Hard to pass up such a beautiful day, so headed out to do the Putrid Pete Peak ( P3) / Mt Defiance / Mason Lake loop, a bit of a huff, but views forever and really nice variety.
TLDR:
- Snow:
- Things changing fast, but today snow was quite manageable, not firm, and only post-holed once. I would still take spikes, even if you don't use them. Took ice axe, but did not need.
- To P3: Snow Free
- P3 to Mt Defiance Summit Turnoff
- Only the odd snow patch, until...
- Steady snow through trees from 4971' to turnoff
- Used spikes for the last hundred feet, but might have skipped had I known the conditions just around the 'corner'
- Mason Lake to Mt Defiance Summit Turnoff
- Mason lake trail area snow free, but muddy
- Lake itself ~50% frozen, but going fast
- Steady snow through trees 4500-5000', then...
- Odd patches beyond to turnoff
- Mt Defiance Summit Track
- 50% snow, but not for much longer, snowpack very wet
- Road: Good condition, couple minor potholes/washboards
- Parking: 17 cars @9am sunny Friday, 20 cars @4pm
- Flowers: Avalanche Lily's out around Mt Defiance summit
- Note still a bit confused over which is "West Defiance"
- This TR covers the "regular" Mount defiance.
- People: 6 to P3, 0 to Mt Defiance, dozens at Mason Lake+
- Everyone super friendly
- At least 4 tents at mason lake
Putrid Peak Trail ( P3 ):
- My shirt certainly smelled putrid after this trail
- Peak named after Pete Schoening, a legendary Seattle climber I remember reading stories about as a kid
- First "connector" turnoff is unmarked but obvious
- The P3 turnoff is labeled with metal diamond blaze, and obvious
- The trail seduces you low down with nice switchbacks
- After the stream at ~3415 ( currently flowing ), the tone changes to up, up, up
- At ~3800' you start to get great views
- Although P3 is really a bump on the ridge it is a great viewpoint, and worthy goal
- The local Marmot seemed to agree, and hung out for a while hoping for my sandwich
- I did not do the side trip to "Web Mountain", but it looked fun
- P.S. Is this the "West Defiance" the WTA report refers to?
P3 To Mount Defiance Summit Turnoff:
- Sidling descent east along ridge, straightforward, though a tad loose
- As the ridge levels out a climbers bootpath becomes apparent, which when snow free probably takes you the whole way to Defiance
- Snow started on the ascent, but there was some human/doggo tracks to follow, and you just keep going towards the meet-up with the summer Mt. Defiance / Thompson Lake trail
- Once joined the summer trail there was a little steep slope to traverse to get to the summit trail turnoff
Mount Defiance Summit:
- 50% snow, but not to bad, just take care the snowpack is very wet here, and melting fast
- Great views as always from the summit
- Did not take the winter variant, looked pretty melted out
Mount Defiance to Mason Lake:
- Fairly straightforward, except navigating the snow 5000-4500', with post-holing being the main worry
- Quite a few tracks in the snow, but keep an eye on the GPS just in case
- Mason lake area a bit muddy, but otherwise pretty snow free
All in all, an interesting route, and beautiful day to be in the hills.
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