Trip Date: June 16-24, 2018

Picket Range Climbing Trip & Picket Traverse:  Perfect Pass to McMillan Pass

Little Beaver Creek
Whatcom Arm
Perfect Pass
Whatcom Peak (7574′)
Solar Pass
Phantom Arm Saddle
Pickell Pass
Picket Pass
McMillan Pass
Rhino Butte (6914′)
Elephant Butte (7380′)
Torrent Pass
North Stetattle Butte (6728′)
South Stetattle Butte (6495′)
Sourdough Creek

Trip Report Summary

Region: Northwestern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Picket Range

Area: North Cascades National Park

Primary Starting Point: Ross Dam Trailhead on Highway 20 (Elev. 2150 feet)

Secondary Starting Point: Little Beaver Creek Trailhead (Elev. 1600 feet)

Way Points: Ross Lake Landing (trail hike);  Ross Lake & Little Beaver Landing (boat ride);  Perry Creek & Redoubt Creek & Pass Creek & Whatcom Arm (trail hike);  Whatcom Glacier & Perfect Pass & Challenger Glacier & Solar Pass & Solar Glacier & Crooked Thumb Glacier & Phantom Arm Saddle & Pickell Pass & Goodell Cirque & Picket Pass & Mustard Glacier & McMillan Tarn & Barricade Nose & McMillan Glacier & McMillan Pass & Rhino Butte summit & Elephant Butte summit & Torrent Bench & Torrent Lake & Torrent Pass & North Stetattle Butte summit & South Stetattle Butte summit (snow climb & rock scramble);  Stetattle Arm & Sourdough Creek (snow hike & rock scramble & trail hike)

Ending Point: Sourdough Trailhead at Diablo Townsite on Diablo Road (Elev. 1200 feet)

Campsites: Little Beaver Creek Trail at MP-12 & Perfect Pass & Pickell Pass & Picket Pass & McMillan Tarn & Rhino Butte summit & Torrent Bench & Stetattle Arm

Summit: Whatcom Peak (ascent & descent via South Slope—West Ridge)

Summit: Rhino Butte (ascent & descent via West Ridge)

Summit: Elephant Butte (ascent via West Ridge; descent via East Face)

Summit: North Stetattle Butte (ascent via Northwest Ridge; descent via Southeast Ridge)

Summit: South Stetattle Butte (ascent via Northwest Ridge; descent via Southeast Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 48 miles traveled on foot; 22,200 feet gained; 23,400 feet lost; 7 passes crossed; 5 summits attained; 0 other people seen between Ross Lake and Sourdough Creek.

Related Posts

Whatcom Peak Loop + Easy Peak + Perfect Pass + Whatcom Peak via South Side – August 1, 2011

Link to Full Trip Report for The Picket Traverse

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…

Days 0-3: Newhalem to Pickell Pass

Emergency Stitching Job On Backpack

Waiting For Boat At Ross Lake

Start Of Little Beaver Trail

Whatcom Peak From Little Beaver Trail

Mt Challenger From Little Beaver Trail

Whatcom Glacier From Whatcom Arm

Traversing Whatcom Glacier

Traversing Whatcom Glacier

Mt Challenger From Whatcom Glacier

High On Whatcom Traverse

Perfect Pass From Whatcom Traverse

Mt Challenger From Perfect Pass Camp

Group Dinner At Perfect Pass

SW View From Perfect Pass

Perfect Pass Curve

Perfect Pass At Sunrise (oil painting by Brad Brisbine)

Perfect Pass Sunrise From Tent

Heading Up Whatcom Peak

Heading Up Whatcom Peak

Heading Up Whatcom Peak

Scrambling Up Whatcom Peak

Scrambling Up Whatcom Peak

Group On Summit Of Whatcom Peak

American Chilliwacks From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Canadian Chilliwacks From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Mt Baker and Shuksan From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Lower Skagit Peaks From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Mt Challenger From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Bear Mountain and Mt Redoubt From Summit Of Whatcom Peak

Heading Up Challenger Glacier On Day 3

High On Challenger Glacier On Day 3

Lunch Stop At Solar Pass

Crooked Thumb and Phantom Peak From Solar Pass

Phantom Arm and Mt Crowder From Solar Pass

Traversing To Phantom Arm

Climbing Up Phantom Arm

Climbing Up Phantom Arm

Pickell Pass From Phantom Arm

Southern Pickets Above Pickell Pass

Traversing Below Phantom Peak

Final Traverse To Pickell Pass

Fay and Eileen At Pickell Pass

Heading To Camp Above Pickell Pass

Southern Pickets From Pickell Pass

Days 4-5: Pickell Pass to McMillian Tarn

Camp 3 At Pickell Pass

Climbing Out Of Pickell Pass On Day 4

Snow Descent From Pickell Pass

Descending From Pickell Pass

Mt Crowder and Pickell Pass

Traversing Through Goodell Cirque

Mt Despair From Goodell Cirque

Bottom Of Snow Gully In Goodell Cirque

Climbing Snow Gully In Goodell Cirque

Upper Snow Gully In Goodell Cirque

High In Goodell Cirque Snow Gully

Ascending To Picket Pass

Final Slopes Below Picket Pass

Southern Pickets From Picket Pass

McMillan Cirque From Picket Pass

Mt Prophet From Picket Pass

McMillan Pass From Picket Pass

Southern Pickets From Picket Pass

Southern Pickets From Picket Pass

Sunset on Southern Pickets viewed from Picket Pass on Day 4 of the Picket Traverse

Sunset On Elephant Butte and Rhino Butte

Sunset At Picket Pass

Sunset Over Mt Fury From Picket Pass

Camp At Picket Pass

Southern Pickets From Picket Pass

Sunrise On Southern Pickets

Sunrise On Mt Fury

Crescent Creek Spires From Picket Pass

Mt Fury From Picket Pass

Pickell Pass From Picket Pass

Snowfields Below Picket Pass

Cornice Crack Below Picket Pass

Descending From Picket Pass

Looking Down On Mustard Glacier

Looking Down On Mustard Glacier

First Rappel Down To Mustard Glacier

Crescent Creek Spires From Mustard Glacier

Second Rappel Down To Mustard Glacier

Descending Mustard Glacier

Descending Mustard Glacier

Looking Up At Descent Route

Key Ledge Into Snow Gully

Looking Down Snow Gully To McMillan Tarn

Descending To McMillan Tarn

Group Dinner At McMillan Tarn

Days 6-9: McMillian Tarn to Sourdough Trailhead

Crossing Under The Barricade On Day 6

Climbing Up To McMillan Glacier

Looking Across Snout Of McMillan Glacier

Key Ledge Below McMillan Glacier

Rappelling Into Snow Gully Below McMillan Glacier

Rappelling Into Snow Gully Below McMillan Glacier

Crossing Key Ledge Below McMillan Glacier

Crossing Key Ledge Below McMillan Glacier

Looking Back at McMillan Glacier and the Southern Pickets on Day 6 of Picket Traverse

Looking Back At Picket Pass

Looking Back At McMillan Cirque

Ascending To McMillan Pass

Final Ascent To McMillan Pass

Final Ascent To McMillan Pass

Rhino Butte From McMillan Pass

Climbing Rhino Butte

Climbing Rhino Butte

Eileen On Summit Of Rhino Butte

Group Dinner On Summit Of Rhino Butte

Davis Peak From Summit Of Rhino Butte

Eileen Bivy On Summit Of Rhino Butte

East Fury Peak From Summit Of Rhino Butte

Southern Pickets From Summit Of Rhino Butte

The Roost From Summit Of Rhino Butte

Cornice On Elephant Butte

Descending Snow On Elephant Butte

High Rappel On Elephant Butte

Downclimbing Elephant Butte

Stetattle Ridge From Elephant Butte

Camp 7 At Torrent Bench

Descending From Torrent Bench

Looking Down On Torrent Lake

Hiking Along Stetattle Ridge Crest

Ascending North Stetattle Peak

Ascending South Stetattle Peak

Ascending South Stetattle Peak

Ascending South Stetattle Peak

Southern Pickets and Elephant Butte From Stetattle Ridge

Descending To Stetattle Arm Above Sourdough Lake

Descending To Stetattle Arm

Looking Down On Stetattle Arm

McAllister Peaks From Stetattle Arm Camp

Jack Mountain From Stetattle Arm Camp

Hiking Down Stetattle Arm On Day 9

McAllister Peaks From Stetattle Arm

Hiking Down Stetattle Arm

Hiking Down Stetattle Arm