Route: Mount Daniel - SE Ridge (Alpiine Lakes Wilderness)
Mountain Information:
Driving Directions:
- Trailhead: Cathedral Rock Trailhead
- Co-ordinates: 47.54421,-121.09686
- Address: NF-153, Ronald, WA 98940
- Elevation: 3,350 ft
- Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
- Directions
- WTA: "From Seattle, take I-90 east to exit 80. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left onto Bullfrog Road to cross over the highway. At the second roundabout, continue onto WA-903 North to Salmon La Sac. Continue on WA-903 North passing through the towns of Roslyn and Ronald until the road becomes Salmon la Sac Road. A few yards past the Ranger Station, keep right on a rough dirt road (Forest Road 4330). Drive approximately 12 miles to the end of the road and the Cathedral Rock trailhead."
- I-90 Road Condition:
- Weather forecast
- Avalanche danger forecast:
Route Information: Southeast Ridge
- Gain: 5,200 ft
- Round Trip: 16 miles
- Type: scramble
- Difficulty: Strenuous 5, Technical 4
- Season: June, July, August, September
- Ascent: "Follow the Deep Lake trail 4.5 miles to Cathedral Pass (5,500 ft). As you descend towards Deep Lake, there is a good trail leading towards Peggys Pond at the end of a switchback. The path traverses to the lake. From the lake there is a path most of the way to Mount Daniel after the snow melts. The path is along the southeast ridge that is between Circle Lake and the permanent snowfield shown on the USGS map. Follow the ridge to the saddle below the east summit (7,899 ft). The east summit is an enjoyable scramble along its south ridge if time permits. Traverse from this saddle to the saddle between the east and middle summits. From here walk up the talus slope to the middle summit, and then follow the southeast ridge of the west summit to the base of the summit block. Scramble along the south side to reach the summit."
- Source: https://www.mountaineers.org/explore/routes-places/mount-daniel
- Existing tracks for approach:
- Caltopo Route: https://caltopo.com/m/MRQN
Misc
- Videos:
- Other Links:
- Notes:
- At 7960 feet, Mount Daniel is the highest point in both King County, the county of Seattle, and Kittitas County.
- Daniel is a complex glaciated massif with five main summits along its east-west trending spine. They are known as East Peak (7,899 feet), Middle Summit (7,959 feet), West Summit (7960+ feet, true summit), West Pyramid (7880+ feet), and Northwest Peak (7,686 feet).
- The Lynch Glacier flanks the mountain on the north and drains into the East Fork Foss River. It is the largest glacier on the mountain, but has experienced rapid melt in recent years draining into Pea Soup Lake.
- The Daniel Glacier is located on the northeast side between Middle Summit and East Peak and its runoff drains into the Cle Elum River.
- Hyas Creek Glacier, which may be turning into more of a permanent snowfield, is east of East Peak and also drains into the Cle Elum River.
- Mount Daniel is surrounded by lakes. The largest of these are Marmot and Jade Lakes, to the north, Hyas Lake to the east and Spade, Circle, Venus, and Deep Lakes to the south.
- Cascade Alpine Guide V1 described the SE ridge route as follows: "From the saddle area adjacent to Peggys Pond, climb W up talus and neve, keeping right of a bedrock hump in the basin center. Head upslope over the Hyas Creek Glacier toward the East Peak, or follow the gentle SE ridge to left of the upper basin (this easy ridge has a small rock outcrop to bypass or cross). Skirt S of the summit of East Peak on loose talus (keep closely under top) to the 7,600-ft saddle between it and the middle summit. Follow the gentle crest above the Daniel Glacier to the NW. Then either climb the middle summit or follow plateau just to its S to reach the true (western) summit. The East Peak is merely a hike-scramble from the high point on the SE ridge, or from the Middle-East saddle."
- In general stay to the left of the ridge crest and avoid the snowfield below, climbing several sections of steep rock in order to pass Point 7662. There is a choice here between a rock slab with a bad runout on the right, or a steep snow slope (right up the middle).
- The terrain between East and West summit is fairly straightforward - traverse across the snow to reach the saddle (excellent views here) and climb to the rocky terrain just beneath the summit. The true summit is the highest of the rock spires (class 3).
- Mount Daniel could be climbed from Lynch Glacier. Cascade Alpine Guide V1 stated: "The approach could be made from Marmot Lake and Lynch Draw. Recent recession of the Lynch Glacier has resulted in an enlarged Pea Soup Lake, whose waters now loop back to the cliffs. Unless this situation changes, this is not a practical summer route, especially from an eastern approach."
- Mount Daniel could also be climbed from Daniel Glacier.
- Some people climb the Cathedral rock along the way as described in this report.
- The footing on the traverse path could be a little loose some places, just watch your step and follow the cairns.
- This scramble can be done in a day or in two days with a camp near Peggy's Pond, but the mosquitoes can be ferocious in late July and early August.
- Existing GPS tracks: https://caltopo.com/m/1NE4
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