Putrid Pete's Peak,Mount Defiance #1009,Mason Lake #1038
Aug 07, 2008
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Mount Defiance
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
- Agency: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Snoqualmie Ranger District, North Bend Office
- Trails: Mount Defiance (#1009)
- Avg Rating: 4.12
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Ira Spring Trail - Mason Lake
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- Snoqualmie Pass
- Agency: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- Trails: Ira Spring Memorial (#1038)
- Avg Rating: 3.83
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: West Defiance - Putrid Pete's Peak
- Region: Snoqualmie Pass -- North Bend Area
- Agency: Snoqualmie Ranger District
- Avg Rating: 3.33
We did a loop to Putrid Pete's Peak, the Mt. Definance Trail, and Mason Lake on a sunny Thursday.
We started at the Mason Lake/Ira Spring trailhead. As described by others, we ducked into the woods on a unmaintained trail where the Mason Lake trail makes its first hard turn to the right. The unmaintained but well constructed trail traverses west across a creekbed and then switchbacks up through the woods, eventually merging onto a ridge where it peters out. The route is flagged for awhile and then becomes an obvious rib to the top of Putrid Pete's Peak. The top half is more a scramble than a hike - steep but not exposed.
We took a break at the top, signing the register, enjoying the views which would have been even better were it not from the haze. We could pick out Glacier Peak to the north but Rainier to the south was obscured.
From the summit we followed the ridge east to the Mt. Defiance trail. From a distance, it appeared there would be a difficult spot along the ridge that would require scrambling over boulders but once there it was easy to work around the boulders. Others have described dropping off the ridge to the north to pick-up the Mt. Defiance trail in a meadow. We stayed on the ridge to maintain elevation and eventually ran straight into the trail. From there it was quick hike down to Mason Lake for a break by the lake outlet and then back to the car via the Ira Spring Trail.
It was an enjoyable loop that we had to ourselves until back by Mason Lake. While the day was not overly hot, the first half of the loop is all southern exposure and we each drained our full two quarts of water. Trip time was just under 6 1/2 hours.
Document Actions
- Email this page
- Print this
- Share
Forgot your
New user?
