[pct-l] Glacier Pk East Side

[Brian Booth <bbooth626@yahoo.com>]

From: JBorsecnik@aol.com
Subject: [pct-l] WA PCT alternative, East of Glacier Peak

Has anyone ventured East of Glacier Peak in Washington (Little Giant
Creek, Napequa Valley, etc.) as an alternative to the main route on the
West side?  If so, I'm curious how difficult and interesting this route
is.  jb

JB,
Ya, if you have the strength, go for the East Side, the later in the
season, the better, due to the river crossings.  Boulder Pass is very
nice.  Crossing the Napeequa River could be scary; I haven't tried it. 
But the Napeequa Valley is one of the "crown jewels" of the roadless
valleys in the Cascades.  If I were a grizzly wandering from BC into
the WA Cascades, the Napeequa is where I'd go.  The view of the
Napeequa Valley & Glacier Pk from Little Giant Pass is stunning. 
Crossing the Chiwawa R also could be scary; I have done it in Sep and
it was a piece of cake - only shin deep.  I cannot comment on the
section of trail over Buck Pass other than I have been told it is
supreme.  

If you are continuing northward, I would agree to skip the
poorly-chosen PCT route along Miners Creek and instead loop up to Image
Lake and Miners Ridge which are much more fitting of PCT status, and
rejoin the PCT at Suiattle Pass.

If you really have the spirit of adventure in you, I could suggest
after crossing the Chiwawa, instead of going to Trinity & Buck Pass,
you could go to the Spider trailhead, where you could ramble to the
stunning Spider Meadow, do a thrilling up & over Spider Gap, then
cross-country descend to Lyman Lakes, which are an impossibly
tourquoise color.

Charlie Manson
PCT '90

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