Trip Date: September 15, 2018
Dungeon Peak Summit Loop: Southeast Face to Northeast Slope
Rocky Run Culvert
Dungeon Knoll
Dungeon Peak (5640’+)
Lake Lillian
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Keechelus Mountains
Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Lake Laura Backdoor Trailhead parking lot on Rocky Run Road #4832-136 (Elev. 3750 feet)
Way Points: Road 141 junction & Rocky Run Culvert & Dungeon Knoll & Southwest Dungeon Ridge & Dungeon Peak summit & Northeast Dungeon Ravine & Lake Lillian & Lake Lillian Trail & Lake Laura Backdoor Trailhead (road walk & bushwhack & off-trail hike & rock scramble & trail hike)
Summit: Dungeon Peak (rock scramble via Southeast Face; descent via Northeast Slope)
Approximate Stats: 7 miles traveled; 2600 feet gained & lost; 3.6 hours up; 2.3 hours down.
Related Post
Dungeon Peak Snowshoe Climb via Northwest Couloir – April 3, 2016
Full Trip Report
On a cloudy Saturday, Carolyn and I did a fun and interesting loop over the summit of Dungeon Peak, which anchors the southernmost end of Rampart Ridge in the Keechelus Mountains. Dungeon Peak is not well-known, but it is highly visible from the freeway at Snoqualmie Pass.
Starting at the informal parking lot for the Lake Laura Backdoor Trailhead, we walked 0.7 miles down Rocky Run Road #4832-136, crossed Rocky Run, then walked 2.5 miles up Road #4832. This road passes over the top of Dungeon Knoll, a popular launching point for paragliders, before terminating below the southwest ridge of Dungeon Peak. From the road end, we thrashed up through saturated brush to gain the ridge crest, then followed the nicely open crest for another 0.5 miles.
- Hiking Up Southwest Ridge
When the ridge got rocky and steep, we traversed around to the right side on heather slopes. The cliffs above were nearly vertical and appeared highly impassable, but we were surprised to spy a rope hanging down a hidden slot that sliced through the Cliffs of Insanity.
- Heading Up To Hidden Slot
This rope was stout and new-ish looking, so we grabbed on and climbed up the slot to where the rope was anchored to a tree. A second rope took us to the top of the slot.
- Jim Climbing Up Hidden Slot (photo by Carolyn)
- Carolyn Climbing Up Hidden Slot
From there it was a short, easy jaunt to the summit (3.6 hours + 2400 feet from TH).
- Carolyn On Dungeon Peak Summit
- Rampart Peak & Hibox Peak From Dungeon Peak
Our plan was to make a loop out of this trek, so we started descending the peak’s northeastern aspect. Topo maps show a broad, gentle slope leading from the summit all the way down to Lake Lillian. What the maps don’t show is the dozens of cliff bands that cut across this slope!
- Hiking Down Northeast Slope
We managed to zig-zag down and around most of these cliff bands but were stymied by a larger cliff near the bottom. Our only options were to go back up or to try descending a rocky ravine to the left. Carolyn had a “positive gut feeling” about the ravine, so we jumped in and headed down.
- Carolyn Descending Northeast Ravine
It turned out to be a good choice; the ravine wasn’t neat and clean, but it was direct and effective. In short order, we were strolling through a flat meadow below the cliffs.
- Crossing Meadow Above Lake Lillian
A series of boot-paths led us down the remaining 200 feet to pretty little Lake Lillian.
- Lake Lillian
We traversed around the lakeshore to pick up the formal trail at the outlet stream. From there, it was a shy mile down the Lake Laura Backdoor Trail to our waiting car (2.3 hours + 200 feet from summit) and the end of a nice loop.
Photo Gallery
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