Mount Baker Recreation Area

getting there

From I-5 just north of Mount Vernon, go east on SR-20 (North Cascades Highway) and turn left on Baker Lake Road. Continue 12.5 mi to just past the Rocky Creek Bridge, turn left onto Forest Road 12. Go 3.5 mi to Sulfur Creek Road (Forest Road 13). Turn right and follow it 6 mi to its end at the Park Butte Trailhead (3,360 ft).

Approach

Hike the Park Butte Trail 1.9 mi to its intersection with the Scott Paul Trail.  Continue on the Park Butte Trail for 0.4 mi and then head north on the Railroad Grade to the Easton Glacier. Ascend to the open crevasses and seracs of the Easton Glacier. 

notes

• All of this is within the Mount Baker National Recreation Area.
• Use this route for crevasse rescue and ice climbing practice. 
• Camp below the toe of the glacier on or around moraines.

Information for Leaders

Internal Climbing and Scrambling Lottery

• This is a very popular climbing area, and this route/place is intended for scheduling course field trips and clinics. Please review the relevant Internal Lottery Results document below.
• The 2024 Mountaineers Internal Lottery results are now final. Please select the Mt Baker Rec Area tab to view the results for this location. If you are scheduling a course trip here for 2024, please check this spreadsheet before listing your trip to be sure your course has priority for the field trip date(s) you are scheduling and that there is no other course that already has priority.

• The 2023 Mountaineers Internal Lottery results are now final. Please select the Mt Baker Rec Area tab to view the results for this location. If you are scheduling a course trip here for 2023, please check this spreadsheet before listing your trip to be sure your course has priority for the field trip date(s) you are scheduling and that there is no other course that already has priority.

Scheduling & Permits

• This route/place is intended for scheduling course field trips and clinics. Please schedule any trips (ex: climbs, hikes, etc) on the specific route/place. Contact info@mountaineers.org  with any questions or support finding the correct route/place.

• Suitable Activities: Climbing
• Seasons: May, June, July, August, September
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Basic Glacier Climb
• Length: 3.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 3,640 ft
• High Point: 7,000 ft

• Land Manager: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
  Mount Baker National Recreation Area, Mount Baker Ranger District (MBSNF)
• Parking Permit Required: Northwest Forest Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 60
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 110