Mount Pugh

Mount Pugh rises to 2,195 m in Washington. Sitkum Spire stands 2,851 m to the east, 12 miles off. The nearest named place is Ira Spring Mountain, a peak 2.5 miles away. JCT WOODS CREEK RD NEAR MONROE TO JCT US 97 NEAR PESHASTIN passes 24 miles off.
The story
Mount Pugh (or Pugh Mountain, or native name Da Klagwats) is a peak near the western edge of the North Cascades, in Washington state. It is located 12.2 miles (19.6 km) west of Glacier Peak, one of the Cascade stratovolcanoes. It rises out of the confluence of the White Chuck River (on the north) and the Sauk River (on the southwest), giving it very low footings. For example, it rises 6,150 feet (1,875 m) above the Sauk River Valley in just over 2 horizontal miles (3.2 km); its rise over the White Chuck River is almost as dramatic. The mountain is named for John Pugh, who settled nearby, in 1891. According to Fred Beckey, "Nels Bruseth apparently made the first ascent in 1916". Earlier unrecorded ascents, including possibly much earlier Native American ascents, are possibilities, since the easiest ascent route is non-technical. The trail to the summit is easily negotiable most of the way but the last 1.5 miles (2.4 km) is along a razorback ridge with significant exposure. Two people died in falls in 2022 and 2026. This is the Northwest Ridge, Trail Number 644, which actually starts in the Sauk River Valley on the southwest side of the mountain. The total elevation gain is almost exactly one mile (5,280 ft or 1,609 m).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q8522082, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 2195 m
How to reach it
- 24.1 mi off the JCT WOODS CREEK RD NEAR MONROE TO JCT US 97 NEAR PESHASTIN
- 24.1 mi off the Stevens Pass Greenway, National
- 24.1 mi off the Cascade Loop, National
- 25.4 mi off the JCT KEYSTONE FERRY ZONE WHIDBEY ISLAND TO JCT SR 153 VIC TWISP
Overlooks nearby
- Canyon Falls Viewpoint · 24 mi
- Bridal Veil Falls Viewpoint · 24 mi
- Bridal Veil Falls viewpoint · 25 mi
- View of railroad bridge · 25 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Ira Spring Mountain: 2.5 mi
- Breccia Peak: 3.6 mi
- Zi-iob Peak: 4.3 mi
- Mount Forgotten: 4.5 mi
- White Chuck Mountain: 4.9 mi
- North Fork Sauk Falls: 3.2 mi
- Lower North Fork Falls: 3.3 mi
- Perry Creek Falls: 6.0 mi
- Buck Creek Falls: 7.6 mi
- Mackintosh Falls: 8.4 mi
- White Chuck Overlook Picnic Area: 4.3 mi
- Backman County Park: 11.2 mi
- Depot Park: 12.8 mi
- Old School Park: 12.9 mi
- Harold Engles Park: 13.0 mi
- Hotel Fireplace Remains: 8.3 mi
- Lodge: 10.9 mi
- Ore Concentrator: 11.0 mi
- Mackinaw Shelter: 11.4 mi
- Bus: 15.2 mi
- Grassy Point: 12.1 mi
- Moai: 23.5 mi
- Index Town Wall: 23.6 mi
- Peanuts Gallery: 23.6 mi
- Index Town Wall: 23.6 mi
- Bear Creek Site: 15.3 mi
- Nighthawk Site: 15.6 mi
- Hemple Creek Day Use Area: 17.7 mi
- Heybrook Lookout Picnic Area: 24.0 mi
- Sulphur Creek Hot Springs: 11.8 mi
- Gamma Hot Springs: 14.3 mi
- Garland Mineral Springs: 17.6 mi
- Monte Cristo: 10.9 mi
- Cut Log: 19.1 mi
- Monte Cristo: 10.9 mi
- Buck Creek Pass Spring: 19.0 mi
Other summits around it
The highest named summits within 12.0 miles of Mount Pugh. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sitkum Spire | E 100° | 2,851 m | 11.7 mi |
| Kennedy Peak | E 94° | 2,518 m | 11.5 mi |
| Sloan Peak | SSE 167° | 2,388 m | 7.2 mi |
| Cadet Peak | S 174° | 2,191 m | 11.0 mi |
| North Cadet Peak | S 174° | 2,182 m | 10.7 mi |
| Monte Cristo Peak | S 173° | 2,140 m | 12.0 mi |
| White Chuck Mountain | NNW 337° | 2,130.2 m | 4.9 mi |
| Black Mountain | ESE 119° | 2,130 m | 8.8 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:09 | 18:37 | 19:18 |
| June solstice | 05:06 | 20:21 | 21:10 |
| September equinox | 06:53 | 18:24 | 19:05 |
| December solstice | 07:54 | 15:21 | 16:15 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 35 | 38 | 42 | 48 | 56 | 60 | 66 | 66 | 60 | 49 | 40 | 35 |
| Precip in | 12.8 | 8.6 | 9.3 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.4 | 8.5 | 13.2 | 12.1 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Darrington RS, 13 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/356547043
Day trips start here
- North Cascades · 17 mi
- Granite Falls · 28 mi
Take the scenic way to Mount Pugh.
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