Cathedral Rock — Friday, Jul. 29, 2011

Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway

If you like hopping over blown-down trees, slogging through streams on the trail, navigating through snowfields, and beating off hoards of mosquitoes, then this hike is for you. Oh, and the 12 miles of extra-bumpy forest service road to the trailhead will challenge your vehicle’s shock absorbers and will remind you know that this is the backcountry. Ok, I’m whining - it wasn’t that bad and it sure beats a day at the office. There are numerous (lost count) trees (some quite large) crossing the trail, mostly on the steep slope below Squaw Lake. Snow patches begin at around 5000 ft near Squaw Lake and are still quite deep in shady sections. It was hard to find the trail at times just above Squaw Lake, so it is important to keep an eye out for previous footsteps in the snow or mud. Near Cathedral Rock, the trail disappears under larger snowfields for long stretches. The views from the ridge of Cathedral Rock, Mt Daniels, and Deep Lake 1000 ft below, as well as the sound of numerous streams cascading into Deep Lake are the rewards for the extra effort required today. Only a few clouds were skirting the top of Mt Daniels. The views of the Wenatchee Mountains to the east and Stuart Range in the distance toward the southeast were also impressive. Wanted to eat lunch at the ridge and soak in the scenery, but the mosquitoes decided we were lunch instead. An occasional breeze provided some respite, but the wind was not strong enough to keep them away for long. So, we cut lunch short and headed back down.