North Fork Sauk River, Pilot Ridge, Blue Lake High & Bald Eagle Mountain — Wednesday, Sep. 18, 2002

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

Our hike started near the Mount Loop highway in the North fork Sauk drainage. A few bugs at the trailhead, very few on the trail till Sunday afternoon and they were only around for a few hours. Walked 5 miles up river late Thursday for an easy camp at Mackineau Shelter looking up the hill where our 3,000 foot climb would be Friday first thing. By lunch Friday we were at White Pass just South of Glacier Peak. We picked berries most of the way up. No water after leaving the river till reflection pond. We stayed on the PCT in meadows spending Friday night on Kodak Peak looking onto Meandering Meadows and down at Indian Head Peak and the White River Valley. We were able to find water 1/8 mile North of Kodak Peak on the PCT. Then we followed meadow after meadow to Dishpan Gap turning towards Bald Eagle Ridge Trail and then to the Blue Lake trail. Instead of following a level 4 mile trail around we climbed 700 feet straight up and 700 feet straight down, often using all four limbs, to Blue Lake for lunch(when ever the words ""High Route"" are on a sign, be prepared to get scared). Then climbed the meadowed flanks of Johnson Mountain and out across the ridge, climbing 400 feet above the trail to the most amazing saddle on top of the world(well, it felt like it) for Saturday night camp. We then continued on Pilot ridge all day Sunday dropping 4,000 in the late afternoon to camp back on the North Fork Sauk. THere is no bridge or marked crossing of the North Fork Sauk at the bottom of the pilot ridge trail, but numerous logs are available. the trail goes to the right as soon as you have crossed the river. Between Blue Lake and the end of Pilot Ridge the only water found was a snow patch at the off trail saddle. Two miles out Monday and we were having lunch in Granite Falls.