Picket Range Traverse

The Picket Range traverse is one of the most committing ski objectives in the Lower 48. Over seven days, the route links the southern and northern Pickets through terrain that sees almost no human traffic, crossing glaciers, threading cliff bands, and summiting Mount Fury, Luna Peak, and Mount Challenger along the way. This is expedition-grade ski mountaineering in a compact but ruthlessly complex range.

The traverse begins at the Sourdough Ridge trailhead off Highway 20 with a 3,500-foot trail approach before snow begins. McMillan Col serves as the crux of the route, requiring careful navigation through cliff bands that have turned back previous attempts. Beyond the col, the terrain opens into the heart of the Pickets, with massive glaciers connecting the major peaks and providing long ski descents between camps.

Bushwhacking through slide alder and devil's club fills the gaps between snow-covered sections, particularly on approaches and exits. Route-finding in whiteout conditions across the glaciated terrain presents serious navigation challenges. Previous attempts have been turned back by wet slab avalanches, and the remoteness means any injury or equipment failure creates a genuine emergency.

The payoff is total immersion in the wildest mountain terrain Washington has to offer. Views stretch from Ross Lake to Colonial Peak to Mount Baker. The Pickets see fewer visitors per year than most Cascade peaks see in a weekend, and skiing through this landscape delivers an experience closer to Alaska than anything else in the state.