The Snoqualmie Peaks used to be more sought after than they are today. With I90 and fast cars, we focus on bigger prizes, often overlooking what is in our backyard. The WAC gives out a pin for climbing 6 of the Snoqualmie Peaks. From the twenties to the sixties the Mountaineers had a 10-peak and a 20-peak award for the Snoqulamie Peaks. Nowadays, no one is even sure what the 20 Snoqualmie Peaks are!

We parked at the horse area of the Pacific Crest Trail at Snoqulamie Pass. Wolfgang Bethge, Doerte, and Mike took off on the old Commonwealth Basin Trail. Long one of our favorite trails, it meanders through big trees and over a couple of log crossings at high water. We crossed many patches of deep snow in the forest. There are very few people on the old trail, and it is over a mile shorter than the new one.

We joined with the main trail and followed it to the Red/Lundin Saddle and then to the end on the false summit of Lundin Peak. We had great views of Mount Rainier, 14,410’, Mount Stuart, 9,415’, Glacier Peak, 10,541’, and nearby Mount Thompson, 6,554’. What a beautiful stunning area! The visibility was perfect.

The climbers route to Lundin’s Main Summit dropped down off the false summit in a small steep gully, then along an exposed ledge to heather before heading around the middle summit, only to drop down another small steep gully. Finally, we came across to the main summit. We went up heather slopes, easy ledges, then up narrow exposed rock slabs to gain the true summit. Becky rates this climb as class 3, but we found it a bit harder.

Mike and Wolfgang on the summit of Lundin Peak!

We were the third party of the day on Lundin Peak, 6,057’, and the forth party in July. We spied another party coming from Snoqulamie Peak along the West Ridge. That route is supposed to be more difficult. An early season route ascends directly to the saddle between the main and middle summits.

Wolfgang and I rappelled from a set belay station back down to the easy ledges. The way back was easy and fast since we now knew the route.

Mike rappeling of Lundin Peak.   Photo by Wolfgang Bethge.

Joining Doerte again on the False Summit, Wolfgang became possessed with summit fever! We worked our way back down to the Basin near Red Mountain Pond and found the climber’s trail up to the summit of Red Mountain. We stayed on the trail and avoided most of the worst of the loose rock. A helmet would be a good idea with other parties on the route. A dislodged rock travels a long way before it comes to rest. It was 1,000’ from the Basin to the Summit of loose Class 2. There were not other parties on Red Mountain.

Doerte, Mike, and Wolfgang on the summit of Red Mountain. That is Thompson Peak in the background. That dark spot between Doerte and Mike is a butterfly! There were many of them on the summit.

The Red Mountain, 5,890’ summit again gave us wonderful views of the Snoqulamie Crest Peaks, a close up of Kendall Peak, 5,784’, and the famous Kendall Catwalk. We started to see smoke from this year’s Lake Chelan fires. We finished the rest of our water on the summit before starting carefully down. The mountain had a gorgeous display of flowers on its upper reaches. The Heather is just starting to bloom.

10 miles round trip and 4,000’ of elevation gain over 9 hours. Either of these peaks make a great day trip from the WAC Cabin.