Trip Date: March 12, 2016
Updated: January 2024
Mt. Catherine Snowshoe Climb
Hyak Lake
Hyak Flats
Nordic Pass
Mount Catherine (5052 ft)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Iron Horse Mountains
Area: Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest
Starting & Ending Point: Snoqualmie Drive / Hyak Drive intersection off Interstate-90 at Exit 54 (Elev. 2640 feet)
Way Points: Snoqualmie Drive / Cascade Place intersection & Nordic Pass Trailhead (road walk); Little Hyak Creek & Hyak Creek & Lower Crossover Ski Trail & InterSummit-90 Ski Trail & Hyak Lake & Hyak Flats & Mill Creek Basin & Nordic Pass (snowshoe hike via Nordic Pass Trail)
Summit: Mt. Catherine (snowshoe climb via West Ridge)
Approximate Stats: 10 miles traveled; 2750 feet gained & lost; 4.6 hours up; 3.0 hours down.
Related Posts
>>> Mt Catherine Snowshoe Climb via West Ridge – April 15, 2017
>>> Nordic Pass Snowshoe Trek & Ski Loop – detailed route description
Information Sources
The following links provide helpful information for planning this snowshoe trek. Even these information sources, however, should not be taken as a substitute for having the fitness, knowledge, equipment, and clothing required for snowshoe trekking.
>>> WSDOT road reports for Interstate-90 and Snoqualmie Pass
>>> National Weather Service weather forecast for Snoqualmie Pass area
>>> Northwest Avalanche Center avalanche forecast for Snoqualmie Pass area
>>> Other easy to intermediate snowshoe treks in the I-90 / Snoqualmie Pass corridor
Full Trip Report
I snowshoed up Mt. Catherine today with my friend Lisa. We parked in the Hyak overflow lot and walked up Snoqualmie Drive to the hairpin, where the Nordic Pass Trail begins. This is not a heavily traveled trail, but those who do use it know what a little gem it is. For those of you who aren’t familiar, see the attached schematic map that I drafted up several years ago to show the route and navigation landmarks. During high-risk avalanche periods, this is my safe, go-to snow tour.
Most of the route is well-marked with blue diamonds, although a few sections are a bit sketchy. It’s fun to go “diamond hunting” and see how many you can collect. Bonus points for finding the many-decades-old wooden signs along the way too.
- Nordic Pass Trail Sign Near Rockdale Knoll
The upper half of the trail flattens out and passes through some beautiful old-growth forest.
- Snow Trail Thru Old Growth Forest
We reached Nordic Pass in 2.9 hours and located the old sign a few dozen yards north of the low point.
- Wooden Sign At Nordic Pass
- Lisa At Nordic Pass
From the pass, we continued up the west ridge of Mt. Catherine. This is an excellent snow route through widely spaced trees, and the final summit crest is wonderfully narrow and scenic. Snow conditions were very stable except for the final few hundred feet, which had 12 inches of slidey snow over old crust.
- Lisa On Summit Ridge
We hugged the highest trees to avoid the open slopes and reached the summit in early afternoon (4.6 hours from car). The weather was mostly cloudy with some sunbreaks.
- Jim On Mt Catherine Summit
For the descent, we followed our tracks back to the parking lot (3.0 hours from summit).
Equipment Comments
Due to the steep terrain encountered on the upper part of this route, I feel that a mountain snowshoe rather than a trail snowshoe is needed. Trekking poles and an ice axe are also highly recommended. For more information regarding the various equipment that I used for this particular trip and that I typically use for this type of trip, see my gear discussions and reviews on the following pages:
>>> Trail & Mountain Snowshoes
>>> Backcountry Ski & Snowshoe Packs
>>> Wintertime Comfort Accessories
Route Map
Click here for a high-rez printable PDF version of the map shown below.
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Photo Gallery
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