Glacier Peak (Dakobed) is the oft-forgotten and the most geographically distant of Washington’s five major volcanos. It was nearly three years after moving to Washington State that I even heard about Glacier Peak. The Glacier Peak climb is unlike any other in the state, the isolation turns the climb into a multiday trek rather than a typical climbing weekend. To reach the base of the mountain one treks through towering rainforests, alpine meadows, and ancient rocky plains left behind by retreating glaciers. It quite reminds me of Bilbo Baggin’s journey to the Lonely Mountain in Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Not only is Its easy to forget that we are not just climbing mountains, but volcanos with active records. Mount Saint Helens erupted just forty years ago, and geologists estimate Dakobed last erupted in 1700, a blink of an eye in geologically.
The nine of us forming this fellowship reached the North Fork of the Sauk Trailhead on an overcast Thursday morning. After formally meeting everybody and discussing the plan for the trek, Charles, Lucy, William, Jeffrey, Tracy, Seth, Jonah, Bill, and I entered the rainforest. I had forgotten how large the trees were since my last trek. Douglas Firs and Western Red Cedars ten feet wide towering like silent sentinels as they protected the ancient forest. 2.5 hours and 5.5 miles after starting, we reached the remnants of the Mackinaw Shelter, an old horse camp at the base of the 4-mile climb to White Pass.

So. Much. Greenery.

Enjoying the subalpine meadows
On day two of the journey we woke to a light rain, so we deliberately took a late start. Today is our “easy day”, our primary objective to move camp 4 miles to Glacier Gap and learn valuable snow skills such as self-arrest. Four miles might not sound like much, but it’s on a rocky and undulating ‘goat path’. About a mile from Glacier Gap, encompassed in thick fog again, we decided to make camp early. It meant slightly further on summit day, but we would have much lighter packs. The views would be the same from each camp – fog. We went to bed early that night, preparing for our 2am wakeup.

Night Walkers

Descending to Glacier Gap; Fortress Mountain and Tenpeak Mountain in the background

This sunrise made the pain of carrying heavy packs over the past three days entirely worth it

Lead Guide Jonah demonstrating the proper way to apply chapstick to your nose.

Gaining elevation on the Cool Glacier ( @ 9,000 ft)

The Final Push
After taking nearly 700,000 selfies on the summit, we started our descent 45 minutes later. We were all super stoked and enjoyed the grandeur of mountains stretching in all directions – Rainier, Stuart, Shuksan, Dome, Bonanza, every major peak was visible.

Team Miyar on the summit!

One final view of Glacier Peak (aka the lonely mountain)

Subalpine meadows by White Pass; Monte Cristo and Cadet Peak in the background

Red Columbine; Johnson Mountain in the background

Exhausted, but nearly back to the car
Glacier Peak is tied with Mount Rainier as being the most strenuous volcano to climb in the Cascades. It might not be as tall, steep, or glaciated as Rainier, but it has more elevation gain, nearly double the hiking distance, and a remote factor that changes the entire dynamic of the trip. Matt Bunker, Apprentice Guide