Route: Bandera Mountain Ridge Traverse (I-90 Snoqualmie Pass)

Mountain Information:

• Name: Bandera Mountain
• Region:  Central Cascades (Snoqualmie Pass)
• Summit Elevation: 5241 ft / 1597 m
• SummitPost Link:  
• http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/152006
• Peakbagger Link:  
• http://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=2120
• Mountaineers Link:  
• https://www.mountaineers.org/explore/activities/winter-scramble-bandera-mountain
• WTA Link:   
• http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/bandera-mountain
• http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/talapus-lake

Driving Directions:

• Trailhead: Ira Spring Trailhead
• Co-ordinates: 47.4230657,-121.5854809
• Address: Ira Spring Memorial Trail, North Bend, WA 98045
• Elevation:  2,100 ft
• Pass:  Northwest Forest Pass
• Directions 
• WTA: "Take exit 45 off of I-90 and turn north onto FR 9030. A little over three quarters of a mile from the exit, stay left onto FR 9031. Follow it to its end and the trailhead for the Ira Spring Trail #1038. Road is one-lane gravel and dirt." 

• Trailhead: Talapus Lake Trailhead
• Co-ordinates:47.4701826,-121.9109259
• Address: Ira Spring Memorial Trail, North Bend, WA 98045
• Elevation:  2,600 ft
• Pass:  Northwest Forest Pass
• Directions 
• WTA: "From Seattle, head east on I-90 to exit 45. Turn left, and drive under the freeway on FR 9030. In 1 mile follow the road around to the right at a junction. Continue straight on a gravel, sometimes severely potholed road to the trailhead at the road's end. Northwest Forest Pass and Alpine Lakes Wilderness Permit required, both available at the trailhead."

• I-90 Road Condition:   
• wsdot.com 
• Weather forecast
• Mountain Forecast
• National Weather Service
• Avalanche danger forecast:  
• Northwest Avalanche Center

Route Information: Ridge Traverse

• Gain: 3.400 - 4,000 ft
• One Way Trip:  7 miles
• Type:  Winter Scramble,
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Season: Winter, Spring
• Source: https://www.mountaineers.org/explore/activities/winter-scramble-bandera-mountain
• Existing tracks for approach: 
• Peakbagger 2016-04-09: gpx file
• Caltopo Route: https://caltopo.com/m/Q990

Misc 

• Videos: 
• Bandera Mountain May 30, 2016
• Ten Minutes on Bandera Mountain May 4th 2016
• Other Links: 
• hikingwithmybrother
• NWHikers.net: Bandera Mountain Traverse 6/1/2013
• Notes: 
• The bear grass section could have avalanche danger
•  The route up to the false summit starts of very easy with the well grated Mason Lake Trail. This new trail goes past a beautiful waterfall and breaks out into the beautiful bear grass at about 4500 feet. There will be a spur trail (marked) that will go from there very steeply (but with good footing) up to the false summit of Bandera. Once on top of the false summit look for a boot path and then head down to the ridge up another false and then to the true summit of Bandera.
• As for times to the top of Bandera it will take you roughly between 1 to 2 hours to the false summit and 30 minutes or more to the true summit.