Wonderful hike close to I90. Really an unknown gem, and probably shouldn't write a report and advertise; but being altruistic, it will help the next trail lover to have a better and safer hike. Take Exit 70 off I-90 East. Go left over freeway and take the first left onto Sparks Road. Go about a mile and watch for Kachess Dam Road. I think this is also FS Rd 4818. Watch for it and turn right. Go about .75 miles and watch carefully for a dirt road to the right. NO SIGNAGE. You must look for a red diamond on a tree along side main road-Rt side. Turn right--road is overgrown and rough but Ford Focus/Honda Accord-passable. Go one mile to road end and parking lot. Trail is signed--Trail 1212 and Kachess Ridge trail. Go down trail for 75 yards. Do not take the Kachess Ridge Trail!!This turns out to be a Mountain Biker Trail-don't recommend. When you see the sign for Kachess Ridge--look down to your right. Trail 1212 goes down a hill swings left and over Silver Creek on a bridge. NO SIGNAGE HERE! If you cross a bridge next to a small waterful/dam you are on the trail (elev 2400 amsl). Trail 1212 (Easton Ridge) goes 0.8 miles, 1000 ft up to a small saddle and junction and (wow) a sign (elev 3,400 amsl). To the right goes to Easton Ridge. Go left on trail 1308.2 (Domerie Divide). This is a trail which connects Easton Ridge to Domerie Ridge. The next 1.4 miles is dusty, usually hot, and steep, but doable, and not dangerous. Climb on a dirt-scree trail climbing 1,400 feet in 1.4 miles. At 1.2 miles look to your right-that tree covered, pyramidal peak looking southeast is Mt. Baldy. At 1.4 miles (2.2 total) is a junction (Domerie Pass?, 4,800 AMSL). To the left is Thompson Mountain and walks the ridge NW. The trail east is not marked and a little hard to see. Look for cairns, if no cairn--put one up so on the way back it will mark your trail back down. The trail goes east across the Ridgetop. The views to the south of the north face of Rainier are spectacular, with the ice glistening in the distance--awesome. This is a true 1.1 mile ridge walk with increasing views northeast.The ridge undulates once and drops to 4,600 feet AMSL. What's left is a 500 ft climb to summit Old Baldy. At 1.0 mile (3.2 miles total), on the side of Baldy, the trail ends. Don't panic! Simply continue for 200 yards, walking up and to your left (NE) to the top. Top is 5,100 feet and 3.3. miles from your Ford Focus. No snow, no bugs. Views are down to Lake Cle Elum, backed by the Enchantments, Mt. Stuart.Ingalls, Cathedral Peak, Hinman, Daniels and just the tips of jagged Spectacle Peak. Due east you can pick out Navaho and Iron Peaks. Views to the west are Easton Ridge, Easton Lake, Lake Kachess, and the Rainier. Great 360 view. Interesting bronze plaque cemented in a rock 30 feet east of true summit: three families dedicating their adventure (Was hoping no ashes underneath). Saw bear scat on trail. The rattlesnake-soundings that freaked us in this barron, lonely land turned out to be a type of moth which snaps its wings quite loudly. Steep hike down but just be careful --slippy on dirty pebbles. Poles definitely helped to stablize and increase walking speed. Incredible hike--SAW NOONE on a hot Saturday! 3.3 mile hike which hikes more like 4.5. NO WATER. Lonely country and so cool. We will go back to walk the ridge northwest, and don't tell anybody -it should remain a lonely place...........

Arrived at TH and began hike around 9:45 (Mt Baldy report of May 20 gives great TH directions). Road has a few potholes, but the Mini Cooper could handle it.

Trail is snowfree all the way to the top of Mt. Baldy. A very pretty hike to beautiful views despite rainy weather at Snoqualmie Pass. Some bugs, but the cool and steady winds kept them at bay. Winds gusted well over 20 at times. Only a few blow downs, otherwise the trail is in good shape.

Saw no one else once we left the parking lot. Everyone else was going to Easton Ridge or Kachess Ridge.

One caution - the Domerie Divide Trail goes straight up, which means it also goes straight down. Trekking poles, well fitting boots, and careful foot placement on the way down is the ticket to staying upright.

No water anywhere along trail. This would be hot on a sunny day.
Less than 6 hours rt, with several leisurely breaks. 8 miles/3,400'

start up main trail, turn right about 5 feet before sign for hike 72 and head down the hill toward creek. it should be on your right side. trail starts climbing immediately. tough climb, good views.

The Easton Ridge Trail #1212 begins from the same small trailhead as the Kachess Ridge Trail. However, the Easton Ridge Trail is a little trickier to find. From the Kachess Ridge junction, head toward Silver Creek and drop down to the water to find a sturdy bridge crossing the creek near an old wooden dam. From here the trail beings a series of tight switchbacks straight up the mountainside, climbing roughly 1200’ feet in the first mile or so. Emerge from the young forest just beyond the junction to the Domerie Divide Trail #1308.2 and catch some of early glimpses of Little Kachess Lake and Easton below.

Easton Ridge works well for an early season hike. At a lower elevation and located east of Snoqualmie Pass, it tends to melt out quickly. And while more folks are discovering the hikes near Easton, they do not get nearly as much traffic as other I-90 hikes leaving you to enjoy the big views without a lot of company. Although there is a bit of elevation gain, but most hikers should be able to tackle Easton Ridge, making it a great alternative on a sunny weekend. We recommend you tackle this hike in June or July when the wildflowers will be at their height.

For the full report, check out:

http://www.hikingwithmybrother.com/[…]/easton-ridge-trail-1212.html

Nathan & Jer