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Trip Report

Sauk Mountain — Friday, Jun. 6, 2025

North Cascades > North Cascades Highway - Hwy 20
Snow drifts on final traverse to Sauk Mtn trailhead.

Road open until last switchback, where final crossing to parking lot is still half covered in snow drifts and impassible to cars (maybe next week). Parking at switchback may be a circus on a weekend. The road itself is in good condition, with the exception of a few potholes at the bottom, and some washboard on a few switchbacks. The low slung Prius-class sedans will have to navigate these with care, other sedans seemed to do fine.

The classy trailhead A-frame outhouse hasn't been maintained this year, and is the domain of the desperate.

Southern exposed trail is clear of snow to the ridgetop, with the exception of the topmost switchback in the trees, and the final easterly crossing to the ridge top. These winter remnants near the ridge top require navigating around with an incline that many would find uncomfortable.

Beyond the ridge top, it is pretty much all snow (as expected).

I stopped at the ridge top and enjoyed the view, the Glacier lilys, and communed with the marmots.

Trilliums were out in force in the forest edges, and crowds of Glacier lilys were chasing the snow drifts back.

Be on the lookout for falling rocks, which (apparently) is a thing in spring when snow is melting out. I saw a gallon-sized one careening down the switchbacks. Also, one person parked their truck on the final switchback traverse near the snow drifts, where I witnessed a basketball+ sized boulder bashing down the hillside 50' in front of it.

Trilliums are out!
Glacier Lilys are following snowline up ridge.
Remnants of winter cling to steep sides of ridge top, will stop some.
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