Mount Aix — Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025

Hi, we're the Mountain Goats (Nathan and Terrence), and yesterday my buddy Thomas and I (Terrence) summited Mount Aix. After both of us completely slept through our alarms, we finally got up and on the road. The forest road, as described in previous reports, sucks. I'd recommend an SUV for this road, as my Subaru Outback handled it just fine. We got to the trailhead around 10 AM and were the only car parked at the trailhead. 

We left the car, put on our shoes, and started an unrelenting push upwards. This trail doesn't hold back. For the first 2.5 miles, the trail steeply heads southeast through the forest, gaining 2000 vertical feet. There are a few dirty creeks that I suppose you could pump from. However, I would not recommend doing so, so essentially this is a waterless hike. Bring extra water. Following this section, the trail gains the ridgeline through a long series of switchbacks. About halfway up, around 6,200 feet, we finally got above the tree line and got our first view of Rainier to the west. Once at the top of the series of switchbacks (6,600'), the trail continues southeast, rising another 500 feet to the top of the ridgeline (7,100'). 

The Nelson Ridge traverse as you head towards Mount Aix is breathtaking. Rainier sits behind Aix in front of you, both dominating in all directions. Adams to the South becomes more and more visible as you climb higher. The dryness and rockiness of the ridgeline reminded my friend of the Sierras. It reminded me of the Mountain of Doom/Mordor from LOTR. 

After walking along the Nelson Ridge trail for a mile, the trail splits. The Nelson Ridge trail continues below while the Mount Aix summit trail ascends Mount Aix's summit block. Previous reports suggested it was a low-level class-3 scramble to the summit. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. It's an unpleasant, steep slog up some nasty and extremely loose scree. I'd say this section is class 2+, but not a scramble (if you stay on trial). The trail winds around the backside of the Aix before dropping you off at its flat summit. 
It took us just under 3.5 hours to reach the summit, moving at a respectable pace.

The summit views were splendid. Ranier to the West, Adams to the South, and it was quite cool looking East and seeing the landscape transition from mountains to hills to grasslands. The summit was so pleasant that we stayed up there for over an hour. 

The hike down may have been even better than heading up. Rainier, no longer hiding behind you, now sits in front of you. The clouds near Rainier rolled in, creating some interesting visuals. Thomas ended up tweaking his knee, so we took our sweet time heading out as neither of us was in a hurry to get home. Just under 3.5 hours after leaving the summit, we reached the trailhead. 

Overall, this was an outstanding hike and a must-do for any Washington climber due to Aix's prominence and breathtaking views of Mount Rainier. We both brought 2 liters of water each, and this ended up being plenty, but I'd recommend 3 liters per person just to be safe. To get to Aix's true summit, you will need to deal with rough terrain and class 2+ moves, so be prepared. As always, stay safe and Happy Hiking!