Cascades thanks to views of glaciers, alpine lakes, and expansive views of endless peaks and valleys.
After 15 miles, with Glacier Peak in view and Triad Lake below, we set up camp in one of the coolest spots I’ve ever pitched a tent. I think you’ll enjoy this backpacking trip report of High Pass, and hopefully, the photos will inspire you to strap on your pack and make this long trek out here.
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A Guide to Exploring High Pass in the Glacier Peak Wilderness
Quick Trail Details for High Pass
- Distance: Between 25-30 miles RT (my watch said 15 there, but my buddy’s Gaia Maps said 13)
- Elevation Gain: 5,600 (Starting around 2,600 feet and High Pass is at 7,000, and you lose elevation at Buck Pass
- Time on Trail: 8 hours going up, 6.5 coming down (including breaks)
- Difficulty: Hard, but not hard hard.
- Water on Trail: Numerous (even over Labor Day Weekend)
- Trailhead: Buck Creek Trail (Trinity)
My Trip Report for Backpacking High Pass
Here’s my rundown of our backpacking trip to High Pass in Glacier Peak Wilderness.
Day 0 – 3.7 Miles from Trinity to Camp
We wanted to get a headstart on backpacking High Pass, so we started hiking around 7:45 pm on Friday and did around 4 miles before setting up camp on a flat spot off trail a half mile from the camp spot after fording the creek.
It was a pretty uneventful hike, half of it dark, though we walked almost three miles per hour for this portion of the trail.
Day 1 – 11 miles from Camp to High Pass
We took our time waking up and got moving around 9 am. The first seven miles of the hike were incredibly dull, though it was nice to see things compared to hiking in the dark. Once we reached Buck Creek Pass, Glacier Peak was entirely in view. It was simply stunning!
We stopped for a 45-minute lunch and to fill up water before the final three miles and 1,100 feet to High Pass.
This portion transitions you from forest to alpine as the trees disappear and glaciers and peaks emerge. We were in photographer heaven. It took us far longer than most people would, but we were having a blast.
When we arrived at 4:25 pm, we were the only ones in the area. We set up camp on the east side of High Pass just before the trail crosses a rocky section. The evening was full of eating, photography, relaxation, and shooting a little Milky Way before getting to bed.
Day 2 – 2-4 miles around High Pass
At 6 am, our alarms broke the silence, and we pulled ourselves out of bed to shoot sunrise. It was a crispy morning, and the light was gorgeous on the surrounding peaks and Triad Lake below.
We had lofty goals for the day, including summiting Mount Berge. Around noon, we packed up and headed south on the trail past the tarn. We didn’t get far before my buddy stepped on a loose boulder and fell 5-10 feet down the boulder field. He was okay, but this ended our summit climb, and we headed back to camp.
But we had a great consolation prize. Just above our camp was Mount Cleator. At 7,600 feet, it’s only 400 feet shorter than Berge and way easier as it’s just a standard (steep) trail up. The two of us enjoyed the sunset at the top of the peak, added our names to the summit register, and meandered down as the sun fell behind Glacier Peak.
Day 3 – 15 miles High Pass to Trinity
The following morning, he and I woke up at 6 am, slowly packed up, and watched the sunrise. We had about 15 miles back to the car, and we didn’t know how long it would take us. I won’t bore you with many details, but there was a lot of walking, and it went faster than we thought.
We made it back to the car in around 6.5 hours, including some photo breaks up top and a 20-minute snack/water stop at the halfway point.
Overall, it was a heckuva backpacking trip. Outside of the views, the biggest pro to backpacking High Pass is that so few people make the trek out here. We saw 20-25 people the entire trip (almost all of them at 1 pm on Sunday, coincidentally), which is basically nothing when you compare it to other popular backcountry spots.
Trail Beta for Getting to High Pass
Monotonous Trail
Let me tell you, the trail up to Buck Creek Pass is about as monotonous and boring as you can find. It’s pretty steady the entire way, and while you have some nice peaks above, it’s not photogenic, and a chunk of it is a burn zone.
You can easily cruise it and keep your camera packed for the photographers out there.
One or two days to reach High Pass
If you’re in shape and have the time to do 14-15 miles in a single push, go for High Pass. (You’d probably want to start around 6 am for a single-day push.) But not everyone wants to do that, especially with a heavy pack. Buck Creek Pass is incredibly lush and has lots of trees for shade.
At 10.5 miles, it’s a nice place to make your home base. Then, you can make a day trip to High Pass without having to carry a heavy pack up 1,100 feet.
Should I loop it through Little Giant Valley?
We didn’t do this route on our backpacking trip to High Pass, but it’s possible to do it counterclockwise. You’ll want to park a second car at Little Giant Trailhead, a few miles from Trinity. The total distance is 26 miles, with 8,600 feet of ascent. The only downside is you’ll have a 2,000-foot climb at mile 20, which would be brutal. (And then a loss of 4k over the last four miles.)
Where are the campsites?
Along the trail before Buck Creek Pass are a couple of nice horse camp options.
- A quarter mile after you cross the Chiwawa River around the 3.6-mile mark
- A large camping area close to a stream at the 6.5-mile mark
- 5+ campsites at Buck Creek Pass
- There are two to four great campsites at High Pass (on each side of the mini valley)
- Potential campsites below High Pass but above the lake on the NE side of Triad Lake
Water Access on the Trail
On our August 30-Sept 2 trip, plenty of creeks were flowing down the mountainside throughout the 15-mile trail leading to High Pass. Here are some random thoughts on water fill-ups:
- There’s water on the trail right before High Pass. This should be consistent year-round.
- Buck Creek Pass has a consistent stream (no water between Buck Creek Pass and High Pass)
- There’s at least one good water supply on the first switchback around the 7.5-mile mark.
- A few small creeks near the junction towards Pass No Pass.
- A good flowing creek near a big horse camp at the 6.5-mile mark.
- Water at 4.3 miles.
- Water at 8.5 miles.
Bridge Down
At the 3.5-mile mark, the main bridge over the Chiwawa River is gone. To the left of the bridge, there is a super-easy log to cross. (I’ll take credit for helping move it into a better place!)
You could also take off your shoes and ford it. It was calf-deep in some places.
Hunting Season Starts Sept 1
I only mention this because the trail will be a little more crowded than it usually is as hunters come in and hunt for bucks (and whatever else they might have tags for). If you’re going past Buck Creek Pass, you won’t need to worry about camping spots being taken by hunters, but if you plan to sleep at Buck Creek Pass, there could be more competition.
Views Start at Buck Creek Pass
Once you get to the Pass, the views begin to wow you. They continue in a crescendo until you reach High Pass, where you’ll be floored for the entirety of the time up there. We doddled going up, thanks to taking way more photos than was probably necessary.
Distance from Seattle
Getting all the way out to Trinty from Seattle is a haul. Even with good traffic, expect it to take you around 2:45 to three hours. You don’t need a high-clearance vehicle, but it will make life easier and quicker. The dirt road is in decent shape, but there is a stretch that is rocky. If you have a sedan, don’t fret. We saw a few in the parking lot, so it’s doable.
More Photos from Backpacking High Pass and the surrounding areas
Everything I brought on the 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
Camera Gear I Brought
I tried my best to keep it light and save my back and legs. Because of that, I only brought two lenses and left my tripod at home. I brought my Canon R5, 24-105 f/4, and 100-500 4.5/7.1. I also had three batteries, two SD cards, a blower, and a wipe.
Final Thoughts on Backpacking High Pass
This was an epic route, but most of the trail is pretty “blah,” and it’s a shame you have to hike so far to get the amazing views. That said, it makes it much more exclusive, and you must earn these views. If it weren’t a long trek, this would see hundreds or more people a weekend, ruining the ambiance of solitude in nature.
Backpacking High Pass gets my stamp of approval, and it will truly impress you, whether you’re into photography or not.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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