Pilot Ridge, North Fork Sauk River & Bald Eagle Mountain — Sunday, Jul. 26, 2015

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

It is a spectacular loop. It was foggy and off and on rain for the first two days but still beautiful. The fog was weaving in an out of the mountains and the wildflowers were sweeping across the hillsides. We were glad for the sunny and clear weather for our last 12 mile day as the mountain views are abundant and awe-inspiring. Try to plan at least part of the trip during clear skies because you don't want to miss expansive views. You don't need back country permits but you do need a Northwest Forest Pass for parking. I believe it is $5 a day and $30 for a year. We did this trip in three days and two nights. The loop doesn't begin and end at the same trailhead so be prepared for a little forest road walking. We dropped off our packs at the Bald Eagle Trailhead and drove back a little over 2 miles to North Fork Sauk trailhead. We walked back to our packs using Fire road 49 south just over 2 miles to the Bald Eagle Trailhead. We got a late start and so we didn't reach Bald Eagle trailhead until 5:51pm so we decided to only hike an additional 4.3 miles to Curry Cap. The trail was overgrown and it was drizzling so our boots got soaked from the dripping greenery. I think gators would have helped. It was a steady gradual climb up to Curry Cap. I saw two campsites there. 1 large multi-tent area. 1 smaller. There is water available via the Quartz Creek Trail just beyond the campsites off of the Bald Eagle Trail. The next day we continued up the Bald Eagle Trail. The trail immediately starts ascending from Curry Gap. The hard climbs are short and broken up by long sweeps across meadows and ridges with great views. If you get an earlier start there are two other campsites along the Bald Eagle Trail. At 11.5 Miles there is a good but dry camp and then in another mile there is another camp that does have access to a small creek. There was water in late July but make sure to pack extra water just in case if hiking in mid-August. There is a junction in a small gap at 14 miles and you want to continue straight on the Bald Eagle Trail. Eventually you descend down a beautiful boulder field smothered in wet green moss and whistling marmots. Then you begin a small ascent up to Little Blue Lake. There are a couple smaller ponds before Little Blue Lake so don't be confused. There is a campsite here but we continued and camped at Blue Lake which is tremendous. Continue to the left passed Little Blue Lake on Bald Eagle Trail until you reach a junction. Blue Lake is to the right. There are several great campsites here. The lake is beautiful and there are beautiful views of the mountains and the ridge you will cross the next day. Blue Lake is at 15.6 miles (from your parked car). The next day we hiked 12 miles back to our cars sweeping around pilot ridge. From Blue Lake go back to the junction and continue on Pilot Ridge. VIEWS VIEWS VIEWS!! At 16.7 miles there is a side trip option up Johnson Mountain for 0.8 miles. We did not do this because it was a very steep 0.8 miles and it would have added a 1.6 to our day, but we've been told we missed out. It turns out we crushed the 12 miles before 1pm so we probably should have taken the extra time to peak Johnson but we will save it for next time. Continue along the ridge and soak in the beauty. After a somewhat flat sweeping across the ridge the trail begins an aggressive rise and fall pattern across a few knolls. Up down Up down and then way way way down. The final descent to North Fork Sauk is brutal. You reach North Fork Sauk River at 25.2 miles and you must ford the river. The river was low enough in late July to cross but there are plenty of BIG fallen trees to cross too. There are nice camps sites right on the river. Then you have an easy 2.1 mile hike back to your car through a lush, fern-filled forest.