Ross Dam hike keeps mountain memories alive in summer

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May 15, 1997

Ross Dam hike keeps mountain memories alive in summer

By KAREN SYKES
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Do you miss being in the mountains? If you'd like a taste of what it feels like to be back in the mountains without snowshoes or skis, consider the Ross Dam Trail. Or continue on from Ross Dam six miles further to Big Beaver Landing on Ross Lake.

Big Beaver can usually be done in March without encountering significant snow, though the unusually heavy snowpack this year meant hikers were better off waiting until April.

The drive to Ross Dam alone is almost enough to slake the thirst for mountains, as Highway 20 climbs well into the North Cascades before the trailhead is reached. Allow a whole day for the drive and another for the hike. As you approach the town of Marblemount, you'll probably spot eagles on the Skagit and may want to stop.

Near Marblemount, you'll begin to see the big guys -- Colonial Peak, Pyramid Mountain, Sourdough Ridge -- and before you reach the town of Diablo you'll catch a flash of the Picketts.

Ross Dam is where the snowplow stops in the winter. There is parking for about 35 cars; it gets crowded in summer.

The trail to Ross Dam is less than a mile and suitable for hikers of all ages. Hike across the top of the dam and stop for the dizzying look down the hydroelectric throat of the dam. Ross Dam, which was completed in the 1940s, was the last of the three dams that were built on the Skagit. If a mile feels too short, continue hiking to the other side of the dam and turn right for the beginning of the Big Beaver Loop.

The loop can be done as a 26-mile hike later in the year when the snows have melted out. In the meantime, be prepared to encounter possible snow patches and higher water than usual in streams as winter's snowpack melts.

The Big Beaver Loop trail -- well-maintained and without much elevation gain -- also makes a good early-season backpacking hike. For solitude, this is the place; it is not one of the more well-known trails.

Many people mistakenly believe good hiking doesn't start until summer. There are several hikes in the North Cascades that can be done earlier in the year, before the crowds and the bugs arrive. Big Beaver Camp is a boat-in camp on Ross Lake; backpackers are advised to camp at Pumpkin Mountain Camp, a short distance away. A very strong hiker can make Big Beaver and back in a day -- but what's the hurry?

Map Getting there
Drive North on Interstate 5 past Mount Vernon. Take exit 230 to North Cascades Highway 20, heading east. Follow Highway 20 through Newhalem to the Ross Dam parking area, four miles east of Colonial Creek Campground.

Trail detail
The Ross Dam Trail starts from the parking lot and descends in a series of switchbacks through hemlock, fir and lodgepole pine. Happy Creek is crossed on a footbridge, a good place to pause between two scenic waterfalls.

The switchbacks end at a road; follow the road (to the right) to the top of the dam. Hike across the dam and look for a trail going off to the right, sometimes known as the Ross Lake Trail, which is the beginning of the Big Beaver Loop.

In the summer, the other end of the loop trail is at Little Beaver. Little Beaver Landing is reached via water taxi by making arrangements through Ross Lake Resort.

Between Ross Dam and Big Beaver Camp, there are occasional glimpses to Ross Lake and Jack Mountain to the east. The first couple of miles, the trail climbs gently above Ross Lake; at three miles, it reaches a junction. The left trail goes to Sourdough Mountain (it may be signed as Pierce Mountain Way). Save Sourdough for late summer.

The trail continues through virgin forest. It crosses a few streams and a deep gorge spanned by a bridge. The gorge is the most scenic spot on the trail. You might want to have lunch here and gawk at the views. From the gorge, hike another mile and cross Big Beaver Creek on a good bridge; the camp is on the other side of the bridge. From Big Beaver Camp, the trail climbs to Beaver Pass, 5-1/2 miles pass Ross Lake.

A backcountry permit is needed for overnight trips and can be obtained from the North Cascades Information Center or the Marblemount Ranger Station.

Trail data
Ross Dam Trail is 1-1/2 miles round-trip. Elevation gain is 500 feet. From Ross Dam Trailhead to Big Beaver Camp, it's about 13 miles round-trip, with an elevation gain of approximately 700 feet. For additional information, refer to "100 Hikes in the North Cascades" by Ira Spring/Harvey Manning (The Mountaineers, $14.95).