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North Cascades National Park McGregor Mountain Trail
7.7 miles (12.4 km) to the summit
6400 ft (1920 m)
Hiking and stock
Strenuous
For those wanting expansive alpine views, the McGregor Mountain Trail provides a challenging adventure as it switchbacks steeply up McGregor Mountain. At 7000 feet (2134m), this is the second highest established camp in the park, and the highest accessible to stock riders. This trail can be done as a day hike from Stehekin by taking the shuttle bus to the base of the trail, or backpackers can add this as an intriguing side trip to a longer backpack from numerous directions. See the detailed trail description for more information.
A backcountry permit is required for all overnight stays. Located at 7000 feet (2134m) near the end of the trail, Heaton Camp is a single-party site for up to 12 persons or stock. A nice base camp can also be had in the valley at High Bridge or Tumwater camps.
From Stehekin, take the shuttle bus 11 miles to its end at High Bridge and follow the Old Wagon (Pacific Crest) Trail heading north toward Howard Lake. Backpackers can reach this trail from the north via the Bridge Creek Trail or from the west via the Cascade Pass and Upper Stehekin Valley (old road) trails.
The trail begins behind the corral at High Bridge Ranger Station, and climbs moderately to Howard Lake in 1.3 miles (2.1 km). Enjoy the birding and other attractions of this little lake before heading on. The signed junction to McGregor Mountain Trail is just beyond the lake, on the right. The hike is mostly forested in the beginning, with rocky outcrops offering occasional views. As you continue upward, the forest eventually begins to thin, giving way to talus slopes and better views. Listen for the high pitched squeak of the pika which makes its home in the subalpine zone. The trail switchbacks relentlessly. Seven miles (11.3km) up the trail, Heaton Camp lies in a subalpine forest at 7000 feet (2134m). Hikers who have toiled to this elevation will be delighted with a bird's eye view of the Stehekin River Valley and fantastic views of the surrounding peaks, with all of the Glacier Peak Wilderness rising to the south. Backpackers will reap an additional reward of a high camp from which to watch the sun sink to the west. Water is usually available a short distance along the trail below the camp, from a small stream fed by seasonal snowmelt.
Climbers and experienced hikers who want further adventure can continue upward with care. From Heaton Camp the trail continues for a short distance, but then becomes obscured in an enormous talus slope. The summit looms 1100 feet (330 m) above. Reaching the summit requires a hand-and-foot scramble up talus slopes and rocky ledges with some exposure. Route-finding skills are essential. The most commonly used route starts in the cliffs to the left of the summit. Look for very faint, intermittent orange arrows painted on the rocks marking the best way to proceed. A radio repeater is visible on the summit, providing a good landmark for those attempting to negotiate the summit route. The summit was the site of an old fire lookout until 1955. From the summit there is an awesome panorama of the entire Stehekin Valley and the surrounding mountains, including Glacier Peak. On the north-facing slope below the summit lies the Sandalee Glacier. With over 750 glaciers, the North Cascades are the most heavily glaciated mountains in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Sandalee is one of four glaciers currently being monitored annually by the National Park Service in North Cascades National Park.
Maine ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the United States. Eastern Egg Rock in the midcoast region, Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, and Machias Seal Island and Petit Manan Island off the downeast coast provide habitat for more than 4,000 puffins each summer.