For hikers choosing not to take Harts Pass Road to Harts Pass the fastest alternate route to connect with the PCT from Mazama is the Robinson Creek Trail, which is the next valley to the NE and is accessed by the lower part of Harts Pass Road.
!2026: Harts Pass Road closed at Monument Creek
Harts Pass Road is closed at Monument Creek due to winter storm damage so hikers will need to walk the road for 1.8 miles to the Robinson Creek Trailhead.
Choose your route before you leave
Before starting your hike, learn about current snow conditions and decide if you want to connect with the PCT at Slate Pass or further north at Castle Pass.
The PCT is going to keep you mostly between 6,000 - 7,000 ft. whereas the Robinson Creek route will keep you mostly well below 6,000 ft, going above that only at Robinson Pass and Frosty Pass.
If Robinson Creek Trail is snow free but there is still snow on the Slate Pass Trail, then you might choose to stay low and continue heading north to Castle Pass. From there its only 3.7 miles on the PCT to the Canadian border.
Below: Example of snow on Slate Pass Trail but not on Robinson Creek Trail to the right (2025 May 31)
Below: Example of snow on Frosty Pass Trail but not on the PNT leading to it from the right (2025 April 1)
Option 1: Connect at Slate Pass
This route is only 0.7 miles further and only 220 ft of elevation gain more than walking Harts Pass Road. The rates of climb are similar as well.
Robinson Creek Trail starts near the Ballard Creek Campground on the lower end of Harts Pass Road.
!2026: blowdowns A March 27th trail report counted 38 blow-downs on the first 3 miles. We can expect more father along the trail. I found no reports of blow-downs on the trail from the previous year.
2.7 miles in from the trailhead you will reach the bridge over Beauty Creek, beneath Beauty Falls. Photo below:
The trail follows Robinson Creek for 8.35 miles to 5,774 ft. There you turn west onto the Slate Pass Trail and immediately cross the Robinson Creek headwaters. You might want to collect water there.
From Robinson Creek to Slate Pass you will gain 1,155 ft of elevation over 2.6 miles. The trees open up more and more and there is an open meadow at 6,160 ft where you cross over into the Middle Fork Pasayten River valley. The trail continues upward and ends with a traverse of a steep scree-covered slope below Buckskin Ridge.
Reaching Slate Pass (6,935 ft) and looking west toward North Cascades National Park for the first time is a satisfying experience.
At Slate Pass you can chose to
- walk up the road to the summit of Slate Peak. There is not a good way to connect with the PCT from there. So, you will have to backtrack or try your luck following the rocky ridge for 1.4 miles.
or - take the connector trail S/SE down the road to the second parking area where there is a seasonal spring just north of Harts Pass (the next water on the PCT might be at Tamarack Peak 4.8 miles away)
or - head northbound on the PCT by walking the road downhill, due west, until you reach the next hairpin turn. Instead of turning, continue west off the road onto the short connector trail to the PCT.
Below: View from Slate Peak looking south to Harts Pass. The connector trail to the PCT in the lower right corner of the photo.
Option 2: Connect at Castle Pass
This route totals 33.4 miles from the trailhead to the PCT at Castle Pass and includes 6,531 ft of overall elevation gain. The high points are Robinson Pass (6,223 ft) and Frosty pass (6,490 ft) and the river crossings are around 4,300 ft.
8.3 miles in pass by the intersection with Slate Pass Trail (mentioned above) and continue north on Robinson Creek Trail 478. At 9.2 miles you will reach Robinson Pass. From there you will follow the Middle Fork Pasayten River downhill for 14 miles to its connection with the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT).
20.2 miles in you will reach the bridge across the Middle Fork Pasayten River, just beyond this point is the ruins of the "Three Forks Cabin" which collapsed in 2016. You will cross two more bridges over the next half mile. The three forks area has numerous trail intersections. Stay on Robinson Creek Trail 478.
The last of the three bridges is the nicest one, Rock Creek. Photo credit: Caro "Bandit".
The Burn Zone
In the Three Forks area hikers will enter the burn zone of the 2022 "Parks" and "Kid" fires. Hikers will not depart the burn zone until they are more than half way up Frosty Creek. The area immediately around the Pasayten Airfield Cabin is unburned. Perhaps it was defended by firefighters.
Storms in mid August 2022 brought exceptional lightning that started numerous fires. By September 12th the Kid (south) and Park (north) fires merged at a spot on the PNT. The fire burned until Christmas consuming 32,000 acres. It came within 2 miles of the PCT but ultimately never touched any part of it.
On September 1st 2022 the PCT was closed north of Holman Pass because of these fires and any northbound hikers who had not already reached the northern terminus were denied that opportunity. Some hikers chose to touch the border at other locations to the east or west of Monument 78.
At 21.7 miles you will pass by the intersection with Lease Creek Trail to the east. In a tenth of a mile you will pass the Pasayten Airfield Cabin on the west side of the trail.
The trail takes you down the center of the open airfield, then plunges back into the forest at the other end.
At 22.5 miles you will reach the tee with Trail 533, aka Boundary Trail, aka PNT. Head west on the PNT and cross to the north side of Soda Creek, then follow the valley up to Dead Lake (5,120 ft), 27.6 miles in.
After Dead Lake its downhill for 1.5 miles to the ruins of Chuchuwanteen cabin and the crossing at Chuchuwanteen Creek at 26.2 miles in. Then the climb up Frosty Creek Valley begins.
When you reach Frosty Pass you will be greeted with stunning views including Castle Peak to the NW.
Below: Frosty Pass looking south. Castle Pass to the right.
Descend the 1.5 miles and six switchbacks to Castle Pass (5,460 ft) where you connect with the PCT.
Below: Signs at Castle Pass, facing east.
Billy Robinson
William "Billy" B. Robinson is the namesake of Robinson Creek where he had a mining claim. His cabin was at the mouth of the creek near the current road, possibly at the current trailhead.
Below: Arlean Perrine and Peggy Tideman stop for lunch at Robinson Pass. Both are wearing angora chaps.
