Jun 20, 2015
Snoqualmie National Forest fails to disappoint me.
Once again, like Ptarmigan, Lake Ann, and Heliotrope Ridge,... a moderate amount of effort gets you a huge payoff. You'd be hiking straight up for 3 hours in BC to get this.
Off of the 542, access is easy. 23km on a partially paved, partially gravel road takes to to a parking lot (I think anything but a lowered car could make it easily). Even from that lot there is a view!
Then, follow a scenic trail the whole way. All junctions are well marked and the trail could be followed in the dark. The boardwalk around Damfino lake is scenic but just part of the many stretches that make up this great trail. Sooner than you expect you'll emerge on a slope (flowered today), and have views of your destination. This is alpine already, and ridges everywhere. Keep going and will a little effort you are at the pass and crossing the High Divide trail.
There is one tricky junction and that is at the signpost at the pass,.. it says Excelsior one way, and High Divide the other,.. to go to Excelsior "peak", you actually want to take the HD (the peak is right there so you can eyeball it and it will make sense. The Excelsior "trail" leads downward and actually away from the views (we made our destination the peak.
No bugs, no snow, and decent wildflowers,.. make favourite combo. I for sure will be back to do the whole High Divide at some point.
Add this trail to your list and unlike most, the time estimates overstate it,.. actual hike times are more like 4 hours not including the drive,.. a perfect distance.
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