Pacific Crest Trail: Suiattle River to Red Pass & White Pass

getting there

Drive SR-530 north from Darrington or south from Rockport to the Sauk River bridge.  Turn east on the North Fork Sauk River Road (Forest Road 49) and drive to the Sloan Creek campground. Leave a vehicle here.  Then return to SR-530, turn right and continue north to the Suiattle River Road (Forest Road 26).  Turn on Suiattle River road and drive  23 miles to the road's end and the trailhead (1,600 ft).

on THE TRAIL

Walk the Suiattle River trail 10 miles to camps near the junction with Trail No. 785.  More camps can be found along the river 1.4 miles on at the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and along the next 1.3 miles.  To stay on the PCT, turn right at the junction with Trail No. 798 and climb 8 miles along Vista Creek to Vista Ridge.  A side trail, Trail No. 788, goes 2.5 miles northwest to a grassy point with great views of Glacier Peak just above.

Continue west on the PCT, descending steeply for 6 miles to the junction with now closed Milk Creek trail at 3,900 ft, then climb 4 miles past Mica Lake clinging to the cliff and Fire Creek Pass just above it at 6,300 ft.  The PCT winds and descends around the tiny Milk Lake glacier to a low point at 5,300 ft, then climbs again to 6,000 ft before heading south and then west along Kennedy Ridge, ~7.5 miles.  Major washouts that buried Kennedy Hot Springs also led to closure of the White Chuck River Trail that used to join here, as well as the White Chuck River Road that connected it to civilization.

From the west end of Kennedy Ridge, the rerouted and repaired PCT continues across Kennedy Creek  and descends 2 miles  to the White Chuck River Valley, then follows the river 8 miles, passing right under Glacier Peak and the White Chuck Glacier, before it climbs again to crest Red Pass at 6,500 ft.  From here the PCT is a flower-field extravaganza, gently sloping down 1.7 miles to the junction with the North Fork Sauk River Trail, No. 649.  Leave the PCT here and descend to camps at the Mackinaw Shelter 2.8 miles below, or walk 0.7 miles further on the PCT to White Pass and camp on the bench below before heading back to the North Fork Sauk River Trail.  From the Mackinaw Shelter it is 5.4 miles through old-growth forest to the North Fork Sauk Trailhead and your shuttle vehicle.

PCT MILES

• Miners Creek to the top of Vista Ridge:  9.2 miles
• Vista Ridge to Fire Creek Pass:  10 miles
• Fire Creek Pass to west end of Kennedy Ridge:  7.5 miles
• Kennedy Ridge to Red Pass:  10 miles
• Red Pass to North Fork Sauk River trail junction:  1.7 miles
• North Fork Sauk River junction to White Pass:  0.7 miles

• Suitable Activities: Backpacking
• Seasons: July, August, September, October
• Weather: View weather forecast
• View avalanche forecast.

• Difficulty: Very Strenuous
• Length: 58.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 8,900 ft
• High Point: 6,300 ft

• Land Manager: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
  Glacier Peak Wilderness
• Parking Permit Required: Northwest Forest Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12