Trip Date: July 8-9, 2017

Big Snow Mountain Carryover Loop & Summit Camp

Myrtle Lake
Big Snow Lake & Snowflake Lake
Big Snow Mountain (6680 ft)
Hardscrabble Gap
Hardscrabble Lakes
Middle Fork Road

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Miller–Foss Mountains

Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness

Starting & Ending Point: Dingford Creek Trailhead on Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road (Elev. 1400 feet)

Way Points: Dingford Creek & Goat Creek & Myrtle Lake & Big Snow Creek & Big Snow Lake & Snowflake Lake & Big Snow Mountain summit & Hardscrabble Gap & Upper Hardscrabble Lake & Lower Hardscrabble Lake & Hardscrabble Creek & Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road junction (trail hike & bushwhack & rock scramble & snow climb & off-trail hike);  Dingford Creek Bridge (road walk)

Summit: Big Snow Mountain (snow climb & rock scramble via Northwest Gully—Northwest Slope; descent via Northeast Shoulder—Hardscrabble Couloir)

Campsite: Big Snow Mountain summit

Approximate Stats: 20 miles traveled; 5500 feet gained & lost.

Related Posts

>>> Big Snow Mtn Carryover Traverse: Dingford Creek to Necklace Valley – August 2021

>>> Big Snow Mountain via Dingford Creek–Myrtle Lake – July 2004

Full Trip Report

I teamed up with Lisa L. last weekend for a climb of Big Snow Mountain in the western Alpine Lakes Wilderness. To increase the variety factor of our climb, we did a carryover loop—entering via Dingford Creek and exiting via Hardscrabble Creek—and added a summit bivouac. The total loop turned out to be more challenging than we expected, but it had the feeling of a remarkable adventure route in our own backyard.

Day 1: Dingford Creek Trailhead to Big Snow Mtn Summit

We hiked up the Dingford Creek Trail to Myrtle Lake, then thrashed our way through dense brush in a southeasterly direction to intersect the stream draining Big Snow Lake. This stream pours down a steep, boulder-filled defile between tall cliffs. The ascent starts out with easy boulder hopping but gradually turns into some interesting Class 3 scrambling on wet, mossy rock. At 4900 feet, we suddenly popped out at beautiful Big Snow Lake (6.0 hours from TH), with its vertical granite faces plunging into deep blue water.

On the near shore, the water turns to a jade-green color, and scattered lakebed rocks show through the translucent surface. My brother Brad calls this “magic water” and I couldn’t agree more.

After a cooling dip in the lake, we followed a path to the right in a counter-clockwise direction around nearby Snowflake Lake and up to a heather bench. When the bench ended at the base of a moderately steep stream gully, we went straight up on snow and Class 2-3 rock. This was Lisa’s least favorite part of the trip, but at least it was fairly short.

The unpleasant stream gully deposited us on easy snowfields about 1000 feet below the summit of Big Snow Mountain. It was a straight-forward boot ascent from there.

Along the way, we passed an interesting rock formation on the mountain’s northwest slope. I thought it looked like a tuning fork, whereas Lisa thought it looked like a raptor. Perhaps it’s a raptor perched on a tuning fork.

We arrived at the summit around 6:00pm (9.8 hours + 5200 feet from TH). The register here is a thick notebook inside a waterproof plastic box. It appears that this peak gets a half-dozen or so parties per year, with approaches split between Myrtle Lake, Hardscrabble Lakes, and Gold Lake.

I would have to declare that Big Snow Mountain must be one of the finest viewpoints in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. When standing on its summit, the entire chain of craggy Snoqualmie Mountains—from Mt. Daniel to Kaleetan Peak—stretches out in front of you like a chorus line.

The 70-degree evening weather called out for snow-margaritas, and we were in no position to decline.

The summit features four good, level bivouac spots, each with a view of the surrounding mountains. As a bonus, we found running water in a heather meadow only 50 feet below the top.

Sunset coincided with a full moonrise over Chimney Rock and Lemah Mountain.

Day 2: Summit to Hardscrabble Lakes to Dingford Creek Trailhead

We awoke to sunrise on Mt. Rainier and clear skies overhead.

Our descent route followed the long northeast shoulder down to Hardscrabble Gap, an obvious 5750-foot pass in the ridge. The morning snow was just firm enough to warrant crampons.

From Hardscrabble Gap, an easy snow couloir led down toward Upper Hardscrabble Lake.

The snow ended about 500 feet above the lake, leaving us to pick our way around cliff bands and down talus slopes. At the lake (3.2 hours from summit), we met two campers who gave us some good information about getting down to the Middle Fork Road.

A well-defined footpath leads from the upper lake down to the lower lake, staying on the right (north) side of the outlet stream the whole way. We circled around the head of Lower Hardscrabble Lake and crossed multiple inlet streams to reach the western shore.

Does anybody remember “The Great Trog” of Nooksack Cirque? This 8-foot-high boulder could be called “The Little Trog.”

There is a footpath leading down-valley from Lower Hardscrabble Lake, but the first ½ mile is very vague and difficult to follow. Eventually, the forest and brush open onto a large boulder field, which is well marked with ducks and cairns.

Beyond the boulder field, the foot path becomes very well-trodden and easy to follow. We quickly descended the remaining 1000 feet to the Middle Fork Road, which we intersected at a point closely west of its terminus (6.6 hours from summit). I’ve never been a fan of road walking, but this 7-mile segment from Hardscrabble Creek to Dingford Creek is about as smooth, shady, and pleasant as a dirt road can be. Of course, that didn’t stop me from whining and complaining the entire way.

We reached our car at the Dingford Creek Trailhead shortly before 5:00pm (9.9 hours + 300 feet from summit), laden with blisters, sore knees, and great memories.

Route Map & Profile

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Photo Gallery

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