Hi, we're the Mountain Goats (Terrence and Nathan), and today I (Terrence) did Sumas Mountain Via the Gold Mine trail. I did the Gold Mine trail loop last month with friends and figured I'd give Sumas Mountain a try today.
Just over 30 minutes after leaving Bellingham, I arrived at the "TH" (300'), which is located on private land. The trail heads east as I weaved towards the woods heading towards the Sumas Mountain Cabin. From the cabin, the route steepened as I scurried up the rocky trail. Views of the valley below began to peak out.
At 3000', the trail turns right as you reach the southeast ridge of Sumas Mountain. Mount Baker and the Fraser Valley Peaks in BC peaked out in the far distance. The trail continues to ascend along the ridgeline before merging with the P-1300 Road.
At this point, I was directly below the Sumas Mtn. No official trail leads to the summit, so I bushwhacked to what seemed to be the highest point. I then bushwacked down the other side to hopefully get some clear views of Baker, The Twin Sisters, and Shuksan. This attempt proved frugal. I ended up just eating near the tower.
All in all, the views were a bit disappointing for such a prominent mountain. Sumas Mountain is the 59th-most prominent peak in the state.
The descent was speedy.
Overall, this is a great training hike, although I would recommend just staying on the trail. The bushwacking sucked and wasn't worth it. As always, Stay Safe and Happy Hiking.
Final Stats: 8 Miles - 3,350 Elev Gain - 3:40 C2C (includes the 30 minutes I spent screwing around up top).
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