Pelton Peak

Overview

Pelton Peak is a subsidiary point ENE of Magic Mountain, named for the Pelton wheel, a mining apparatus used during the mining heyday of the late 1800s and early 1900s in the area. Looming over the Pelton Basin, it features the Yawning Glacier on its north side, and remnants of the S Glacier cling to its southern end, if only barely.

Getting There

Drive East on Highway 20 to Marblemount, then cross the bridge for Cascade River Road, and follow to the Cascade Pass Trailhead. Hike up easy switchbacks in 3.7 miles to Cascade Pass, then cross down into the Stehekin Valley, for Pelton Basin.

Route

From Pelton Basin, ascend easy slopes to a steep couloir, up the Yawning Glacier to the Magic-Pelton Col, and from the col, bear left and begin an easy ridge sccramble to the summit.

Red Tape

As this is in the North Cascades National Park, you will need a camping permit, and a Northwest Forest Pass to park at the trailhead. Parties are limited to a maximum of 6 people.

When to Climb

Theoretically this could be climbed year-round, if you have skis or a snowmobile to make the trek up and over Cascade Pass under heavy snow, but for most climbers, this is most feasible as a late spring or summer climb, when Cascade Pass is open and the trail is acccessible (and the avalanche danger is lower).

Camping

There's established camping in Pelton Basin, and it's a popular spot for parties traversing from Cascade Pass to Stehekin to camp in, so permits may be challenging to come by on summer weekends.

External Links

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