Wow! Just wow... counter-clockwise was the choice and it took us just over 15 hours to complete the whole lollipop. Brushy and narrow the trail often was this magical mystical mountainous adventure is full of fun surprises and fantastic views. The goal was to run it but my body decided fast hiking was more appropriate for the terrain. Two other groups of runners were out for a day trip, one group going clockwise, who we encountered near the halfway-ish point. Wow. I must say, massive kudos to those who do this in a day!

Overview:

I solo hiked the Copper Ridge Loop counter-clockwise with an out-and-back to Tapto Lakes. 4 nights, from 8/31 - 9/4. This is an absolutely stunning area if the weather agrees!

Itinerary:

Hannegan Pass TH -> US Cabin Camp (Night 1) -> Tapto Lakes (Night 2) -> Indian Creek Camp (Night 3) -> Egg Lake (Night 4) -> Hannegan Pass TH (Route picture attached)

Total Distance (Gaia): 52 miles

Total Gain (Gaia): 12,500'

A few notes I wish I had known beforehand:

• Between Graybael Camp and Whatcom Pass (below Tapto Lakes) there are about 15 small stream crossing for water access (at least this time of year, later on YMMV)
• The Chilliwack River is quite low currently and the crossing was very easy in the morning mid-calf, I am 5'10" (I used poles, but not needed). Salmon still spawning as of 8/3. One of the two braids of the river is dry so you just have the one crossing (pictured here).
• I read here that there is a ~6.5 mile dry section between the Chilliwack River and right before Copper Lake. As a result, I loaded up with 3-4 liters of water for this big climb - however, as of 8/3 there are 4 small streams located at ~4300' after the switchbacks. Still a good call to bring extra water, but enough to last you the whole way is not needed. These streams are small/drips, but I imagine they will be around for some time. I would still bring extra water from the Chilliwack/Copper Lake as conditions change and YMMV.
• The section between Boundary Camp and Egg Lake is currently dry as a bone. 
• The section between Egg Lake and Copper Lake is dry. 
• Hannegan Pass Trail is Very exposed to the sun. Coming up on 8/31 everything above 4k' was socked in so the climb was not too bad, but heading out around 2-3pm on 9/4 the sun was very, very hot and brutal. There is plenty of water in this section.
• Easy water access at Boundary Camp - just go towards the furthest back (SW) campsite and right before there is a small (albeit steep) trail down to the creek.
• There is a climber's path up to Tapto Lakes (and Middle Lakes) from the very top of Whatcom pass. You can't miss it. This trail is a bit of a scramble in some places, but is easy to follow. I am not much of a scrambler and didn't have any issues going up or down, but I did have to stow my trekking poles and use my hands. 
• Tapto Lakes is a massive area - much larger than I thought it would be. There are 4 lakes here and honestly enough room for 10-15 tents and it wouldn't feel crowded. Most beautiful alpine lake basis I've been in. Amazing views of Whatcom Peak and Mount Challenger.
• Great wildlife on this route. I came face to face (within 20') with a very large black bear (300-400 lbs) on the trail about 0.5 miles N of the Indian Creek/Whatcom Pass JCT.  He ran off. It seemed like 50-60% of the people out there saw a black bear at some point. Others saw one N of Copper Lake, right below Whatcom pass, and right before the saddle before Tapto Lake. I had a deer nearly wander into my camp at Egg Lake. I saw dozens of marmots, pikas, chipmunks, and grey squirrels. Found a couple bear scats on trail (one old, one super fresh from the bear I saw I believe) as well as some old Lynx or Bobcat scat.
• Wildflowers are still blooming along Copper Ridge. Blueberries and salmon berries along trail.
• I would agree with the general sentiment that the loop CW is easier than hiking CCW as I did. The Indian Creek -> Egg Lake day was pretty long - ~12-13 miles and 5-5.5k' gain based on Gaia. I was planning on hiking this in 3 nights but based on how the permits broke down 4 nights made more sense, and I did not regret it.
• It is definitely post-peak bug season - adult mosquitoes were not too bad, but lots of baby mosquitoes that still bite! Also the biting flies were a PITA and very annoying!

Road Conditions:

Road is very good besides a bunch of potholes. Potholes have very steep walls but this would be doable in a 2WD car. No washboarding on road. Trailhead is washed out so you must park at a makeshift one. Bathroom at TH. 

COVID Info:

The trail up to Hannegan pass is not very crowded compared to most hikes in the Central Cascades, however in comparison to the bulk of this loop, it is very crowded. I did this hike during the week so probably was slightly less crowded due to that as well. Once past Hannegan Pass and Boundary Camp, the trail feels very remote - you might pass two or three people/parties per day max. While the campsites were booked up on paper, when I was out there, only Indian Creek was full. US Cabin and Egg Lake both had extra spaces. Apparently Silesia had an open spot the night I was at Egg Lake as well. It is pretty easy to socially distance on trail. The hardest part is the 4 miles between Hannegan TH and Hannegan Pass. Everyone was respectful of your "own personal social distancing/mask wearing guidelines" in the backcountry. If you wanted to keep distance or wear a mask they would keep distance from you, not come into your campsite, etc. I would say about 50% of people on the trail put on a mask when they saw you. 75% in the backcountry and closer to 40% on Hannegan Pass Trail.

Trail Conditions:

Aside from what I mentioned in the bullet points above a few more notes. The trail terrain varies substantially, from rocky & rough pass climbs to smooth and soft dirt/pine needle deep forest paths to everything in between. The trail up to Hannegan Pass is especially rocky. The trail is well marked and I never had issue locating it. There are about 6-8 blowdowns on the switchbacks W of the Chilliwack River. 2 of these are a bit of a pain to get over, the remainder you can just step over. There are a ton of overgrown sections on this hike - if it is not too hot, pants would be a wise decision. With that being said a ton of brush has been recently cut from around the trail to decrease how overgrown it is. Also many sections have been recently logged out of blowdowns. I saw evidence at trail crew was out there 8/23 and I bumped in to a 5-person trail crew above Copper Lake/at the fire lookout. They had been out there a few days on "poop scoop" duty - AKA they were replacing all the toilets at the camps. I saw the helicopter fly in to take away a huge bucket of human feces from Copper Lake. I also "christened" the brand new toilet at Egg Lake lol. The trail crew was also out there digging drainage along the trail - good stuff! 

This trail offers absolutely spectacular views of the North Cascades and I highly recommend it. Tapto is beautiful and offers very different views than provided by Copper Ridge. It is worth the venture out.

We hiked the Hannegan Trail into the Copper Ridge Loop between 9/5 and 9/7, camping one night at the Boundary Camp and the next at Indian Creek. We hiked the loop clockwise. 

Day 1: Hannegan Trailhead to Boundary Camp (5mi, +2100 ft)

The hike up to Hannegan Pass is rocky and dusty with a gentle grade. Great views of Mt Ruth on the way in, all the way up to the pass. Wildflowers are past peak but still lots to look at. The trail gets heavy sun in the afternoon and is fairly exposed to wind so expect to feel hot. Once at the Pass there are great views of the park and your descent down to the Boundary Camp is about a mile. Camp is small and has water access down a short steep trail as the WTA description notes. The river is flowing steadily. Boundary Camp is when you'll start seeing huckleberries as far as your eye can see - most are perfectly ripe and should stay that way for a little while. Along the Hannegan Trail you will also find some thimbleberries, salmon berries and maybe even some raspberries. Great starry sky at Boundary Camp to enjoy. No fires!

Day 2: Boundary Camp to Indian Creek (14.5mi, +3400 ft)

Fantastic day - classic North Cascades views all the way through. The trail is very dry between Boundary Camp almost all the way to Copper Lake, so be sure to carry ample water - most streams are dried out. Loads of berries to pick. The lookout is a highlight and is worth spending some time at - you will be rewarded for the steep climb up. We saw a bear cub along this stretch - lots of good areas for them to hide along the trail! Copper Lake is a good place for a lunch stop as well. You'll descend steeply after Copper Lake first on a rocky, exposed trail, then climb steeply for about 1 mile, until you start dropping precipitously into the Chiliwack River Valley and ultimately Indian Creek Camp. The last ~6 miles of this day were full of thick forest and long switchbacks - frankly, not much to look at here and your knees will burn from the descent. The river is running but fording it is perfectly manageably - I'm 6'2" and the water was about at my knees. I forded without shoes without any trouble. You may be lucky to see some salmon swimming upstream - keep an eye out! Indian Creek Camp is quiet and under a large canopy of trees - don't expect any sunlight, even if you arrive well before dark. The water access point from camp is a short walk and is absolutely beautiful. 

Day 3: Indian Creek to Hannegan Trailhead (15mi, +3700 ft)

Right after leaving Indian Creek Camp you'll find a fun suspension bridge. The first few miles are an easy walk through the woods - there was no sun for the first several miles in the morning, and it was pretty chilly. Then the cable car, which is a total highlight! Kudos to the NPS for having the imagination to install this - it's a lot of fun. After that, though, settle in - you will be climbing for the next 9 or so miles back up to Boundary Camp and then Hannegan Pass. The climb can drag on but there is plenty of water along the way as you'll cross several small streams. Lots of berries to snack on along the way! Once at Boundary Camp you have a mile's climb back up to the Pass, then a hot afternoon descent back down to the trailhead - again, no water here and it's dusty and rocky, but you're on your final 4 miles all downhill so likely don't need too much. 

In all, this is a terrific loop with deep woods, a beautiful river, proper climbs, a great fire lookout offering outstanding views of Mt Baker and other Cascadian Peaks (you'll see Glacier in the distance, too), a good chance of wildlife sightings (we also saw some marmots). It's challenging with a full pack's weight, but at no point is it too terribly taxing if you're accustomed to long walks in the woods. The fall colors were just getting started but will turn brilliant oranges and reds in the coming weeks. We were glad we went clockwise (the big descent to Indian Creek would have been really brutal in the other direction). 

The theme of the trip was you have to go up to go down, just to go back up again, and multiply this times 20 or so.

I started our trip with a visit on Wednesday to the ranger station to pick up a permit. I got there at 6am, and there were 12 parties ahead of me. At 7am, one ranger gave the entire group the LNT talk so they wouldn’t have to give it to each person while they are issuing permits. By 8:15, I had my permit and was heading home.

Side note - the rangers have had a rough summer. It is not their fault if you don’t get your desired campsite. You bitching at them for 20 minutes does nothing but hold up the line and make you look like an asshole. Rant over.

Thursday morning we dropped our pups off at doggy camp, and headed to the Hannegan Pass trailhead. With the large washout directly before the parking lot, there is a new smaller parking area, and cars parked down the side of the road. There were roughly 30 cars or so when we got there. The trail up to Hannegan Pass went by fairly quickly. Knowing that most of the trail was fairly dry, we loaded up on water just before the pass. After going over the pass, you pretty much lose all of the elevation that you just gained, which was slightly depressing. You then slowly work your way back up to Copper Ridge. The views start opening up again, and you really don’t even notice the constant uphill. After Hannegan Pass, the next water source is Egg Lake, which looks to be about a mile off the main trail. We kept rolling through, and worked our way up the  Copper Mountain Lookout Tower. It was manned by the ranger who had given us the LNT talk the day before. We chatted with him for a little while, and then pushed on to Copper Mountain Lake. The lake is gorgeous! There were two other parties camped there for the night, but we only saw them when we passed by looking for a site. Total mileage was 12.34 with 4,324ft of gain, and 2,179ft of loss. The entire trail this day was in excellent condition.

Knowing we had a long day ahead of us, we woke somewhat early, and were back on the trail by 6:30.  20 mins after leaving camp, we saw our first black bear of the trip! He was just sitting in the meadow, munching on berries. We stopped and watched him for awhile, before continuing on. Thirty minutes later, a second black bear ran across the trail directly in front of us, and barreled into the trees. Shortly afterward, we started the LONG descent down. At this point, I was so glad we went the way we did, because going up that way seemed like it would be miserable. There were 9 or 10 trees down in this area, and all but one were easy to get over. The one that wasn’t was just awkward with an overnight pack, and made me feel like a beached whale for a hot second.

We eventually forded the Chilliwack (it was just below my knees), and made our way to Indian Creek camp for a break. Once we got to Indian Creek, we realized the spawning salmon weren’t that far up, so we ran back down the the ford and watched them for 30-45 mins. After filling up with water, we got back on the trail. This part felt like a true slog. The forest is beautiful, but it quickly became pretty monotonous. We hit the junction, and headed up towards Whatcom Pass. The trail got pretty brushy in spots, but you can tell that a lot of work has been done. The camp at Graybeal looks like it is being redone. If you need water, fill up just before Graybeal. The river has changed course by the camp, and water isn’t the easiest to get to. There are several places to fill up on the way to Whatcom Pass after the camp as well. From Graybeal to Whatcom Pass it’s straight up, but the trail is in excellent condition, and the majority of it is shaded.

Once we hit Whatcom Pass, we took a quick break and chatted with some folks we met the day before.  It was getting late, so we threw our packs on and headed up the climbers trail to Tapto Lakes. The mile or so of the trail is rough. There are places you will have to use your hands to grab roots to pull yourself up, especially if you have a larger pack. It’s rocky and rooty, and tough on tired legs. As soon as we got to the lakes, we dropped our packs on the first flat, non-vegated spot, set up camp, ate dinner, and passed out. Total mileage was 19 miles, with 3,900ft of gain, and 4,000ft of loss.

For our third day and night, we planned to take it easy and stay around Tapto Lakes again. We played around the basin, checked out Middle Lakes, and climbed some ridges. We swam, ate blueberries, and saw two more bears!

Sunday morning, we woke up with frost on our tent. It was tough getting out of the sleeping bag, but it was going to be another long day. We packed up and headed out. The first 6 or 7 miles to the junction were repetitive, so I just zoned out and we cruised down quickly. After the junction, we started going uphill slightly again. We took the cable car crossing just to see what it was about. We laughed when we saw how low the river was, but it was fun. After the cable car, it’s uphill all of the way to Hannegan Pass. The forest was pretty, but I zoned out again. The four miles down from Hannegan Pass to the trailhead were the longest ever. My knees hated me. We made it to the car about 10 mins before the rain started. Mileage for the day was right at 20 miles, with 4,700ft of gain, and 4,100ft of loss.

Total mileage for the trip was right at 57 miles, with 13,700ft gain/loss. On the entire trip, we only needed bug spray on the first day. After that, they really weren't bad. There are still a lot of wildflowers blooming, and the blueberry bushes are just starting to turn red in places. 

We did a 3 night trek through the North Cascades Backcountry beginning at the Hannegan Pass trailhead on Saturday 8/22.

Permits were hard to come by, as we did a “walk up” permit which was done over the phone thru the Marblemount Ranger station.

I e-mailed late Thursday night, and left a message Friday morning for a trip beginning on Saturday. Originally, we wanted to do Copper Ridge and Whatcom Pass over a 5 day/4 night period, but plans had to change based on availability.

Day 1: Hannegan pass trailhead to Whatcom Camp/Whatcom Pass

Road is in great condition with the majority of potholes at the very beginning. My 2001 Camry did fine on the road. The only elevation gain in the first 14ish miles of this trail is up to Hannegan Pass, which we made up in two hours. Then it is all downhill into the Chilliwack River valley, past Boundary, Copper Creek and US Cabin camps.

The Cable car crossing just past US Cabin camp was a welcome surprise. 
At 11.9 miles, we arrive at the junction for the Brush Creek Trail which leads to Graybeal Camp and Whatcom Pass. This trail is very brushy and very overgrown in some places. There were trail crews maintaining brush and removing blowdowns but they can only do so much. Be prepared to hike thru thick brush and climb over trees. From Hanngean pass to Graybeal, the way is far but easy enough, mostly flat or downhill. The way up to Whatcom Pass was a doozy. Multiple switchbacks and over 2000 ft of elevation gain over less than 3 miles. Be prepared for switchbacks and climbing over steep cascading creeks. Blowdowns were an issue going up but by the time we had come down they had been cleared! Thank you trail workers!

We arrived at Whatcom camp just before sunset. The pass is about .5 miles from the camp and not difficult. I hiked to the pass and back twice from camp.

Day 2: Whatcom Pass to Indian Creek

Fairly easy and not very exciting hike. About 8 miles. All downhill or level through the Chilliwack River Valley. The trail is very brushy in spots. The sites at Indian Creek camp are spacious and the river is near for water. Bugs were bad.

Day 3: Indian Creek to Egg Lake
This day was HARD. About 12 miles all uphill to the Copper Ridge Lookout, and then a descent to Egg Lake. The climb from the Chilliwack River up to Copper Ridge is no joke. It will take more time then you think.it is also DRY. No water for about 6 miles until you get closer to the ridge and Copper Lake. Be prepared by grabbing water in the river valley.

At the crossing of the Chilliwack, we did have to Ford. River came just above my knees and wasn’t too difficult to cross. Salmon were spawning which was a nice surprise. Copper Ridge is INSANELY beautiful. If we could, we would have stayed at Copper Lake but Egg Lake was our only option. Sites were nice but bugs were terrible. I would also opt for staying at Silesia but haul in water as I hear it is a dry camp.

Also: a lot of people say doing the loop counter clockwise would be insane. Personally I could not IMAGINE going downhill from Copper Lake to the Chilliwack River Trail. Uphill or downhill, it’s going to suck. So do whatever you want.

On our final day we headed to our car at Hannegan Pass trailhead.

Absolutely lovely. Some of the best views around! Will do again.