John Guilford's Hikes

Excelsior Peak via Damfino Lakes on 2026-07-14

Date: 2026-07-14

Location: Excelsior Peak via Damfino Lakes

People: (including myself): Happy Hikers

			  	Alt.	Miles
Trailhead:		9:05	4270	0
Damfino Lakes:		9:25	4480	0.8
Excelsior Peak:		10:45	5700	3.3
Leave:			12:00
Damfino Lakes:		1:37	4480	6.3
Trailhead:		2:00	4270	7.2

The road into the trailhead was mostly pretty good, with the beginning paved. However, there is a stretch about 9 miles in where the road had been washed out. There was a "road" there, but it was very rough and requires a vehicle with high ground clearance to navigate. There were a couple signs back where the road turned off the Mount Baker highway warning of the need for high clearance vehicles ahead. I don't believe my sedan would have been able to make it.

The trail starts off shaded by old growth forest. There was no wind at Damfino Lakes which let me get some nice reflection pictures off the water.

The trail continues through the trees before breaking out into open hillside that was filled with wildflowers. The trail crosses this hillside before reaching a ridge leading to Excelsior Peak. At the ridge another trail leads WSW along the ridge to another, somewhat lower peak.

We headed for Excelsior Peak. At the ridge we found it to get somewhat buggier, with annoying flies that sometimes bit. We took the direct steeper trail up to the summit. An alternative that is longer but less steep crosses south below the summit and curves around to approach the summit from the east. We ended up going down that way.

At the summit you have great views of Mt. Baker and Shuksan. There was a bit of a breeze at the summit which helped keep the bugs at bay.

At the summit we had lunch and waited for the rest of our group to show up and eat before we started back down.