Mount Washington — Friday, Apr. 10, 1998

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

The weather looked unpleasant at 4:00 Saturday morning, but several of us headed down to the ferry docks for the early Bremerton ferry anyway. Once over on the Olympic peninsula, the weather just kept getting nicer, until we were in the middle of blue skies and sunshine. The goal was Mt. Washington via climbing route 1A, but the weather was too nice! There was 8-10 inches of new snow over an icy slab, and all that solar energy was causing spontaneous slab releases all over the mountain. We found a comfy and safe little plateau at about 5000' to hang out on and watch the mountain slough its new coat, then headed back down to the cars. The road (Big Creek) is clear to the Mt. Ellinor trailhead - we parked there and walked the last 2 miles to the start of the climbing route. Once snow conditions consolidate a bit, this route will be in great shape.