Expert

Best Expert Hikes at a Glance

This page lists 11 expert hikes from the Summit Seeker trail database, across 8 states. Summit elevations run from 520 ft (The Beehive) to 20,310 ft (Denali (Mount McKinley)).

11 of the 11 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is The Beehive at 2 mi; the longest is Gannett Peak at 40 mi. Elevation gain ranges from about 450 ft (The Beehive) to 13,000 ft (Denali (Mount McKinley)). Together the quoted routes add up to 196.2 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 11 expert.

2 of the 11 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.

By state: Washington (3), Maine (2), Alaska (1), Colorado (1), Montana (1), New Mexico (1), Oregon (1), Wyoming (1).

Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.

Route facts

Route notes

• Denali (Mount McKinley) — 28 mi round trip via the West Buttress, 13,000 ft of elevation gain, about 16 hr, a technical climb rated Expert.
• Columbia Crest — 15 mi round trip via the Disappointment Cleaver Route (from Paradise), 8,790 ft of elevation gain, about 9.5 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Prominence 13,210 ft.
• Crestone Needle — 11.5 mi round trip via the South Colony Lakes Trail / South Face, 4,700 ft of elevation gain, about 6 hr, a technical climb rated Expert.
• Gannett Peak — 40 mi round trip via the Pole Creek Trail via Titcomb Basin and Bonney Pass, 9,050 ft of elevation gain, about 18 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Prominence 7,041 ft.
• North Truchas Peak — 13.6 mi round trip via the Trampas Trail #31 (via Trampas Lakes), 4,900 ft of elevation gain, about 7 hr, a technical climb rated Expert.
• Granite Peak — 24 mi round trip via the Froze-to-Death Plateau / East Ridge (from Mystic Lake), 7,500 ft of elevation gain, about 12 hr, a technical climb rated Expert.
• Mount Hood — 8 mi round trip via the South Side Route (Hogsback), 5,235 ft of elevation gain, about 5.5 hr, a technical climb rated Expert.
• Bonanza Peak — 14 mi round trip via the Mary Green Glacier, 6,300 ft of elevation gain, about 8 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Prominence 3,730 ft.
• Goode Mountain — 37 mi round trip via the Pacific Crest Trail from Rainy Pass (Northeast Buttress climb), 8,400 ft of elevation gain, about 16.5 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Prominence 3,829 ft.
• Precipice Trail — a 3.1-mile loop from Precipice Trailhead, Park Loop Road, 1,000 ft of elevation gain, about 1.5 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Parking: Acadia Park Pass required. Recommended seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.
• The Beehive — a 2-mile loop via the Beehive Loop Trail from Sand Beach Parking, 450 ft of elevation gain, about 3 hr, a technical climb rated Expert. Parking: Acadia Park Pass required. Recommended seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.