Backpacking trip report for Cascade Pass, Pelton Basin, Horseshoe Basin, and a bit of Sahale Arm.

We backpacked up the trail to Cascade Pass on Friday the 19^th. The trail is in great shape, and the overcast skies kept the temperature down and the bugs at bay. Saw a marmot at the Pass. The trail down to Pelton Basin Camp is also in good shape, with easy switchbacks.

Pelton Basin Camp is tucked into tall trees and clear of underbrush. The cooking area is solidly built with several rocks to use while cooking and located right next to the bear boxes. The tent sites are well-marked, and the new solar composting toilet is a dream (just be sure to pee elsewhere).  Water access at Pelton Creek is also great. But, on the night we were there, the bugs were horrible – no breeze and the humid air made for a miserable evening. Fortunately, we had head nets. And then we set up a mesh “bug pavilion” with trekking poles and string just so we could eat in peace.

The best part of the Cascade Pass Trail is just east of Pelton, as it winds through trees and is relatively flat.  When we crested the ridge on Saturday morning, we could see the valley below.  Our excitement was short-lived, though, as the switchbacks down to the valley floor were steep, overgrown, exposed, and hot. Watch your footing. The Doubtful Creek crossing mentioned in recent trip reports is no longer an issue, but makes for a great place to get water, cool off, and relax. We did see a black bear on this part of the trail, but it ran off before we could get a photo of its fuzzy backside.  There are a couple of minor rock slide areas where the trail becomes hard to follow. Look for cairns and take it slow.

Basin Creek Camp on Saturday was not fun. The tent sites are dusty and crowded with underbrush. No shade and no breeze meant more bugs. There are chipmunks in the area, and they scurried around overnight looking for accessible food (they found none). The cooking area is fine, but needs more infrastructure. Everything (tents, clothing, cooking gear) got dirty here.  Fortunately, a few hundred yards down the trail is wonderful access to Basin Creek. The NPS installed a new aluminum bridge over the creek; so, even if you are going no further to Stehekin, it is worth the short walk to see it.

Our day hike up to Horseshoe Basin on Saturday afternoon was uneventful.  Please be aware that the trail is overgrown due to unfortunate trail crew staffing shortages. But the waterfalls are still going strong and make for wonderful pix. Here is where we saw the most/best wildflowers. A young (baby?) marmot watched us intently as we walked by, wondering what kind of creatures we were.

On Sunday morning, we got up at 6:00 am to beat the heat back up to Pelton Basin. A quick, no-cook breakfast got us out before sunrise, but the sun caught us right before the “oasis” at the Doubtful Creek crossing. We soaked our shirts to keep us cool up the 12 switchbacks back up the hill. We cooked “breakfast” back at Pelton which was now great because a stiff breeze kept the biting flies away.

Sunday afternoon involved a dayhike up Sahale Arm.  There is no water (until you get really high up ridge) so be sure to take enough.  And the trail is steep in several places so trekking poles might be helpful. Saw some goats, and the Rangers were warning people to keep away. After all the elevation we did earlier in the day, we decided to not spend another night in the woods, so headed back to the TH. With no wind in the afternoon, the trail down from Cascade Pass became a warm, humid, biting-fly-infested slog. Although we didn’t use head nets, I got several bites on my shoulders (through my shirt). Be sure to take some kind of bug spray (eucalyptus worked for about 60 minutes at a time).

All in all, a good trip. The heat and bugs made things interesting, but the views were fantastic. 

Quick note about the road: Yes, it is open to the TH. Yes, they paved long steep sections of it. But there are still washboards along most of the dirt sections so be prepared for it (and I wouldn't take a car with a lightweight suspension). We got lucky to find a spot at 11:00-ish on a Friday, but the reality is that you may need to park down the hill several hundred yards -- this hike is THAT popular, especially on the weekends.

Quick note about the Sahale Arm trails: please, please don't walk on the heather. Please respect the signs and stay on the main trail. The goats have created their game trails, but we humans should know better. Thanks.

Spectacular overnight to Basin Creek camp via Cascade Pass with a look into Pelton Basin and a side trip to Horseshoe Basin.

Weather: sunny on Saturday, becoming cloudy then pouring rain on Sunday.

Road: As noted, the Cascade River Road is closed at mp 20 due to a washout, adding 3 miles of road walking. The flooded area was easy to cross on Saturday but was raging with the rain on Sunday. We crossed in water shoes. This could be tricky in higher water.

Fall colors: absolutely bonkers.

Crowds: none due to road closure. We only saw one other party after dropping into the Stehekin valley.

Camp: Basin Creek camp is pleasant with decent views down the valley. there is a cooking area with bear box.

Scenery: Amazing. Cascade Pass is great as always, Pelton Basin is worth a look, and the Stehekin Valley and Horseshoe Basin are wild and lonesome.

Bears: one in Pelton Basin, one in the bushes at the parking lot, and many piles of berry poop on the trail.

Road to the Cascade Pass TH is in the best shape I have experienced on it.  There are some bumpy spots near the recent washout but it is passable for all vehicles.  Starting at 6:00 AM the trailhead was half empty.  Restrooms are clean and were well stocked with TP.

Bugs.  I found them to be almost non-existent on this trip with the exception of some annoying horseflies.  But they were plump and slow and easily dispatched.  However, when returning and descending Cascade Pass, nearly every group was complaining about bugs.  So either my tolerance was upped after the relentless clouds of mosquitoes I encountered on the trail last week or they just don't like my BO.  Either way, a win for me.  

That out of the way.  Trail up to Cascade Pass is in good shape.  For those of you who haven't taken it, prepare for many switchbacks.  But you get glimpses of mountain vistas along the way and the and the last switchback is a very long traverse over to the pass with excellent views.  Many goats to be seen in the area.  As for water, there are a few trickles near the pass but I believe they are seasonal and won't be around much longer.  Plan your H2O accordingly.

My original intent of this trip was to go to Kool Aid lake along the Ptarmigan Traverse and perhaps attempt Magic and Hurry Up.  So I began to follow the climbers trail towards Cache Col.  However, I came upon a washout that presented me with a nearly vertical ten foot wall of loose dirt and rock to navigate if I wanted to get through it and to the other side.   After about five minutes of floundering in said dirt and rock, I let out a curse and decided to bail on my original plans.

I had been up on the Sahale Arm the day previous so I decided to go check out Horseshoe Basin.  I hadn't been there before and the photos I had seen were glorious.  Pulling out my map, it looked to be about five miles from the pass.  I knew I would get caught in the heat of the day but figured I would be fine.  A little heat training.

I returned to the pass and dropped down into the valley.  This stretch is absolutely beautiful, ringed with sheer mountain ridges and cascading waterfalls.  Within a mile, you begin to switchback down as the valley abruptly ends in cliffs.  It's such a cool feature of this area.  The switchbacks were not as overgrown as I remember them being a couple years ago and near the bottom of them, you get to take a break at an amazing waterfall coming out of Doubtful Lake above.  This is your first water source after just east of Cascade Pass.

After refilling water, I quickly descended to the junction with Horseshoe Basin and started up the trail. It is well marked with a wooden sign.  You can quickly tell that the trail follows an old road bed from the mining days. It steadily gains altitude and it isn't long before you round a bend and start to get glimpses of the basin and the half dozen or so waterfalls pouring over the lip above.  

As I made my way up, I found traces of the mining activity in old barrels, smashed and rusted out.  The trail for me kind of petered out but you are in open country so I just took the easiest line up the basin. I could spy the tailings from the mine and headed towards it.  There is still quite a bit of snow in the basin that is massively undercut.  I will include a picture of it.  

I made my way up to the Black Warrior Mine which is pretty impressive.  This mine is on the National Historic Register and I can see why.  A huge amount o effort went into this and it didn't really prove to be worthwhile given all the obstacles they faced having the mine in such a remote and rugged location.   I enjoyed poking around for about half an hour before heading back.  

Return trip was warm and unfortunately, the smoke and smell of the fires near Mazama and Winthrop reminded me of what was happening up there. I took my time on the return, stopping at each water source to refill my water and dunk my hat in the cold water.  Not surprisingly, the trail to the pass was busy but everyone was courteous.  

Amazing day checking out an area that I haven't been to before.  I apologize in advance for not cleaning up my photos a bit. But they should give you a good idea of the basin.  

Ran/hiked from Cascade Pass to High Bridge in Stehekin with a detour to Horseshoe Basin. Total mileage 23.8, total time 6 hrs 50 min. Trail up to Cascade Pass was in great shape, switchbacks make for a nice run. Horseshoe Basin was beautiful, but buggy. Easy water crossings with ample opportunities to filter water after Horseshoe Basin. There is a great break/water stop just before Bridge Creek with a nice swimming hole. It was a warm day, and the last half of the trail gets pretty hot and dusty. We met up with family at High Bridge, but you could also take the shuttle from High Bridge into Stehekin. 

We did a four-day trip that involved camping two nights at Pelton Basin Camp and one night at Sahale Glacier Camp. On the second day we day-hiked from Pelton Basin Camp to Horseshoe Basin.

The road to the trailhead is long and includes a lot of potholes, but it was passable even for our Mini Cooper. Just be vigilant and prepared to make evasive maneuvers.

Cascade Pass (Day 1): This was definitely the most populated portion of our entire trip. Be prepared for a lot of switchbacks; I counted 31 of them. Once you settle into a rhythm, it goes by steadily and along the way there are views to stop and admire. Near the pass, the trail emerges from the forest and crosses a couple of large talus slopes (but the trail remains level and no scrambling is necessary). Keep an eye out for marmots and pikas, and mountain goats on the rocky cliffs above. Cascade Pass itself offers amazing view of Pelton Basin and its surrounding peaks and glaciers. There is a restroom at the pass. Have fun admiring the views, but be careful not to wander off the official trail and destroy the delicate meadow plants. North Cascades National Park is trying very hard to repair the poor beleaguered meadows up there, which have taken such a beating from hikers going off-trail. Stay on the official trail to be part of the solution, not the problem.  Mosquitoes were present all along the way, plus small biting flies that didn’t seem deterred by DEET. They were easy to swat, but annoying.

After reaching the pass, most people call it a day and head back down to the trailhead, but a fair number hike onward to Sahale Arm, and a few continue down into Pelton Basin (which is what we did). The trail into Pelton Basin extends all the way to Stehekin.

It’s 4.9 miles and 1,800’ of elevation gain from the trailhead to Pelton Basin Camp (including the 0.2-mile spur down to the camp). The camp is in a pleasant, wooded spot near Pelton Creek, which is a good water source. There are two bear boxes. The latch on the left box is a bit tricky to close, so be sure the door actually latches when you shut it. The right box is fine, and most of us campers ended up using that one. Mosquitoes were present both morning and evening. Sometimes in the late evening they were pretty numerous and annoying, but not quite bad enough to make me wish I’d brought my head net.

Horseshoe Basin (including the Black Warrior Mine) (Day 2): This made a great day hike from our base camp at Pelton Basin. According to our GPS, the trip was 10 miles and 2,320’ of elevation gain. If you make the same trip, be aware that approximately half of the elevation gain is spent getting to the mine, and the other half is spent getting back to Pelton Basin Camp at the end of the day. We experienced more solitude on this hike than any other part of our four-day trip. We encountered a family of four on the trail to Stehekin, and only two on the Horseshoe Basin trail itself.

In Horseshoe Basin the trail leads through high brush for a while, and then you emerge into spectacular wildflower meadows. Numerous waterfalls cascade down the sides of the basin. What a beautiful place! The trail leads to the base of a talus field, and then becomes difficult to follow. Although there are a couple cairns amid the boulders, more cairns need to be added to mark the best route. Mostly we had to find our own way, which took longer than expected, since this was our first trip to the basin and we didn’t know the exact location of the mine entrance. The mine entrance isn’t visible from the valley floor; you need to climb most of the way up the talus field before you can see it. As you climb up the talus field, follow the few cairns and the “trail” of old rusty mining equipment – cables, corrugated metal, pipes, etc. Look for a big pile of broken-up red rocks (spoils from the mine). The pile is just outside the mine entrance. A plaque at the entrance describes the interesting history of the mine. It was fun to poke around the two “rooms” in the mine’s entrance, and peer down the tunnel leading deeper into the mountain, but I’d avoid venturing beyond the entrance. As if to reinforce that notion, we heard a noise come from deeper inside the mine that prompted us to eat our snack OUTside the entrance...!

Note: Camping is NOT allowed in Horseshoe Basin. Also, don’t drink the water in Horseshoe Basin because it could contain heavy metals from the mining operations. Instead, fill up on water beforehand at Pelton Basin Camp or Doubtful Creek.

Sahale Arm (Day 3): Yes, it’s very steep, but well worth the effort! Plus, there are countless mountain vistas, wildflower meadows, and critters along the way to keep you distracted and provide excuses to stop and take breaks. Along the way, we saw several marmots and a black bear rummaging through the meadow plants on Sahale Arm.

The last 0.5 mile is up an extremely steep slope that’s sometimes talus, sometimes scree. The trail splits into two or three smaller trails, which re-converge only to split again. They can be somewhat difficult to follow, and some routes are safer and less steep than others. The best, safest route through this area really needs to be better marked with cairns. As a general rule, try to stay on the middle (top) of the arm as much as possible, as opposed to skirting the sides of the arm, which are extremely steep scree slopes. Take your time and be safe.

We camped at Sahale Glacier Camp, a truly spectacular experience that I highly recommend. There are approximately 10-12 tent sites dispersed below the foot of the glacier, each encircled by a low wall of rocks to block the wind. We had to cross a couple snow fields to find a good campsite, but they were level (not steep), so no problem. There is accessible flowing water at the camp, so you can easily refill there. Although the water is flowing from the glacier above, it runs clear (not cloudy with glacial flour) and won’t clog your water filter. No mosquitoes up here! It was very windy in the late afternoon and evening, and at first it was hard to fall asleep due to the wind beating against the tent, but soon after nightfall the wind died down and morning was remarkably still and quiet. It’s a whole other world up there! We lingered for the rest of the morning to enjoy the incredible views and watch the mountain goats make their rounds, before heading down, down, down to the parking lot.