Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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47.29181°N / 121.15639°W |
Route Type:
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Hiking |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Difficulty:
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Class 1 |
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Overview
If you are looking for an intermediate multiple summit peakbagging hike filled with great views that this is the hike for you. There is nothing technical about this hike but it is a great workout and you are able to bag four peaks in one day. This hike is actually best when conditions are questionable on higher mountains and you really don't want to do repeat hikes again. At 10 miles and 4500 feet of elevation gain this hike will keep you in good shape for the larger climbs such as Hood, Colchuck, Rainier and others. Yet this multiple summit trip doesn't feature many of the risks that the others have. These mountains are also a little shelter by the western Cascades meaning that weather is often better here that the western counter parts.
The best part about this multiple summit route is that it is only just over one hour from downtown Seattle and Bellevue. Yet despite being fairly close this route is not used nearly as often as those of Mount Si, Granite Mountain, and Mailbox Peak. The views here are also quiet different from those of the Western Cascades.
Getting There
VIA THE WESTERN TRAILHEAD FROM I-90: You want to take Exit 70 which is called the Easton/ Sparks Road exit. Head north and make an immediate left turn. Drive one mile and make a right on the Kachess Dam Road. After 0.8 miles past the telephone poles make a right turn onto an unmarked forest road.Drive a mile along the unmarked forest road to the dead end trailhead.Route Description
To Para Point and Thomas Mountain: Thomas Mountain can be reach by trail therefore the terrain is pretty much Class 1 all the way to the summit. That being said the Easton Ridge Trailhead #1212 trail up to the first intersection switchbacks up the northern part of Easton Ridge with a steep 1100' elevation gain in roughly 0.8 miles. It is followed by Domerie Divide Trail #1308.2 has 1350' elevation gain in 1.4 miles in which most of the elevation gain in the last (steep) 0.8 miles. From there make a left onto #1308.2 and roughly 1.25 from Para Point to the summit.
To continue to Mount Baldy and Domerie Peak Starting at Para Point you must head southeast using Trail #1308 along the ridgetop for 1.6 miles, passing Mount Baldy during the traverse. To hit Mount Baldy you go 1.1 miles descending three hundred feet and ascending five hundred feet. To continue to Domorie Peak you must drop five hundred more feet and ascend one hundred to the true summit. Domerie Peak requires some YDS Class II scrambling if you ascend the rocky summit on the western side for the final summit slopes.
Essential Gear
Summer Time: Just 10 essentials and normal hiking gear. Trekking poles are very usefulSpring Time: Depending on conditions, snowshoes, an ice axe and traction devices maybe useful for these summits. Check local conditions.
