The Mt. Dickerman Trail #710 begins at the Dickerman/Perry Creek trailhead just off the Mountain Loop Highway. From the onset, this trail is an uphill battle, quickly rising away from the highway in a long series of tight switchbacks. The route tunnels through thick, mixed forest of maple, hemlock, and fir. Streams occasionally cut across the path, and the trail often brushes near waterfalls and creeks just off-trail. With nearly 4000 of elevation to climb up, these
Little Side attractions make for great stopping points along the way.
After about three miles of switchbacks, the trail transitions from dark forest to open alpine meadows that hint at views to come. In the spring and summer months, this area is awash in wildflowers and mountain blueberry. After this brief respite, the trail gains the ridgeline and presses upward to the summit. Navigate this next set of switchbacks and before long youll find yourself on a precipice, looking hundreds of feet down into the Perry Creek Valley. Tread carefully and find a spot to take in the 360-degree views. To the north pick out Mt. Baker and White Chuck Mountain rising above nearby Mt. Forgotten. As you turn east Mt. Sloan looms large next to Glacier Peak, Mt. Pugh, and Bedal Peak. Mt. Rainer can be seen to the south behind Del Campo Peak,
Vesper Peak, Big Four Mountain, and Morningstar Peak.
Mt. Pilchuck and The Three Fingers are to the west.
We highly recommend adding a trip to Mt. Dickerman to your hiking list. On a good day the views from the summit are stunning. Mountains stretch out endlessly in every direction, and its easy to see why hikers trudge their way to the top of Mt. Dickerman year-round. While trail is a little rocky, hundreds of booted feet keep the route free of blow downs and overgrowth. Only the steep elevation gain might keep this hike a little out of reach for some. Still, the trail is in good enough condition that most hikers should be able to make it given enough time.
History
Mt. Dickerman was named after Alton L. Dickerman, a mining engineer who was sent to assess the
Monte Cristo area in 1891. His analysis helped a group of investors convince Nelson Rockefeller to back a mining venture, which spurred the development of the
Monte Cristo Mining District. Ultimately becoming a Trustee of the
Monte Cristo Mining Company, Dickerman remained connected to the troubled mining region until his death in 1921.