Trail to Hannegan Pass heavily used but ok and trail on Copper Ridge is excellent. Bugs are only moderate and vanishing above 5,000 ft. Water on Copper Ridge is scarce as usual. Egg and Copper Lakes main sources. Be sure to treat. Bears no problem and gobs of blueberries. The number of hikers who bring their dogs pretty much guaranteed not seeing anything more than marmots. Lookout is manned (womaned) thru end of Sept. Campsites are in Nat. Park, and reservation system making for uncrowded camping, and aiding meadow restoration efforts. Ridge has had light snow already week of Sept 1, 2001.

My annual solo trip into the North Cascades started out damp this year. I headed up the well maintained trail to Hannegan pass on Labor day as most people were hiking out. It had rained lightly overnight so the bugs were laying low. I passed a backcountry ranger on her way out from Boundary camp where she was checking for wilderness permits (keeping us all honest!). I hiked about halfway up the Hannegan peak trail from Hannegan pass, but the remaining low clouds limited the views to the nearby glaciers of Ruth Mtn. With my pack loaded with food and fuel for 6 days, the last half mile to the top wasn't appealing. Dropping down to the basin on the east side of the pass, I refilled my water and began the climb to Copper ridge. The skies had cleared to mostly sunny, but there were still very few bugs. Very little water is avaliable on the ridge trail except in nasty puddles, so carry plenty from the creeks below the ridge. My first night at Silesia camp was delightfull. There is no water at Silesia camp, but plenty is available at Egg Lake several hundred feet below. I got a late start the next morning and was visited by another friendly backcountry ranger checking for my permit as I was breaking camp. (Anybody get the idea that they're having problems with permit compliance on Copper ridge') The ranger had come down from the lookout 2 miles up the ridge. She directed me to a hidden tarn for a water resupply further up the ridge so I wouldn't have to drop to Egg Lake. The hike along the ridge offers views in every direction and the heavily used trail is in excellent shape. However, the descent from the north end of the ridge to the Chilliwack river valley is riddled with blowdowns. The ranger warned my of about 40, and I counted 37 blowdowns between the ridge and Indian Creek Camp. This is remote trail (more than 15 miles from any road), so they must not get chain saws in here too often. The ford of the Chilliwack was only boot top deep. While filtering water at the river, numerous salmon swam nearby. I wondered if the bears were aware of this easy pickin diner opportunity. I think I could have reached out and picked one up. The next day I crossed Indian Creek on the suspension bridge and continued up the Chilliwack until turning up the brush creek trail toward Whatcom pass. Most of the way is in old growth forest with limited views until about 2 miles below the pass. There are plenty of opportunities to obtain water from Brush creek or its feeder creeks along the way. The path leading to Whatcom camp from the trail is muddy so keep your boots on around camp. There is still a nice water source running near the camp. Only one of the three pads in the camp has a view, but all three are pleasant. The low clouds kept me from venturing up the boot path to Tapto Lakes north of Whatcom pass, but when the sun finally returned in the morning after my second night at Whatcom, I had great views east down the the Little Beaver river valley. Returning down brush creek and up the Chilliwack, I took the cable car crossing just for fun. The U.S. Cabin camp isn't special by any means, but from a spot in the middle of the low running river, Mineral Mtn and Icy peak are visible. I didn't see any salmon here, so Indian creek may have been the end of their upstream journey. The trail along the Chilliwack is in good shape. I did pass a hiker with a dog. Perhaps the rangers hadn't had the opportunity to explain that dogs aren't allowed in the park wilderness. I got an early start Saturday morning intending to reach Hannegan Pass for lunch and an afternoon nap in the sun. When I reached the pass, however, the bugs had become a nuisance for the first time this trip. Instead of a long afternoon on the pass, I retreated down the trail to my vehicle passing dozens of people heading up for the weekend. Hannegan pass isn't suited to those seeking solitude!

After doing a shock absorber test on my truck while driving Road 32 to the Hannegan Pass trail head (this road has a lot of reverse speed bumps)I was ready for some hiking. This day started cloudy with the tops of the peaks fogged in while I started up the Ruth Creek valley. Then it decided to begin to rain when I got about a mile up the trail. The trail had been brushed out, which was a good thing since it was turning into a wet hike. About half way I encountered a rock slide covering the trail that had come down off of Granite Mtn. You can get through the slide with no problem. One half mile before the pass a side trail leads to some camp sites along a creek in a meadow area. Before I got up to the pass, the sun started coming out and I had a nice view out to the glaciers on Ruth Mtn. to the south. After a rest and snack stop at the pass, I headed north up the trail to Hannegan Peak. Once above the tree line, I had views of the mountains in the area as clouds blew in and out. Up in a high meadow, I stopped for lunch as the summit of Hannegan Peak was all fogged in. On a clear day the views from the top would have been great. When I got back down to the pass, the clouds started dissipating. Heading back to the trail head the views got better as I could now see the peaks that had been clouded over on the hike up to the pass. The weather is always changing in the Cascades. Plus now that the sun was out, so were the black flies. Day 3, Lake Ann.

Arghh... In an area famous for it's tormenting winged devils, I must say that this hike takes the cake. yeesh... Trail starts out at the end of annoyingly but not hinderingly potholed Ruth Creek Road. This 5 mile section of trail along Ruth Creek to Hannegan Pass is in nearly immaculate condition. Brush has been recently cleared and the tread is well maintained and engineered. Black flies here are an annoyance but not a real threat to enjoyment. I was surprized how scenic this trail is. It stays in avalanch slopes most of the way, high on the valley wall with good views of Mt. Sefrit across the valley and Ruth Mountain at the valley's head. This hike to Hannegan Pass would make a good daytrip. The views from the pass are pleasant, but I think they would much improve as you make your way higher, either on the path towards Ruth, or preferedly up to Hannegan Peak. On my three day trip, I did not have the time or energy for this sidetrip on the way in or out. Once the pass is reached the trail switchbacks down into a small alpine hanging valley and makes its way nearly flat until forest is entered and the long descent deep into the the deep Chilliwack Valley is made. Just before this forest is entered is Boundary Camp. This is where the black flies become truely maddening. Swing your arms and be amazed as they whack into about fifty of the crazy things. Try to get a gulp of water down your heat parched throught and be disgusted at the five flies flailing in your drinking water. Move on not because you like hiking anymore but because that is the only option, your only way out. Anyway, once the trail reaches the bottom of the valley at Copper Creek, another campground is passed. The trail is nearly flat for about four miles as US Cabin Camp is passed. This is where I spent both of my nights. Soon after, the river is crossed on an interresting cable car. Basically it is a bucket with a rope attached to it that you pull yourself across on. As only two people can cross at one time, large groups should plan some extra time accordingly. From here, the trail climbs a little to the crossing of Brush Creek and a juncion. Go right for the pass which is a little over 5 miles distant. At this time this trail has a very annoying problem with brush (brush creek:). This starts in avalanch paths at the bottom of Chilliwack Valley (particularly bad on either side of US Cabin Camp) and continues all the way up Brush Creek to Whatcom Pass. The trail is never lost because its orriginal engineering was good, but at times the tread cannot be seen and this makes for an easy twisted ankle. Also, morning travel on clear days or any travel on a rainy day will quickly leave one soaked from at least the waist down. Seeing as this was only a three day trip, I was forced to make the trip to Whatcom Pass a marathon day hike, about 15 miles. This was fairly challenging but doable for hikers in good shape (at least with a minimal pack). I highly suggest taking about three quarts of water (or taking a filter) or at least bloating one's self before the trip and taking two quarts (what I did). I was on the verge of being severely dehydrated at the end, but it was a hot day. The trail doesn't break out into meadows until just before the pass (flowers are past their prime). Deja Vu, the views from the pass are pleasant but I'm sure they drastically improve as you gain elevation. One popular area is Tapto Lakes just north of the pass. Redface Mountain just north of these lakes appears on the map to be a simple scramble and would provide good views of the Pickets. Of course, with my hike already at 15 miles, I did not have time or energy for either sidetrip. The one good view I did get was that of Mt. Challenger from a knoll just south of the pass. This is a good view but does not justify the hike. I HIGHLY suggest taking more time here than I did and camp either at Whatcom Camp (just below and to the west of the pass) or Tapto Camp at Tapto Lakes. Do some exploring. Climb Whatcom Peak if you feel so inclined. I really think the area would be very much worth the trouble if you give it time. But I did not so I left somewhat saured. I'll be back someday, hopefully to climb something in the Pickets. If there is one good thing Whatcom Pass does offer right now, it is the lack of flies. They were conspicuously absent. The trip back to the car was uneventful but the flies seemed to be getting worse every minute.

We tried to climb Mt. Challenger via Easy Ridge, but weather and routefinding issues shut us down. We hiked in over Hannagan Pass Friday night, reaching Copper Creek camp in the Chilliwack valley. All of this trail was in great shape. Our morning crossing of the Chilliwack was easy, then the Easy Ridge trail begins in thick, wet, underbrush, eventually becoming a pleasant trail in timber. Sadly, we were socked in with occasional rain, and schlumped along Easy Ridge, finally coming down to the ""Imperfect Impasse"" at 5100 feet. We couldn't find a safe way across this incredible gorge. Camping on the valley wall at about 4500 feet, we awoke to clear skies and another chance to find the route. We looked everywhere, with increasing dismay, finally realizing we'd lost our chance. We packed up and enjoyed some great views from Easy Ridge, until a fast storm came. We walked all the way back to the car in pouring rain. Better luck next time!