Change Peak
Jun 03, 2011
by
foxterrierguy
—
last modified
Jun 03, 2011 11:04 PM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Change Peak
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
- Avg Rating: 2.00
- Hiking Companions
- Hiked with a dog
- Be Aware Of
- Snow on trail
Start of the ridge up to Change Peak
Change Peak sits between Mount Washington and McClellan Butte on the south side of I90 just out of North Bend. Change Pk and Mt Washington are connected by "The Great Wall".
Yellowleaf.org lists Change Peak at 4320', making it just a little smaller than Mount Washington and a lot smaller than McClellan Butte. However, it juts out quite a ways toward the South Fork Valley and has good prominence. Unlike Mt Washington, you can get 360 degree views from the summit, although not from the same spot. There is not a formal trail to the summit and not too many people go up there.
I approached it from the Great Wall trail off the Mt Washington trail (there are good directions on other trip reports on this site). The GW trail/road winds around the east side of Change Peak on it's way to the Great Wall. The Change Peak ridge and the trail/road converge just before you get to the Great Wall and a short spur road leads uphill to the right, taking you up on the ridge.
It's a 1/2 mile bushwack from there to the summit. Stay to the right of the ridge to avoid the densest growth. There is a false summit or two, so keep going until you can see down over the west side toward Mailbox Peak. Some nice vistas in all directions as you go.
Snow starts about a mile into the Great Wall trail from the Mt Washington trail. Once you hit the snow, it gets deep fast. You'll definitely want gaiters. I used microspikes but didn't really need them (they didn't hurt however). I wasn't sure what the snow would be like where not too many people have walked. I brought snow shoes just in case it was really soft, but I didn't use them. From the start of the snow all the way to the summit, the snow was consolidated and held me without a problem. In the afternoon it got warm and the top six inches turned into the consistency of a slurpee with the juice sucked out of it. A couple more days of warm weather might soften things up enough where snow shoes would be helpful.
A fun little adventure in the snow on a little used peak with good views. I am guessing at the particulars, but I think it was around 11 miles rt and 3300' gain.
Yellowleaf.org lists Change Peak at 4320', making it just a little smaller than Mount Washington and a lot smaller than McClellan Butte. However, it juts out quite a ways toward the South Fork Valley and has good prominence. Unlike Mt Washington, you can get 360 degree views from the summit, although not from the same spot. There is not a formal trail to the summit and not too many people go up there.
I approached it from the Great Wall trail off the Mt Washington trail (there are good directions on other trip reports on this site). The GW trail/road winds around the east side of Change Peak on it's way to the Great Wall. The Change Peak ridge and the trail/road converge just before you get to the Great Wall and a short spur road leads uphill to the right, taking you up on the ridge.
It's a 1/2 mile bushwack from there to the summit. Stay to the right of the ridge to avoid the densest growth. There is a false summit or two, so keep going until you can see down over the west side toward Mailbox Peak. Some nice vistas in all directions as you go.
Snow starts about a mile into the Great Wall trail from the Mt Washington trail. Once you hit the snow, it gets deep fast. You'll definitely want gaiters. I used microspikes but didn't really need them (they didn't hurt however). I wasn't sure what the snow would be like where not too many people have walked. I brought snow shoes just in case it was really soft, but I didn't use them. From the start of the snow all the way to the summit, the snow was consolidated and held me without a problem. In the afternoon it got warm and the top six inches turned into the consistency of a slurpee with the juice sucked out of it. A couple more days of warm weather might soften things up enough where snow shoes would be helpful.
A fun little adventure in the snow on a little used peak with good views. I am guessing at the particulars, but I think it was around 11 miles rt and 3300' gain.
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Summit of Change Peak
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Just over the summit, looking NE up I90 toward Mt Defiance and Bandera
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Tucker reflects in his thoughts
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Beautiful Day