McGregor Mountain by Goode Mountain sits atop Stehekin Valley by North Cascades National Park. It ranks the #3 highest in North Methow Mountains after Reynolds Peak and Mount Gibbs (Ba Peak). The closeness to High Bridge also makes the peak doable in a day.
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McGregor Mountain at a Glance
Access: Stehekin, Washington
Round Trip: 17.5 miles
Elevation Range: 1600′-8122′
Gear: helmet, crampons, ice ax
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: on the standard route
The Preface
McGregor Mountain marked my fourth visit to Stehekin en route to a climb. The first time I went climbing Storm King with some friends. Then the second and third times, I climbed Dark Peak and the Devore Peak, respectively.
I had initially put aside three days for the trip. But I ended up having only two days to spare because of work. Then I changed my weekend plans at the last minute and was able to book a seat on the ferry.
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Lady of the Lake II Ferry
While boarding the boat from Fields Point, I ran into two Seattle Mountaineers folks. I also saw Eric, a fellow climber going after the T200 peak list. Meanwhile, the pup enjoyed much attention from other passengers.
The three-hour ride went by in the blink of an eye through many chats. I also got to talk to Eric other than just a hello in passing over the years. The last time I saw him was on my way to climbing West McMillan Spire.
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Stehekin Red Shuttle to High Bridge
The Mountaineers folks got off the boat at Moore Point for their leisurely hike into Stehekin. Afterward, Eric landed in Port of Lucerne to the Fourth of July Basin. Then we reached Stehekin half an hour later.
Soon, we went up to Golden West Visitor Center for a permit. But another party had claimed the only spot at Heaton Camp. Since High Bridge wasn’t available, Tumwater Campground was our only option.
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A Change in Plans
Since it was 3 PM when we reached High Bridge, we needed a different plan. Unable to camp higher on the mountain didn’t leave us much time. So it meant we would need to start walking much earlier.
Suppose we could summit at a decent hour, then hopefully, we would make it back to Tumwater before noon. Then the red shuttle could take us back to Stehekin in time for the ferry. Damn the logistics!
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A Evening at Tumwater Campground
Tumwater Campground had only two large campsites by the creek. So the pup and I took the more secluded one away from the road. Afterward, we spent the rest evening hanging around and then turned in early.
Judging from other reports, on average, it takes 6 to 6.5 hours to reach the top. So it meant our 11:30 PM start time would put us on top at roughly 6 AM, if not sooner. But that’s without any surprises, of course.
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Alpine Start on McGregor Mountain
We first hiked north on the road and soon crossed Tumwater Bridge. Then we took the connector trail to Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). From there, we walked back south to Howard Lake (formerly Coon Lake).
Shortly, we went on McGregor Mountain Trail. Then past the lake, a pair of eyes in the meadow startled me. But glad that it was only a deer, whew! On another note, there was no shortage of switchbacks on this trail!
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The Base of McGregor Mountain
The sky lit up as we went through the rock field in the lower basin. Then after 5.5 miles and 5200′, we were below the misty top, and I doubted the clouds would dissipate. It was windy the minute we stepped into the south basin.
We hid behind a big rock and spent the next hour waiting out the clouds, but they never moved! I couldn’t see much to find the reported red-painted arrows. Unable to see the access gully’s whereabouts, we followed boot tracks up the snowfield.
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Route Finding in the Mist
The tracks later moved disappeared right below a talus and looked to have turned around. So we continued uphill and went up a steep snow ramp into a gully. But I knew we were off-route, so the goal was to aim at the top.
Had we continued on the snow ramp, the cliffs would’ve stopped us at the notch. So midway through, we went east onto a minor ridge and rounded the corner where I saw a cairn. Then I realized we were off track one gully west.
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McGregor Mountain Summit Without Views
Soon, red-painted arrows popped up everywhere and took us up to the west ridge. But we missed seeing the grand Sandalee Glacier as the clouds persisted. Back on the snow, we followed the markers toward the summit in the mists.
The only thing visible during our 45-minute visit was the lone radio tower. Clouds drifted away a few times but not long enough to see much. Too bad we couldn’t try and wait out the mists as we needed to catch the shuttle. Alas.
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Descending to Tumwater Camp
It didn’t take long to go back to the snowfield. As we walked down the defined path, Heaton Camp among the trees caught my eye, which we had missed earlier. I was glad to travel lighter by not carrying the overnight gear up here.
South views, including the glaciated Agnes Creek Valley, improved below the mists. Many familiar places like Tupshin Peak were in and out of the clouds. I even saw Agnes Mountain and Bonanza Peak when clouds moved away briefly.
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High Bridge Campground
We returned to camp, quickly packed, and then walked half a mile down to High Bridge. While waiting for the shuttle, I chatted with two Floridians who had set out to visit all US national parks as a married couple. Impressive!
I also talked to two Washington State University students studying marmots at Heaton Camp. They had set up cameras to photograph the animals. But the motion sensors seemed to have failed because they didn’t take photos of us!
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Back to Stehekin on the Red Shuttle
We’re likely to see the same people during our visit. When the shuttle arrived, two couples we met the day before got off. One went to see Agnes Creek Gorge, while the other quickly looked around and went back to Stehekin with us.
On the way back, we all made a pitstop at the Stehekin Bakery. I’d likely go there all the time if I lived here. But one could not leave this place without ever paying a visit! Yes, their homemade goods are that yummy.
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Lady of the Lake to Fields Point Landing
Back at the dock, we met the Mountaineers folks who had a fabulous time sightseeing. They even rented bikes to go up the road after arriving in Stehekin. The late ferry arrival gave us plenty of time to kill before leaving at 2:30 PM.
This place makes an excellent getaway for people wanting to escape the city chaos. So I will certainly come back, even if only for the bakery.
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