Storm Ridge Overnight
20 km
2 days
Hard
Camping Trek
Nov 20, 2025
The Storm Ridge Overnight is not a trail for the faint of heart. This 20-kilometer, two-day camping trek traverses a remote and exposed ridgeline that earns its ominous name every time the weather turns — which, on this particular ridge, is often. The route follows the crest of Storm Ridge for nearly its entire length, offering hikers virtually no shelter from wind, sun, or the sudden weather systems that roll across the range with little warning. It is a hike that demands respect, experience, and meticulous preparation, but for those who meet its conditions, it delivers an experience of raw, uncompromising wilderness that is becoming increasingly rare in an over-trailered world.
The landscape along Storm Ridge is dramatic in the truest sense of the word. The ridge itself is a narrow, rocky spine that rises above deep valleys on both sides, with sheer cliff faces dropping away to scree slopes and alpine meadows far below. The views are panoramic and relentless — there is no section of this trail where you are not confronted by the vast scale of the surrounding mountain range. On clear days, the visibility extends for over 100 kilometers, with peak after peak receding into the blue distance like waves on a frozen ocean. On cloudy days, the ridge is swallowed by mist and wind, reducing the world to a few meters of rock and the howling air. Both conditions have their own stark beauty, but only one is safe for hiking.
Camping on Storm Ridge is an exercise in deliberate exposure. The designated campsites are located on small, relatively flat areas carved into the lee side of rock outcroppings that provide marginal wind protection. There is no natural shelter — no trees to hang a tarp from, no depressions to escape the gusts. Your tent must be a four-season shelter capable of withstanding sustained winds of 60 to 80 kilometers per hour, and your stakes must be designed for rocky ground. Many experienced ridge campers bring rock sacks — stuff sacks that can be filled with rocks and attached to guy lines — as insurance against the wind pulling stakes from the thin, rocky soil. This is not a place for ultralight three-season tents or casual camping. It is a place for those who understand that the mountains do not care about your comfort, and who find something deeply satisfying in that indifference.
The trek begins at the Storm Ridge trailhead, located at the end of a rugged 14-kilometer gravel road that is best navigated with a high-clearance vehicle. Day one covers approximately 12 kilometers, beginning with a steep 3-kilometer climb through subalpine forest to reach the ridgeline. This approach section is the only portion of the trail that offers any shelter, and hikers would be wise to enjoy it — once you reach the ridge, the exposure is total and unrelenting. The forest gives way abruptly at treeline, and the trail emerges onto the rocky spine of the ridge with a suddenness that feels like stepping onto the roof of the world.
The ridge section proper extends for approximately 8 kilometers and includes several sections of Class 2 scrambling where the route follows narrow ledges along cliff bands or climbs over short rock steps. The exposure on these sections is significant — a fall would be catastrophic — and hikers should be comfortable with heights and have solid scrambling skills. Rock cairns mark the route, but in fog or whiteout conditions, navigation becomes extremely challenging, and a GPS device with pre-loaded waypoints is strongly recommended. The trail undulates along the ridge crest, gaining and losing elevation in a series of small ascents and descents that cumulatively add significant vertical to the day's effort.
The designated campsites are located at approximately the 12-kilometer mark, in a shallow saddle where the ridge broadens slightly. Each campsite features a rock windbreak constructed by previous campers and a level tent pad cleared of loose rock. There is no water source at the campsites — the last reliable water is a small spring at the 6-kilometer mark on the approach, so you must carry sufficient water for cooking, drinking, and the following morning. Day two retraces the route to the trailhead, covering the same 12 kilometers in reverse, with the added challenge of the scrambling sections on tired legs.
The scenery on Storm Ridge is defined by scale, drama, and an almost overwhelming sense of exposure. The 360-degree views from the ridgeline are among the most expansive in the region — on a clear day, you can see the entire range laid out like a topographic map, with valleys carved deep into the earth and peaks rising in tiered ranks toward the horizon. The late afternoon light is particularly spectacular, when the low sun casts long shadows across the valleys and paints the western faces of the peaks in shades of amber and rose. Sunset from the ridge camp is an experience that justifies the entire trip: the sky transitions through a full spectrum of color while the valleys below fill with purple shadow, and the last rays of sunlight catch the highest peaks in a brief, blazing finale.
When the weather closes in, the scenery shifts to something equally powerful but far more intimidating. Clouds rushing over the ridge create a sensation of speed and scale that is almost dizzying, and the wind-driven mist reduces visibility to a few meters while amplifying every sound into a roar. There is a primal, elemental quality to standing on this ridge in a storm — a visceral reminder that we are small, fragile creatures in a world of forces we cannot control.
Trail conditions on Storm Ridge are rugged and demanding. The approach through the subalpine forest is a relatively standard hiking trail with packed dirt, roots, and some rocky sections. The ridge portion is entirely exposed rock, loose scree, and occasional patches of alpine turf. The scrambling sections require steady nerves and reliable footwear — trail runners are not appropriate for this route. There is no water on the ridge itself, and the spring at the 6-kilometer mark may be dry by late summer. The trail is not maintained in the traditional sense — there are no signs, bridges, or constructed features on the ridge, only rock cairns that must be followed carefully. Snow can persist on north-facing sections into August, and fresh snow can fall at any time of year. This trail should only be attempted during the stable weather window of July through September, and even then, flexibility is essential — be prepared to turn back if conditions deteriorate.
The Storm Ridge trailhead is located approximately 3 hours from the nearest town, at the end of Forest Road 231, a 14-kilometer gravel road that requires high-clearance vehicles and is not recommended for passenger cars. The road is rough, steep in sections, and unmaintained outside the summer season. Four-wheel drive is strongly recommended. The trailhead parking area is small and informal, accommodating roughly 6 vehicles, with no facilities of any kind. There is no cell phone coverage at the trailhead or anywhere along the route. No permits are required for day hiking or backcountry camping, but registration at the trailhead sign-in box is requested for safety purposes. The access road is typically snow-free from early July through late September; outside this window, the road is generally impassable.