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Details

Distance

9 miles

Elevation Gain

3750 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Niki Alden

Amazing views. Awe-inspiring panoramas of the North Cascades. Old-growth forest, rivers, and snow-capped mountains, all in one hike. While this isn't for the faint-of-heart, the hike to Excelsior Pass sure as h*** is worth it.

The Hike. 

You start at the Excelsior trailhead and wind your way uphill through old growth forest teeming with songbirds. Keep an eye out for Trillium, a beautiful 3-petal wildflower native to these regions, which bloom in the early spring. (Don't pick them!)

Right when you are starting to think this hike was a little more than you were bargaining for, you'll come to a switchback with views of an amazing "waterfall." Or water tumbling over steep rocks. Either way, this is a great place to take a breather, eat a snack, or refill your water bottles if you have a filter! Then you continue uphill for more grueling switchbacks up the mountain. 

When water starts to run across the trail, be careful. Especially in the spring, the snow will be melting, and the usual run-offs (which the trail crosses) often overflow onto the path. When these start to occur, you can expect to see snow within the next 15 minutes. 

When you reach the snowline is when you need to be extremely careful. Excelsior Peak is not snowy in the summer, and as such melts every spring. Meltwater travels underneath the packed snow (much like a moulin) and melts it from below, forming large pockets or caves that are often discovered only by misplaced feet. Some of these caves can go waist high or above, so careful traversing is essential. Do not assume that just because the footprints go that way - or even your buddy - you are safe to walk there. 

The trail gets harder to see the longer you travel up the snow. Many people give up and turn around once the snow gets thicker, meaning the footprints recede. Bring trailmarkers to mark your path in case you get lost and need to retrace your steps. Continue hiking upwards and wind your way through the trees, which will slowly thin out until you enter a large valley (I can only assume it would be a meadow come summer). Head up it and to the right. To your left you will see a taller summit, which you can explore later, but isn't suitable for a campsite. 

You will crest some gradual mounds, either of which are suitable campsites. The views will be amazing! Almost directly in front of you will be Mt Baker, with its slightly rounded top and glaciers. To the left will be Mt Shuksan, which is almost as tall as Mt Baker. 

Set up your camp and enjoy the view!

The Nature. 

Excelsior Pass was named after the town of Excelsior, which originated as a mining town in the late 1800s but was torn down in the 1970s. Despite the town's absence, the peak and pass were not renamed and remain labeled as such from the highway. 

The North Cascades contain the majority of the lower 48's glaciers. This glacial history shows in the steep valleys and near-vertical cirques that dominate the region, including Mt Baker. This hike certainly shows evidence of historic glaciation from its steepness, though in more recent (*cough* in geological terms) times the valley has narrowed even farther due to the Nooksack River, which is fed by the glaciers on Mt Baker and snowfall nearby. 

The Directions.

Head east on Mt Baker Highway (WA Rte 542 E) from Bellingham about 40 miles, past the small town of Glacier. Once you pass signs for NF-33 "Nooksack Falls" keep your eye out for signs indicating Excelsior Trail. The parking lot will be on the left, and has room for about 15 cars. 

Lessons Learned. 

I learned some of these the hard way. Learn them the easy way, and take my word for it. 

  1. Bring trail markers. Once you hit the snowline the trail becomes extremely hard to follow, and trail markers are essential for finding your path again if (when) you need to backtrack. Mark your trail even if the path is seemingly clear. As I learned the hard way, it is very difficult to find the path on the descent, especially when the footprints aren't fresh. 
  2. Fill your water bottles at the streams. Unless you have a stove and can melt snow water, you need to fill your water bottles at the snowline. Above the snowline the only water you have is, well, frozen. 
  3. Bring extra socks/shoes... or snowshoes. Snowshoes highly recommended. If you just have tennis shoes, just turn around. Waterproof hiking boots are great for a while, but will soak through eventually. Snow boots/gaiters are great. But snowshoes will make the whole thing a lot easier. 

The Resources.

Here's some extra resources, in case you want to learn a little more about the trail!

Read More

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Features

Chillin
Camping
Photography
Snowshoeing
Backpacking
Hiking
Forest
River
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildflowers

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Leave No Trace

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