Originally Posted: December 2023
Updated: March 2024

Easy to intermediate ski tours along Interstate-90:  North Bend to Cle Elum

Snoqualmie Mountains
Keechelus Mountains
Iron Horse Mountains
Kittitas Mountains
Issaquah Alps

Introduction

Scores of backcountry skiers living in the Puget Sound metropolitan area drive eastward on Interstate-90 every weekend looking for a good ski touring adventure. The eternal challenge, of course, is to find a suitable destination. Everybody wants someplace that serves up an appropriate amount of difficulty, low avalanche danger, nice scenery, and a reliable parking situation. I prepared this guide to assist backcountry skiers who are seeking an easy to intermediate ski tour somewhere in the I-90 corridor.

Knowing where to go also means knowing where not to go. For example, Sno-Chair Pass and Granite Mountain Lookout are good skiing destinations when snow conditions are very stable, but they involve big open slopes that can be extremely hazardous when conditions are even slightly unstable. These places should be avoided unless you really know what you’re doing, so I have excluded such options from my list of suggestions.

If you are not a backcountry skier but, rather, a snowshoer looking for easy to intermediate snowshoeing options along Interstate-90, check out my companion guide titled Where to go Snowshoeing in the I-90 / Snoqualmie Pass Corridor.

My Ski Touring Gear

Backcountry skiing is inherently reliant on five critical components: skis, bindings, boots, traction aids, and poles. My preferred gear for backcountry skiing is a relatively lightweight to midweight, free-heel, nordic-style setup that is best suited to covering long horizontal distances rather than steep ups and downs. Currently, I have three different gear combinations to accommodate a variety of terrain. (1) At the lighter end of the spectrum is a cross-country/backcountry hybrid ski touring setup appropriate for both groomed and ungroomed forest roads and other low-angle terrain. (2) In the middle of the spectrum is a backcountry nordic ski touring setup appropriate for ungroomed roads and rolling forest terrain. (3) At the heavier end of the spectrum is a backcountry telemark ski touring setup appropriate for moderately steep forest or alpine terrain. All of my skis have a fishscale-pattern base, which gets me up most roads and gentle forest slopes, but I apply climbing skins when the gradient increases.

My Ideal Ski Tour

Regardless of what gear I’m using, my ideal backcountry ski tour would have the following key elements. Of course, it’s not possible to achieve all of these elements on every tour, but this represents a desirable goal.

• A fairly “clean” approach; for instance, it might involve starting on a snow-covered road to get me through lowland forest more quickly so I can reach better terrain at higher elevations.
• A satisfying destination, such as a lake, a pass, or a summit. Better yet is a closed loop or one-way traverse that includes a lake, pass, or summit along the way.
• A consistently low avalanche hazard, so that the tour is available during most days of the season. Avalanche professionals often point out that there are safe places to go ski touring even during times of extreme instability.
• A maximum gradient comparable to a “green” or “blue” run at a ski resort. I’m not into steep “black diamond” slopes that would exceed my skill, gear, and safety tolerance.
• An absence of snowmobile traffic, which, unfortunately, is becoming more difficult to achieve due to the growing proliferation of machines in the backcountry. The only solution for some ski tours is to go midweek or on a special low-traffic day such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Super Bowl Sunday.

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Suggested Ski Tours

In order to help Puget Sound-area backcountry skiers pick suitable destinations—and to offer some variety throughout the season—I have compiled the following list of easy to intermediate touring options in the I-90 corridor between North Bend and Cle Elum. These tours are generally arranged from easiest to hardest, based on the distance, elevation gain, and experience levels required. Links are provided for my route descriptions or trip reports, where available. I will continue to add touring suggestions and route descriptions throughout the winter, so check back periodically.

Roaring Ridge Ski Loop: An easy to moderate ski tour from Hyak Sno-Park-Park up the High Horse Trail and down to the Palouse To Cascades Trail, then back to Hyak. The route follows a combination of groomed ski trails and ungroomed forest roads. Recommended for a winter with a thick snowpack. Approximately 8.4 miles + 750 feet round trip.

Rocky Run Loop: A moderately strenuous ski tour from South Gold Creek Sno-Park to an upper crossing of Rocky Run, down past Resort Creek Pond, and back along a siding road to the starting point. The route follows a combination of abandoned forest roads, steep forest slopes, and groomed forest roads with frequent snowmobile traffic in some sections; good navigation skills are needed, and a midweek schedule is recommended. Approximately 5.6 miles + 1100 feet round trip. Can be combined with an ascent and descent of Dungeon Point.

Surveyors Hill: A moderately strenuous ski tour from the Hyak overflow parking lot to this forested hill overlooking the Snoqualmie River Valley and Interstate-90 corridor. The route begins on the adventurous Nordic Pass Trail and finishes on forest roads (mostly ungroomed) and dense forest slopes; good navigation skills are needed. Approximately 6.0 miles + 1600 feet round trip.

Windy Pass: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Hyak Sno-Park to this broad saddle between Mt. Catherine and Silver Peak. The entire route follows groomed forest roads except for a short ungroomed segment up and down a forest slope. Approximately 10.2 miles + 1350 feet round trip.

Dungeon Point: A moderately strenuous ski tour from South Gold Creek Sno-Park to this dramatic viewpoint overlooking the Hyak and Snoqualmie Pass area. The route follows a combination of abandoned forest roads, steep forest slopes, and steep open slopes; good mountain skills are needed. Approximately 4.8 miles + 2000 feet round trip. Best combined with the Rocky Run Loop.

South Thetis Creek Knoll:  A moderately strenuous ski tour from Kachess Lake Sno-Park to this small knoll overlooking Kachess Lake and Kachess Ridge. The entire route follows ungroomed forest roads with occasional snowmobile traffic. Approximately 7.0 miles + 1800 feet round trip. (Route description coming soon.)

First Kendall Knob & Kendall Peak Lakes: A moderately strenuous ski tour from North Gold Creek Sno-Park to a viewpoint overlooking the Hyak and Snoqualmie Pass area, or to these small lakes set beneath Kendall Peak. The entire route to First Kendall Knob follows abandoned forest roads; the sidetrip to the lakes goes through sparse forest. Approximately 7.1 to 8.3 miles + 1700 to 1950 feet round trip, depending on destination chosen.

Cole Creek Pond: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Easton Reload Sno-Park to this small lake perched on a high bench in the Cole Creek Valley. The entire route follows forest roads, some of which get frequent snowmobile traffic; a weekday schedule is recommended. Approximately 8.6 miles + 2100 feet round trip.

Talapus Lake & Olallie Lake: A moderately strenuous ski tour from the Exit 45 interchange vicinity to Talapus Lake, with the option of continuing another mile up to Olallie Lake. The route follows a combination of ungroomed roads and hiking trails through dense forest; good navigation skills are needed. Approximately 8.0 to 12.0 miles + 1600 to 2200 feet round trip, depending on starting point and destination chosen.

Nordic Pass Loop: A moderately strenuous ski tour from the Hyak overflow parking lot up to Nordic Pass, down to Windy Pass, and then down Cold Creek Valley to the starting point. The route begins on the adventurous Nordic Pass Trail and finishes on groomed forest roads; good navigation skills are needed. Approximately 9.5 miles + 1700 feet round trip.

Amabilis Mountain Loop: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Cabin Creek Sno-Park, up the south ridge of this forested mountain, through a high saddle, and then down the north ridge to reach the starting point. The entire route follows a combination of groomed and ungroomed forest roads except for a very short segment through gentle forest. Approximately 11.0 miles + 2100 feet round trip. Can be combined with a short sidetrip to the true summit.

Cole Valley Overlook: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Easton Reload Sno-Park to this high viewpoint on the western side of Goat Peak. The entire route follows forest roads, some of which get frequent snowmobile traffic; a weekday schedule is recommended. Approximately 10.6 miles + 2650 feet round trip.

West Rattlesnake Peak: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Snoqualmie Point Trailhead to this tower-studded summit overlooking North Bend and the Snoqualmie River Valley / Interstate-90 corridor. The entire route follows ungroomed forest roads. Due to the low-elevation start, this is suitable only when the Puget Sound lowlands get a good snowfall. Approximately 12.4 miles + 2500 feet round trip.

Hansen Creek Pass: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Annette Lake Sno-Park to this broad saddle overlooking the Cedar River Watershed. The entire route follows ungroomed forest roads, initially parallel to Interstate-90 and then up Hansen Creek. Approximately 14.1 miles + 2500 feet round trip. (Route description coming soon.)

Tinkham Pass: A moderately strenuous ski tour from Hyak Sno-Park or Hyak Ski Area to this Pacific Crest Trail crossing on the northeast ridge of Tinkham Peak. The route follows a combination of groomed roads and backcountry forest, including some steep slopes; good mountain skills are needed. Approximately 15.2 miles + 2500 feet round trip.

Keechelus Ridge Loop: A strenuous ski tour from Cabin Creek Sno-Park, northward across the upper flank of this long ridge, down to Resort Creek Pond, and back southward across the lower flank to the starting point. The entire route follows a combination of groomed and ungroomed forest roads, with frequent snowmobile traffic in some sections; a midweek schedule is recommended. Approximately 18.5 miles + 2300 feet round trip.

Mt. Laura: A strenuous ski tour from South Gold Creek Sno-Park to this alpine summit with northerly views into the rugged Snoqualmie Mountains. The route follows a combination of abandoned forest roads, steep forest slopes, and steep alpine slopes; good mountain skills are needed. Approximately 7.4 miles + 3300 feet round trip. Best combined with the Rocky Run Loop.

Goat Peak: A strenuous ski tour from Easton Reload Sno-Park to this wooded summit overlooking the Yakima River Valley and Kachess Lake. The route initially follows forest roads with frequent snowmobile traffic, then finishes on little-used roads and forest slopes; good mountain skills are needed, and a midweek schedule is recommended. Approximately 11.2 miles + 3100 feet round trip.

Mt. Margaret: A strenuous ski tour from South Gold Creek Sno-Park to this forested summit in the Keechelus Mountains. The route follows a combination of abandoned forest roads, steep forest slopes, and steep glades; good mountain skills are needed. Approximately 9.0 miles + 3400 feet round trip. Best combined with the Rocky Run Loop.

Chair Peak Circumnavigation: A strenuous ski tour from the Alpental Ski Area parking lot, up-valley to Bryant Col, down toward Melakwa Lake, up to Melakwa Pass, down to Snow Lake, up to Sno-Chair Pass, and back down-valley to the starting point. Most of the route travels through open forest slopes and open alpine terrain; very good mountain skills are needed. Approximately 8.0 to 9.0 miles + 4050 feet to 4200 feet round trip, depending on specific starting point.

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Essential Information Sources

It should be emphasized that all of the options listed above are subject to weather, snow stability, road conditions, parking status, and other factors. On any given day, a certain option might be inaccessible or unsuitable for one reason or another; therefore, it is advisable to check highway reports, weather forecasts, and avalanche assessments—and to have an alternative destination in mind—before heading out. The following links provide helpful information for planning purposes. Even these information sources, however, should not be taken as a substitute for having the fitness, experience, knowledge, equipment, and clothing required for a chosen ski touring trip.

>>> 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

Sno-Park Permits

Many of the ski tours that I’ve listed above begin at a Washington State Sno-Park. These facilities range from something as simple as a plowed roadway shoulder with a porta-potty (such as Gold Creek) to something as deluxe as a large plowed parking lot with heated bathrooms (such as Hyak). In all cases, a Washington State Sno-Park Permit is required to park there. Season permits cost about $50 per vehicle and are available for purchase at many sporting goods stores or on-line directly from Washington State Parks. Furthermore, any sno-park that serves a groomed cross-country ski trail (such as Hyak and Cabin Creek) requires an additional “special groomed-trail sticker,” which costs about $70 more.

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