Ross Lake – Desolation Peak
Seattle, WA
5.0 (2 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Stunning Views of Ross Lake
- Rejuvenating Mountain Solitude
- Breathtaking Waterfalls
- Ancient, Old Growth Forests
- Amazing North Cascades High Country
- Abundant Wildlife Habitat
- Towering Granite Peaks
Description
Towering peaks and old growth forests surround you on this 6-day hike along the East bank of Ross Lake. We’ll start on Ruby Arm—the southeastern most inlet of Ross Lake—and hike 32 miles along the lake, over tumbling creeks and on side drainages tucked between high granite spires, until emerging just a few miles from the Canadian border. An optional layover day at Lightning Creek provides the opportunity to summit Desolation Peak and visit the famous watch tower where Jack Kerouac wrote Dharma Bums. After completing the hike, we’ll take a water taxi all the way back down the lake, and have a chance to see everything that we hiked from an entirely new perspective.
$1715 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 30-40 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 4-10 miles (up to 13 mi day hiking)
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 1,000 feet (4,400 day hiking)
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1,000 feet (4,400 day hiking)
- Quality of Trails:
- mostly well maintained trails, with some rocky and and challenging route finding to the summit of Desolation Peak (6-day itinerary)
- Additional:
- The ascent of Desolation Peak is a strenuous day (4,400 feet ascent in rocky and challenging terrain) but it is with just light day packs, which is why this trip receives a Level 3 difficulty rating.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack
SOLITUDE LEVEL 4
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this North Cascades National Park hike a solitude 4. You can expect to see a couple other groups of hikers per day.
Learn More about our Rating SystemSeattle is one of the United States’ most convenient cities to travel to. SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma) Airport is one of the most easily accessed destinations in the country. Many major cities in the United States and internationally offer direct flights into Seattle. Please stay at one of our recommended hotels (coming soon!), all of which have airport shuttles so you do not have to rent a vehicle.
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private Trips- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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