Excelsior Pass via Nooksack River — Sunday, May. 18, 2025

Wanted to get out and break in a new pair of mountaineering boots so needed a good steady climb and wanted to give updated snow report for Excelsior Pass!

Trail is continuing to melt out fast and everything up to the snow is in excellent shape! Snow started intermittently and in small shallow fields at about 4100’ and by just under 4300’ became pretty solid and continuous. I hiked to the end of the switchback I’d been following but given that it was actively raining and pretty warm making the snow was a mushy mess, I really didn’t want to dig my microspikes out of my bag, and I didn’t want to navigate a snow covered trail, I decided to turn around for the day.

Needless to say, anything above 4300’ is likely going to be still snow covered and melting out as the weather keeps getting warmer. Be prepared to find a route and navigate spring conditions if you’re going to head all the way up to the ridge!

Attached photos of some of the snow conditions and a screenshot of the map up to where I turned around