Climbed this peak on my way out of a 2 day backpack in the area.
pingzingr - Aug 18, 2013 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2013
Good day hike
Nice relaxing day hike. A little bit cloudy so prevented the great views of Rainier, Baker and the Enchantments but still caught a glimpse or two of Seattle down I-90.
Easy but long grind up the hill. Got sidetracked down to Little Mason Lake, but gained the ridge on the climbers trail and enjoyed some pleasant meadow traversing before sunset. Bugs were out of control, but that's summer.
seabadge - Jul 15, 2013 1:49 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2013
Family Summit
Went up via Ira Spring trail. Brought younger sibling and father. Summit swarming with gnats, but otherwise a beautiful day. Clear views of Rainier, Hood and Baker. Steep trail at times!
Mike Lewis - Jul 20, 2012 5:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
Defying my ignorance
Way, way harder than I thought it would be.
Briefly: Exit 45 was closed due to construction. FS 9031 was closed due to helicopter lumbering. Hike to TH via P3 at Tinkham Rd. Race helicopters up the slopes to avoid getting pancaked. Got lost at Mason Lake and accidentally scrambled up SE ridge. Got sick with fever on way down. Thunder chases me down the mt.
bikejr - Nov 12, 2011 11:05 pm Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2010
Fall Mt. Defiance Hike
Beautiful with the fall colors on the upper slopes. A 100% walkup although the last part is a bit steep and might be considered a bootpath.
I've summited defiance twice, once on a clear day and once on a cloudy one. On the clear day there were great views: The Olympics, Baker, Glacier Peak, Rainier, Adams, St. Helens, Hood, mayve even Whistler (Canada).
belowfellow - Feb 16, 2011 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 9, 2010
via Mason Lake
via Old Mason Lake Trail. Great weather.
LuminousAphid - Nov 28, 2010 1:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2008
Combined with P3
No. 006, personal climber's log.
Combined this with Putrid Pete's Peak to the West; easy ridge traverse from the two, which I actually had to cross twice because of a lost cell phone which I actually found.
Arkitekt - Jul 18, 2010 1:18 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2009
Started Late
Having Hiked Bandera only a few days earlier I took a few work buddies up to hit Defiance. We hit the trailhead after work and reached the summit at at about 8-9PM and weren't back to our cars till well after dark. The headlamps came in very handy on the trail back.
DustyDeb9 - Jul 1, 2010 12:19 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2010
Via Talapus Trailhead
Rainy day, no view, at least 1/2 of the trail still under snow, the rest very muddy. Trail obvious to Rainbow Lake, then a little bit of route finding needed to get to the base of Defiance due to the snow cover. 15 mile round trip. Good conditioning hike.
Doehle - Nov 2, 2009 11:05 am Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2009
Some snow
Weather not as bad as forecast. No views, socked in.
The fog was thick and rolling today. Reached a light dusting of snow at the talus field. From the turnoff to Bandera all the way to the summit, I made first tracks in four to six inches of fresh snow. Views from the summit were partially obscured by fog, but the views of P3 were great, and that was good for me because it was my next stop.
bmwboarder7 - Oct 23, 2009 1:37 am Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2009
Great Fall Hike
Hiked up via the Mason Lake trail. Straightforward good hike with a summit worth sitting at for a while.
gimpilator - Jun 9, 2009 11:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2009
P3 to Defiance Traverse
Bryan and Dane and I were thinking of Mount Washington but we decided to do something with "more meat on it's bones". We decided on the approach that it was not going to be fun to hike down such a steep loose face so we agreed to traverse over to the summit of Defiance and descend from there via the old Old Defiance Trail. We found the ridge top near the summit of P3 to be very exposed and so we only made it to the east summit but this is where the summit register is located. I would think that the west summit is rarely done. It was good to be back on Defiance for the third time.
by myself but blocked for a time from summit by an aggressive doe!
EastKing - Oct 28, 2008 1:50 am Date Climbed: Oct 26, 2008
Via Mason Lake
Great peak with good views. Cheack out the TR
Dan Winter - Apr 30, 2008 1:33 am Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2000
Old Trail Approach
Beautiful warm autum day. Nice colors and wonderful sweet smell of huckleberries in the wind.
larryN - Sep 24, 2007 12:12 am Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Old trail is in good shape
We took the old Mason Creek trail and found it to be in good shape. Also, the final trail up the SW ridge is in great shape for a climbers' trail. I think Redwic may have gone up an earlier trail that we considered using. Here's our route.
I took the "old trail" from Mason Lake to Little Mason Lake, then used my GPS to determine the best route through the forest to the Mount Defiance Trail. The slope leading to the summit is STEEP; I chose to go down the slope via the groundcover bushes rather than the "trail". The fog all around the mountain, including the summit & lakes, was THICK. I took the "newer" Mason Lake Trail on the way back.
bcory2003 - Sep 16, 2013 2:39 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2012
Climbed itClimbed this peak on my way out of a 2 day backpack in the area.
pingzingr - Aug 18, 2013 4:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2013
Good day hikeNice relaxing day hike. A little bit cloudy so prevented the great views of Rainier, Baker and the Enchantments but still caught a glimpse or two of Seattle down I-90.
WeatherMan - Jul 26, 2013 7:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2013
TNABEasy but long grind up the hill. Got sidetracked down to Little Mason Lake, but gained the ridge on the climbers trail and enjoyed some pleasant meadow traversing before sunset. Bugs were out of control, but that's summer.
seabadge - Jul 15, 2013 1:49 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2013
Family SummitWent up via Ira Spring trail. Brought younger sibling and father. Summit swarming with gnats, but otherwise a beautiful day. Clear views of Rainier, Hood and Baker. Steep trail at times!
Mike Lewis - Jul 20, 2012 5:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2012
Defying my ignoranceWay, way harder than I thought it would be.
Briefly: Exit 45 was closed due to construction. FS 9031 was closed due to helicopter lumbering. Hike to TH via P3 at Tinkham Rd. Race helicopters up the slopes to avoid getting pancaked. Got lost at Mason Lake and accidentally scrambled up SE ridge. Got sick with fever on way down. Thunder chases me down the mt.
bikejr - Nov 12, 2011 11:05 pm Date Climbed: Oct 12, 2010
Fall Mt. Defiance HikeBeautiful with the fall colors on the upper slopes. A 100% walkup although the last part is a bit steep and might be considered a bootpath.
fredzurensick - Aug 4, 2011 1:54 pm
TwiceI've summited defiance twice, once on a clear day and once on a cloudy one. On the clear day there were great views: The Olympics, Baker, Glacier Peak, Rainier, Adams, St. Helens, Hood, mayve even Whistler (Canada).
belowfellow - Feb 16, 2011 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 9, 2010
via Mason Lakevia Old Mason Lake Trail. Great weather.
LuminousAphid - Nov 28, 2010 1:13 pm Date Climbed: Jun 22, 2008
Combined with P3No. 006, personal climber's log.
Combined this with Putrid Pete's Peak to the West; easy ridge traverse from the two, which I actually had to cross twice because of a lost cell phone which I actually found.
Arkitekt - Jul 18, 2010 1:18 am Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2009
Started LateHaving Hiked Bandera only a few days earlier I took a few work buddies up to hit Defiance. We hit the trailhead after work and reached the summit at at about 8-9PM and weren't back to our cars till well after dark. The headlamps came in very handy on the trail back.
DustyDeb9 - Jul 1, 2010 12:19 am Date Climbed: Jun 20, 2010
Via Talapus TrailheadRainy day, no view, at least 1/2 of the trail still under snow, the rest very muddy. Trail obvious to Rainbow Lake, then a little bit of route finding needed to get to the base of Defiance due to the snow cover. 15 mile round trip. Good conditioning hike.
Doehle - Nov 2, 2009 11:05 am Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2009
Some snowWeather not as bad as forecast. No views, socked in.
Cascade Scrambler - Nov 1, 2009 8:05 pm Date Climbed: Nov 1, 2009
Fresh tracksThe fog was thick and rolling today. Reached a light dusting of snow at the talus field. From the turnoff to Bandera all the way to the summit, I made first tracks in four to six inches of fresh snow. Views from the summit were partially obscured by fog, but the views of P3 were great, and that was good for me because it was my next stop.
bmwboarder7 - Oct 23, 2009 1:37 am Date Climbed: Oct 22, 2009
Great Fall HikeHiked up via the Mason Lake trail. Straightforward good hike with a summit worth sitting at for a while.
gimpilator - Jun 9, 2009 11:49 pm Date Climbed: Jun 9, 2009
P3 to Defiance TraverseBryan and Dane and I were thinking of Mount Washington but we decided to do something with "more meat on it's bones". We decided on the approach that it was not going to be fun to hike down such a steep loose face so we agreed to traverse over to the summit of Defiance and descend from there via the old Old Defiance Trail. We found the ridge top near the summit of P3 to be very exposed and so we only made it to the east summit but this is where the summit register is located. I would think that the west summit is rarely done. It was good to be back on Defiance for the third time.
Curtissimo - Dec 20, 2008 4:55 pm
up July 2000by myself but blocked for a time from summit by an aggressive doe!
EastKing - Oct 28, 2008 1:50 am Date Climbed: Oct 26, 2008
Via Mason LakeGreat peak with good views. Cheack out the TR
Dan Winter - Apr 30, 2008 1:33 am Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2000
Old Trail ApproachBeautiful warm autum day. Nice colors and wonderful sweet smell of huckleberries in the wind.
larryN - Sep 24, 2007 12:12 am Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
Old trail is in good shapeWe took the old Mason Creek trail and found it to be in good shape. Also, the final trail up the SW ridge is in great shape for a climbers' trail. I think Redwic may have gone up an earlier trail that we considered using. Here's our route.
Redwic - Sep 15, 2007 4:51 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2007
A Great Workout!!!I took the "old trail" from Mason Lake to Little Mason Lake, then used my GPS to determine the best route through the forest to the Mount Defiance Trail. The slope leading to the summit is STEEP; I chose to go down the slope via the groundcover bushes rather than the "trail". The fog all around the mountain, including the summit & lakes, was THICK. I took the "newer" Mason Lake Trail on the way back.