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Trip Report

McClellan Butte — Friday, May. 30, 2025

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass
View from summit

Unlike the May 26 report, this was a beautiful day making for good trail conditions so long as you were comfortable using an ice ax.

The trail is in excellent condition in the lower parts.  After crossing the upper roadway there are occasional downed trees across the trail but until nearing the first avy chute these are all easily gone over or around.  The worst downed tree of the trip (~3700') was shortly before the first avy chute (~3750').  Today the avy chutes were well supplied with snow (and generally showing signs of having avalanched long ago) with only minor amount of rotten (i.e. voids underneath) snow around the edges.  They are steep enough, and in the morning the snow hard enough, that I used my ice ax as insurance.

Ascending brought more snow so that above 4300' it was nearly continuous, and more downed trees though not as monstrous as the one at 3700'.  Nearing 4700' the trail takes a hard right turn from heading SW to heading NW, and the snow on this south-facing flank mostly disappears from the trail.  However on turning right once more (heading NE) for the last long stretch there is snow in abundance, and an ice ax is advisable.  The last 100 yards gets pretty steep going up to the ridge-saddle.  The remaining distance to the summit (a rock scramble) was dry.  It's not excessively difficult - but is not for everyone, being quite "exposed" - mistakes here could be fatal.

The snow was hard enough that I used crampons for the initial snow descent from the saddle.  It's going to be *weeks*, I imagine, before the snow is gone.

There were plenty of spring wildflowers along the way - glacier lilies, trillium, yellow violet, minor's lettuce, penstamon, and many others. 

Large downed tree shortly before first avy chute
View towards summit looking up from first avy chute
Start of NE traverse below SW ridge
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