Trip Report
Dark Peak/Dark Glacier
3 day trip back to Dark Peak. Underrated summit, overrated approach!
Michael Nanney
- Sat, Jun 28, 2025 — Mon, Jun 30, 2025
- Dark Peak/Dark Glacier
- Climbing
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The major route condition beta is that if taking the new west approach from Hemlock Camp, know going in that Hemlock Camp no longer exists due to deadfall from the pine beetle problem you may have read about online. The trail south of Cedar Camp is getting overgrown and there is deadfall to contend with but nothing out of the ordinary for Cascade approaches. You could still probably scratch out bivy sites close to Agness Creek in the vicinity of Hemlock Camp without worrying too much about overhead hazard from dead branches, but there is no camp at that location anymore.
If taking the west approach as opposed to the usual Swamp Creek approach, the climb up to the ridge crossing at Dark Fin Col is similarly obstructed by tons of deadfall making that steep hill climb slow going for the first +/-2k'. The descent was faster and more efficient because you can better see what you are getting into.
Day 1 our group of four Seattle Mountaineers (on a private climb) drove to Fields Point, caught the Lady Express ferry to Stehekin and the Blue Bus to High Bridge before setting out on the hike south on the PCT to camp. Crucial beta at this stage of the trip is that while the famous cinnamon roll at the Stehekin Bakery is indeed good, the chai coffee cake is even better. Also, when you buy a scone for breakfast the next day, put it away in your pack or you might "accidentally" eat it on the trail like I did.
The Agness Creek Trail/PCT is very nicely maintained as expected and we made stops at Five Mile and Swamp Creek Camps on our way to Cedar Camp, for a 10 mile approach day. Our original plan was to camp at Hemlock Camp to take 6 miles and a bit of vert out of summit day but were warned away from Hemlock Camp by the ranger at High Bridge (discussed in the trail conditions section). Cedar was a great camp with readily available H20 and a toilet. The running water of Agness Creek made for a great background for sleep.
Summit day we set out at 3:30 a.m., initially by continuing down the PCT to the former Hemlock Camp where we stashed approach shoes, changed into mountaineering boots, and pointed 'em uphill. The first two thousand feet were unpleasant combinations of deadfall and devil's club that was somewhat worse than expected from the internet research ahead of the trip. Eventually the woods thinned and the talus/hardpan conditions began which were a nice break from clambering over downed trees.
After 3500' of climbing we hit Dark Fin Col, put on harnesses and glacier gear, and descended the loose slope to gain on the Dark Glacier.
From there some route finding through the glacier avoiding some wet-loose paths below snow slabs on wet rock got us from 7,000' to 8,250 where we left the glacier with a belayed moat crossing to get on the rock ridge to Dark's summit.
From there it is a simple walk up the screen to the summit where the views to the SW into the Dakobeds, north to Dome, and further north along the Parmigan to the Cascade Pass peaks were unbelievable. Definitely a way cooler summit than expected and a great vantage point to take in the majesty of the North Cascades.
After 30 minutes on the summit, we forced ourselves to reverse course back across the moat, down the glacier, up the leg burner back to Dark Fin Col before beginning the psychological crux of the day which was the descent through the deadfall slope back down to the PCT. We got back to camp at 10:30 after 19 hours on the move.
Day 3 we hiked north on the PCT back to High Bridge, made a new friend, and began the multimodal trip back to Seattle with a crucial stop at Chipotle for calories!
