Mt. Aix, Nelson Ridge

Activity Notes

Climb the highest peak in the William O Douglas Wilderness east of Mt Rainier. If skies are clear, we'll get lots of views of Mt Rainier on the ascent, and as we approach Nelson Ridge, we will also see Mt Adams. Finally, we'll come around a bend and get our first view of Mt Aix after hours of climbing. Less than an hour later, we'll reach the summit. From the summit, dozens of mountains could be visible.

We're going to take a counter-clockwise loop to/from the summit. It's because a route that was difficult to descend in 2024 should be easier to ascend. We'll stay on the trail that trends southeast, then we'll begin our ascent toward the north. The bonus is that we'll visit a geocache, so if you bring something small to put in the box, you can take something. We may not linger at the summit if we find it buggy, and we'll descend via the usual scramble route to the west. The climb's stats are 11.8 miles and 4,225', and the summit of Mt Aix is at 7,766'.

We will camp the night before the climb at the never busy Mt Aix trailhead. It's free if a NW/US forest pass is displayed, and I recommend bringing your own water. Please be in camp by 19:00 Saturday, when we will have our team meeting. I recommend leaving Portland around 13:00, as it's a five hour drive via I-5, US 12, WA 123, WA 410, and Bumping River Rd. The driving route will pass under a Mt Rainier National Park sign, but you won’t need to pass a park entrance station. The last few miles of road are good gravel.

We will begin the climb at 06:00 Sunday, a half hour after sunrise.