Valleys and Glaciers of the North Cascades
Seattle, WA
5.0 (10 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Max 3 Guests
- Incredible Camps
- Abundant Wildlife
- Mountain Solitude
- Alpine Hiking
- Waterfalls & Wildflowers
- Glaciers
- Pristine Creeks & Rivers
Description
This trip features what is arguably the most spectacular mountain scenery in Washington State. Limited by campsite capacity to a max of 3 guests and 1 guide, we follow a series of stunning sub-alpine basins with dramatic views of the jagged peaks of the North Cascades. Along with deep, breathtaking valleys and impressive glaciers, we enjoy stunning meadows, abundant wild huckleberries, and rich wildlife habitat.
Our hike begins with a steep climb up to a mountain pass with tremendous views, and then back down the other side to a pristine creek. A rest day at along this creek will afford us plenty of time for relaxing, dipping in cold mountain waters, and exploring a nearby mountain basin and historic mine. On day 3 we’ll climb back up to the pass from Day 1, and then farther up towards a prominent glacier and a dramatic, exposed campsite at 7,600 feet with peaks stretched out as far as the eye can see. Finally, we’ll drop back into the valleys that brought us up high and descend the familiar switchbacks to our vehicle.
$3010 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip follows mostly well maintained trails, but with some very steep sections. Overall it has significant elevation gains/losses on steep trails, which is why it has a Difficulty 4 rating. On Day 3 we have a 4,400 feet elevation climb over 6.5 miles, which is a very big day with packs. We have to make it the entire distance on this day because there’s nowhere else to camp. There are also sections with moderate heights exposure.
Hiking Distances:
5-7 mi
Backpack Weight:
35-45 lbs
Terrain:
Significantly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
4300 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 35-45 lb backpack for 6-10 hours
- Climbing 4,400 feet over 6.5 miles with a 35-45 lb backpack, with no option for stopping and camping anywhere else
- Maintaining balance and footing on significantly rugged terrain
- Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
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.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
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Itinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to the trailhead: 3 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 7.4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,800 feet
- Elevation Loss: 2,300 feet
This multi-day North Cascades National Park hiking trip begins with a pick up at your hotel in Seattle, and then a scenic drive into the North Cascades. When we arrive at the trailhead, we’ll get our packs and gear sorted out and start climbing. We’ve got a lot of elevation to gain, but we’ll take it switchback by switchback, slowly climbing out of the trees and getting spectacular views of jagged peaks and glaciers. We’ll take a well-deserved break at a breathtaking mountain pass, soaking in the view and the flowers, and then descend into a lush and the headwaters of a major river. We’ll make our camp along a nearby creek, soak our feet in the river, and eat a hearty dinner before turning in for the night.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 4-6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1,000 feet
Day 2 is our rest day, so we’ll share a leisurely breakfast before grabbing our daypacks and heading back up the trail for half a mile before turning north towards yet another valley and subalpine basin. Another 1.5 miles will take us to the steep headwalls of this basin, festooned with flowers, waterfalls and steep granite walls. We’ll have a chance to search for wildlife, and take in the views, before turning back towards our camp for a restful evening.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 6.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 4,400 feet
Day 3 is up, up and more up! We’ll pack up camp early and head back towards the pass from Day 1, bidding farewell to the creek and keeping an eye out for bears and marmots as we go. Once we hit the pass, we’ll turn north and continue climbing to the base of a major glacier. This section has the most stunning views of the hike: dramatic vistas and overlooks of the glacier and an alpine lake, ending in one of the most famous campsite in the North Cascades. Our campsite tonight is exposed and windy, surrounded by peaks, glaciers, and open sky. Determined campers have built substantial rock walls to block the wind, and it truly feels like another world up here. Our night might be a bit windy and chilly, but it’s well worth the payoff. Black bears are commonly sighted on the glacier, as well as marmot, ptarmigans, and more, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for wildlife. And if the night is clear, we’ll have some of the best stargazing in Washington.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 6.4 miles
- Elevation Loss: 4,300 feet
- Shuttle to Seattle: 3 hours
On our final day we’ll soak up the sunrise over the glacier, and pack up our camp after a final breakfast together. We’ll retrace our steps back towards Cascade Pass one last time, and then keep descending down the switchbacks to our vehicle. We’ll have plenty of dramatic views to keep us entertained on our way down, and then we’ll say farewell to the subalpine as we drop back into the forest and return to our car. After the hike we’ll hop in the car and head back to Seattle, your hotel, and a real shower and real bed.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Comprehensive, roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Seattle and back
- All entrance fees, permits and passes
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Seattle, WA.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Seattle
Seattle 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.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 10 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in North Cascades National Park
The best hiking weather in the North Cascades is from mid June to late September, when the vast majority of trails (except ones up very high) are snow free. The west side of the Park catches the brunt of storm systems coming in from the Pacific Ocean, making the west side much wetter and more lush. The lower east side tends to be much warmer and drier throughout the summer. The west side receives on average 70+ inches more of precipitation and 400+ more inches of snowfall than the west side. Even with these discrpencies however, summer is a stunning time of year to be in the Cascades, on either side. See below for average temperatures and precipitation in North Cascades National Park:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||
|
Month
|
High
|
Low
|
Precip
|
|
|
June
|
63°
|
41°
|
2.2 in
|
|
|
July
|
70°
|
45°
|
1.7 in
|
|
|
August
|
70°
|
45°
|
1.7 in
|
|
|
September
|
61°
|
39°
|
2.5 in
|
|
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Kerri W
From start to finish was great!
I will absolutely use WT again. Rachel was the best guide! I loved my backpacking trip to the North Cascades!
Craig F
Among the Best
Of all the great trips that Wildland offers in the Pacific Northwest, this one has to be among the best. The stunning views of precipitous peaks and hanging glaciers high above you as you start out on the trail the first day only get better the higher you go. By the time you’ve reached Sahale Glacier on the third day, you are looking down on those same vistas and the world has opened up into a vast panorama of dozens more spectacular peaks and glaciers spread out in every direction. Add some friendly encounters with photogenic marmots and passing mountain goats and you have a fantastic trip in the wild and beautiful North Cascades. I already want to do this trip again. Thank you Jen and Wildland.
Joel P
Can't recommend the experience highly enough!
My sixteen-year-old son and I just returned from a three-day hike in the North Cascades and can't recommend the experience highly enough! Daniel was an excellent guide and, even more importantly, a genuinely good person. He had a ton of interesting knowledge to share and I specifically enjoyed hearing about his relationships and understanding of the local indigenous communities. This was my son's first hike and we easily created father/son memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you!
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