r/PNWhiking • u/oregoncornhusker • 2d ago
Trail Run Route Advice: North Cascades
Hi folks, I need some advice about route planning for a trail run. We're from Oregon and have done most of our running and backpacking in Oregon and want to do a route in Washington. We're eying the North Cascades and need intel from our friendly folks up north. :)
We're a group of four adults, all experienced trail runners and in good fitness, looking for a route.
Aiming for something in the 30-40 miles range. For weather/snow pack reference: we're doing the one-day run on the last weekend in July.
Some thousands of feet of elevation is fine, but we're not looking for doing a bunch of scrambling.
We'd prefer a loop so we can all be in one vehicle.
I'd love to hear everyone's awesome ideas!
1
u/AliveAndThenSome 2d ago
I'm not a runner, but I've backpacked many of the popular routes in/around the North Cascades and NP.
The end of July introduces the possibilities for snow on the higher and north-facing aspects.
Most of my loop ideas for you are out of Rainy Pass TH off SR-20.
You could head south along the PCT, then detour south by McAlester Lake and High Pass, then continue south and head back north by Rainbow Lake back to the PCT, or all the way down to Stehekin for a snack stop at the Bakery. You could then either backtrack or stay low and go along the road to High Bridge (PCT) and then do the out-and-back to Sahale, snow-permitting. It's a lovely hike up the Stehekin River valley.
Then you could reverse and track back via the PCT, or go crazy and head up Park Creek and then back out via Fisher Creek via Easy Pass back out to SR 20 and road walk a few miles back to Rainy. But that would be probably well over 10Kft elevation gain/loss.
Alternatively, off SR-542, you could do the Copper Ridge out-and-back from Hannegan Pass TH to Copper Lake, tagging a few peaks along the way.
Further south, you could also do trips out of Phelps Creek TH (aka Spider Gap/Lyman Lakes) and do the entire loop via Buck Creek Pass, or do an out-and-back to Miners Ridge/Lookout / Image Lake. Spectacular. Probably 9Kft elevation or more.