Backpack - White Pass, Blue Lake & Pilot Ridge Loop

The trip will 'kick your butt', but will be absolutely amazing with many, many superlatives.  The whole area north and south of White Pass is open meadows with amazing views and abundant huckleberries in August.  Portal Peak, Johnson Mountain and Kodiak Peak are great  summits with super views.  The climax will likely be our trek (Day 2) up the climbers' boot-path (a route to Glacier Peak) to Glacier Gap.  We will camp high up in the alpine zone and do some exploring around the base of the White Chuck Glacier.  Our last night is at Upper Blue Lake--another amazing place and the hike out on Pilot Ridge is justly famous for its open views and flowers.  This will be a remarkable trip in the prime August season.

Here is the proposed Gaia route for this trip:  https://www.gaiagps.com/public/HgBohUgbzC7EabkT8AI15YIS/

This trip is a Leader's Permission Only trip.  In requesting permission please respond to all of the following questions or concerns:

1)  This trip has significant elevation gains and longer trail distances.  Day 1 has  about 4,800' of gain over 9.5 miles and Day 3 has 3,500' gain over 12.6 miles.  What trips have you completed in the past two years that have comparable gains and distances? If you have not completed a backpack trip with similar stats, what other factors or experiences would assure me that you can successfully accomplish these goals?

2)  This trip is four days and three nights.  Have  you completed a three night or longer backpack trip?  Where and when?

3)  This trip will have some travel on rough and/or steeper boot-paths and likely some off-trail travel.  Do you have experience with these and are you comfortable with this sort of hiking tred?

4)  Have you backpacked with this leader before?  If not, please provide the name of a Mountaineers' Backpack Leader I can consult with about your appropriateness for this trip. 

Leader's Permission request accepted ASAP.  Registration for those approved opens June 30th.

Thanks. I hope you can join me on this trip.  Rob

Meet at the North Fork Sauk River TH in the earlier morning.  TBD

NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass at the TH

Getting There

On the Mountain Loop Highway, drive 16 miles south of Darrington or 26.2 miles east of Verlot to Forest Road 49. Turn east and proceed 6.4 miles to the sign for the North Fork Sauk parking lot.