Mount Washington Trailhead Traditional Cache

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Shaddow: asdf

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Hidden : 10/3/2014
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:



Mount Washington is the third of what I refer to as the Snoqualmie Gateway Trifecta with Mt Si and Mailbox Peak securing the other two locations.

Note: A temporary cache has been placed during sign maintenance. The coordinates have been updated and some of the description updated below, the original now-not-accurate info is striked out for easy of reverting back later.

I give them the name as they are the first three mountains that greet travelers headed eastbound on I90 and they mark where the landscape remarkably changes from lowland to true rugged mountain terrain. Mt Washington sits the furthest to the south and it along with and Mailbox Peak to the north guard the south fork of the Snoqualmie River (the proper name is Snoqualmie River South Fork) which is also much better known as the I90 corridor. Furthest west is Mt Si and it along with Mailbox guard the Middle Fork (the proper name is Snoqualmie River Middle Fork) and of which there are great views from the summit of Mt Washington.

The parking area is large and the hike is much lower in popularity than Si and Mailbox so there should be plenty of open spaces. There is also a bathroom available which is usually in good condition. While the parking area gate may at times be locked at night it's still ok to access the trailhead and trail at all times. To park in the parking area a Discover Pass is necessary (though a quick grab of the cache should be fine).

Mount Washington by Washington Trails Association

Ditch the North Bend crowds by heading six miles farther east to Mount Washington. This easy-access day hike delivers comparable—if not superior—panoramic views and lung-busting switchbacks to Mount Si, with significantly less foot traffic.

Start by following the signs for John Wayne Trail and Twin Falls at the south end of the parking lot near the bathroom structure. This short spur trail climbs immediately south then west before merging with a gravel logging road in a few hundred yards. Stay right at the junction, continuing to climb uphill for another tenth of a mile, and stay right at the next junction with the John Wayne Pioneer Trail/Iron Horse Trail—another wide gravel logging road. In just a few hundred feet, head south on the second trail into the forest, 0.3 miles from the trailhead, marked by a small rock cairn. This is the start of the Mount Washington Trail.

The trail climbs steeply to the southwest before easing to a moderate grade over rocky terrain and crossing several small creeks. While mostly switch-backing through an old growth forest of pines and sheer rock faces, the trail opens for occasional views to the North, revealing just how quickly it’s ascended from the parking lot. Less than a mile from the trailhead, hikers pass the base of a small cave-turned-climbing wall, with several anchors speckling the inverted hang of its upper reaches. Continue climbing and veer right on the main path when the trail reaches its first official marker—a hand-carved wooden sign that reads “MT WA.”

About 1.6 miles from the trailhead, a small clearing oft referred to as “Owl Hike Spot” offers the first westward views, allowing a brief photo-op of Rattlesnake Ledge. Previous trail guides often stopped at this point, but superior views are enjoyed farther along. Continue climbing and stay right at the junction with the Great Wall Trail at 2.0 miles, revealing the first views of the summit.

The trail eases, exiting the dense cover of forest as it approaches a small marsh and turns sharply east toward another unmarked trail junction. Again, stay right following the main path west as it navigates long switchbacks and bursts into an alpine meadow decorated with scree slopes, boulders and spring wildflowers at about the three mile mark.

You'll soon arrive at a sharp switchback. At the curve of the switchback you're right on the boundary between public land and the Cedar River Watershed, the water supply for the city of Seattle. Signs along this section of trail ask you to respect the watershed, so be sure to stay on the trail here and practice Leave No Trace as you round a southwest-facing slope and make the final push to the summit of Mount Washington.

From the top, take in views of the peaks surrounding you, but be sure to look down at Chester Morse Lake and Masonry Pool. It's amazing to realize that these two lakes are what help keep the megalopolis of Puget Sound hydrated.

More Info

Washington Trails Association
SummitPost.org
PeakBagger.com
Weather (summit)

The Cache

Small lock an lock, has pen, there is room for trackables. Temp out of service cache: Log only, you'll need to bring a pen. You should be able to quickly grab and replace even when the general public around but as always please use stealth as appropriate.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

GRZC: Glcvpny ybpngvba ghearq 90 qrterrf. Uvtu. Vtaber guvf cneg sbe gur bevtvany juvpu vf bhg bs freivpr qhevat znvagranapr: Unatvat nebhaq oruvaq n fvta ba n fvta

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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