Wright Mountain - 1.30.2015
Directions to the parking lot (3120') for the Alpental Ski Area near Snoqualmie Pass.
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rodman's GPS track for our trip to Wright Mountain... 10.2 miles roundtrip... gaining 3252 feet of elevation.
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Parking at a foggy Alpental Ski area.
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The Snow Lake Trailhead is ~150 feet up the road from the parking lot.
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We put on our crampons or micro-spikes at the trailhead.
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Still in the fog after hiking 10 minutes.
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Lots of small stream crossings on the first 2 miles of the snow lake trail.
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Out of the fog after hiking 20 minutes... Bryant Peak and Chair Peak in the distance.
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Hemlock Peak and Bryant Peak on the left... with Chair Peak on the right.
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Gaining elevation on the Snow Lake Trail... and looking back down the valley to a fogged in Snoqualmie Pass.
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Continuing up the Snow Lake Trail... with Hemlock Peak and Bryant Peak on the left.
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Run-off from Snoqualmie Mountain crossing the Snow Lake Trail.
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After hiking ~2 miles we will start switchbacking up to the Snow Lake overlook... there isn't a lot of snow here... it is just a very short sign.
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BarbE and rodman switchbacking up toward the Snow Lake overlook... with Chair Peak in the distance on the left.
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Still switchbacking up to the Snow Lake overlook.
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Almost to the Snow Lake overlook... looking back down the valley to a foggy Alpental Ski Area and Snoqualmie Pass.
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Entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at the Snow Lake overlook.
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Snow Lake from the overlook... and our target for the day, Wright Mountain... the high point in the distance.
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Following a good path from the overlook down to the lake... with Chair Peak on the left... and Mt. Roosevelt in the distance on the right.
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Crossing the stream at Snow Lake that is being fed by Avalanche Mountain.
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Continuing around the east end of Snow Lake.
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The summer trail goes up the gully on the right... and we will do that also.
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Chair Peak (left) and Mt. Roosevelt above Snow Lake.
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In the gully... following the summer trail route.
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Looking down on the bridge that crosses the mouth of Snow Lake... now we need to find a safe way to get down there.
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We have found a safe way to get down to the lake.
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Hiking along the lake shore... heading for the bridge.
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rodman nears the bridge crossing.
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BarbE gets ready to cross the bridge.
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Safely across the bridge now... looking for a place to head up toward Gem Lake.
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Starting to get a nice view of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Peaks.
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Lots of ups and downs between Snow Lake and Gem Lake.
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Heading for Gem Lake... steeper than it looks.
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Above and beyond Snow Lake now.
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Mt. Thomson is the monolith on the far left... Avalanche Mountain is in the center... with Snoqualmie Mountain on the right.
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rodman and BarbE on easier terrain now... heading for Gem Lake.
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Still heading for Gem Lake... Kaleetan Peak on the left... with Mt. Roosevelt on the right.
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A closer look at Kaleetan Peak.
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Looking back at the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Peaks as we continue toward Gem Lake.
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We decided to take the steeper route on our way in because it is a more direct route to Wright Mountain... and we returned via the summer trail route.
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Our first really good look at Wright Mountain.
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Looking back at the way came up... with the top of Chair Peak in view on the right.
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Above the east side of Gem Lake... with the north end of Chair Peak on the far left... Kaleetan Peak (left center)... and Mt. Roosevelt.
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Moving to steeper terrain on Wright Mountain.
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Nearing the Wright Mountain summit.
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rodman and BarbE on the Wright Mountain summit.
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Upper Wildcat Lake in the center of the photo... Preacher Mountain on the right.
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On the Wright Mountain summit (5430')... looking down on Gem Lake and Snow Lake... Snoqualmie Mountain on the left... Chair Peak on the right... and a fogged in Snoqualmie Pass in the distance.
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Middle Fork Snoqualmie Peaks... Hinman and Daniel on the far left to Snoqualmie Mountain on the far right.
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Chair Peak (left)... Kaleetan Peak (center)... Mt. Roosevelt (right).
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12's on the summit of Wright Mountain... Go Hawks.
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Glacier Peak in the center of the photo... Big Snow Mountain on the far right.
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rodman heading down from the Wright Mountain summit.
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Steep.
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rodman above Gem Lake... we are going to go down to the lake and walk along the east shore line over to the mouth.
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Walking along the east shoreline of Gem Lake... with the spotlight on Kaleetan Peak.
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We are at the mouth of Gem Lake looking at Wright Mountain.
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Heading back to Snow Lake now.
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Back to the large boulder field that we bypassed on the way in... continuing toward Snow Lake... Snoqualmie Mountain in the center of the photo.
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Never tire of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Peaks.
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Nearing Snow Lake.
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Back at the bridge crossing.
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At the mouth of Snow Lake... where water flows down to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie.
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Instead of getting above Snow Lake, we decided to walk the shoreline for as long as we could.
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Continuing along the Snow Lake shoreline.
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Chair Peak (left) and Mt. Roosevelt (right) from the north shoreline of Snow Lake.
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Back at the Snow Lake overlook... one last look at the lake and Wright Mountain before heading down.
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The fog is persistent today.
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Almost back to the car... the moon is over Cave Ridge (left) and Guye Peak (right).
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5 minutes from the car now... oh my, the Alpental Ski Area needs snow... and lots of it.
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