Spider Gap - Buck Creek Pass Loop

This past weekend Andrew, our friend Jeremy (trailname Spider) and I went on a backpacking trip to check out a loop through the central cascades a ways off of highway 2. We left the Everett area Friday evening so that we could be already on the trail in the morning and not waste any of the little daylight we are getting these days. I fell asleep in the back seat before we even got to Skykomish and only woke up once we reached the dirt road that took us to the trailhead. Once we had all our stuff sorted and waters filled it was around 2030 and as dark as looking through your camera viewfinder with the lens cap still on. The moon had not popped over the trees yet and all we had were our headlamps to guide us the 3.5 miles to our first campsite. From the trailhead to our campsite was a very gradual ascent completely lined with trees. If we had hiked through in the daylight we probably wouldn’t have seen much more than we did in the dark. The sky was clear with no signs of clouds so cowboy camping was on the menu for all of us the first night. I ended up sleeping in my bug net without staking it out or anything after I watched multiple spiders crawl around Andrew’s sleeping bag within the first couple minutes we laid them out.

Two hikers walked passed us the next morning around 0500 and woke me up. I started getting ready so that I could be ready to head out of camp by 0600 since I know I take a while to get all my stuff back into my pack. Jeremy was up too so I woke up Andrew since if I didn’t he would sleep until noon. We left camp before it was light out so headlamps were needed again and we made plans to stop for a snack/breakfast when there was something to see. A few hundred yards from the campsite I somehow lost the trail after a stream crossing which lead to Andrew losing his shoe between some rocks and having a wet foot for the rest of the day. About ten minutes down the trail I remembered I didn’t pick up my SPOT from where I left it to send my location last night… I went back for it and shoved it into my pack before turning around again. Always know where your SPOT or Garmin or beacon device is. You never know.

We caught up with Jeremy right as we got to Spider Meadow and we were able to turn off our headlamps. It was still too dark for any decent pictures though. On the other side of the meadow we stopped for a snack on a couple boulders by a stream. This also marked the end of the gradual grade we had experienced up until here. Our next few miles were to climb up to Spider Glacier and then Spider Gap the highest point on the trail 7100 feet. On our way there we got lost… Someone took a wrong turn at a junction in the trail and we ended up scrambling up deer trails to the left of the actual trail. We tried route finding our way back to where we were supposed to be but we ended up just going all the way down to where we got mislead. Once we were going the right direction we quickly made our way back up the side of the rocky climb. Side note: THE COLOURS WERE GORGEOUS. More on that later. To get to the bottom of Spider Glacier was steep like no pack animals allowed steep but I didn’t find it too strenuous or anything (even after our little detour). I was even the first one to the glacier which is normally unheard of since I’m usually super slow.

Our first glimpse of Spider Glacier wasn’t very spectacular. Just a little lump of snow/ice at the top of a climb. I was much more infatuated with the the oddly coloured pine trees surrounding the area. Once we actually started inching our way up the glacier we were able to see its full splendor. Compared to what we thought it was, it was a big chunk of ice. The surface was still pretty hard so it was crucial that we had our trekking poles along so we could catch ourselves if we slipped. Luckily, none of us did but there were a couple questionable sections where there was no grip on the surface. A few times we could hear water running below our feet as well as under some of the rocks once we got to the top.

The view from Spider Gap was A M A Z I N G. There were larches, lakes, glaciers, a valley, and more larches. Its not surprising that I was taking way more pictures than I usually do. I even went through two whole roles of film (WHAT? Ya. I know… crazy).

You might be thinking, “don’t these people have a map? why are they getting lost so much? aren’t they experienced backpackers? what is going on!?!?” If those things are running through your head right about now you are not alone. I was thinking those same things about myself as we lost the trail the second time in the same two hours. BUT in our defense, the map that we were following does not show a trail between the bottom of Spider Glacier, up and over, and down to Upper Lyman Lake. If you had not hiked that trail and had not read a very detailed report about where to go, the deceiving trail that leads away from the more straight forward way to the valley below. So. If you ever do this trail. Walk down the glacier on the other side of Spider Gap. Head my warning and your knees will thank you, because scrambling downwards is painful.

That was the last time we got lost on this trip. I promise.

As you can see, I am quite infatuated with these golden pines.

We finally got to the bottom of the valley and had an easy walk to the other side of Upper Lyman Lake where we crossed the outlet and made our way down to Lower Lyman Lake. This descent was much easier compared to our previous scramble but it hurt more because of it as well.

Oh. I almost forgot my favorite part of that section. There were blueberries E V E R Y W H E R E and you bet I took full advantage of their presence. At one of my blueberry stops I dropped one of my gloves and by the time I realized it was gone we had already gone a bit too far BUT! A couple that had been behind us a ways caught up and they delivered it to me! I’ll say it again. Everything works out on trail.

We planned on stopping for lunch next to Lower Lyman and on the way there I roped Andrew into helping me pick blubs and huckleberries to munch on. We found a bunch of bushes full of berries right next to the trail. We started filling my rehydrating container but I ate most of them before they made it into the container. I’m pretty sure the majority of what I ate on this trip came from my gathering skills. I’m pretty proud.

After we left the lake we started our climb to Cloudy Pass. The name sounded familiar for some reason but I couldn’t quite place it. The autumn colours were not letting up and the meadow almost looked like it was on fire. On our way up, we crossed paths with a couple PCT hikers making their way through the fire detour on their way to Stehekin. They are almost to Canada!! Side note: This detour is probably better than the true PCT, but that is just my opinion.

From the top of Cloudy Pass we were able to look back at Spider Gap and Lyman Lakes where we were earlier. I always love being able to see where I have come from during the day. It makes me feel so accomplished.

Between Cloudy Pass and the junction with the actual PCT we passed a bunch more hikers (way more than either Jeremy or I thought we would at this time of the year…). I was so ecstatic to be able to walk on my true home for a second time this year.. even if it was only for a couple miles. Before we started making our way down a couple switchbacks we took a break and ate tropical sour patch kids (the best kind), pretended we could see Glacier Peak that was hiding behind a blanket of clouds, while talking to a thru hiker named Yukon. As we parted ways he made a comment about never doing a hike like this again… I very much disagree. I will be back for you.

Immediately after we got off of the PCT and started on the Buck Creek Pass trail, it started to drizzle. I immediately donned my rain poncho to keep my backpack as dry as possible (learned from my last trip’s mistakes). Halfway to the top of the climb, I was in front and not really sure where Andrew or Jeremy were so I stopped and waited for them to catch up. Conveniently there were huckleberry bushes at waist height so I didn’t have to stoop over to get to them. After a while I got worried that I had taken a wrong turn somewhere (even though there had been no junctions since the last time I saw the others). Eventually, Andrew popped up and Jeremy wasn’t far behind. By the time we made it to the top of the ascent it started to really rain. We decided that the next camp was where we were going to set up camp for the night. The one-mile descent was killing my knee and we were all soaked. By the time we got to the campsites I was acting like an unpleasant human and Andrew had to take the brunt of my attitude. I am not proud. Whenever it rains I tend to cry and then I get down to business and set all my stuff up but since I was around people I didn’t cry. I honestly should have just cried.

Andrew and I shared my single person tarp so saying it was cramped would be an understatement but most everything stayed relatively dry once we got settled.

In the morning, it wasn’t raining anymore (thank heavens). The only thing worse than setting up camp in the rain is putting everything away in the rain. Luckily we didn’t have to do that. We left camp around 0615 and started on the 15.5 miles we had to the car. I didn’t take many pictures today since we were just gunning for the road. After a quick climb the trail was 14 miles of gradual downhill walking which made our pace really quick compared to yesterday. We also didn’t get lost. So there is that.

Compared to yesterday, today wasn’t as scenic so the pictures I took were few and didn’t turn out quite as good.

The last three-ish miles of the loop are a road walk back to the car. Ideally, one would bring two cars and park them on either side of the road but honestly that is a really long drive for shaving three miles off the end of a hike. A more reasonable option would be to doe the loop clockwise instead. The beginning of your hike won’t be as scenic but then you get to end your trip with the good part and a downhill road walk instead of an uphill one. Really though, the road walk wasn’t that bad. It felt long and the road is full of potholes, but its gradual and compared to the whole loop just a fraction of the trip.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this loop to anyone looking for great fall colour views, gorgeous lakes, a glacier or even just a trip where you don’t see the same thing twice (down and back hikes). Oh. And berries. If you want berries, this is the place for you.

Happy exploring!