North Fork Sauk River, Red Pass & Kennedy Hotsprings — Monday, Sep. 25, 2017

For those searching for a way to Kennedy Hot Springs, Kennedy Ridge, and Fire Creek Pass, you need to know there are only two ways to get there now.  You can travel on the PCT from the south from Red Pass or from the North on the PCT  from the Vista Creek trail. The White Chuck River road is not fully maintained, and the White Chuck trail washed out to Kennedy Hot Springs.  Kennedy Hot Springs is buried under tons of debris, so do not go expecting to find them.  And, the trail up Milk Creek towards Mica Lake and Fire Creek Pass is also wiped out. The Forest Service reports that they will no longer maintain the White Chuck River Trail nor the Milk Creek trails. 

So, given this as one of the only options to go to Fire Creek Pass, I set out to go to Fire Creek Pass by way of the North Sauk River Trail, which in and out will be over 46 miles with a lot of elevation gain and loss.  To get to Fire Creek Pass from the south, on the PCT, this is the closest approach.  

The valley walk along the N. Sauk River is lovely. The forest is very mature with grand old trees. Along the way you pass the trails to Pilot Ridge, Sloan Peak, and Red Mountain.  The trail is quite gentle for 5.5 miles to Mackinaw Shelter.  There are many great places to camp at the shelter or about 1 mile beforehand, where you cross the stream and bridge.  From the shelter to the junction with the PCT is 3.5 miles of very steep trail with relentless switchbacks on very sun-exposed slopes. You have increasingly beautiful views of the Monte Cristo Peaks and Sloan Peak. The climb is about 3,000 feet to the junction with PCT.   When you reach the junction, you can go south a very short distance to White Pass, or as in my case go north about 1.75 miles along the PCT to Red Pass, about 700 feet higher than the PCT junction. The views from Red Pass are tremendous.  As you drop towards Kennedy Meadows and former Kennedy Hot Springs area, the views of Glacier Peak are stunning.  There are multiple camps along the way and water quite plentiful.    

I had planned to go up Kennedy Ridge, which is supposed to be quite grueling in itself, then down Glacier and Pumic Creeks, then up to Fire Creek Pass, but, my minimal cold I had begun with at the trailhead two days before had gotten worse, and fever, so I had to turn back from my camp near the old Kennedy Hot Springs trail.  

From this point to the trailhead on the North Fork Sauk River was about 16 miles, with a lot of elevation gain to Red Pass, and then down from 6700 feet at Red Pass to the trailhead for a drop of almost 5000 feet. 

While difficult to get into this area, it begs for a multi-day backpacking trip.  The terrain is almost like a moonscape in places, and the White Chuck Cinder Cone very seemingly out of place. It makes this area extremely unique and beautiful for hiking. While I did not complete my hike, I can't wait to go back to this tremendously beautiful area.