Rockport, Washington
Rockport sits at the confluence of the Skagit and Sauk Rivers. Needless to say, it is a hub for fisherman, who come up the Skagit River Valley to chase the coho, kings, humpies, sockeye, steelhead, and trout that populate these famous fisheries. It also sits on the North Cascades Highway, the road that leads to some best peaks in the state: Eldorado Peak (8,868 feet), Boston Glacier and Peak (8,894 feet), Sahale Mountain (8,681 feet), Forbidden Peak (8,816 feet). The west ridge of Forbidden Peak is listed as one of the fifty classic climbs of North America in Allen Steck and Steve Roper’s extensive volume. The Ptarmigan Traverse, a famous alpine route for climbers and skiers, is also a major destination objective nearby. Not to be outshined but lesser known, the Forbidden Traverse offers up a long glacier-traversing adventure for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Whether you are headed to the frontcountry or the backcountry, don’t forget to stop and pick some fresh berries at Cascade Farms just up the road from Rockport.
Maps
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The Ptarmigan Traverse Summits
The Ptarmigan Traverse is a high elevation route in the North Cascade Range of Washington State. It was first done in 1938 by a group from the Ptarmigan Climbing Club and didn’t become popular with mountaineers until much later. Nowadays, many groups tackle the traverse every summer. For experienced mountaineers, this trip has a lot […]
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The Bulger List – Washington’s Highest 100 Peaks
In the summer of ’96, I ran into a friend that I hadn’t seen in awhile. After catching up and laughing about the crazy times back in college, he mentioned that a few guys were climbing Mount Shuksan in a couple of weeks and asked if I wanted to join them. I immediately said yes, […]
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Gamma Hot Springs – Places I’ve Never Been
I’ve never been to Gamma Hot Springs, but I heard about this remote soaking pool anytime the conversation steered towards hot springs around Seattle. Apparently, I’m not alone either – most folks know of someone who has been there, but the “knowing” feels more like playing six degrees of Kevin Bacon rather than scrolling through […]
Featured Mountains in Rockport
| Mountain | Approx. Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sauk Mountain | 5,328 ft (1,624 m) |
| Lookout Mountain | 5,699 ft (1,737 m) |
| Johannesburg Mountain | 8,100 ft (2,469 m) |
| Illabot Peaks | 5,879 ft (1,792 m) |
| Hidden Lake Peaks | 7,018 ft (2,139 m) |
| Forbidden Peak | 8,815 ft (2,687 m) |
| Eldorado Peak | 8,868 ft (2,703 m) |
| Boston Peak | 8,894 ft (2,711 m) |
| Leonards Ridge | 3,871 ft (1,180 m) |