High Pass + Winchester Mt

August 30, 2025 -- Mt. Baker Wilderness

Stats: 14.25 km / 1024m gain / 2059m high / 4WD

We combined two trails to make this a full day hike. Both started out on the same route by Twin Lakes which is about a half an hour of 4x4ing past the busier parking lot for the Yellow Aster Butte & Tomyhoi hikes. Although the road was rough, the parking lot there was full. Which is why we were surprised to have encountered only 3 other people on the High Pass trail.

Peek-a-boo, I see you.

It didn't take long before we came to the junction for Winchester Mt where we stayed right. High Pass is the knoll to the right of the highest peak.

As with a lot of hikes in the Mt. Baker region, far reaching views are to be had right from the get go. And the trails are in such good condition, having broad switchbacks that result in a more comfortably graded incline.

Yellow Aster Butte to the left and Tomyhoi is the highest peak to the right.

Larrabee Mt -- north

Ruth Mt in the center is where we overnighted a few weeks earlier -- southeast.

Looking back -- south.

Larrabee Mt - northwest.

Here the trail started to angle to the right, to get access to the pass.

Monkeyflower.

Pleiades Mts -- north

Once on the ridge we turned left.

Kloke is widely recognized as a top-notch mountain climber that’s been tramping the North Cascades for more than 50 years. He fell on one of the eastern peaks of the Peiades when he was near the summit and a rock he was holding broke loose.

Sue found the note pad in a crack in the rock by the memorial plaque.

northwest

Pleiades -- north

Pleiades

Pleiades -- north

northeast

Shuksan to the left and Mt. Baker to the right and the trail we came up on in the centre.

Group shot: Sue A, Janice H, me, Denise D

Heading back down on slippery dirt/gravel.

There were some narrow stretches that needed more caution.

east

On the trail to Winchester Mt. This trail is shorter but steeper. Unlike the High Pass trail, this one was quite busy.

east

southeast

south

Denise said she couldn't believe I summited Larrabee. I couldn't either. But I did and to this day can say it was the scariest mountain I've ever climbed.

We had a nice long break at the summit.

north to northeast

Tomyhoi Lake sandwiched between Tomyhoi Mt + the Canadian & American Border Peaks -- northwest.

The Border Peaks, Larrabee + the Peiades -- north.

This deactivated fire lookout can still be used for sleep-overs on a first-come-first-serve basis.

A room with a view.

The Twin Lakes -- southeast.

It felt so good to take my sweaty boots off at the parking lot and soak my feet in the cool water. Denise & Sue just jumped in.