Winchester Mountain

Date: October 10, 2024

Distance: About 5km

Elevation gain: About 400m

Winchester Mountain is a smaller peak to the north of Mt. Baker. It’s a short hike offering nice views of Baker, Larrabee, the Border Peaks, and more. There is a restored fire lookout on the summit. 

The trail is accessed from the Twin Lakes parking lot at the end of Twin Lakes Road (Forest Service road 3065). Most of the road is in excellent shape by BC standards, although there were a few muddy and slippery sections near the start. The last couple kilometres, starting soon after the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead, are much rougher as the road climbs up a slope, and medium or high clearance and 4WD are needed.

I visited Winchester Mountain as a side trip on my way back from Mt. Larrabee. The two trails split about 400 metres after leaving the parking lot. The Winchester Mountain trail is in excellent condition and switchbacks up the south side of the peak before wrapping around the western side. 

On the way up I unintentionally interrupted a couple taking wedding photos! I’ve done many hikes but that’s never happened before. I congratulated them and moved on. Judging by the summit register, this happens pretty often on this mountain. 

At the peak I met two hikers from Seattle planning to spend the night in the lookout. As we were talking, a mouse climbed onto their backpacks and ran into the lookout. Apparently mice are very common here. They were upset about the mouse and changed their plans pretty quickly! I didn't have the heart to tell them about the bear that had been seen on Larrabee earlier. 

Unfortunately the lookout’s shutters were closed for the winter, but views could be found by walking around the lookout. Baker, Larrabee, and the Border Peaks were highlights. From this angle, Larrabee looks quite steep and the route to its summit looks impressive. I stayed on the peak until sunset, walking down to the parking lot in the dark. 

Most of the car camping spots were occupied but I managed to find one halfway between the lakes. It would be hard to find a quiet spot on weekends. 

I made dinner, slept for a bit, then woke up around 10:30 to flashing lights outside. I’d seen the northern lights in Quebec and Vancouver earlier this year but this was much brighter, ironically. Bright white lights shimmered across the sky, fading out then reappearing. To the north, there was a faintly glowing green ribbon. I took many, many photos, with varying degrees of success.  

Overall, this hike offers excellent views for relatively little effort and would be a good option for newer hikers, or a nice addition to trips to Mt. Larrabee or the Gargett Mine.