Overnight on Hannegan Peak from 11.19-20 2025

ROAD: The forest road was in pretty good shape and fine for a regular car, with just a few potholes to look out for. The outhouse was open and even had some TP.

TRAIL: Straightforward to Hannegan Pass. Lots of smaller water crossings and lots of water on trail. Poles and waterproof boots recommended! Some of the watery areas had frozen into slick icy spots. We made it to the pass with bare boots though.

Once we headed towards Hannegan Peak we started post-holing, so we threw on the snowshoes for the remainder of the day. Some areas were still kind of bony though, and snow depth wasn't consistent. The route to gain the ridge does switchback over a slope that would be steep enough to slide, once the snowpack is a little deeper.

We broke trail up to the summit and dug out a flat spot to pitch our tent amidst a little grove of trees that sheltered us from the winds. It was a beautiful, rare sunny November day, although the sunset kind of fizzled out and some weather moved in overnight. Mother Nature threw a little snow our way, and we woke up to a whiteout at sunrise. 

The clouds lifted a bit for some moody views as we descended. We opted to just use microspikes for the descent, as the snow was fairly firm and descending some of the steeper terrain would have been awkward in snowshoes.

WATER SOURCES: Lots lower down, but there was a good stream crossing the trail just before the junction to Hannegan Camp, and running water up to a small stream by the trail at about 4,800'. There was technically enough running water directly on the trail for a little ways past that that was substantial enough to collect, although it looked muddy...

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The first few miles of trail were covered in slushy snow but it became a couple feet deep close to the campground. Fall foliage was still visible in parts of the valley. The trail up to the peak was passable, but the dog and I turned around before the top because I was being blown over by intense wind gusts. It was snowing heavily and was very beautiful. I was glad to be dressed in snow pants and warm layers. I used spikes on the way down and a hiking pole. We passed a handful of people finishing the hike as we started and all appeared to be equipped with snow gear. We finished after dark and found one other vehicle who seemed to be camped at the trailhead.

Fall is a great time to do this hike:  colors are coming in;  the daunting cascades falling over the trail in the spring are dry or almost dry.   The trail is in good shape with many signs of intensive work, including re-benching, a rock wall holding up a wash-out, check steps, and drains.

On a crisp Monday under a clear sky, there were many empty spaces in the parking lot as I arrived and when I left.  I passed about 10 people coming down as I headed up;  and about 12 heading up as I came down.  Despite the government shutdown, the bathrooms were open at the Glacier Public Service Center and the latrine was open at the trailhead.  (A sign cautions that services are limited, so bring your own TP). 

A cold night out at Silesia Camp, one of the most accessible views of the Pickets and North Cascades. It's exciting that the full Copper-Chilliwack Loop is now open, and I'll look forward to completing it on a future trip.

We originally planned to camp for several nights, but due to the forecast for relentless rain and bitter cold, we changed our reservation to a one-night stay at Silesia before the government shutdown. We slept in our vehicle at the trailhead the night before our hike, and found it busy, with cars coming and going throughout the night, as well as alarming noise from rockfall. The parking lot area is much colder overnight than the approach trail to Hannegan Pass, being in a shaded area, not affected by the sun that warms most of the valley. The road to the trailhead proper is now open; in previous years, I've parked behind the washout and walked a short distance through the forest to the original trailhead and bathroom.

We thoroughly enjoyed the hike out to Silesia and onward toward the Copper Mountain Lookout, though it took us most of the day, including a side trip for water to Egg Lake. The water source streams at Hannegan Camp and Boundary Camp were flowing with clear water, but the smaller streams I had encountered in previous years along the trail, including two solid blue lines on the Gaia map, were completely dry. We were glad to find that the outlet of Egg Lake was also flowing clear, with enough space to use both a squeeze and a pump filter (with a hose).

We took a minute to explore the campsites at Egg Lake, including two separate toilets -- one on each side of the lake -- and spoke to two groups spending the night, who confirmed their tents were coated in ice that morning from the frigid temperatures.

We only encountered a few other groups on the trail, headed for Copper Lake or back to Boundary Camp, in addition to the groups camping at Egg Lake. Everyone was adhering to the permit reservation system, even though the government shutdown made access advice unclear. We also encountered one solo hiker who had turned back from an attempt on Mt Challenger - and now that's on my radar for another year.

Our Silesia Campsite was roomy enough for two tents and flat, with stunning views of the sunset, stars, and moon. The bear box had ample space for multiple groups' food and scented items. The only downside was having to carry water. We didn't see any sign of bears or other wildlife, except for chipmunks and small birds. We enjoyed copious ripe blueberries right from the trail, which surprised everyone so late in the year.

This hike is so enjoyable that I often forget I logged over 20 miles and 6,000' of elevation gain for the overnight. Hope to return again soon!

LOST: Gray Door Handle Lock Cover in parking lot. Plastic square with one rounded corner. Please let me know if found, would really appreciate!

Spent 2 nights at Egg Lake. Some folks on the way to Hannegan Pass, didn't see anyone afterwards except a few nice groups hiking to Copper Lake.

Berries are prime! Trail is in excellent condition. Egg Lake is much bigger than we expected! The sites are well-spaced and private.

We saw no one all day on our full day hiking to the lookout. A trail runner brought her off-leash dog to Egg Lake our final morning, I yelled at her to control her dog, it's a national park, etc. when her dog started running over to pikas and she told me, "Don't worry about it." Disappointing but everyone else we met with a dog before the pass (where dogs are still allowed) was a great, respectful dog owner.