Hiking Hadley Peak in the Mount Baker Wilderness
Contents
Hadley Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 17Km (10.6 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 1,100m (3,600 Ft)
Highest Elevation: 2,291m (7,516 Ft)
Average Gradient: 12.94%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 8 – 9 Hours
– Moderate: 6.5 – 8 Hours
– Fast: 5.5 – 6.5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~July – October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: Some class 2 scrambling, mild exposure.
Hadley Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°52’11.5″N 121°47’51.5″W
The coordinates above are as far as Google Maps will go along the forest road. The actual trailhead is another kilometer or so further.
Hadley Peak Overview
Hadley Peak is a horn shaped summit located in the Mount Baker Wilderness, marginally north of Mount Baker itself. At almost 2,300m elevation, Hadley Peak is a sizable summit by North Cascades standards, however due to its location next to Baker it is significantly overshadowed and doesn’t get much attention. This is unfortunate as Hadley Peak is a relatively straightforward climb and offers staggering views of Mount Baker and the surrounding peaks, as well as an ocean of glaciers.
There are two standard approaches to Hadley Peak, either from the Skyline Divide trail or the Cougar Divide trail, both rewarding hikes in their own right. While Skyline Divide is more popular, Cougar Divide is actually a shorter outing with less elevation gain thanks to its higher trailhead at 1,500m, and is the route described here. Either way, both routes meet up on Chowder Ridge and follow the same northwest ridge to the summit, the only difference is the approach to Chowder Ridge.
Most of the route is just hiking, and while Chowder Ridge might look imposing once you get there, for the most part it’s hiking with the odd section of class 2 scrambling. Exposure is mostly mild as you traverse across a steep slope for much of the ridge. Some parties may want a helmet due to the loose rock along the ridge.
Due to the trailhead being so high, this hike has a fairly short season as it takes a long time for the snow to have melted to that elevation. Usually it won’t be until July that the trailhead is clear of snow, and even then you will likely encounter snow along the trail, potentially until August. As Chowder Ridge involves significant side hilling, snow could be treacherous along the trail and should be avoided. Both Cougar Divide and Skyline Divide are also known to have horrific mosquitos until mid summer when they finally clear up, which means the ideal timing for Hadley Peak is likely mid-August to early October, give or take a couple of weeks. Once the snow returns, Hadley Peak will be out until the next summer.
The drive to Cougar Divide follows NF33 off of Mount Baker Highway. This forest road is around 11 miles long and is mostly well graded gravel, however there are usually some sections of rocks and some mild cross ditches towards the end. SUV’s should manage the road fine, and it’s not impossible for a sedan to reach the trailhead with careful driving.
Dogs are allowed on Hadley Peak and on the Cougar Divide trail, however care should be taken along the ridge to Hadley due to loose rocks and a steep slope to one side. If your dog is accustomed to chasing falling rocks down hills it might be prudent to leave them at home.
Camping is permitted along the Cougar Divide trail, however in the late summer water sources may be scarce or nonexistent.
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Is Hadley Peak worthwhile?
Hadley Peak offers some of the finest views of Mount Baker that you will find anywhere. Combined with the scenic approach via Cougar Divide makes this hike a fantastic outing with significant rewards. It’s also not that difficult and can be completed relatively quickly.
How difficult is the hike to Hadley Peak?
While Hadley Peak is a fairly challenging hike, much of the climb is on easy terrain following a well groomed trail. Travel is generally quite quick, with fast parties able to complete this hike in around 6 hours. There aren’t many sections of the hike that are particularly steep, however there is a fair bit of undulation along the way.
Technically speaking the biggest challenge of Hadley Peak is the ridge that you’ll traverse across towards the summit. Much of this follows a faint trail, with some tedious side hilling involved. For the most part if you stay high on the ridge you will avoid the worst of the side hilling, however at times you do need to drop down to avoid exposed scrambling. The final climb up to the summit involves some very loose scree and some class 2 scrambling. Generally the exposure is fairly minimal and most experienced parties should be comfortable with it. Some parties will bring a helmet due to the loose rock, but others don’t.
Hadley Peak Route Information
The trailhead for Hadley Peak is from the Cougar Divide parking area at the end of NF Service Road 33 off of Mount Baker Highway. This forest road is generally well groomed for the most part, and SUV’s should be fine to reach the trailhead. Sedans will be able to make it most, if not all of the way with some careful driving. The forest road is long and might take some drivers 45 minutes to an hour to reach the end. There is room for around 8 – 10 vehicles at the trailhead, with overflow parking on the side of the road if needed.
From the trailhead you will find an obvious trail leading into the forest, which starts with an immediate climb. The forest will soon give way to some subalpine meadows, and after around 1km of hiking you’ll reach a beautiful viewpoint of Mount Baker and Shuksan. If you leave early enough this is a fantastic place to enjoy the sunrise thanks to its easterly views.
Back on the trail you’ll continue along briefly before dropping down back into the forest. The next kilometer will wind through the forest on a mostly flat trail. This is not a maintained trail and there is usually a good amount of blowdown in this section, though it is usually easy to navigate with some careful footing.
Shortly ahead you’ll climb again before the terrain opens up as you continue through the forest. You’ll soon drop down once more, and continue on briefly before arriving at the stunning alpine meadows offering panoramic views of Baker and Shuksan. From here on out the views are permanent and jaw dropping.
The trail will continue to meander through these meadows, all the while offering plenty of opportunity to rest and soak in the views on the tantalising grassy slopes that you’re surrounded by. This is a nice place for a break if one is needed, however the trail continues on in the direction of Chowder Ridge. After a brief descent you’ll begin climbing once more. The meadows that you were hiking though will soon give way to dirt and rock, and at around 1,820m the “official” Cougar Divide trail will cease to exist.
From here on you will want to refer to your map, however there is a faint trail leading up towards Chowder Ridge. The climb is steep but straightforward, and gaining the ridge when it is snow free is a simple case of following the loose dirt trail as it sidehills up. If there is snow covering this slope gaining the ridge can be very challenging if not impossible without the right gear, which is another reason why this hike is best saved for late summer once the snowline has fully receded.
Once you’re on Chowder Ridge the Cougar Divide route and Skyline Divide route combine. You’ll now have a clear view of the first pinnacle along the ridge, which will look pretty imposing from where you stand, but don’t fret as it is much easier than it looks.
There is an obvious footbed along Chowder Ridge that you should try and stick to for the most part since it reduces any side hilling. The initial section of the route remains below the top of the ridge with some fairly annoying side hilling, but after the first 500m or so you’ll work around a rocky outcropping, after which you will want to climb up the other side to the top of the ridge.
You will now want to stay on the top of the ridge where possible, though it is easy to get drawn down to avoid the ups and downs of the ridge. Most people will find it’s easier to tackle these undulations versus the annoying and loose side hilling, though. Most of the ridge is quite broad and easy to travel on, but shortly before the summit push the route will drop down and around another rocky outcropping. It may be possible to scramble over this, but dropping down and around is likely easier and faster.
On the other side of this outcropping you will immediately want to climb back up to the top of the ridge, which will now be incredibly loose scree. To avoid the worst of the scree you will want to stay as close as possible to firm rock, which will not only reduce the scree but also provide something to hold onto as you climb up.
After a brief but loose climb you’ll be back on the top of the ridge, and shortly ahead you’ll reach the final climb up to the summit. Here there are two short gulleys you can climb up, either works fine and neither is exposed. These might be class 2 scrambles, but if you stick to solid rock and avoid the loose junk it should be easy. In short order you will crest the summit, where you will immediately be slammed with the most incredible views of Mount Baker and the plethora of glaciers sprawling down her northern slopes.
While Baker steals the show, the views will be panoramic in every direction, with great views of Mount Shuksan, Mount Larrabee, the Border Peaks, Tomyhoi Peak and Mount Redoubt to name a few. There isn’t a ton of space on the summit of Hadley Peak, maybe enough room for 5 people comfortably, but it’s easy to stick around and enjoy the views for a long, long time.
Once finished at the summit you simply reverse the trail back to the trailhead. For some reason the ridge feels considerably easier/faster on the return journey, then the remainder of the hike out is very straightforward. Unfortunately there are some uphill sections on the return leg, but they’re mostly short lived.
When should I hike Hadley Peak?
Timing for Hadley Peak is quite challenging because the trailhead will usually only be snow free by early to mid summer, and even then mosquitoes will be a major issue until late summer. You will also want the climb up to Chowder Ridge to be thawed, otherwise gaining the ridge could be very challenging or impossible. With all that said, the ideal timing for Hadley Peak is likely mid-August to early October. A few weeks either side of this may work depending on the year and (in the early summer) your tolerance for mosquitos.
Top Tip
Car camping at the trailhead (or just arriving early) and setting off before sunrise will be a very fulfilling trip. In just 15 minutes you reach a great view of Baker and Shuksan, and in around an hour will reach the stunning alpine meadows that offer even better views.
There are many reviews of just how bad the mosquitos are on Cougar Divide in the early summer, with many people noting they are intolerable and had to turn back. As such it is strongly advised to save Hadley Peak until the late summer.
Hiking poles might be handy to bring for the side hilling along Chowder Ridge.
