Washington

Mount Stuart is probably my favorite mountain in Washington. Tall, prominent, steep, visible from everywhere, and composed of beautiful black & white granite. After failing to summit via the Cascadian Couloir back in 2019 I was determined to flex my newfound trad climbing skills on the famous West Ridge route. However, there were some factors that made me nervous: I’d moved to Atlanta in June of 2020, and was a few hundred million years too late to experience the Appalachians as much more than rolling hills. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Put car snacks in a critter-proof container! We had some nice victory snacks stashed in the trunk at the Snow Lakes trailhead, but returned to find mice had gotten into them! Imagine me, stumbling down the endless Snow Lakes trail, wanting nothing more than chocolate peanut butter cups & white cheddar popcorn, only to have my dreams shattered. Parked at Snow Lakes trailhead then took a shuttle up to Colchuck trailhead. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Hiked the Persis/Index traverse. Main takeaways: Road is closed for logging 6 miles from the Persis trailhead; consider using a sturdy mountain bike on the approach. Route is completely snow-free in late season, traction/ice axe/heavy boots unnecessary (early season has steep snowfield above 2000 ft cliff). Huge amounts of blueberries mean black bears in area, bring appropriate food storage systems if staying overnight. Consider bringing a lightweight 30m rope as a handline for going up/down one section of steep loose dirt. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Camped up on Heliotrope Ridge for two nights as part of a three-day ice skills class. Hike in wasn’t bad. The big river crossing is doable; recommend trekking poles and a pair of lightweight sandals to change into. Just focus your eyes on a fixed point (not the moving water!) and methodically place your feet as you move across the river. There are a couple of other minor river crossings which are doable with rock-hopping, but very difficult to avoid getting your feet wet so bring appropriate footwear. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Climbed Buck Mountain via High Pass route, a long winding 16-ish mile approach with some incredible views. Main takeaways: Hiking boots probably fine Never needed ice axe or traction Many water sources along trail Parts of the trail were indistinguishable from the enchantments, with light-colored granite slabs towering over pristine alpine lakes. Great views of Glacier Peak, Clark Mountain (with the Walrus Glacier!), Luahna Peak, Bonanza Peak, Dome Peak, Copper/Fernow/7-Fingered Jack/Maude, Buck Mountain itself, and many other peaks which would be notable in less star-studded topography. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Attempted summit of Mount Stuart via Cascadian Couloir route, parking as Esmerelda Trailhead and approaching via Long’s Pass. Main takeaways: Bring crampons Consider summiting later in the day when the snow has softened The summit will probably be covered in cloud until it burns off around noon You need a national forest pass (or equivalent) to park at Esmerelda Trailhead Began hiking at noon Saturday, intending to bivy around 7800-8200 feet then summit Sunday. [Read More]

Loved this route so much I had to go back and do it again. Some friends had heard of our ascent the year prior and appreciated having me as a guide. Went two weeks earlier in the season this time, so dodged the snow but the larches weren’t fully turned. Since much of the route was the same as the last trip I’ll spare most of those details, covering only the differences. [Read More]

The Enchantments is a wildly popular hiking & climbing area in Washington, just outside the town of Leavenworth. The standard hike starts from Colchuck Lake trailhead, past the eponymous lake, up Aasgard Pass, through the upper then lower Enchantments, then slogs out to the Snow Lakes trailhead. We decided to take a different route: starting from Colchuck Lake trailhead, we’d follow the trail for several miles along the flat section until hitting the bridge to cross over the river. [Read More]

Republished from the WTA website here. Summary A very rough road leads to the trailhead. No parking or camping permits required. There is a long middle section with switchbacks through thorny plants without any shade. Water sources are plentiful. Horseflies were annoying. Many flat sites are available for camping, but beware one in an active rockfall area. Snow is easily traversible without microspikes or even trekking poles. There is only one latrine on the entire mountain, which is only easily accessible from the lookout. [Read More]