High Country Wonders In The Goat Rocks Wilderness

The Trip

Wandering in a spectacular wilderness full of high peaks, glaciers, mammoth volcanoes, high passes and wildflower filled meadows is the recipe for this great trip! Some hikers say the Goat Rocks Wilderness has the best scenery along the entire Pacific Crest Trail. We agree but still, we want you to come along to decide for yourself!

We will hike at a moderate pace for 35 miles, nearly all of it in the high alpine country of the Goat Rocks Wilderness. This location within Washington state’s Southern Cascades, just south of Mount Rainier National Park, is a wilderness with some of the most stunning alpine terrain in the Pacific Northwest and views of three of the Cascade Range’s largest volcanoes: Mount Rainer, Mount Adams and Mount Saint Helens.

Our route will take us through dense forests and high lush meadows, along sparkling creeks and above timberline through high alpine country. A portion of our trip will be on the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), at some of the highest and spectacular points in Washington. During our time together, we will take in some of the highlights of the Goat Rocks Wilderness, including Snowgrass Flats, Old Snowy Mountain, Cispus Basin, Packwood Glacier. We will also visit the appropriately named Goat Lake, where mountain goats frequent the surrounding cliffs. We will enjoy abundant wildflowers, lovely campsites and the company of other outdoor enthusiasts.

Day 1: We will meet in the early morning at a location around Packwood, Washington. After breakfast, we will drive to the Lily Basin Trailhead, our exit point, where we will leave one or two cars. We will then travel back to the Clear Creek Trailhead, where we will begin the trip. Once on the trail, we will hike a little under 6 miles with a 2,300-foot elevation gain to our camp near Lost Hat Lake.

Day 2:  The day will begin with a short but steep climb (about 800’), to the crest of Coal Creek Mountain and its junction with the Packwood Lake Trail. From this viewpoint, Mt. Rainier is just 20 miles to the northwest, looking as if it were close enough to touch! We’ll descend south from here to Lost Lake, then follow the Coyote Trail south as it gradually climbs about 700’ to our beautiful campsite near Beaver Bill Creek. Total mileage for the day will be around 4 ½ miles.

Day 3:  From Beaver Bill Creek, we will continue south on the Coyote Trail, hiking about 3 ½ miles to Packwood Saddle. From there, the trail climbs 1148’ over 1.4 miles, to reach Elk Pass and the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. That’s pretty steep, but we will go at a pace that is appropriate for everyone in the group. This is country to savor, not race through!  After catching our breath, we will make a short, gradual descent east on the PCT, to our campsite. Total mileage for the day will be around 6 miles.

Day 4:  We will pack up and head back to Elk Pass, where we will follow the Pacific Crest Trail  5 ½  miles south, along the high crest of the Goat Rocks, through the stupendous alpine meadows of Snowgrass Flats, and traversing the north of beautiful Cispus Basin to our camp site in the hanging cwm below Ives Peak. This is the most dramatic scenery of the trip, especially the first 2 miles, which follow a “knife-edge” ridge at 7000’ that Ira Spring and Harvey Manning describe as “a garden between heaven and earth”. We can include an optional side trip to the top of Old Snowy Mountain (7,650 feet) along the way, for a 360-degree panorama of the Cascade Range. From Snowgrass Flats, we will travel another 2 ¼ miles south and east. Total mileage for the day will be around 6  ½ miles, including a half mile off-trail to reach Ives Basin.

Day 5: Today will be our layover day. Leaving our packs behind, we have several options for exploration, all with great views of the high country.  Alternatively, you can stay back at camp and relax in our beautiful campsite to count the mountain goats or read a good book.

Day 6: Saying goodbye to Cispus Basin, we will hike west and northwest, reaching the moonscape of crystal-clear Goat Lake, a large, hanging lake at 6421’. This is a campsite that has been popular on previous Goat Rocks trips, and for good reason. The fragile terrain of the area is damaged from overuse, however, so we will stop to enjoy the lake’s beauty, but then travel further west and north, crossing over the southern ridge of Hawkeye Point, on our way to camp near Heart Lake. This will be our longest mileage day, somewhere between 7 ½ and  8¼ miles, but the route is fairly gentle overall.

Day 7: On the last day of our trip, we will be up early, hike out the Lily Basin Trail, and reach the cars at the trailhead, about 5¾ miles. We will then return to pick up the cars at our starting point, completing the loop.

Getting There

Packwood is 115 miles from the Seattle/Tacoma airport (SeaTac) and 140 miles from the Portland airport:  in either case, that’s about 2 ½ hours of driving. Both Packwood and the Goat Rocks Wilderness are south of Mount Rainier National Park. The trip leaders will provide a roster and encourage you to make ride-sharing arrangements with other participants.  Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member. Detailed directions to Packwood and the trailhead will be provided for approved participants.

Accommodations and Food

The first trip meal is lunch on our first day. The last meal will be lunch on the final day. The Sierra Club will provide all meals and snacks. Meals will be vegetarian, with meat and fish as supplemental options for those interested. Those with special diets are welcome -- please inform the leader in advance. Cooking and clean-up duties will be shared by all members of the group on a rotating basis. All our food will be carried in Sierra Club-provided bear-proof canisters. Please do not bring any extra food as it will not fit in the stuffed-to-capacity canisters.

Trip Difficulty

Due to the strenuous nature of this trip, members will be carefully screened for their previous backpacking experience and level of fitness before the trip. We will not have any days with high mileage, and nearly all of the trip follows established, well-maintained trails. However, this is a 4-rated trip on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is the easiest and 5 is the most difficult.  We will cover 35-40 miles with our  packs and more, counting side trips.  On most days, the route will include substantial elevation gains & losses, stream & snowfield crossings and the possibility of unpredictable weather. Because we will be hiking in mountainous terrain, there will be sections of the trail that will have steep drop offs. Though we will not attempt to cross exposed terrain in bad weather, participants should come well prepared for sudden changes in the weather and potential afternoon thunderstorms.

This will be a serious wilderness trip. This outing is suitable for experienced backpackers or advanced beginners who are fit and have recent backpacking experience on week-long trips. A physical fitness regimen especially cardiovascular training (beginning at least three months prior to the trip) is highly recommended. Although our route will primarily follow designated trails, you will find some sections challenging and will greatly appreciate the benefits of pre-trip training. In addition to your own personal gear, everyone is expected to carry at least another 10-15 pounds of additional weight consisting of group equipment and food.

Your enjoyment of this backpacking trip will depend on your preparedness, physical conditioning, flexibility, and most importantly, your enthusiasm.

Equipment and Clothing

The Sierra Club will provide food and group equipment, including stoves, pots, bear-proof canisters, cooking utensils, fuel, etc. Keep your personal gear under 25 pounds so that, with the addition of 14-16 pounds of group equipment and food, your total pack weight will be 40 pounds or less at the start of the trip. You are responsible to provide and carry your own camping gear, clothing, toilet paper, etc.

Your pack must have room for group equipment, as well as your personal gear. Minimum backpack size is 60 L. Each participant's group load will be one food canister (8.7” x 12.7”), plus additional non-food items such as a stove, fuel bottle, rope, pot set, or tarp. This is roughly equal to the size of a full paper grocery sack. To save weight, tent sharing is encouraged and will be facilitated by the leader ahead of time for those interested. Leaders will access participant packs at the trailhead to ensure that weight is shared equitably and that packs are not unreasonably heavy.

References

Maps:

• Green Trails maps: Goat Rocks – William O. Douglas Wilderness (303S)

• National Geographic – Washington, Goat Rocks, Norse Peak and William O. Douglas Wilderness Area, Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests (823)

• US Forest Service – Goat Rocks Wilderness Map

Books:

• Lorain, Douglas, Backpacking Washington - From Volcanic Peaks to Rainforest Valleys. Wilderness Press.

• Barstad, Fred, Hiking Washington’s Goat Rocks Country. Ther Globe Pequot Press

Websites:

• All Trails – https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/washington/goat-rocks-wilderness

• Gifford Pinchot N.F. – https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=79414

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff, and encourages grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy and participation in the goals of the Club.

We will be traveling through a road-less area which the Sierra Club and other activists played a critical role to establish. We will have an opportunity to experience the wilderness in one of the few remaining pristine wilderness areas in the state. During the trip, we will discuss issues impacting the areas in and around the Okanogan-Wenatchee and the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests. Further, we will follow Leave No Trace practices on this outing.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.