With a trailhead several miles off the Mountain Loop Highway, the strenuous, “rough” hike to Vesper Peak rewards with views into the heart of the Cascades.
Washington Trails Association describes the Vesper Peak hike as “rough,” and I concur:
–This hike is strenuous in that it climbs ~4,000’+ in the ~4 miles to the summit
–It’s technical in that a good portion of the hike has steep rooty sections, loose cobbles and ball-bearing-sized rocks. As you approach the summit, be prepared for some alpine scrambling and snow.
Two companions joined me for the day. My regular cycling and hiking buddy Tobias H, who also joined me for the “Easy Pass Duathlon” and the West Coast Trail, among others. And Dave Seifert who was a roommate when I lived in the Vail Valley in the mid-1980s. Dave is a Texan who has lived in Australia since the late 1980s, and I wanted to make sure he got in a memorable, quad-burning experience during his visit to the PNW.
The route starts at Sunrise Mine Trailhead at the end of Service Road 4065 off the Mountain Loop Highway. If you are coming from the north/Darrington, be sure to check for road closures. North of Barlow Pass, the Mountain Loop Highway is dirt/gravel and often doesn’t open until mid-late summer after seasonal repairs have been completed.
A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead which does have a pit toilet.
We encountered a couple minor route finding confusions. During the first half mile or so, fallen trees caused us to get misdirected off the official trail. At about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, the entrance to the steep gully up to Headlee Pass has multiple paths.
Once at Headlee Pass, Vesper Peak is in sight and the route is relatively straightforward.
Given the “rough” trail, you may find that the descent is more challenging than the climb. Remember: the adventure isn’t over until you are home!
