Winter Hike to Winchester Mountain

Whatcom County, Washington

Save

View all 5 photos

All 5 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

3.5 miles

Elevation Gain

1320 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Stephen Bellrichard

Get your Snowshoes out. Options for backcountry skiing/boarding. Access to snow camping - Campsites at lake or on the summit area. Sweeping views of the North Cascades – Great for photography. Stay the night in a historical Fire Lookout (1st come, 1st Serve).

Despite this trip report being titled "to Winchester Mountain", the fun doesn’t stop there. Even though Winchester Mountain is the most popular summer hike departing from Twin Lakes, this whole area turns into a fun-zone during the winter.

Upon reaching higher ground above the lakes, this zone offers incredible views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, Goat Mountain, Twin Lakes, Winchester Mountain, and a sizable portion of the North Cascades. This place is stunning during any season, however it gets explored much less during the winter months. Crowds are nearly non-existent, and you will likely only share the place with a handful of people.

The opportunities to explore in this zone are seemingly endless – snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, snow camping, photography, hanging out, and maybe even building a snowman or two.

Keep in mind that Forest Service Road 3065 is getting pretty gnarly at this point in the season. DO NOT ATTEMPT to drive up the road (beyond the snow line) under any circumstances if you don’t have a 4x4 vehicle. Even with chains you are putting your life at risk. The road steepens dramatically after passing the trailhead for Yellow Aster Butte, and the vertical drop to the valley floor below increases to ominous heights.

The chance of inclement weather occurring during this season can be very high, and the worst thing possible would be a road that glistens with ice from a flash freeze. The safest option is to park at the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead and hike 2 miles and 1,600ft to Twin Lakes (5,200ft). This will change the total mileage from 5 miles round-trip to 9 miles. Don’t be discouraged by the slight increase in distance. The road will be relatively easy to walk up in comparison to a hiking trail, and it’s downhill on the return trip (which is ideal for anyone who is skiing/boarding).

GETTING THERE:

From I-5 take exit 255 (Sunset/Mt. Baker Highway) and drive east 31 miles to the town of Glacier.
Drive another 13.5 miles and take a left on forest service road 3065 (Twin Lakes Road).
Drive 5 miles (stay left at all forks) park at the Yellow Aster Butte/Lake Tomyhoi trailhead.
From here high clearance vehicles may be able to drive beyond this point but it gets very rough. Park at Twin Lakes Trailhead.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Photography

Camping

Snowboarding

Chillin

Skiing

Snowshoeing

Backpacking

Hiking

Forest

Scenic

Winter Hike to Winchester Mountain Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Winchester Mountain Fire Lookout

Winchester Mountain is said to have the greatest reward for least amount of effort in all the North Cascades. One of the last fire-lookouts in the region stands on the summit. Views from the summit of Winchester Mountain are beautiful and dramatic to say the least. Being one of the easiest hikes on Hwy 542, it gains only 1,300ft in 2.5 miles from Twin Lakes. NOTE: A high clearance vehicle is ...

Yellow Aster Butte

Yellow Aster Butte has to be one of the most visually rewarding hikes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest for the effort required to get there. Abundant with lush, rolling mountain meadows, hikers can be treated to an abundance of wildflowers, heather fields, and berry patches with dreamy scenes of rugged peaks in every direction on the 9-mile round trip will get you up to the top of Ye...

Yellow Aster Butte and Tomyhoi Peak

The best way to describe the location is due east of Bellingham. After driving through gorgeous roads to reach Twin Lakes Road (fire service road 3065), you are treated to about a 4-mile drive up to the trailhead for Yellow Aster Butte (8.3 miles RT with 2850' of gain) and Tomyhoi Peak. The drive contains beautiful river views and waterfalls as it climbs its way up to the trailhead. It can get ...

Climb Ruth Mountain and Icy Peak

This is a great introductory glacial climb in the North Cascades with moderate glacial slopes and 4th class scrambling. The reward is outstanding views of the Picket Range, Mt Shuksan and the dramatic Nooksack Cirque. Even though this climb is easy it can be demanding and requires individuals to be in peak shape. Trip time can range from 15-20 hours depending on weather, fitness, and whether or...

Catch a Sunrise at Picture Lake

Set your eyes on one of the most photographic mountain landscapes in North America. You can drive up early for the sunrise, but really any time of day will be a treat.In the spring, make sure to come when the lake isn't frozen over so you can get the full reflection of Mt. Shuksan on the water. Towards the end of summer and in the fall, alternatively, a backdrop of wildflowers and colorful plan...

Winter Backpack to Artist Point

You do need a Northwest Forest Pass to park in the lot overnight. You can buy a day use E-pass online here (pick Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest from the drop down menu) and print it out and it's ready to use. Or you can buy the annual pass here.The adventure to Artist Point begins in the Mt. Baker ski area. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the ski area on weekends and busy days so...