McGregor Mountain (Washington)

McGregor Mountain is an 8,143-foot (2,482-metre) elevation massif located in the Stehekin Valley of the North Cascades, in Chelan County of Washington state. McGregor Mountain is situated northwest of Lake Chelan in the northern Methow Mountains, on the shared border of North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The closest community is Stehekin, and the nearest higher neighbor is Goode Mountain, 7.3 miles (11.7 km) to the northwest. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Stehekin River. Topographic relief is significant since the southern aspect of the mountain rises 6,600 feet above this river in approximately two miles. The famous Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western base of this mountain, and the strenuous 7.7-mile (12.4 km) McGregor Mountain Trail gains 6,400 feet (1,920 m) of elevation to take hikers within a half-mile of the summit. Reaching the summit requires exposed scrambling the final 1,100 feet (330 m), and an ice axe is needed if the trail remains covered by snowpack. The summit was the site of an old fire lookout cabin from 1923 until 1955, but now has a radio repeater for the National Park Service. The views from the top include Glacier Peak, Black Peak, Corteo Peak, Frisco Mountain, Tupshin Peak, Dome Peak, Glory Mountain, and many others. This mountain was named for Billy McGregor, a Stehekin Valley resident who had a cabin and homestead at the base of this mountain during the 1890s. In May 1901, Billy disappeared overnight from a boat docked in Lake Chelan, and was never seen or heard from again.