Lundin Peak — Monday, Aug. 19, 2024

What better way to start the week than nabbing a summit? I took a morning off work to join a buddy up Lundin Peak in the Snoqualmie Pass area.

We took the Commonwealth Basin approach from the PCT trailhead, heading out around 7 AM. The trail was actually fairly enjoyable, as it winds through a few distinct different landscapes: started flat along the creek, climbed through forests dotted with cool rocky outcroppings, crossed boulder fields, entered a beautiful exposed meadow, a little bushwhacking in overgrown sections, and finally an awesome view of the exposed scramble to the summit.

We stopped at this viewpoint to put on helmets and harnesses. While I know some folks straight scramble Lundin, I wanted the option of being on belay if I ran into anything that really worried me (my friend is an excellent lead climber, whereas I am more of a Class 4 gal who will climb - with anxiety - when required lol).

Overall the scramble is really fun IF you don’t mind exposure. Because there is a LOT of exposure. It’s a narrow rib ridge that drops steeply off each side and there were plenty of no-fall zones. That said, for the most part the rock is high quality, solid, with good hand and foot holds and while the rib is narrow, I never felt like it was TOO narrow.

However, fair warning, I would not attempt this peak if the rock is wet or slick. That would change the game.

Closer to the summit around 5500’ we came to a stretch of about 40ish vertical feet that I did not feel comfortable doing without rope, so my friend lead climbed it and then had me on belay while I climbed it. I didn’t fall or anything but I was GLAD for the security of being attached safely to a rope… this stretch was quite vertical and the holds weren’t great. My buddy pegged it as low Class 5 fwiw.

At the top of this section we continued on with a short further exposed scramble to the summit.

There is a memorial plaque at the top for a climber who died in a fall on Lundin in the 1950s. A sobering reminder that the summit is only the first half of any trip.

We had great 360° views including Baker and Rainier before clouds eventually moved in.

Getting back down went smoothly. We rappelled the section we had climbed up (there was a rap pad already installed there); I love rappelling so that was one of my favorite parts of the day.

After that, it was just a careful scramble back the way we came until we got off the rib and onto more solid ground.

The hike out was lovely, full of ripe blueberries and total solitude. We didn’t see any people all day until maybe a half mile from the trailhead.

I can’t say I would recommend this peak to anyone who wouldn’t be carrying climbing gear / as a straight scramble. I know it DOES get fully scrambled but I would tell anyone going up for the first time to bring proper gear to climb/rappel and have the expertise to use it safely… it will be far better for you to have gear and not use it than get in a pickle. The fall areas along the rock are incredibly high consequence; plenty of places where a misstep would almost certainly mean death. This isn’t to say this is a maneating peak, but be smart! Value your safety enough to come prepared.