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Backpacking
Day Hikes / Private Tours
Float Trips
Guided Backpacking Trips
Explore the backcountry of the North Cascades
Join us for a custom private backpacking trip in the North Cascades, a vast and rugged wilderness in northwest Washington State. Learn the fundamentals of wilderness living while enjoying some of the most inspiring alpine scenery in North America.
From lush valley floors covered with old-growth fir forests to the expansive views of the high passes and dramatic glaciers, the variety encompassed by this trip is immense and the beauty of the scenery is unsurpassed. Join us for a backpacking adventure of a lifetime.
About our Backpacking Trips
Our cost per hiker day rate includes all backcountry meals, permits, and commercially authorized guide.
2 participants to 1 guide: $500 per person per day
3 participants to 1 guide: $400 per person per day
4 participants to 1 guide: $350 per person per day
Additional: sales tax, plus 3% online booking fee
Cost Per Hiker Day Rate
*We can accommodate up to 4 hikers, however, we have a 2-hiker minimum price to operate.
2026 Backpacking Trips
2026 Backpacking Trips
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 14-15 miles
Elevation gain/loss: 3,600’
Options:
Upper Thornton Lakes (+800’)
Trapper Peak Ridge (+1,500’)
Activity Rating (1-5): 4 - A steep 3,000-ft climb in just 5 miles, rugged basin terrain, optional strenuous scrambles (Upper Lakes or Trappers Peak), and a demanding descent make this a solid 4/5.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 12-14 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~3,800’
Activity Rating (1-5): 4 - Steep elevation gain compressed into short mileage, sustained alpine exposure, and the final climb onto Sahale Arm all contribute this strenuous hike.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 17-22 miles
Elevation gain/loss: <1,000’
Activity Rating (1-5): 2 - Low elevation lakeshore route.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 10-12 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~3,200’
Activity Rating (1-5): 3.5 - A very steep initial climb (+3,200 ft in under 4 miles), rugged terrain, and optional Class 2–3 scrambling to the lookout make it tougher than a moderate trip but not as sustained or committing as the hardest alpine routes
3 Day - 2 Night Trips
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 4 days, 3 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 31.5 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~6,800 feet
Activity Rating (1-5): 4 - Strenuous due to 31+ miles of backpacking and consistent elevation gain and loss.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 22-25 miles
Elevation gain/loss: 5’500-6’200
Activity Rating (1-5): 4 - Moderate daily mileage but significant cumulative elevation, multiple alpine climbs, and optional high-exposure travel on Sahale Arm make it a solidly hard multi-day route for strong intermediate or advanced backpackers
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 4 days, 3 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 20-24 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~4,900
Activity Rating (1-5): 3 - A steep climb to Easy Pass on both the approach and exit, plus optional ridge and trail exploration days that add additional vertical, make this moderately strenuous but not as demanding as the hardest NCNP routes.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 3 days, 2 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 22-26 miles
Elevation gain/loss: 4,000’
Activity Rating (1-5): 3 - Steady elevation gain to the ridge, long mileage days, and exposed ridge travel make it tougher than a moderate trip but not as strenuous as the full Devils Dome loop.
4 Day - 3 Night Trips
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 5 days, 4 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 40-50 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~3,500’
Activity Rating (1-5): 2.5 Long days but gentle grades, mostly lakeshore terrain, and no major passes. The challenge is endurance rather than steep climbing.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 5 days, 4 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 30-38 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~6,000-7,000
Activity Rating (1-5): 4.5 - This route is highly demanding due to its steep initial climb to Sahale Arm, sustained alpine exposure, long back-to-back mileage days, and significant total elevation gain spread across varied terrain. Requires strong fitness, comfort on rugged trails, and the ability to manage multi-day travel with a full pack in remote conditions. Suitable for experienced backpackers only.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 5 days, 4 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 42-45 miles
Elevation gain/loss: 8,000+
Activity Rating (1-5): 5 - The Devils Dome High Traverse is one of the most demanding multi-day routes in the North Cascades. With long daily mileage, and extended high-ridge exposure around Jack Mountain, it requires excellent fitness, strong backpacking experience, and the ability to manage steep, rugged, remote terrain for multiple consecutive days.
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Trip Details:
Trip Duration: 5 days, 4 nights in North Cascades National Park
Mileage: 45-55 miles
Elevation gain/loss: ~7,000-9,000
Activity Rating (1-5): 4.5 - The Pasayten Glacier Circuit is long, remote, and committing. While not as technical or relentlessly steep as Devils Dome, it requires strong endurance, multi-day resilience, and confidence in high-country navigation and weather management. Long mileage days (8–10 miles repeatedly) and extended ridge travel place it in the very strenuous category.
5 Day - 4 Night Trips
Day hikes and private tours
Make it a Custom Trip
Looking to customize your own day tour in the North Cascades? Work with our Operations Team to design a personalized tour experience of your favorite hiking trails, destinations, and ecosystems with an experienced local hiking guide.
Prices
- 1 participant $550 per day
- 2-4 participants $800 per group
- Plus: sales tax & 3% booking fee
