Mt Catherine is not a bad option if you are looking for higher altitude views with no perilous snow bridge crossings. At 5052' there is still a good amount of snow on the way to summit, but the summit itself is clear. FS road 9070 is bumpy but snow free and passable with any car. There are a couple major blowdowns about 1/2 mile up the first set of switchbacks, right where you start entering the 'dirty' snow. It looks like a war zone and we opted to go straight up the hill and reconnect with the trail higher up, rather than try to fight through the tangle. We did find the trail again, however, it's very hard to follow once you get up on the ridge. Of course, it's a ridge, so it's kind of hard to get lost, but if you've never been here before and don't know where you are going, be forewarned, there is not a visible trail for the last mile or so - bring a topo map or wait for it to melt. Route finding will be your major problem. If you have been up there before, you know to follow the ridge to the right, staying just down from the crest on the right hand side most of the way, especially around the steep parts of the ridge. If you know where the trail should be, it's pretty easy to follow it under the snow. Post holing is not a big problem except around downed trees. Did not wear gaiters or chains. Brought a couple of freshly minted hikers with me and they had no problems at all. 1300' gain, about 3 miles RT and big views in all directions of Snoqualmie area peaks, Mt Rainier, the Olympics, Mt Stuart and off into eastern Washington. .

Trail Head: Left from base of Silver Fir Chair at Snoqualmie Central Ski Area. Snow conditions: crusty and icy down low; great at about 5000'. Weather: some sun breaks, overcast, some fog. Avalanche conditions: good. Gear: Snowshoes or skis required; we used snowshoes and ski poles, no ice axes. Companions: Ish, Jerry, Barb, & Amy. Time: car to summit: 4 hr 10 min; car to car: 7 hr 20 min.

Went looking for some snow today and got more than I really wanted. I made it to within about fifty yards of the summit before deciding that it just wasn't worth it. Both of the dogs celebrated when we turned around. Here is my story. FS 9070 is washboard until about a mile before Windy Pass. It's washboard with snow after that, about 6 inches by the time you get to the PCT (if you get to the PCT, you've gone about 100 yards too far, turn around and look for a FS road on the left as you go back down). The snow in the trees was melting fast, so fast it may as well have been a downpour as I mushed up the hill with my team. The first part of the trail gains elevation quickly and the dripping trees turned into heavy, looming threats from above. Then the wind kicked up. Snow bombs rained down on us for the rest of the trip. We were fortunate to not get hit with the MOAB drops, but you could hear the big ones going off all around. This is a short trail, gaining only about 1300 feet in a couple miles at most, but the difference in snow depth between top and bottom was dramatic. I had hoped that as we climbed, the snow would lighten up in texture a bit, but it remained a cold, lumpy mashed potato slog, 12", then 18". The dogs had to fall in line behind me as I plowed through the heavy frosting. 2 feet. 3 feet. It got to the point that the trench I was plowing was not adequate for the dogs. They just couldn't push out of snow that deep. I was so close to the summit, I picked them up, one under each arm, and carried them. There is a clearing near the final summit hill, and I was wading at my upper thigh in the "drifts" of mash. The wind was blowing hard, the bombs were falling, I was soaked, the dogs were shivering, my arms were killing me and a cloud had settled over the summit. I was starting to have "little match girl" hallucinations when I had a moment of lucidity and decided that I no longer cared about that last 50 yards, I just wanted to get the h$%# out of there. So that's my story. I already miss summer and fall.

The "Dayhiking: Snoqualmie Pass" description for how to find the Mt Catherine trailhead failed not only us, but at least three other parties on Sunday. Instead we parked at the Windy pass PCT trail junction and picked huckleberries, which was our main objective for the day anyway. Thre other parties, who also had been intending to hike Mount Catherine and pick berries, and who also could not find the trail, were doing the same thing. The berry bushes near Windy pass are getting pretty picked over now but surely if you wander a bit you can find lots.

Yes, the trail head is hard to find. Per my OD, it's exactly 5 miles from the freeway exit (eastbound). Few huckleberries on the trail. Lots of blueberries and huckleberries as hiker kae reported Sept 6, 2010. Met a couple of other hikers also looking for the berries. There were a few late summer flowers blooming (fireweed). Otherwise, it was a hard but beautiful hike. The view from the top is spectacular!!!