Hike Name: Skyline Divide
Date: Friday September 16
Location: Mount Baker Wilderness
Approx. drive time from home: 2 hours
Distance: 9 mi. / 14.5 km (return)
Elevation gain: 2213 ft / 675 m
Max. elevation: 6563 ft / 2000 m
Time on trail: 5 hours
We left home just before 8 a.m. and turned onto the gravel road near Glacier, WA, just after 9. Then it was nearly 40 minutes of slow, rocky, pot-holed road, driving 13 miles and gaining over 3000 feet. We made the trailhead just before 10.
The first 2 miles of trail climbs (sometimes steeply!) through a hemlock and fir forest. Upon gaining the ridge you've already climbed 1500 feet. We stopped for a short break, relaxing in the ridge-top meadows and taking in the view before us. Many hiking groups will turn back here, having found the hike up to be more challenging than expected!
The views on all sides were fantastic, with the Sumas Valley to the west, the Border Peaks to the north, Mt. Shuksan and the peaks of North Cascades National Park to the east and of course Mt. Baker to the south! We were also treated to an array of fall colours: yellows, oranges, golds and reds!