PCT: Chinook Pass north to
Government Meadows

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Hwy 410 Hikes
WillhiteWeb.com
I have been both directions. The hike is much more enjoyable from south to north. You can also do this as a long day hike if you park one car at Chinook Pass and another where FR70/FR 7080 (out of Greenwater) crosses the PCT.
Chinook Pass: 0
Sheep Lake: 2.2 miles
Sourdough Gap: 3.4 miles
Bear Gap: 5.2 miles
Pickhandle Gap: 6.2 miles
Big Crow Basin 10.2 miles
Echo Lake Split: 15.9 miles
Louisiana Saddle: 20.9 miles
Government Meadow Shelter: 20.5 miles
Crossing of FR 7080: 21.5 miles
There are 76 miles of trail between Chinook Pass and Snoqualmie Pass. The section of trail is often overlooked, considered sub-par as it travels through many logging cuts and roads. But the first 21 miles is actually a scenic hike through a wilderness area. This page covers those 21.5 miles. Unfortunately, a recent burn has scared much of this area (as you will see in the images) but the area is recovering and the fire did open up the views.
The Hike
pacific crest trail pacific crest trail pacific crest trail pacific crest trail pacific crest trail Sheep Lake Sourdough Gap Chinook Pass Sourdough Gap Crown Point burned forest Scout Pass martinson gap washington Lake Basin Mount Rainier washington Castle Mountain Rods Gap pct Louisiana Saddle hike pct norse peak pacific crest trail Arch Rock Little Crow Basin washington state big crow basin martinson gap arch rock Norse Peak Wilderness pacific crest trail norse peak Crystal Mountain Ski Area fifes peak
Sheep Lake
View north from Sourdough Gap
Leaving Chinook Pass
Looking back at Sourdough Gap
Near Crown Point
Lake Basin
Looking back at Scout Pass
Mount Rainier in distance
Castle Mountain
Passing Crystal Mountain Ski Area
View between Rods Gap and Government Meadow
Sign at Louisiana Saddle
Trail near Louisiana Saddle
Most of the hike is in the Norse Peak Wilderness
Trail near Government Meadow
North end of the burn area near Arch Rock
View from the trail near Arch Rock
Patch of trees survived the fire at Martinson Gap
Burned over forest along many miles of the route
Little Crow Basin
Government Meadows
I have a separate page for the most northern mile of this trip: