What to See in Glacier Peak Wilderness - Top Sights and Attractions

Active volcano with glaciers and hiking. Glacier Peak or Dakobed is the most isolated of the five major stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Volcanic Arc in the U.S state of Washington. Located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest, the volcano is visible from the west in Seattle, and from the north in the higher areas of eastern suburbs of Vancouver such as Coquitlam, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam. The volcano is the fourth tallest peak in Washington state, and not as much is known about it compared to other volcanoes in the area. Local Native Americans have recognized Glacier Peak and other Washington volcanoes in their histories and stories. When American explorers reached the region, they learned basic information about surrounding landforms, but did not initially understand that Glacier Peak was a volcano. Positioned in Snohomish County, the volcano is only 70 miles northeast of downtown Seattle. From locations in northern Seattle and northward, Glacier Peak is closer than the more famous Mount Rainier, but as Glacier Peak is set farther into the Cascades and almost 4,000 feet shorter, it is much less noticeable than Mount Rainier.

Glacier Peak is one of the most active of Washington's volcanoes. The volcano formed during the Pleistocene epoch, about one million years ago, and since the most recent ice age, it has produced some of the largest and most explosive eruptions in the state. When continental ice sheets retreated from the region, Glacier Peak began to erupt regularly, erupting explosively five times in the past 3,000 years. It has erupted repeatedly during at least six periods; two of these eruptions have been among the largest in Washington.^[1]

Tarn in Washington. Image Lake is a tarn in Glacier Peak Wilderness, in the North Cascades of Washington, United States. The lake is surrounded by Plummer Peak to the east, a lookout point to the west, the Miners Creek drainage and Glacier Peak to the south, and Canyon Lake to the north. The course of the popular Miners Ridge Trail skirts the lake. Glacier Peak can be seen from the outlet of the lake, and the peak reflected in the lake is a popular photographic subject.

As a result of a relatively mild temperate climate with ample precipitation, the areas around Image Lake boast rich natural habitats with many species of plants, insects, rodents, and large mammals. Native Americans took advantage of these resources, and may have inhabited the area seasonally. However, human activity such as hunting, fishing, and mining, and recreational overuse increased after the arrival of Europeans. As a result, some areas experienced significant environmental degradation near the end of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, including the eradication of large predatory animals. Recreational overuse and the presence of livestock were especially problematic in the early to mid-twentieth century.^[2]

Peak in Washington State. Mount Fernow is a tall peak in the North Cascades in the U.S. state of Washington and within the Glacier Peak Wilderness of the Wenatchee National Forest. At 9,249 feet in elevation it is the eighth-highest peak in Washington and the state's third-highest non-volcanic peak. It is also the highest peak of the Entiat Mountains, a sub-range of the Cascades. Mount Fernow's prominence is 2,811 ft, making it the sixtieth-most-prominent peak in Washington. The closest peak to Fernow is Copper Peak, 0.88 mi to the north, and the nearest higher peak is Bonanza Peak, 5.9 mi to the north.

Mount Fernow is flanked by several glaciers. Other large glaciated peaks are nearby, such as Seven Fingered Jack to the south. The headwaters of the Entiat River rise from the south slopes of Mount Fernow and the east slopes of Seven Fingered Jack.^[3]

Peak in Washington State. Mount Pugh is a peak near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Washington state. It is located 12.2 miles west of Glacier Peak, one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. It rises out of the confluence of the White Chuck River and the Sauk River, giving it very low footings. For example, it rises 6,150 feet above the Sauk River Valley in just over 2 horizontal miles; its rise over the White Chuck River is almost as dramatic. The mountain is named for John Pugh, who settled nearby, in 1891.

According to Fred Beckey, "Nels Bruseth apparently made the first ascent in 1916". Earlier unrecorded ascents, including possibly much earlier Native American ascents, are possibilities, since the easiest ascent route is non-technical.

The trail to the summit is easily negotiable most of the way but the last 1.5 miles (2.4 km) is along a razorback ridge with significant exposure. This is the Northwest Ridge, Trail Number 644, which actually starts in the Sauk River Valley on the southwest side of the mountain. The total elevation gain is almost exactly one mile (5,280 ft or 1,609 m).^[6]

Mountain in Washington State. Dome Peak is a high, massive, glaciated mountain in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of Washington's North Cascades. The remote location of Dome Peak, combined with its height, make it a less common destination for Cascade Range mountaineers. Dome Peak is at the southern end of the Ptarmigan Traverse mountaineering route. It is located at the extreme southeast corner of Skagit County. The mountain was given its name by Albert H. Sylvester, the first forest supervisor of Wenatchee National Forest.

There are two main summits connected by a narrow ridge with the northeastern summit being higher than the southwestern. Chickamin Glacier is north of the peak while Dome Glacier is to the west. A rock face drops off to the southeast. Dana Glacier is on the north side of a ridge that connects Dome Peak and Spire Point.

The higher northeast peak was first climbed by George Freed and Eric Larson on August 1, 1936. The southwest peak was first climbed on July 5, 1936, by Forest Farr, Norval Grigg, and Don Blair.^[8]

Glacier in Washington State. White Chuck Glacier is located in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in the U.S. state of Washington and is 3.5 mi south of Glacier Peak. The glacier is within Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and nearly touches the White River Glacier though they are separated by an arête off the Kololo Peaks. White Chuck Glacier has retreated significantly since the end of the Little Ice Age. From about 1850 to 1930, the glacier thinned and by 1940, a fast rate of retreat commenced. By 1955, the glacier had three separate termini and by 2005, the northern terminus was gone. Several small proglacial lakes have been left behind by the retreating glacier. Between 1958 and 2005 White Chuck Glacier lost more than half its surface area.^[14]