Cutthroat Pass via Pacific Crest Trail

Head north from the parking lot into the Porcupine Creek drainage. The PCT climbs through dark forest and crosses several small creeks; Porcupine Creek is the largest, roughly 1.5 to 1.8 miles in. It can run high late in the season. Beyond the crossing, the route traverses the valley and climbs through open avalanche paths. As the forest thins, views open toward Black and Fisher peaks across Highway 20; cascades appear along the final switchbacks.

The upper trail alternates traverses and switchbacks before reaching a broad, rocky saddle. Granite slabs make good places to stop, with Cutthroat Lake below and Vasiliki Ridge and Silver Star Mountain to the east. At 6,831 feet, the pass is one of the highest points on Washington’s PCT. Huckleberry, heather, alpine meadow and golden larches fill the open slopes; autumn color shifts with elevation and year. For a photo, include the lake and a bit of the rocky, larch-covered slope so the view reads as a pass rather than a generic mountain panorama.

The PCT crosses the large dirt-and-gravel lot at Rainy Pass North, on the north side of Highway 20. The lot is paid, with recreation passes accepted, and has a restroom. The picnic area across the highway is a separate access for Maple Pass. Dogs are allowed on leash. Highway 20 closes seasonally in winter, and this route crosses avalanche paths; snow-season travel needs current access and avalanche information.