McGregor Mountain Trail

McGregor Mountain Trail is a 15-mile out-and-back from High Bridge, about 7.5 miles each way to the rocky end of established tread below the summit. Plan on around 12 hours and roughly 6,200 feet of climbing. This is a hard day for experienced hikers who want a long climb into the high country. A signed viewpoint about 2.9 miles in, after 2,100 feet of climbing, is a worthwhile turnaround if you want a substantial hike without the full ascent. High Bridge shuttle layovers may not leave most hikers enough time for the full round trip; consider an overnight at Heaton Camp, which requires a backcountry permit.

Begin behind the corral and ranger station at High Bridge, reached by the Stehekin shuttle. Follow the Old Wagon/Pacific Crest Trail north. Howard Lake is about 1.3 miles in; take the signed McGregor junction just beyond it, before the Pacific Crest Trail turns downhill. The standard shuttle-served start is the simplest access. The former Dolly Varden access saves only about a third of a mile and is not served by the park shuttle. There are no facilities at the trailhead. Pets may use the Pacific Crest Trail access leg, but they are prohibited on McGregor Mountain Trail.

The first stretch climbs moderately through forest to Howard Lake, with rocky outcrops and a chance to watch for birds. Beyond the junction the character changes quickly: long, steep switchbacks lead into a hot, dusty traverse above the lake, then return to trees along a southwestern shoulder. The trail keeps climbing across open slopes, with the valley and peaks appearing between the outcrops. The viewpoint at about 2.9 miles is the best shorter objective and a natural place to turn around.

Near the upper Howard Creek drainage, the undergrowth thins into stunted fir and pine. Views open toward the glaciated slopes of Glacier and Dome Peaks. The creek cuts a channel through talus and tumbles down it; the trail crosses one braid before larches begin to dot the hillside. The route reaches a rocky lower glacial cirque and a sandy terminal moraine before climbing the left side toward Heaton Camp. Pikas live in this subalpine zone, so listen for their high-pitched squeak among the rocks.

Heaton Camp sits among larches at about 7,000 feet. It is a single-party backcountry site for up to 12 people or stock; camping requires a permit. A seasonal stream is usually found a short distance below camp, but late in the season there is little water after about mile six, so don't count on it. Food canisters are recommended here, and fires are not allowed. The established trail continues above camp through dry switchbacks for roughly a third of a mile, ending at a rocky outcrop above a talus slope. That outcrop is the turnaround for this route.

The summit route leaves the established tread and crosses steep, loose talus and exposed rock with route-finding. It is a scramble for experienced climbers, not an extension to add casually to this hike. The summit held a fire lookout until 1955; Sandalee Glacier lies on the north-facing slope below it. Both are part of the mountain above the trail's normal endpoint.