Washington High Routes and Traverses

A Lifetime of Adventures

It is no secret that I love high routes and traverses. My favorite way to experience the mountains is to move freely and quickly over vast quantities of rugged terrain. Whether on skis, running shoes, or rock shoes, there is no other experience that blends speed, beauty, and technicality so wonderfully in my mind.

After a magical experience on the Sierra High Route, it has become a lifetime goal to bring that vision of high travel to the Cascades, hopefully culminating one day with completion of the Cascade High Route. In the last year, I have made a conscious effort to get off the beaten path and explore the vast alpine terrain in our backyards. Through both research and experience, I have found a lot of awesome high routes and traverses in Washington and would like to share a few (okay, maybe more than a few). I try to give a range of difficulties and lengths for all ability levels.

Iceberg Lake on the Alpine Lakes Crest Traverse.

For the purpose of this article, I have color coded routes by four different categories:

  • High Route: These routes are non-technical, meaning no 5th class climbing. However, they may have glacial travel. The purpose is to cover great distance over rugged terrain, not necessarily to summit.
  • Linkup: These routes combine peakbagging, scrambling, and high routing (is that even a verb?).
  • Technical Traverse: These routes have 5th class travel. A rope and protection is commonly used.
  • Ski Traverse: These routes are most commonly done as a ski traverse during winter or spring.

Categories can overlap. For example, the Ptarmigan Traverse is both a fantastic ski traverse and high route, but I refer to it as a high route simply because more parties complete it on foot. Additionally, there are many peaks to bag along the way so it could be a linkup.

Preface: I apologize for my superfluous use of “classic”.

Update: Sam put in an incredible effort to convert the list into a caltopo map!

I90

  • P3 to Defiance Traverse: A ridgewalk, close to Seattle with minimal schwack. Can be extended all the way to Granite. My TR.
  • Granite Mountain Traverse: Another fun little backcountry evening route that involves more bushwhacking than scrambling. My TR.
  • Mailbox to Granite Traverse: The full ridge from Mailbox to Granite! An incredible adventure in the backyard, compelte with sustained boulder hopping and jungling! My TR.
  • Kaleetan Granite Traverse: This is a surprisingly adventurous ski traverse accessible at any time of year. My TR.
Skiing Granite at sunset.
  • Roosevelt Kaleetan Traverse: An aesthetic ridge, possibly the best low-5th terrain in the Snoqualmie Backcountry, as people say. TR.
  • Chair Bryant Traverse: Begin with the north ridge of Chair, continue all the way to the Tooth or even Denny for bonus fun. TR.
  • Commonwealth Ultimate Ridge Linkup: Incredible bang for you buck with literally miles of 3rd to 5th class terrain. My TR.
  • Melakwa Pass Loop: In the winter it would be known as the Chair Peak Circumnavigation. The summer form is a little longer, starting and ending traditionally at the Denny Creek trailhead. TR.
  • Snoqualmie Haute Route: This creative multi day ski traverse wraps around the major peaks of the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River. My crew knocked in out in a single day, even with broken skis. My TR.
  • Alpine Lakes Crest Traverse: Similar to the Haute Route in terrain, but more similar to the Ptarmigan Traverse in character, this route crosses the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness from Snoqualmie Pass to Mt. Daniel. My TR.
Views from the Alpine Lakes Crest Traverse.
  • Mt. Daniel Circumnavigation: Mt. Daniel is a deceptively large mountain, holding many glaciers and lakes. TR.
  • Bears Breast Traverse: This remote peak is also home to the “mythical mega slabs”, 3000 ft of sustained 4th and low 5th. TR.
  • Paddy-go-easy High Route: This route covers some beautiful terrain between Paddy-go-easy pass and the Robin Lakes, visiting many tarns along the way. TR.
  • Paddy-go-Daniel High Route: Linkup the Paddy-go-easy HR with Jade Lake and a summit of Mt. Daniel! This is an incredible route that does not require a car shuttle. My TR.
  • Big Snow to Iron Cap High Route: Enjoy stunning alpine lakes, solitude, and the magic of the Middle Fork! This is an alternative way to approach the misnamed “Alpine Lakes High Route” and make it a little longer and more interesting. My TR.
  • Middle Fork Teanaway Orbit: An awesome early season route encircling the lesser traveled Middle Fork Teanaway valley. My TR.
  • Teanaway Traverse: A super fun, playful linkup of 9 peaks on the Teanaway Crest. This is a great place to hone your skills. My TR.
  • Bean Creek Ski Circuit: The Teanaway has a ton of potential for corn harvesting and ski linkups. Here is one idea. My TR.
  • Slammin’ Salmon Ski Traverse: An incredibly aesthetic ski traverse with great lines and mid-winter access. My TR.
  • Lemah Chimney Rock Circumnavigation: Another interesting route with incredible waterfalls, glaciers, and spires, all packaged up in a nice loop. My TR.
  • Davis Goat Traverse: A surprisingly remote feeling high route across an isolated massif in the center of the Salmon La Sac valley. Epic views. My TR.
Stunning exposure on the Commonwealth Ultimate Ridge Linkup.

US2

  • Persindex Traverse: This was the very first traverse I attempted long ago. It travels through surprisingly alpine terrain between two of the steepest peaks in Washington. TR.
  • Index Traverse: The three summits of Mt. Index compose this huge, committing undertaking, a classic. TR.
  • Alpine Lakes High Route: Perhaps the most classic high route in Washington, with stunning lakes and vistas. My TR.
  • Thunder Robin High Route: The logical extension of the Alpine Lakes Crest Traverse to US2 covers some beautiful, forgotten terrain near some very overpopulated terrain. TR.
  • Rock Howard Mastiff Traverse: Three high peaks just east of Stevens Pass. Good access, good skiing. My TR.
Beautiful views on the Rock Howard Mastiff Traverse.
  • Chiwaukum Traverse: A “new-age” classic ski traverse. The Chiwaukum Range has some huge, open, non-glaciated alpine terrain and is perfect for a ski traverse. TR.
  • Chiwaukum High Route: This is one of my favorite high routes, especially during fall. It traverses the bulk of the Chiwaukum range, with incredible meadows and high country. My TR.
  • Icicle Ridge Traverse: Lots of opportunities along Icicle Ridge and Big Jim and Big Lou to run broad, open ridges. TR.
  • Stuart Range Traverse: The steep couloirs of this range lend themselves to a ski traverse of more ups and downs than sideways. TR.
  • Enchantment Enchainment: Some variation of 9 or 10 Bulgers in the Stuart Range. Many ways to skin this cat. TR.
  • Carne High Route: This popular route is basically a trail, or a good introductory high route. TR.
  • The Entiat 9ers: Maude, 7 Fingered Jack, and Fernow all lie on a ridge together. All are above 9000 ft and in one of the most beautiful settings in the Cascades. All have terrible rock. You get the idea. TR.
  • Little Giant High Pass Loop: 90% of this route is on a trail of some sort, but it’s simply too beautiful to leave out. Add in the Louie Creek High Route to Buck Mountain for a bonus. Great peak bagging opportunities near High Pass. TR.
  • Dakobed Range Circumnavigation: Stunning, remote scenery in the heart of the Glacier Peak Wilderness. If you can tolerate the brush, this is solitude well spent. TR.
  • Dakobed Range Traverse: It also works on skis! Or a splitboard… TR.
An Alaskan glacial cirque on the Dakobed Range Circumnavigation.

Mountain Loop Highway

  • Three Fingers Traverse: Visible from the Seattle/Everett area, this simply makes sense. TR.
  • Pilchuck Loop: An accessible, introductory high route with some nice lakes along the way. TR.
  • Monte Cristo Linkup: Another underrated area of the Cascades with high alpine peaks and glaciers. TR.
  • Painted Traverse: One of those classic steep-heather sidehilling traverses in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. TR. It also makes for a fantastic ski traverse.
  • The Darrington Rodeo: This route combines the low elevation slabby granite domes of the Darrington area with exciting adventuring ridge climbing and the lofty summit of Whitehorse. Pure Cascadian Adventure! My TR.
  • Heineken High Route: This route travels an incredible ridge line between Sloan and the Monte Cristo Peaks, with great meadows, views, and an alpine scramble to finish it off! My TR.

Suiattle River Road

  • Bath Lakes High Route: Perhaps THE KING OF STEEP HEATHER high routes. Stretch out your ankles. Get ready. TR.
  • Gunrunner Traverse: Some of the best and most remote alpine rock in the state. Can it be matched? TR.
  • Lime Ridge High Route: Beautiful lake after lake on this lovely high route just north of Glacier Peak. TR.
  • Green Buckindy High Route: The quiet little brother of the Ptarmigan Traverse, this one is more rugged actually. Even Beckey recommends crampons for the steep heather. You know it’s bad then. TR.
  • Dominatrix Traverse: This route travels between Snowking and Chaval, very obscure. TR.
The Bath Lakes Peaks in alpenglow.

Highway 542

  • Twin Sisters Traverse: Fun fact – the peaks in the logo of Kulshan Brewing are not Kulshan, but rather the Twin Sisters. TR.
  • Green Creek Circuit: This linkup might be the king of all scramble / low 5th routes in all of Washington. My TR.
  • Watson Traverse: Cody Townsend really doesn’t like this one, but others say it’s pretty good. TR.
  • Nooksack Traverse: From Shuksan to Ruth, this traverse crosses some of the most rugged terrain in all of the North Cascades. When will someone link it up with the Watson? TR.
  • Mineral High Route: Do you like obscure peaks and adventurous bushwhacking? The Mineral High Route takes you to places few others have been, with great views on the way. My TR.

Cascade River Road

  • Ptarmigan Traverse: The granddaddy of all Cascade high routes. Keep going over Dome for the best terrain. My TR.
  • Torment Forbidden Traverse: Ultra classic traverse in one of the wildest settings in the lower 48. TR.
  • Boston Basin Marathon: An incredible “true ridge traverse” of the Triad, Eldo, Tormet, Forbidden, Boston, and Sahale. TR.
  • Isolation Traverse: An incredible ski traverse. Great position, great descents. Not sure what else to say. Possibly the best ski traverse in the state. My TR.
  • Inspiration Traverse: This can be combined with the Isolation Traverse for an incredible loop across some massive glaciers and lofty peaks. TR.
  • Forbidden Tour: Arguably the classic ski loop in the North Cascades. TR.
  • Magic S Loop: While not as well known as the Forbidden Tour, this is also an excellent ski loop. It has the best balance of scenery and good skiing as any day tour I’ve done. My TR.
  • Buckindy Traverse: An incredibly rugged loop on the quiet side of the Cascade River. TR.
  • Teebone Traverse: Another beautiful ridge line in the North Cascades. The descent into Newhalem is legendary… for bad reasons. TR.
  • The Peal Necklace Tour: This tour has it all: steep descents, long glacial traverses, incredible high camps, and even a cozy lookout. I will remember this trip until I am an old man. My TR.
Morning at the White Rock Lakes on the Ptarmigan Traverse.

Highway 20

  • Watson Blum Traverse: A beautiful traverse across surprisingly glaciated peaks in a remote area. Bring your bacon. One of my personal favorites. My TR.
  • Pickets Traverse: Well, we could write a whole article on this alone. There are so many variations: technical, non-technical, north, south, skis. To start, I’d recommend Steph Abegg’s excellent Picket’s page. Try Wayne Wallace’s complete Southern Picket’s Traverse or Dr. Dirtbag bagging the Northern Pickets in a little over 24 hours! Or even a COMPLETE PICKETS TRAVERSE (VII 5.10+)!!!
  • Mystery Ridge – Northern Pickets Traverse: Legends Steph Abegg and Tom Sjolseth say this is the greatest high route they have ever completed, and I don’t doubt them. TR.
  • The Grand Tour: an incredible linkup of the Whatcom High Route, the Pickets Traverse, the Isolation Traverse, and the Ptarmigan Traverse. TR.
  • Ragged Ridge Traverse: Bagging the Bulgers on this high Cascade ridge. TR.
  • Fisher Outpost High Route: A unique route through some very seldom-visited terrain. Passes by some absolutely giant peaks and feels wildly remote. Best done in fall. TR. My TR.
  • Logan Goode Buckner Traverse: Everyone knows about the Thunder Slam (Goode Logan Stormking) so here is a fun variation. TR.
  • Logan NW Ridge: Wayne calls this the single longest ridgeline in the lower 48. He soloed it, of course. TR.
  • Goode Megaladon Ridge: NE Buttress isn’t long enough for your tastes? Try this massive ridge traverse on the highest peak in NCNP. TR.
  • Easy Pass to Cascade Pass Ski Traverse: This less commonly done ski traverse stays high through absolutely stunning terrain, the true heart of the North Cascades. My TR.
Sunrise on Goode. Megaladon Ridge is the entire left skyline.

Rainy/WA Pass

  • Triple Rainbow High Route: Best done as a larch march, this route will make you forget you are in the North Cascades entirely. TR.
  • Liberty Bell Traverse: Likely the shortest approach of any of these. Classic. TR.
  • The Washington Pass Traverse: This incredible route (VI, 5.9+) might be the longest unbroken technical traverse in the state. TR.
  • The Birthday Tour: It might be stretch to call this a ski traverse considering it only takes a few hours. TR.
  • The Silver Kangaroo Traverse: Tons of different options here, so many couloirs! This is a fun, easy day with great descents. TR.
  • Life is Good Tour: This is an incredibly aesthetic, well-skiing linkup of steep lines around Wallaby Peak and Big Kangaroo at WA Pass. A must do. My TR.
  • Black Peak + the Buttcrack: More of a traditional tour, but packing incredible descents and marvelous scenery. My TR.
Yearning larches on the Triple Rainbow High Route.

Chelan / Methow

  • Pasayten Peakbagging: 8 Bulgers all relatively close together, only separated by miles of choss. TR.
  • Heart of the Pasayten: an incredibly wild route that hits the summits of Ptarmigan, Dot, and Lago. TR.
  • Raven Ridge Hoodoo Traverse: A very fun little traverse on surprisingly good rock. Best done during larch season. TR.
  • Switcback – Bigelow Traverse: More larch madness! This can actually be combined with Raven Ridge and Hoodoo for a massive day and 5 Bulgers. TR.
  • Chelan Sawtooth Summit Trail: This is just an extended trail run, but deserves mention. My backpacking TR.
  • Dark Bonanza Traverse: It’s a long ways out there, but it looks really good. Blake says it’s really good. I believe him. TR.
  • 3 Peaks of Bonanza Traverse: This overlaps some with the Dark Bonanaza Traverse, but is huge in its own right. TR.
  • Devil’s Backbone: This is also just a trail run, but has very scenic views of the Entiat and Lake Chelan. TR.
Raven Ridge
Larch Madness on Raven Ridge from Hoodoo Peak.

Southern WA

  • Tatoosh Traverse: A fine adventure that will look particularly impressive when you’re skiing the Muir Snowfield with friends next time. TR.
  • Rainier Ski Circumnavigation: Does it count as a ski traverse if it ends back where it started? TR.
  • Tour of the Parks: Most of this is on trail, but the high route section around Old Desolate is a great option. My TR.
  • Aix Adventure Run: The William O Douglas Wilderness is lush with alpine ridges and adventure potential. TR.
  • Goat Rocks Peakbagging: It would be incomplete to not acknowledge this beautiful wilderness area. TR.
  • Adams Traverse: Up over, and around. More of a trail run than anything. A fun way to experience a volcano. TR.

Olympics

  • Tyler – Grey Wolf – Needles Traverse: A huge ridgewalk followed by some decent Olympic alpine rock? Very cool route. TR. I attempted it as a ski traverse, which I cannot really recommend if you like skiing, but on foot it would be fun!
  • Northern Olympic High Route: This incredible three day route travels through endless post glacial basins and provides as much bang for your buck as you could possibly get in Washington. My TR.
  • Bailey Range Traverse: The classic Olympic high route ending with Olympus itself. Incredibly rugged and beautiful, a A-list high route, one of the greats. My TR.
Beautiful terrain of the Baileys.
  • Tour of the Gods: An awesome ski trip nailing all the glaciers in the Olympus massif. TR.
  • Brothers Traverse: The classic skyline peak from Seattle, done right. TR.
  • Sawtooth Ridge Traverse: Another massive, obscure ridge traverse from Wayne. TR.
  • The Olympic Ski Traverse: Another rad Jason Hummel ski traverse through the center of the Olympics, north to south. TR.
  • Ellinor Washington Traverse: Classic beginner traverse in the SE corner of the Olympics. Don’t get attacked by a goat. My TR.
  • Townsend Buckhorn Ridge Run: This route delivers with miles of epic scrambling set above Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. My TR.
  • Quinault High Route: An epic adventure deep into the wild heart of the Souther Olympics. Come prepared – this one will test anyone. My TR.
Scrambling on the Townsend Buckhorn Traverse.

Bonus: Oregon

  • Three Sisters Traverse: THE CLASSIC Oregon ski traverse. Other than the sucky 6 mile uphill road skin to end, this traverse is stunning and super high quality. My TR. My friend’s TR, including Broken Top.
  • Wallowa High Route: The Wallowa High Route is a 3-4 day high route I created in Oregon’s greatest mountain range. The scenery and geology is incredible. I believe it is the most beautiful high route, mile for mile, I have ever done. My TR.
Beautiful ridge walking on the Wallowa High Route.

Bonus: British Columbia

  • Spearhead Traverse: Possibly the most famous ski traverse in North America. It’s been done in something like 4 hours, but also has some big new fancy hotels – I mean huts – along the way. TR.
  • Garibladi Neve Traverse: A long, lower elevation, less crowded alternative to the Spearhead. TR.
  • Tantalus Traverse: This athletic, rugged traverse crosses the famous range clearly visible from Squamish. Eric Carter did it in an incredible 18 hours. TR.
  • Bonnington Traverse: Fluffy powder, cozy cabins, this one is a real treat. TR.
  • Armchair Traverse: A remarkably accessible, beautiful scramble between two 9,000 ft peaks near Wedgemount Lake and Whistler, BC. My TR.
Jon catches some sunset pow on the Bonnington Traverse.

Extra: Classics!

  • Sierra High Route: The grandaddy of high routes in the US. A must-do for any high router. My TR.
  • Beartooth Plateau High Route: A beautiful, under appreciated region of high lakes and plateaus. Definitely the densest concentration of alpine lakes of anywhere in the US. TR.
  • Colorado Crest: An incredible linkup of various Colorado high routes for over 650 miles. TR.
  • Wind River High Route: Another one of the classic high routes. This trip travels through one of the most stunning ranges in the US. A must-do. My TR.
Silver Divide
The magic of the High Sierra.

If you read this far, you are obviously interested in exploring and passionate about the mountains of Washington. I hope you found this article informative and can use it as a launching pad for your own explorations!

High Route Gear

For an in-depth look into the gear I use on a high route, see my post about high route gear!

Leave No Trace

Obviously, moving off trail in the mountains can have impact on the environment. But so can hiking on trails (when people step off or cut switchbacks) and especially accessing nature (emitting carbon). Here are a few things I think about to minimize my impact:

  • When possible, travel on durable surfaces like rock, sand, and snow.
  • If you notice a trail forming, either from human or animal (more likely) use, take it. It’s better to have one trail form through a meadow than have impact scattered all over.
  • Try to camp on durable surfaces, if possible.
  • Pack out toilet paper and possibly human waste in alpine environments or burn it (when the surrounding fire danger is low).
  • Avoid dumping food remains in water or near water.

Other resources

  • How to Create Your Own High Route: my article on route planning and scheming.
  • The Alpenglow Gallery: Lowell Skoog’s excellent site on the history of ski mountaineering in Washington.
  • Routes and Rocks: The original book on high routes in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. It can be hard to get a physical copy these days.
  • Cascade Alpine Guides: The Beckey Guides actually have a lot of great high route and traverse info.
  • Olympic Mountains guidebook: This guidebook has 8-10 alpine traverses in good detail.
  • Bob Kandiko’s High Route Books: Bob has done so many awesome high routes and traverses and documents them (descriptions are vague, photos are beautiful) in his North Cascades book and Glacier Peak book.
  • Wayne Wallace’s Great Traverses: An excellent list from a great climber with more of a technical focus.
  • Jason Hummel: So many great ski traverses from this local legend.
  • Volken’s Backcountry Skiing Washington Book: This book has so many great ski traverses.
  • Country Highpoints: Eric Gilbertson has the speed record on the Bulgers and thus has completed some epic Bulger linkups.
  • Cascade Climbers: CC will never die!

Disclaimer: high route and traverses in alpine terrain are serious excursions and involve substantial risks. This article is just a list of routes and claims no responsibility for accidents, injuries, or hurt egos resulting from these adventures.

16 thoughts on “Washington High Routes and Traverses”

  1. Kyle,

    Truly awesome to read your list of high routes and descriptions. A lifetime, or more, or destinations in the most beautiful of ranges.

    As an additional resource you might be interested in listing my two books published with Blurb.com: North Cascade Traverses and Glacier Peak High Route’s. These can be viewed on the Blurb site. You may find a few more high routes to add to your awesome list. I would be interested in what you think.

    Cheers and happy travels.

    1. Hey Bob! I actually have (or had) your North Cascades book. My grandma found it at a booksale in Kingston and thought I might like it. I loved reading through it! I’m not sure where it went after a sudden life change and things got lost in the process. But I loved your photography and drew some inspiration from the routes. I didn’t realize there was a Glacier Peak book also!

  2. Thanks for putting together this list. Thanks to the difficulty of international travel this summer, I may have a chance to check them out.

    1. This might be the single most valuable article I’ve read. Thanks for putting this together Kyle

  3. Hi Kyle,

    Do you have an beta or a track of your Ellinor Washington Traverse?

    Thanks, N

    1. Hey Nicholas, I do not. I actually have not done that traverse, I just included it in the list of good traverses I’ve heard about. You might be able to find one on Peakbagger.com or other sites like that.

  4. Hi Kyle,

    I was wondering what you would recommend for avid backpackers, with little “technical climbing skills”; the Alpine Lakes Crest or the Ptarmigan Traverse?

    Also, can a packraft come out an play on any of these; maybe, then Bailey Range Traverse in the Olympics?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Ray,
      I’ll assume you’re referring to my Alpine Lakes Crest Traverse. This route and the Ptarmigan are rather similar and both involve glacial travel, so I’d recommend an understanding of crevasse rescue at a minimum, although the glaciers on the Alpine Lakes Crest are rather “chill” by Washington standards. Neither route needs “technical climbing skills”, but safe glacial travel is important. If you’re not wanting any real glacial travel, there are tons of other great high routes, see this blog post for a list of them: https://climberkyle.com/2020/04/23/washington-high-routes-and-traverses/.
      The Bailey Range is as plausible to use a packraft as any. I’ve heard of attempts to float out the Hoh River. Perhaps the Elwha would work, but in general, Washington rivers are too small and too dangerous for packrafts.
      Kyle

  5. Also under your “other resources ” segment, you can list the standard guidebook for Olympic Mountains, which describes 8-10 “alpine traverses” in detail, as well as a number of ski traverses.

    Beckey of course lists dozens for Cascades, but is generally terse and vague.

    1. Oh true! A friend showed me those traverses in the Olympic guidebook, they are pretty thorough!

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