Red Mountain (Commonwealth Basin) — Thursday, Jul. 25, 2013

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

If you are planning on climbing Red Mountain, read several of these trip reports ahead of time in order to be as informed as possible. Bringing a climbing helmet is good advice. A person cannot help but kick loose some rocks. Knowing you are certain to lose the trail is also good knowledge to have. Be ready for it. I would also add that this climb would be dicey when wet. I was fortunate enough to be following the trail (or was it just ‘a trail’?) most of the way. I’ll attempt to describe my route. From the plateau at about 4850’, take the obvious junction to the right, still 50 yards or so shy of Red Pond. Follow the trail more or less straight up at first, with minor zigzagging to the left and right, among small trees. When you see what looks like a junction, with a rock face to the right and a trail sloping upward to the left, go left. Follow this trail up and to the left until it is no longer obvious. Then look ahead and above for a tight cluster of four fir trees. The trail climbs from right to left, passing above that cluster. Just past the cluster, the trail fades out again, in some treacherous terrain. I zigzagged my way about 30 feet straight uphill and found the trail again. From here, the trail climbs up and to the right on a constant slope for a fairly long distance. The trail will take you just above a single large tree (see photo). Continue past the tree to a switchback at the ridge line, then follow the trail up and to the left for an even longer distance. When the trail fades out again, continue generally up and to the left to the visible ridge line, which is just below the summit. This section has a lot of loose gravelly rock and no obvious trail. Be careful. The summit at 5980’ is relatively flat and spacious, with lots of large rocks to sit on while you admire the 360 degree view. The north and east faces fall off steeply. In fact, there was such a crumbly looking precipice, I dared not get close.