Hex Mountain Snowshoe

Getting there: Exit I-90 at exit 80 and get to SR203 going north through Roslyn and Ronald. Parking is just south of Newport Creek on the west side of the road(single vehicles/no trailers). The starting point is about 200 yards north on a gated road.

A trip to Hex Mt is like visiting an old friend that you have not seen for a while. It takes a half hour or so to get re-acquainted and then you go into that comfort zone. The first part of the road walk is the getting re-acquainted section. Which turn was it - oh yea - right, left, right, left, and right generally heading NE. Right now, the snow coverage is so low, snowshoes are not really needed or possibly even desired. This was true all the way to the summit with multiple bare spots along the way.

After about 2 miles on the road, the road curls around to an open flat area and the summer time trailhead. The trail sign is completely visible right now. Then it is up the ridge. Sometimes, old friends have patches of trouble in their friendship. For Hex Mt, there is an open ridge area that is typically very windy and cold. Today was no different. It was brisk!! Then there is some more easy treed terrain and the final steep ascent to an open summit area. For some reason, this area was not as windy; the sun came out; and I just relaxed with my old friend. The views were limited to nearby Teanaway peaks and the usual dramatic vistas of Rainier and Stuart were gone today.

Hex is one of those relatively avalanche safe areas as long as one keeps to the correct road and the ridge route. I saw only 2 others near the summit but there were a ton of cars back at the road. Not sure where they went - probably missed one of the rights or lefts.