Web Mountain via Putrid Pete's Peak — Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026

A wonderfully sunny day in mid-January meant abandoning skiing plans and hiking up Putrid Pete’s Peak (P3) instead, with a side trip up to Web Mountain. Shorts and T-shirt weather made it an unseasonal treat.

The temperature inversion was amazing this morning: 31^oF at Issaquah and 42^oF at North Bend at 7:30 – 7:40. Online sources said that the access road to Ira Spring Trailhead was closed so I left the I90 at Exit 42 and parked up on the north side of the I90. After a brief hike, I got to the Ira Spring parking lot and found two cars in it. Clearly someone found a way of cutting 1.2 miles off their distance today.

Leaving the trailhead, it looked like there was a lot of snow on the trail. It was concentrated on fallen birch trees, and a closer look made me think it was a fungus. It turned out to be hair ice. Apparently, German scientists discovered in 2015 that it is caused by an inconspicuous fungus (Exidiopsis effusa) that prevents water from freezing into its usual structure and shapes the developing ice to form the fine hairs. When I touched it, it bent like normal hair and didn't break. 

The trail is short but steep. The last 1200 vertical feet is significantly more challenging than Mailbox Peak. I tried to follow the All Trails trail, which is straight. It also seems to have grades of over 80% (on trail, not scramble). I’m not sure what superhero or drone pilot managed to lay down a straight trial, but the actual trail thankfully has a lot of mini-switchbacks. I found that I ran out of energy on this trail faster than I do on most others. Bring lots of food.

It surprised me that Putrid Pete’s Peak is higher than McClellan Butte. McClellan’s imposing profile from the road makes it seem like the tallest thing around. Web Mountain is another 100+ feet higher. Once you get to Putrid Pete’s and fill up on food and fluids, it’s a tempting scramble to Web. I couldn’t find any trail, so it was a choice between the crest and a route a bit further down the southern slope. The crest was difficult because of the fragile snow cornices, but it was still better than the slope. It also gave constant views of Glacier Peak, Baker and Rainier. The view from Web is similar to what you see from Dirty Harry’s Peak (Granite Lakes) but from south-east instead of south.

I don’t usually use poles but they were really useful going down the precipitous route from P3. There is about 40 yards of snow-covered trail, but this will melt out over the next few days.

I'm not sure if there is a shooting range nearby but when I was coming down, the constant gunfire sounded like Gettysburg.