Where: Tulalip Native Territory, Mountain Loop Highway, Cascades, Wa, USA
When: June 29, 2025
Trail Stats: 8mi/4000ft RT
Forecast: Sun from AM to PM, highs in the high 70s back in town
Conditions: Dry in the AM, muddy in the PM
Gear used: Helmets, trail runners and traction spikes
A scouting mission ahead of Summer Search Season and a celebration of Rikki's pregnancy!
One of my least favorite times to be up on Vesper Peak! Oy vey! If this is on your list for 2025, I would suggest waiting until late July/August to avoid the deteriorating snowpack.
The trail is very green and luscious below the treeline. I noted how dry it was on the way up, knowing that there would be a good chance it was a flood on the way down (spoilers it was!). Creek drainage is disorganized in places, and thus the melting snowpack above will flow wherever it pleases.
Headlee Pass still has some snow that can be avoided by going off trail, but I feel badly for the heather and foliage that is getting trampled. Helmets are, as always, a great idea to protect your head when a hiker above you sends a rock your way! Snow starts consistently at Lake Elan but can be avoided in some places. The space between the boulders and the snowpack is widening, thus the risk of losing an ankle or jamming a knee is present.
Snow above 5,500ft is steep, but much more consolidated. I did miss the Class 2/3 scramble bit that usually awaits the top. The southern and western summit areas we have been searching are heavily filled in.
Views were stunning! All in a great day with my best friend and her bb.
The way down was an easy plunge step if you're familiar with the technique, but I would definitely skip the top if you're unfamiliar with steep snow. There were a couple dozen folks up there trying to downclimb the slope as we passed through, but the mashed potato consistency of this July snowpack makes that technique miserable. I look forward to returning later in the season!
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