Hiking Winchester Mountain in the Mount Baker Wilderness
Contents
Winchester Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 5.60Km (3.48 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 405m (1,329 Ft.)
Highest Elevation: 1,978m (6,490 Ft.)
Average Gradient: 14.46%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Low / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 2 – 3 Hours
– Moderate: 1.5 – 2 Hours
– Fast: 1 – 1.5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Summer
4×4 / High Clearance Required? Yes
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Winchester Mountain Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°57’09.7″N 121°38’09.7″W
Winchester Mountain Overview
Winchester Mountain is a summit situated in the Mount Baker Wilderness of northern Washington. For those able to drive to the Twin Lakes Trailhead, this is a short hike with a consistent climb to the top. From here, most parties can be up and down in around 2 hours or less, and the views for that minimal effort are quite rewarding, with excellent views of the nearby Border Peaks, Mount Larrabee, Tomyhoi Peak, Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan to name a few. The Twin Lakes themselves are also quite a nice spot.
The road to the Twin Lakes Trailhead has received some notoriety in Washington for being a particularly rough FSR. Up to the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead is a relatively mellow road that most vehicles can drive, however it quickly deteriorates beyond here, with plenty of rocky terrain, several cross ditches and a steep gradient throughout. At the very least you will want an AWD SUV with reasonable ground clearance to proceed to Twin Lakes. Many vehicles can and do make it as it’s a very popular camping spot, but for those that can’t, parking at Yellow Aster Butte and hiking up the road is your only option. This will add around ~450m elevation gain and 9 – 10km to the stats above, turning this easy hike into more of a moderate one.
Winchester Mountain is a summer hike as the FSR to get there is not plowed and will only thaw in the summer. July to October will be best, but June may also work depending on the year. Of course, you can also park lower down the FSR and hike up in the spring, however in the winter this will be completely impractical due to the length of the FSR. Early fall is a good time for this hike as the foliage leading up to the peak turns a cacophony of hues.
Winchester Mountain is pet friendly and you are also able to camp on the summit, with space for a few small tents. It is free to camp at the lakes (and the summit), but you will need to buy a Northwest Forest Pass to park your vehicle. People can also sleep in the Winchester Mountain Lookout, though this is FCFS and can be popular, so don’t count on it being vacant.
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Is Winchester Mountain worthwhile?
Given the rare ability to park at almost 1,600m at Twin Lakes, Winchester Mountain is a fairly high bang for your buck hike, providing some nice views at the summit for relatively modest effort. Even if you have to park down at the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead this is still only a moderately difficult hike.
How difficult is the hike to Winchester Mountain?
From Twin Lakes this is a short but consistently steep climb up to the summit. The entire route follows an easy to follow trail with no scrambling or exposure anywhere along the hike. If you are beginning from the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead you will be adding a good 9 – 10km to the hike, which will equate to probably 2.50 – 3 additional hours of hiking. This will all be on an FSR, so travel should be simple and efficient.
Winchester Mountain Route Information
As noted, the trailhead begins from Twin Lakes, which is likely only accessible for AWD/4×4 vehicles with higher ground clearance. For those unable to reach this trailhead, the hike will begin from the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead, which is suitable for most vehicles. If you are beginning from Yellow Aster Butte you would simply hike up the FSR to Twin Lakes, with the trailhead for Winchester beginning from the parking area located in the middle of the two lakes.
From the parking lot, head north to an obvious trail into the treeline. The trail will immediately begin a gradual ascent away from the lakes, and after around 500m you’ll reach a junction with the High Pass Trail. Ignoring this trail and continuing on the Winchester Mountain trail, the views will gradually open up as you clear the dense treeline.
The next kilometer of the hike will simply ascend a series of switchbacks with a consistently moderate gradient throughout. From here you’ll traverse across the steep southern slopes of Winchester Mountain, with ever improving views of the Twin Lakes down below, as well as Mount Shuksan now popping into view.
At the end of this traverse you’ll reach the southwest slopes of Winchester, which you will begin working up. With Mount Baker in the distance to the west, the slopes are often filled with alpine flowers, making for a scenic spot. Shortly ahead, as you continue up the zigzag towards the summit, you’ll soon get your first glimpses of the imposing Mount Larrabee and the Border Peaks beyond. Slightly east of these will be Tomyhoi Peak.
There’s not much left to this hike, with the final stretch just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other as you follow the obvious trail to the summit. At the summit you’ll find the Winchester Mountain Lookout, built in 1935 and maintained by the Mount Baker Hiking Club. Feel free to explore the lookout, and make sure to follow the path behind where you will find the best views of the day, with jaw dropping views of Larrabee and the peaks beyond. Many people camp here in the summer and it’s easy to see why.
After resting up at the summit you simply hike back down the same way you came, enjoying the variety of views of Twin Lakes as you descend.
When should I hike Winchester Mountain?
As access to Winchester Mountain is dependent on the road being thawed, the typical period for hiking this peak is in peak summer, so July to October. You may be able to drive up some of the road earlier in the year, however there’s a high chance you’ll be stopped by snow, in which case you’d have to hike up from there. In the middle of winter the entire FSR will be snow covered, making this hike impossible for the average hiker.
Top Tip
If you intend to sleep in the lookout at the top, bring a tent anyway as there’s a good chance someone else will be there already and you will need to camp outside.
This hike is particularly scenic in the fall when the foliage changes to a glorious palette of autumnal colours.
