Hiking Cougar Divide in the Mount Baker Wilderness
Contents
Cougar Divide Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.00Km (6.2 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 545m (1,788 Ft.)
Highest Elevation: 1,800m (5,906 Ft.)
Average Gradient: 10.90%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 3 – 4 Hours
– Moderate: 2.5 – 3 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 2.5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~July to October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No – But it helps
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Cougar Divide Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°52’11.8″N 121°47’51.6″W
Cougar Divide Overview
The Cougar Divide trail is a less popular alternative to the Skyline Divide trail in the Mount Baker Wilderness. Sitting marginally east of Skyline Divide, this trail is less maintained, less busy and more challenging to drive to, however it offers comparable views, with stunning vistas of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan on a clear summer day. Due to the trailhead sitting at 1,500m, most of the usual forest trudge is dispatched via driving, meaning for relatively little effort you are offered rewarding views.
This high elevation trailhead also means the season for this hike is quite short, since the snowline will only have receded to these levels in early to mid-summer. Combined with positively heinous mosquitos in the early summer, timing is best left to mid to late summer once they have calmed down. The full season is likely July to October, however the best period will typically be mid-August to October.
Due to a lack of maintenance the Cougar Divide trail often has a lot of blowdowns along the route that will require navigating. For adults this may not be a significant hindrance, but for children and pets this can get quite tiresome. Thankfully the hike is short though, so any suffering should still be relatively short lived.
Some people choose to camp in the open meadows at the end of the Cougar Divide trail, however it should be noted that water sources can be nonexistent in the late summer once the snow has all melted. Pets are allowed on the trail.
The drive to the trailhead 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.
Once you reach the end of the trail it is possible to climb up to Chowder Ridge and connect to the Skyline Divide trail. It’s then also possible to continue along Chowder Ridge to Hadley Peak, which offers some of the finest views of Mount Baker in the area.
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Is Cougar Divide worthwhile?
The Cougar Divide trail offers very rewarding views for fairly modest effort, similar to Skyline Divide. The trail is more rugged but most adults will find it just fine, and in almost no time you’ll be treated to some fantastic vistas. Capable parties are strongly recommended to continue on to Chowder Ridge and ideally Hadley Peak as this offers incredible rewards.
How difficult is the hike to Cougar Divide?
The Cougar Divide trail is a relatively straightforward hike, beginning at 1,500m (4,921 Ft.) and reaching a high point of around 1,800m (5,906 Ft.) There is a fair bit of undulation along the trail, hence cumulative gain is closer to 500m (1,640 Ft). Still, it is rarely that steep, and any climbs are usually followed by a period of flat or descending trail.
The only technical challenge of this hike is the blowdown during the forested section. For adults this is usually a minor inconvenience, but for children and pets it can be annoying. There is no scrambling or exposure on this trail.
Cougar Divide Route Information
The trailhead for Cougar Divide is from 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 sides of the road if needed. Usually this isn’t a super popular trail since it’s not located near any large populations and the Skyline Divide and Heliotrope Ridge trails bear the brunt with the masses.
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 that offer views of Skyline Divide to the west, and after around 1km (0.6 Miles) of hiking you’ll reach a beautiful viewpoint of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. If you leave early enough and hike quickly this is a fantastic place to enjoy the sunrise thanks to its southeasterly views.
Back on the trail you’ll continue along briefly before dropping down off a rocky ridge back into the forest. The next kilometer will twist 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 (for adults) 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 now surrounded by. The remainder of the trail winds through these meadows offering panoramic views to the east and south.
The meadows that you’re hiking though will soon give way to dirt and rock, and at around 1,820m (5,971 Ft.) the “official” Cougar Divide trail will cease to exist. At this point you’re really in an alpine playground where you can explore to your heart’s content. Experienced parties may want to continue on to Chowder Ridge, which ultimately ends on the summit of Hadley Peak, a very worthwhile hike with incredible glaciated views of Mount Baker. Chowder Ridge also connects with the popular Skyline Divide trail, providing further options for exploration.
Some parties simply opt to set up camp somewhere around the end of the official trail, though in the late summer water sources will be scarce if not nonexistent. Earlier in the year snow may still linger, providing a meltable water source.
Whenever you’re ready to return to the trailhead, you simply follow the same route back.
When should I hike Cougar Divide?
Timing for this hike 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. With that said, the ideal timing for Cougar Divide 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 you will reach the stunning alpine meadows that offer spectacular early morning views of the sun rising behind Shuksan.
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 Cougar Divide until the late summer.
