Skip to content

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

Coordinates48.14319, -121.37445

Named places within 25 miles

Waterfalls: 36
Parks: 20
  • 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
Historic sites: 9
  • Hotel Fireplace Remains: 8.3 mi
  • Lodge: 10.9 mi
  • Ore Concentrator: 11.0 mi
  • Mackinaw Shelter: 11.4 mi
  • Bus: 15.2 mi
Cliffs: 8
  • 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
Picnic sites: 4
Attractions: 2
Ghost towns: 1
Springs: 1
  • 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.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Sitkum SpireE 100°2,851 m11.7 mi
Kennedy PeakE 94°2,518 m11.5 mi
Sloan PeakSSE 167°2,388 m7.2 mi
Cadet PeakS 174°2,191 m11.0 mi
North Cadet PeakS 174°2,182 m10.7 mi
Monte Cristo PeakS 173°2,140 m12.0 mi
White Chuck MountainNNW 337°2,130.2 m4.9 mi
Black MountainESE 119°2,130 m8.8 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0918:3719:18
June solstice05:0620:2121:10
September equinox06:5318:2419:05
December solstice07:5415:2116:15

Local time (America/Los_Angeles).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Sep.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F353842485660666660494035
Precip in12.88.69.35.63.72.91.31.73.48.513.212.1

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Darrington RS, 13 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapWikidata

OpenStreetMap element node/356547043

More peaks in Washington

Day trips start here

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Mount Pugh.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens