North Cascades 2022 - Harts Pass to Rainy Pass

Lower Snowy Lake

This year, for the annual backpacking trip with my trail running friends, we explored another section of the Pacific Crest Trail, this time from Harts Pass to Rainy Pass. 31 miles from pass to pass, plus a short warmup hike north of Harts Pass and a detour just off the trail to Snowy Lakes, which was spectacular and a highlight of the trip. 

The PCT is a beautifully maintained trail, for the most part. And it offers quite a bit of variety in a relatively few miles. As a bonus, we met dozens of thru hikers from all over the world completing the last couple of days of their 2,650-mile hike from Mexico. 

View from road to Harts Pass

View from below Slate Peak, north of Harts Pass

Our shuttle dropped us off at Harts Pass late Monday afternoon. (Shout out to Wes and his crew at Methow Motion Shuttle!) Harts Pass and the nearby Meadows Campground offer great camping spots. As it happens, we were the last folks who made it up the already treacherous Harts Pass road before a mudslide made it impassable. 

View from trail approaching Tatie Peak

Handcock Ridge from trail approaching Tatie Peak

View northwest from unnamed pass near Tatie Peak

Tuesday morning, we headed south toward Brush Creek (13 miles with no water sources, so bring plenty). 3 miles or so south of Harts Pass, we crossed an unnamed but stunning pass with views of the Handcock Ridge to the south, and likely Robinson and other mountains to the northeast. From there, the trail hugged the mountainside for another four miles to our lunch spot a couple of miles beyond Tatie Peak, with spectacular views all along the way. 

Azurite Peak and Mount Ballard

Lunch with a view

Switchbacks going down to Glacier Pass

View from trail between Glacier Pass and Brush Creek

We ate lunch on a cliff with front row seats to Azurite Peak and Mt. Ballard before beginning the 6-mile descent to Brush Creek. Rain started midway down the roughly two miles of switchbacks to Glacier Pass (which is really just an unremarkable spot in the middle of a forest). After the switchbacks, the trail descends through forest for a couple of miles, then parallels Brush Creek. Between the rain and the mile or two of bushes covering the trail, we arrived at Brush Creek camp (at the junction of the PCT and the Methow River Trail) soaked. Brush Creek has a great water source but is otherwise a rather disappointing camp with few good campsites.

Methow River

Trail to Methow Pass

Mt. Hardy from trail to Methow Pass

Thankfully, Wednesday morning brought sunshine. After a gently rolling 3 miles through brush and forest, we arrived at the Methow River crossing and Willis Camp (which is lovely). From the river, the trail climbs steadily for five mostly-forested miles to Methow Pass. Although there were hundreds of trees down in the forest, the trail is in great condition.

From trail below Methow Pass

From trail below Methow Pass

Looking down at camp at Lower Snowy Lake

Camp at Lower Snowy Lake

Upper Snowy Lake with Tower Mountain in background

After lunch at Methow Pass, we headed down the trail for a mile to the junction at Snowy Lakes, another cliff-hugging trail with magnificent views. The camp at the junction is lovely, but we headed up a half mile to a much better site at Snowy Lakes. The lower lake sits under Tower Mountain and Golden Horn and overlooks a vast panorama of mountains. A short hike leads to the upper lake, with views of Azurite Peak and other mountains to the north and west. We had the lakes to ourselves for a beautiful, peaceful night.

Golden Horn reflected in Lower Snowy Lake

Looking out over Azurite Peak, Methow Pass, Tower Mountain

Golden Horn and Tower Mountain

From trail up to Cutthroat Pass

View north from Cutthroat Pass

View south from Cutthroat Pass

Thursday, we hiked from Snowy Lakes to Rainy Pass (roughly 9.5 miles). The trail heads down for a mile or two before climbing steeply up to Granite Pass and then Cutthroat Pass. No significant water between Snowy and Cutthroat, but plenty of eye candy. From Cutthroat, we descended the final 5 miles through mostly forest to Rainy Pass. Unlike the trail higher up, this section boasted plentiful water sources, including the lovely Porcupine Creek just a mile or two above Rainy Pass.

Trail from Cutthroat Pass to Rainy Pass

Porcupine Creek

The Muddy Buddies at Cutthroat Pass

Walking the Wallowas

From the summit of Eagle Cap

For years, I have driven I-84 between Oregon and Utah, gazing longingly at the Wallowa Mountains. I finally convinced my friend Sheri Sinclair to join me, and we spent an all-too-short 3 1/2 days backpacking in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. 

In the middle of the hike, we stood on the summit of Eagle Cap Mountain, gazing across a 360 degree view of mountains and lakes to explore. This trip, we hiked along the West Fork of the Wallowa River and through the Lakes Basin, then took a side trip up Eagle Cap before heading over Glacier Pass to Glacier Lake and Frazier Lake, hiking down the West Fork trail to 6-Mile Meadow and back to Wallowa Lake. 

Day 1: Wallowa Lake to Lee Lake

 6-Mile Meadow

10 miles, 2500' elevation gain

For our first Wallowa adventure, we decided to try a classic hike, beginning with the West Fork Wallowa River Trail (trail #1820) from Wallowa Lake. After six miles of gradual ascent along the Wallowa River, we turned off onto the Lakes Basin trail at 6-Mile Meadow. The trail along the river is lovely, but it pales in comparison to the back country.

Horseshoe Lake

From the river crossing at 6-Mile Meadow, we headed up to Horseshoe Lake, then on to our campsite at Lee Lake. In spite of the popularity of this area, we saw only 20 or so other hikers all day and shared the lake with just two other people. 

Camping at Lee Lake

Day 2: Lee Lake to Moccasin, Side Trip to Eagle Cap

Almost 10 miles, 2500' up, 2100' down

Approaching Moccasin Lake

After a rainy, windy night, we headed deeper into the Lakes Basin, passing Douglas Lake and setting up camp at beautiful Moccasin Lake. We found a secluded campsite nestled in the rocks between sections of the lake and dropped our heavy packs before heading up to the summit of Eagle Cap (a must-do side trip for this section of the Wallowas).

Mirror Lake and Eagle Cap

The trail to Eagle Cap passes by stunning Mirror Lake. Situated at the hub of several trails leading to Eagle Cap, the Lostine River, East Eagle, Ivan Carper, Minam Lake, Horton Pass and the Lakes Basin, Mirror Lake sees substantial traffic. Surprisingly, the rocks and forest surrounding the lake handle the people (and horses and dogs) well, and the area manages to retain a peacefulness (at least mid-week).

Eagle Cap from Horton Pass

From Mirror Lake, we took the Eagle Cap trail to climb past Upper Lake and Horton Pass. The trail climbs 2000 feet in 2 miles, and there are few trees along the way. Consequently, every turn gave us a stunning view. At 9572' elevation, Eagle Cap is slightly lower than Sacajawea and Matterhorn Peaks to the north, but it delivers unparalleled views in all directions. 

Glacier Lake and Glacier Peak from Eagle Cap

In addition to majestic Matterhorn and the Lostine River valley, Mirror and Moccasin Lakes and so many mountains and lakes unknown to me, the summit looks directly down on Glacier Lake and Glacier Peak.

After nearly an hour with the summit to ourselves, we headed back down to Moccasin Lake and a delightfully serene evening. A nearly full moon peaked through my tent window midway through the night. obscuring the stars somewhat but lending an extra touch of magic to an already dreamy day.

Moccasin Lake from trail to Mirror

Campsite at Moccasin

Eagle Cap from just below our campsite

Days 3 and 4: Moccasin to Glacier Lake, Frazier Lake, 6-Mile Meadow and Wallowa Lake

Day 3: 9 miles, 1000' up and 1400' down

Day 4: 6 miles, 1400' down

Moccasin Lake

Moccasin Lake

We took our time leaving camp, reluctant to move on, but we had a great day ahead. The hike up to Glacier Pass wound along a steep, rushing creek for a while and left me constantly scrambling for my phone to capture views of the lakes below and Matterhorn to the north. From windy Glacier Pass, we dropped down to our lunch spot at Glacier Lake. Situated in a bowl under Glacier Peak and Eagle Cap, Glacier Lake spills over the edge to send a rushing creek down the valley to Frazier Lake.

Matterhorn from trail to Glacier Pass

Glacier Lake from Glacier Pass

Approaching Glacier Lake

Glacier Peak and Eagle Cap from Glacier Lake

Eagle Cap from Glacier Lake

After a leisurely lunch, we continued down to Frazier Lake. While Frazier lacks the spectacular quality of Glacier, Mirror and Moccasin lakes, the trail leading to Frazier is stunning. Wildflowers bloom against white rocks. Glacier Peak and Eagle Cap behind gradually give way to what I assume is Cusick Mountain to the southeast. And all along the way, the creek bubbles over rocks on its way to meet Frazier and/or the Wallowa River. (I never quite worked out which.)

Rock and flower art

Approaching Frazier Lake

Just before Frazier, the trail winds through a forest. Following a little side trail, we stumbled on a waterfall, checking yet another off our list of musts for a perfect hike. Frazier Lake sits in a quiet meadow at the junction with the West Fork Wallowa River trail, which we would take back to 6-Mile Meadow and on to Wallowa Lake.

Waterfall near Frazier Lake

Just below Frazier Lake, a waterfall tumbles down the cliffs to join the Wallowa River, our companion for the rest of the hike. About a mile from the lake, we had a river crossing. While hikers earlier in the season report a treacherous crossing, we found it quite manageable with our poles to keep us steady. And at this point we saw our first hikers since leaving Glacier Lake.

Fireweed along trail

West Fork Wallowa

River through 6-Mile Meadow

From the river crossing, we hiked a fairly quick and uneventful 4 miles through forest and meadows and along the river to 6-Mile Meadow. Crowded with hikers beginning and ending their time in the backcountry, 6-Mile Meadow offered a change from the serenity of the rest of our hike. Nonetheless, we found a site for our tents and a fairly private spot in the river to wash up. After a quiet night under a full moon, we got up early, packed up and hiked an easy 6 miles back to Wallowa Lake, already planning a return trip.

With the fabulous Sheri Sinclair