With a forecast of mid-seventies warmth and dry weather we took on the Icicle Ridge trail. The trail is in very good condition and sports lots of switch-backs to help gaining the elevation. We had lunch at an over look at 2950 feet elevation and had views of Lavenworth, Icicle Creek and the Cashmere Valley to the east and Tumwater Canyon to the west. We then continued up the ridge to the 3616 foot level where we turned back. I'm not sure what the round trip distance was but I would guess about four to four and a half miles. One stretch of the trail was about 1200 foot gain per mile.

There are lots of wild flowers out and I have completely forgotten their names! I saw one small snake on the trail, I think it was harmless but moving out of the way fast. I also was able to spend some time photographing a very accommodating lizard.

After enjoying a full day at the Leavenworth Bike and Brews mountain bike race at Freund Canyon a group of us went for a day hike up Icicle Ridge. The trail is a great, easy to get to hike of easy to moderate difficulty depending on your ability.
The climb is steady and has plenty of views as you go up. Water is found twice in the first third of the hike but after that it's dry.
Trail conditions are great and the tread is in good shape. For a full report, pictures and a video of the view from the summit you can go here: http://www.adventuresofscatman.com/[…]/.

The weather was stunning when we arrived at the trailhead to Icicle Ridge at 10:30am. It was roughly 70 degrees out and partly cloudy but it felt much warmer as the day went on and we gained elevation.

We were a group of roughly 17 Boeing employees and friends from across the country (Virginia, Illinois, Texas, Oregon, New Jersey, Georgia, etc) with a very diverse set of hiking skills. We headed out and immediately discovered that this would be quite the challenge for some of our less experienced/athletically inclined hikers but they were willing to push on to reach the top. The trail was very well maintained and there were absolutely no barriers in our way. We only saw a handful of other hikers on our way to the top. The switchbacks criss crossed along the western side of the ridge for the entire hike making it far more manageable than other hikes which take the direct approach.

When we finally reached the outlook point at the top of the hike all of the effort was rewarded. The views were of Leavenworth in the valley below, the surrounding snow covered mountains and wildflowers of all colors. A resident hiker that we passed suggested taking a side trail up to 4th of July Mountain but we declined and enjoyed the views we had.

The trip back down went very quickly. For those with bad joints I would highly recommend hiking poles to avoid undue stress. On the way we saw about 20 people making their way up including families with young children and dogs so I was happy to beat the rush. We also saw a brown snake that was roughly 3 feet long slithering in the brush along the trail, it was minding its own business so other than taking a few photos we let it be.

Icicle Ridge is a wonderful hike to take if you are in the area but if coming from the West Side there may be some other options that are equally wonderful closer to home.

Initially wanted to hike up toward Snow Lakes, but it's a no-dog hike, so we picked nearby Icicle Ridge Trail.

It's a great short hike, but it is more like 5 miles than 4 round-trip if you go to the eastern-most promontory overlooking Leavenworth. The weather was pleasant, though I wouldn't want to do that hike when it's much over 80 or so. The latter parts of the hike up rather quickly so it would be a tiring workout on a hot day.

The trail is in great shape, lots of switchbacks through flowers, grasses, and some burnt-out forest. I saw two small brown snakes, too, which were inconsequential.

The views at the top on this perfect day were well worth the effort. Lots of great spots at the top to sit and enjoy your lunch. Highly recommended, especially if you're in Leavenworth looking for a little exercise.