Bowan Mountain on Rainbow Ridge sits atop the famous Rainbow Lake-McAlester Pass loop. To the west rises the massive McGregor Mountain. Then, on the east stand the awe-inspiring McAlester Mountain and West Level Peak.
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Bowan Mountain at a Glance
Environs = Rainbow Ridge + McAlester Mountain + West Level Peak + Dee Dee Peak
週圍地區=彩虹脊+麥卡利斯特山+西平峯+迪迪峯
Access: Bridge Creek Trailhead
Round Trip: 39 miles
Elevation Range: 3600′-7928′
Gear: helmet, crampons, ice ax
Route Info: Brett Dyson, Eric Eames
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
Playlist: Hopeful
Friday, July 15
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
McAlester Pass Camp + Rainbow Ridge + Bowan Mountain
Return to Glacier Peak Wilderness
I didn’t enjoy the uphill hike back to Highway 20 the last time. So, for this trip, I had planned to come in from the south via Stehekin. But managing two dogs and transportation logistics wouldn’t have worked out well.
Apart from Bowan Mountain, I also visited Rainbow Ridge, West Level Peak, McAlester Mountain, and Dee Dee Peak. Despite being in the national park, leaving the pups behind was good. They likely wouldn’t have enjoyed the outing.
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Bowan Mountain via Bridge Creek Trail
I was on this trail seven years ago on the way to Goode Mountain. The only difference during the quiet hike down the decent path was not seeing anyone. The 3.5-mile walk to McAlester Lake Trail went by in the blink of an eye.
The cold morning weather was pleasant but would soon turn warm. I crossed the log bridge over Bridge Creek past the fork. Soon, I reached East Fork McAlester Creek in a mile and saw the half-split log bridge.
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Exploring McAlester Lake Trail in the Woods
Without a place to cross the shallow water, I forded in slippers used for camp. Then, it was a straightforward two-mile walk before the first switchback. During this, I went through two clearings with Hock Mountain overhead.
Spotty views in the forest included Three Wives’ lower ridges plus some Rainbow Ridge. After going up several switchbacks, I soon walked past McAlester Lake, hidden from view. I’d visit it briefly on the last day.
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McAlester Pass to Rainbow Ridge
I reached McAlester Pass in another mile and expected to see a woodsy saddle. Instead, a verdant, expansive meadow welcomed my arrival. Meanwhile, I kept gazing at the seemingly superimposed McAlester Mountain.
After dropping off some gear, I looked for the Rainbow Ridge Trail while going south. I then stumbled on it in the trees on the other side of the pass. As it turned out, I had missed the fork in the meadow before entering the woods.
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Rainbow Ridge to Bowan Mountain
There was a lot of standing water from the snowmelt at the start. Parts of the trail were less defined but stayed south of the small stream. I’d sometimes lose it to snow patches but soon found the next stretch to continue.
The traverse through Rainbow Ridge seemed to take forever, and it was long. It was over four miles from the pass to Bowan Mountain’s south saddle. Along the rolling terrain, I needed to pass through two lake basins.
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Continuing Beyond Rainbow Ridge High Point
I lost the trail to the snow shortly past Lake 6111, but it’d show up later in some places. Above the lake, I put on crampons and aimed at the Rainbow Ridge high point. Then I went up to the south ridge and finished the rest via slabs.
It was another 1.5 miles to the top of Bowan Mountain. But first, I needed to drop 600′ via the west ridge to the top of Lake 6495. Then I went into the east basin while checking out the cornices draping the south shoulder.
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The Final Stretch on Bowan Mountain
I found a dry spot higher on the ridge and knew it was the better option. So I reached the notch at 6500′, 100′ higher. Right then, the incredible sight of McGregor Mountain soon appeared behind the ridgeline.
After rounding the buttress, I entered the broad gully through loose rocks and slabs. En route were two more gullies, and I bypassed the second one atop the east ridge. The final stretch went through ledges on the north side past the snow.
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Viewing Glacier Peak Wilderness from the Top
It was the closest I’d seen McGregor Mountain from another mountain, and it was gratifying. But that trip was logistically elaborate without views on top. I turned to the next day’s goals to the east and knew it’d be another long day.
McAlester Mountain and West Level Peak looked much farther and less distinct. Everything inside the national park was visible, it seemed. Then came the unexpected and stunning view of Lake Chelan just south of Stehekin.
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Leaving Bowan Mountain for McAlester Pass
Camping in one of the two lake basins sounded like a terrific idea. But I needed to take my arse back to the pass, ready for another long day ahead. After downclimbing the gravel slabs, I aimed straight toward Rainbow Ridge.
As much as I wanted to bypass the ridgetop, retracing my steps would be better. So I gained back 600′ and then another 200′ past Lake 6111 before returning to the pass. After a quick dinner and some Go Back to China, I had a restful night in the bivy sack.
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Saturday, July 16
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
West Level Peak + McAlester Mountain
Uncovering the Beauty of Dee Dee Lakes
I woke up at 5 AM to prepare for the long day. After breakfast, I passed some campers nearby and went to South Pass. The trail soon took me to a beautiful meadow, where the impressive McAlester Mountain sat front and center.
I stopped every few minutes en route to admire the dramatic landscape. Before long, I reached South Pass and located the faint trail to Dee Dee Lakes. It’s only 50 feet from the lower pond to the much larger upper lake below McAlester Mountain.
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Dee Dee Pass to McAlester Mountain East Saddle
From the upper lake, I went southeast through steep, rocky terrain to the 6640′ pass. I’d spend my second night somewhere around here. After dropping off some gear, I went up the snowy slope to the 7080′ notch west of Point 7371.
It wasn’t smooth sailing to the pass, as much of the snow toward the top had melted. So, I bypassed the snow and weaved through the boulders instead, hoping for a faster ascent. But I don’t know if it saved me any time.
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Climbing West Level Peak by Bowan Mountain
I looked at West Level Peak from the pass and knew what was in store. Then, for the next 1.5 miles, it was a nonstop side traverse via the top of Rennie Creek Basin. I looked for Rennie Peak but wasn’t sure if I ever saw it.
The first part of the traverse involved dropping 500′ to the moraine. I alternated between rocks and snow and kept the altitude between 6400′ and 6600′. Then en route were the endless vistas of Reynolds Peak and Camels Hump.
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The Final Stretch on West Level Peak
After rounding the east ridge at 6500′, I entered the broad east gully. The traverse was direct but not as straightforward as I had expected. As the terrain steepened, I went up via snow or wet rocks from the running water.
The overhead cliffs and cornices kept me from reaching the ridgeline directly. So I went to the southeast ridge at 7400′ and propped myself over the snowbank with the ice ax. Then, the final 400′ was on class 2 terrain to another fine vantage point.
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Expansive Views From West Level Peak
Despite the proximity, it was an exhausting climb. Perhaps it’s because I hadn’t recovered from the day before and had less sleep than I would’ve liked. But I limited my visit to half an hour since I still needed to get to McAlester Mountain.
It may have been the best angle to see Bowan Mountain. Or it was the few Washington State’s highest peaks, including Goode Mountain, in the backdrop that dramatized the landscape considerably.
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Climbing McAlester Mountain by Bowan Mountain
Dropping from the snowbank was tricky. Instead, I went farther down on the edge and downclimbed rocks for a safer descent. Then I plunge-stepped through the snowfields before rounding the east ridge to the other side.
Going the other way felt much smoother as I followed my tracks back to the moraine. But instead of alternating between rocks and snow, I took the snowfields up to the south ridge this time. Soon, I was on the summit crest.
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The Final Stretch on McAlester Mountain
The east peak looked deceptively taller from below until I neared it. I tried bypassing it initially, but climbing over the high point was much more manageable. But of course, the actual high point sat on the west end of the ridgeline.
The closer I neared the top, the more manageable (yet exposed) it was to traverse the crest. But en route were a few small notches where staying right below the ridgeline was safer. Soon, I reached the top half an hour before sunset, eek!
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Breathtaking Vistas From McAlester Mountain
Where did the day go?! But at least the lighting was more suitable for photos. It felt like I was moving every waking minute without time to process anything. I was glad to have decided to camp closer to the mountain.
Bowan Mountain looked as far away as it was when I saw McAlester Mountain from there. But my favorite view was the curving ridgeline from here to West Level Peak. Soon, I left the top right before the sun dipped onto the horizon.
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En Route to Dee Dee Pass by Bowan Mountain
I went through 200′ of scree from the summit ridge’s edge to the snow. Soon, I made a beeline down to the saddle west of Point 7371. But the most annoying part was finding a feasible way to drop onto the north side.
The campsite had no running water, so I grabbed some from a higher-up stream. The wind had picked up shortly after reaching camp. So I chowed down dinner, slipped into the bivy sack, and crossed my fingers for no rats.
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Sunday, July 17
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
Dee Dee Peak + Exit
Exiting Through Dee Dee Peak
Dee Dee Peak was merely a 400′ bump above camp. So, I decided to take the scenic route and return to South Pass from the north side. Along the way was the direct view of Mother Lode Peak and Crescent Mountain above South Creek.
Morning mists soon subsided as I returned to McAlester Pass. On their way to Banshee Peak, I ran into two people by the meadow. I didn’t see a trail on my map, but I hoped they had found the spur path to the top.
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Back to North Cascades Highway (Highway 20)
Without stopping, I walked through McAlester Pass and down the trail. I took the side path to check out McAlester Lake before moving again. Before long, I was at the creek crossing and forded back to the other side.
I later waved hello to some hikers resting by the PCT junction. Soon, I started my least favorite part of the trip–walking uphill to finish. I was an hour behind schedule but hoped to pick up the dogs from boarding on time.
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Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3