Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Dan A. Nelson/The Mountaineers Books Amabilis Mountain Snowshoe
Featured In:
Snowshoe Routes - Washington,
by Dan A. Nelson.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. All that open country makes prime hunting habitat for raptors--red-tailed hawks and falcons--and ravens. Owls prowl the forest fringes, and bald eagles soar through between fishing trips up the Yakima River. Those birds are here for a reason, and that reason is rabbits, or more accurately, hares-- snowshoe hares, which bound through the meadows and burrow in the snow to eat the grasses underneath. Even if the white rabbits aren't seen, their tracks frequently are. This route is steep and has a high danger of avalanche at times, so avoid the mountain when forecasters report moderate or higher avalanche danger. Before strapping on the snowshoes, walk north across the freeway overpass and find the start of Forest Road 4826 on the left. Snowshoe north on this wide, flat road. Note that the road is usually groomed, with tracks frequently set for skiers (twin, parallel grooves carved into the snow by a grooming machine), so steer your snowshoes well clear of the tracks. A quarter mile up the road, turn off onto FR 4822 and start to climb toward the summit of Amabilis. This trail switches back and forth a few times before slanting off to the south on a long traverse of the middle section of the mountain. Cross a small creek, and at about 2 miles the road forks. A hard hairpin turn to the left leads you on a long looping route to the mountaintop. Snowshoeing straight off on the right-hand road leads to an even longer loop to the same point at the summit (which, incidentally, is almost directly up-slope from this intersection). Either road will get you to the top, but if you are looking to avoid the roads, start off along the left fork, and in 0.5 mile leave the road by climbing on a more direct route up the slope while still slanting slightly to the left. The views are now spectacular. Looking south and west, the Yakima River and Keechelus Lake valley spread out at your feet, and beyond the rolling hills (with their many square scars of open clearcuts) the South Cascades sprawl to the horizon. A half mile farther on, near the 3-mile mark, cross the road, which has flipped through a switchback turn and is now climbing south, and head straight upslope to the ridge crest. Turn right and follow the crest another mile to the 4554-foot summit. A thin stand of trees lines the summit crest, providing a degree of protection from the wind while you enjoy a scenic lunch before heading down the steep slopes. Author’s Rating: Most Difficult Hikers should have good experience and familiarity with snowshoes. This route features sections that will need to be evaluated for avalanche safety every time. Trails climb considerably and may include climbing to ridge tops. Traverses across forested or open slopes may be required. An ability to self-arrest with an ice axe or trekking pole recommended.
Driving Directions:
To get there, from Seattle drive east on Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass to exit 63, signed Cabin Creek. Turn right after exiting the interstate, and enter the Cabin Creek Sno-Park on the right. Recent Trip Reports
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Amabilis Mountain Snowshoe
— Feb 03, 2012
— clpainter
Snowshoe/XC Ski
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Beautiful day except a bit windy on top. Lost a forest green Turtle Fur wool hat, more sentimental value than...
Beautiful day except a bit windy on top. Lost a forest green Turtle Fur wool hat, more sentimental value than warmth, if found would appreciate a heads up!
Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail | No water source
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Flickr: http://bit.ly/amabilis-mountain
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day. In search of a rain shadow, I escaped to east...
Flickr: http://bit.ly/amabilis-mountain
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day. In search of a rain shadow, I escaped to east of Snoqualmie Pass and settled on Amabilis Mountain. The mostly cloudy weather forecast was better than the rain, so I couldn't complain. Snow was blocking the entrance to the trails so everyone had to park on south side of I-90 and walk across the overpass to the north side. The roads were newly groomed for a cross-country ski race that morning. Road #4822 leading to Amabilis summit was groomed all the way to the top even though it didn't seem to have been part of the race route. I was able to talk to a few cross-country skiers at the beginning of the hike. Needless to say, as soon as the skiers made the first road junction their stopping point, the rest of the hike was nothing to write home about. I didn't need to use my snowshoes at all until the ridge. From there, it was maybe a 500-foot hike to the summit that required snowshoes. No views whatsoever at the summit since the summit was submerged in clouds. I took just long enough time to take a self-portrait and headed back down the mountain. Day hike
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Snow on trail
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Wow, what a difference a day makes. Yesterday, winter ruled in the mountains, but today brought a sudden blast...
Wow, what a difference a day makes. Yesterday, winter ruled in the mountains, but today brought a sudden blast of spring. Bright sun, 100% snow coverage, and no sno-park fees made for a great day of X-C skiing on Mt. Amabilis. We did the classic loop trip, taking the right fork at the junction at 3500', crossing over the top of Amabilis, and then descending on the more popular west road. Lunch atop Amabilis was almost a t-shirt affair, due to the calm wind, warm temps, and intense sun.
We found mostly decent ski conditions on Amabilis. The bottom 1000 feet had a thin layer of slush over the hard packed, groomed base--easy to ski but a bit slow on the descent. Above the junction, increasingly deep slush and soft snow made travel a bit harder. But, all in all, not too bad. The east branch of the loop featured an almost pristine snow surface. The west branch was tracked up a bit by a few snowshoers and skiers. No recent sign of any snowmobiles, which typically come up from the Easton side. Cheapskate season at Cabin Creek (after April 1 when sno-park enforcement ends) is lasting a long time this year. Snow cover on the Amabilis road should last at least another week or two. There's only the start of one bare spot at the bottom of the hill. Even the cabin creek trails on the valley floor appear to be well-covered, at least what we saw of them Day hike
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After checking avalanche conditions, we chose this one for its scenic potential on a sunny day, thanks to our intrepid...
After checking avalanche conditions, we chose this one for its scenic potential on a sunny day, thanks to our intrepid leader. If you like to be on a snowy peak, surrounded by other dramatic, snowy peaks, and deep blue skies and lakes, then the hard work is worth it.
Crusty hard snow in the morning softened in the afternoon heat, but all day long we only met 3 skiers. We followed coyote tracks for nearly 3 miles up, and fresh ones on the way back. We also saw the ubiquitous hare, rodent and squirrel tracks, some belonging to the 4 Douglas squirrels we watched nibbling new buds in an alder tree. Now I just need to settle the pronunciation of this place; named for the silver fir species found up here, I have heard the emphasis on all first three syllables. I vote for the third. Day hike
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Snow on trail
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Amabilis, aka Mt Sinai during this week, beckoned, possibly the last time this season.
Dust on crust describes the...
Amabilis, aka Mt Sinai during this week, beckoned, possibly the last time this season.
Dust on crust describes the conditions lower down. It became thicker dust on crust higher up but with a sunny day "it would have been enough" or as some of us say, Dayenu! Keeping on the Mt Sinai theme, I schlepped my matzoh brei along for lunch. There were snowshoe tracks from the two cars already in the lot when we arrived. They barely left evidence in the hard surface. A bit of sticking in the transition zones from sunny damp snow to shady "powder" pockets. My friend struggled more than I. Short of the "junction" another skier on light waxless gear passed. He took the left fork and we eventually followed. After the junction and with additional skin wax the ascent went okay. Good views. There was even some snow adhering to the trees near the top. Went for the summit (watch for cornices) and decided not to do the loop so that tracks would provide a better surface (less breaking through) for the descent. The crust softened by the warming temperatures made the descent less than hair-raising. There's enough snow for another week at least although it is thinning in areas along the road just as you start climbing. There's lots of snow atop. Kachess/Little are thawed and all water. I guess Spring really is coming. Finally, the toilets for which I paid $80 through April are gone. My friend was a bit disappointed and she went off into the woods. |
Cross country skiing around Amabilis Mountain. Photo by Just a Skier.
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