The trailhead sign states Blue Lake Trail 1.75. It's actually 2.0. You'll bypass it on this loop. The sign also states Mckinaw Shelter 5. It's actually 5.5. That's along the North Fork Sauk River the way you'll be going.

Heading southeast, the trail begins in ancient forest. In a few minutes, the Red Mountain trail branches left (north). Proceed straight. At 1.4 miles the trail is close to the river. At 2.0 miles, 2400 feet, come to a junction. There are two fine campsites here, beside the river. The right fork climbs south to Pilot Ridge. Continue straight (east) on the North Fork trail.

	Loop Details Location: Glacier Peak Wilderness. Distance: 33.1-mile loop if you walk or hitchhike, 3.7 miles between trailheads. Elevation gain: 8000'. Maps: Green Trails No. 111-Sloan Peak, No. 112-Glacier Peak, No. 143-Monte Cristo, No. 144-Benchmark Mt.; U.S. Forest Service Glacier Peak Wilderness

At 5.5 miles, 3000 feet, reach McKinaw Shelter, near the river. At 5.8 miles, the trail goes vertical, switchbacking northeast through deep forest. At 6.4 miles, you get a 0.4-mile reprieve before it steepens again. At 7.3 miles, you reach subalpine slopes. The trail then veers southeast. It gains 500 feet in the last 0.5 mile to the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail, at 8.3 miles, 6000 feet. Go left (northwest) to Red Pass. Or, for an even more commanding view of the White Chuck Glacier and the headwaters valley of the White Chuck River, first detour right (southeast) 0.7 mile to White Pass. Look up to your left (north) at 7030-foot White Mountain. A 0.6-mile, cross-country ascent will grant you the summit.

Map of the North Cascades National Park

Continuing northwest on the PCT, from the junction with the North Fork trail, traverse pink-heather slopes. Arrive at 6500-foot Red Pass at 10.0 miles total. Below to the west is a scenic campsite with a few trees for shelter and a snowpatch for water. From the pass you can see Monte Cristo and Kyes peaks to the southwest and, a bit closer, all of Pilot Ridge to Johnson Mountain. In the near southeast are Indian Head and Kodak peaks. The pass itself is a narrow defile bounded on the north by Portal Peak and on the southeast by the ridgeline of White Mountain. Looking west from the pass, the White Chuck Glacier gleams in the distance, and below you spreads the headwaters valley of the White Chuck River.

The trail drops east from the pass through 1.0 mile of rock gardens and creeklets. Official campsites are 1.2 miles down, where you enter forest. The best site is on the left, alone in hemlocks, 10 yards after you pass a creek. Switchback down a bit and come to more campsites and berry patches. Cross another creek on logs. Then drop into a gully lined by hemlocks where you're next to a narrow, rushing creek. More switchbacks steeply descend north to the high, stable bridge over the milky, mighty White Chuck River at 14.8 miles, 4050 feet. On the far (northeast) side of the bridge there's a big, plank bench--convenient for a rest break.

Proceed north, descending gradually, almost imperceptibly, through forest. Near 15.8 miles the trail hits Baekos Creek. There are campsites on the south bank. Follow a path 25 yards upstream to a log crossing. At 17.0 miles reach Chetwot Creek-a series of channels crossed with the help of footbridges. This is an area of stunted evergreens, deciduous trees, sandy soil, and profuse berries. At 18.0 miles, 3900 feet, cross Sitkum Creek on two barely usable footlogs. On the north side are three campsites and the junction with the Sitkum Creek trail.

You now have a choice. To reach Fire Creek Pass, 9.5 miles north via the PCT, go right. You'll eliminate a 600-foot descent and 900-foot ascent by not dropping to Kennedy Hot Springs. To continue the loop described here, turn left onto heavily used, often muddy, White Chuck trail 643A, and walk 1.8 miles northWest to Kennedy Hot Springs. You'll be in giant trees the whole way. The last 0.75 mile descends steeply, losing 600 feet, but by then the tread is solid, the switchbacks comfortable. You get views over the White Chuck River canyon.

The Kennedy Hot Springs Guard Station (only occasionally occupied by a ranger) is at 3300 feet, between the White Chuck River and Kennedy Creek. Your total distance here is 19.8 miles. A map posted on the log cabin indicates the many permitted tent sites in the area. The hot springs are on the far (west) bank of the White Chuck River, across the solid footbridge and 75 yards upstream. The steep ascent to Lake Byrne also departs from t at side.

Bears have been sighted at Kennedy Hot Springs. So they don't become a problem at this popular destination, hang your food properly. The small, roughly four-feet-square, hot springs pool is just warm enough to defrost you on a frigid day. To soothe trailsore feet, it's better to plunk them in a stream. Cold alleviates inflammation.

For the side trip to Kennedy Ridge and Fire Creek Pass, cross the Kennedy Creek bridge just north of the guard station. Turn left, walk 0.3 mile, then turn right on trail 639. It's immediately steep, gaining 900 feet in 1.7 miles to the junction with the PCT. Turn left there, climbing past rock outcroppings and into heather. At 2.7 miles attain a view east into Kennedy Creek chasm, and at 3.5 miles a view northeast to Kennedy Peak. Reach the campsites beside Glacier Creek at 4.0 miles. You can see Lost Creek Ridge to the west. For Kennedy Ridge, leave the trail at Glacier Creek and ascend east cross-country as far as you feel compelled —0.5 mile through open subalpine forest on an old moraine, then on the boulders of an obviously much younger moraine. For Fire Creek Pass, continue north on the PCT at Glacier Creek. The Pumice Creek campsites are at 5.3 miles, 5900 feet. From there the trail heads west, loses 700 feet, then gains 1000 feet in the last 1.6 miles north to 6300-foot Fire Creek Pass, 9.5 miles from Kennedy Hot, Springs.

If you choose to leave Kennedy Hot Springs via White Chuck River trail 643, it's 5.2 miles northwest to that trailhead. Of course, without a pre-arranged shuttle, you'll have to hitchhike not impossible in this frequently visited area.

To leave Kennedy Hot Springs via the Lost Creek Ridge, cross the bridge to the west side of the White Chuck River go right. Angle up southwest 0.1 mile past a couple campsites.

Soon the trail is even steeper than the Pilot Ridge ascent, meadow basin at 1.8 miles. Seventy-five yards beyond, a view east to Glacier Peak reveals a crater more jagged than Mt. Baker's. You can also see Kennedy and Scimitar glaciers slightly northeast. The ridge of Meadow Mountain is northwest, across the valley.

You'll ascend 2300 feet in 2.5 miles from Kennedy Hot Springs West to Lake Byrne, at 5600 feet. After grazing the north end of the lake, the trail climbs 250 feet to a superior view of the lake cirque. Ascend a bit more, then drop west to Camp Lake at 5700 feet, where you'll find a couple good tent sites. Camp Lake is about 3.3 miles from Kennedy Hot Springs-less than the 4.0 miles on the Green Trails map. Your total distance on the loop, which started at the North Fork Sauk River trailhead, is now 23.1 miles. Fill your water bottles at Camp Lake; hiking the ridge you'll find only a few convenient water sources.

The Lost Creek Ridge trail heads generally west. It winds 1.25 miles from Camp Lake, ascending briefly, then dropping 200 feet as it curves to Hardtack Lake. It's then a series of ups and downs, mostly through heather and rock, sometimes in trees, all the way to Round Lake. There are a couple campsites along the trail, west of Camp Lake. The first is in heather and grass, 1.0 mile past Hardtack Lake, west of the long ridge jutting beyond the lake.

Views diminish after Camp Lake. Mostly you're looking north at unremarkable Meadow Mountain and the blight of a logging road leading to it. From a gap west of Hardtack Lake, you do attain open views southeast to the glaciers on Black Mountain and east to Glacier Peak.

Soon after Hardtack Lake, the trail stays closer to the ridgecrest but becomes narrower and less defined. Sometimes it's no wider than the length of a boot, though it is always distinguishable. In places it's on very precipitous slopes, so avoid hiking here in times of limited visibility.

A mile and a half west of Hardtack Lake, the trail crosses the ridgecrest to the south side. This allows an unobstructed view of Black and Red mountains (southeast and south), Sloan Peak (southwest), and the North Fork Sauk River canyon (southwest) far below you. After miles, of heather, re-enter trees. At 28.5 miles (8.7 miles from Kennedy) reach a junction at 5500 feet.

The right fork immediately crests a ridge, then drops north 500 feet in 0.7 mile to Round Lake and campsites. To avoid having to descend to Round Lake for water, fill up just east of this junction, where streams trickle through a rocky basin. Here, in addition to water, you might find the waxy, deep-purple king gentian flower, rare in the North Cascades. Look for it in moist, grassy areas. At the junction, stay left on the main trail to complete the loop. The tread is now in better condition than on the ridge, but is rough and narrow. Follow it west off the ridge to Bingley Gap (not noticeable as such) then south to the Lost Creek Ridge trailhead on Road 49. Always in trees, constantly switchbacking, you'll lose 3600 feet in the 4.6-mile descent from the Round Lake junction. Your total distance when you reach the road is 33.1 miles. The North Fork Sauk River trailhead where you began the loop, however, is 3.7 miles left (southeast) on Road 49. Try hitchhiking if you didn't pre-arrange a shuttle.

If you want to take the car from Granite Falls, drive the Mountain Loop Highway southeast to Barlow Pass. Continue 7.2 miles beyond the pass. Or, from Darrington on Highway 530, drive the Mountain Loop Highway southeast 16.5 miles. From either approach, turn east onto North Fork Sauk River Road 49. Drive 3.1 miles (road sign states 4 miles) up Road 49 to the Lost Creek Ridge trailhead. It's on the left, at 1900 feet. If you're hiking the loop as suggested, this is where the trail ends. If you have a shuttle vehicle, leave one here. Otherwise, to complete the loop, you'll have to walk the road from here to the North Fork trailhead-where we recommend starting. To get there, continue up Road 49. At 6.7 miles turn left at the sign N. FK SAUK TRAIL 14. The North Fork trailhead is at 6.8 miles, 2100 feet. Twenty yards beyond the trailhead, the road ends at Sloan Creek Campground.