Excelsior Peak to Welcome Pass via High Divide trail
- Jocelyn Timmermans
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 26 minutes ago
August 20, 2026 -- Mt. Baker Wilderness
Stats: 18.5 km / 1385m gain / 1746m high / 5:40 hours MT / one way, done as a crossover
Wow! I would say this is one of my favorite hikes. The far reaching views of so many familiar peaks were superb! After more than two weeks of forest fire haze, it was a real treat to have clear skies.
About half an hour in we came to this water source but beyond that there weren't any.
We hiked from west to east because the Excelsior Pass trail is not as steep as the Welcome Pass trail. The grade was quite comfortable in fact.
In 2-hours we broke out into the open subalpines. Mt. Baker -- south
As soon as we were on the ridge, we came to a 4-way intersection. Left carried on along the ridge to Church Mt, straight went down to the Damfino trailhead and right (us) continued on to Welcome Pass.
The short slope leading to Excelsior Peak was the only steep section on the ridge.
Views from the summit.
Church Mt. to the left -- east.
Mt. McGuire and the Cheam Range -- north.
The ridge heading east.
Mt. Shuksan -- southeast.
Tomyhoi Mt -- left.
Some autumn colours beginning to appear.
Group shot: David G, Dawn L, Brigitte G, Vic M, Janice H + me.
We had a 45-minute lunch break at this beautiful viewpoint which was almost at the halfway point.
The Cheam Range.
Tomyhoi, Larrabee Peak and Yellow Aster Butte lower to the right.
east
Mt. Ruth is the peak with the snow to the very left. I summited it last year.
It's not often one comes across a solo horseback rider the mountains.
Vic spends a lot of time in the mountains. He said he's never seen so many grasshoppers.
We stopped constantly to sample the many blueberries.
Descending the Welcome Pass trail was a real knee-grinder. We all squeezed into Brigitte's pickup truck for the drive back to the Excelsior Pass parking lot.
One way, from left to right.
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