Norse Peak 2 November 2025 (17235).jpg
Wilderness trespasser · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pickhandle Gap–Bear Gap, 6 sights is a 7.6-mile out-and-back near Snoquera, WA. The route passes Bear Gap and Pickhandle Gap. It climbs 2,976 ft, with sections as steep as 35% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 81/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi4,387 – 6,359 ft · steepest grade: 35%7.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Gold Hill Road East 46.93608, -121.47416
Nearest town Snoquera, WA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pickhandle Gap–Bear Gap, 6 sights

7.6 mi · ▲ 2,976 ft · 4 hr 1 min

Elevation 4,385–6,357 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Gold Hill Road East · 46.93608, -121.47416

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 68°F / low 41° · precip 1% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:37 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Gold Hill Road East, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading E.
  3. 350 ftSharp right onto Silver Creek Trail, heading S.
  4. 2 miPass Bear Gap.
  5. 50 ftBear left onto Bear Gap Trail #967, heading SE.
  6. 1 miReach Pickhandle Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Fog City Trail #967A, heading NE.
  8. 0.8 miPass Pickhandle Gap.
  9. 100 ftTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NE.
  10. 1 miContinue straight onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading N.
  11. 1.5 miBear left onto Chutes and Ladders, heading W.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left onto Bullion Basin Trail, heading SW.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left onto Gold Hill Road East, heading S.
  14. 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

97% dirt3% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 68°F41°
Precip1%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity53%
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 5:49 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:37 PM
Tue 74°51°
Wed 82°58°
Thu 85°56°
Fri 76°51°
Sat 73°47°
Sun 74°47°

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Gold Hill Road East Trailhead