Squire Creek Pass via Eight-mile Trail — Saturday, Apr. 26, 2003

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

The road in was ok, a few potholes, but not as bad as the Darrington RS website claims. No sign at the trailhead. We slogged up the trail, which had virtually no snow until after passing 3 O'clock Rock. Quite a chunk o' granite there, no wonder the rock jocks like it so much. Real snow didn't start for some distance beyond, but by the Squire Cr Pass area it was maybe 6 feet deep. The trail is nicely maintained to the rock climbing area, then resorts to near-abandoned status. Lots of blowdowns up high. We donned snowshoes well before the pass, then slushed our way to Ulalach Peak. While on the ridge it was obvious that we'd have to traverse under the peak, then climb the far side. That went well (may not without snow cover due to lots of sloping granite) until the last 20 or 30 feet, which was corniced and too scawwy. Eh... close enough! On the return I left Dave to descend to the trailhead, and went up the easy Higher Squire. Suddenly, out of nowhere, and without warning, in an instant, the skies opened up with quite the graupel shower. That dampened spirits considerably. I reached the car soon after Dave, soaked from the waist down. No bugs!