Snowking Mountain, Kindy Ridge

Activity Notes

Carpooling is strongly encouraged.  Please contact the leader in the week before the climb and share your transportation plans.

 We will meet at the NPS Ranger Station in Marlemont on Saturday July 21 at 830AM.

Drive north on I-5, through Seattle and past Everett. Continue north to the Arlington exit (#208, also says "N. Cascades highway via Darrington".  Drive highway #530 about 32 miles to Darrington. At the Texaco mini-mart, turn left on Sauk Rd (towards Rockport). Drive north 19 miles to Rockport. Turn right onto the N. Cascades Highway (20), and drive 9 miles to Marblemount  The Ranger Station is on the left as you enter Marblemount. 

As we are meeting early Saturday, you will need to spend the night in the vicinity of Marblemont. Camping can be had at Squire Creek Campground, in Darrington (on the left, prior to entering town), or at Clark’s Cabins (800/273-2606, tent camp sites and cabins)  in Marblemont (just before town, milepost 103.5). The power line access road, just right off Ranger Station road before the ranger station in Marblemont has pullouts to crash for free. In the morning, Clark’s Cabins Restaurant opens at 7 AM for Breakfast (great cinnamon rolls!).

From the Ranger Station, we will drive thru Marblemount, cross the bridge onto Cascade River Road and proceed 14+ miles to Kindy Creek Road (FS1570).  We follow 1570, crossing the river and following the obvious main road almost more 2 miles to a small parking area (4-5 cars) just over a wooden bridge (1850’).  The road is washed out for traffic 100 yds further.  4WD is not needed and most passenger cars can handle the road easily.

Roundtrip mileage from Portland is about 580 miles. The Mazamas suggested gas contribution is $0.10 cents per mile, or $58 per person to a maximum of $100 per car, payable to the driver. One-way drive time is about 5.5-7 hours, depending on traffic.  The most dangerous part of the trip may well be the drive home.  Please carpool for safety and take a nap enroute if you need to.

Permits / Fees (Trail, entrance, parking):

We won’t be at a trailhead, so a NW Forest Pass is not required, but a Pass is always a good idea in the National Forest.  Snowking is outside the National Park. Sign-in at the Marblemount NPS Ranger Station is not required but recommended, and no climbing/camping permit is required.

Climbing Skills Required: <br> SNOW: snow climbing on up to 30 degree slopes, self arrest<br> ROCK: rock climbing up to easy 3rd class.<br> If you haven’t climbed for awhile, you should get out your Freedom of the Hills book and review:<br> ·ow Travel / Climbing chapter.

Anyone going on the climb must be in good condition.  Camp is 4000’ up a steep-at-times trail, est. 4.5 hrs. Climbers not able to keep pace with the group may be turned back at the leader’s discretion.

Approach, climb, and descent: 

July 21: From the cars at 1850 ft elevation, we will walk up the road almost 2 miles to it’s end at 2350’.  An obvious trail begins climbing up the edge of an old clear cut, then enters beautiful old growth forest.  The trail is well-defined and quite easy to follow.  The first 1500’ are steep and demanding, then the trail moderates and eventually attains Kindy Ridge and a saddle (4800’) south of Point 5116’.  The main trail continues over the saddle and down to Found Lake. After reaching the initial saddle, the main trail descends about 100 yds to where a climbers trail takes off on the left up Kindy Ridge.  This well-defined trail quickly ascends to open parkland and the broad summit of Pt. 5791. Good camping and great views is recommended on Point 5791 as long as snow persists for water.  Thereafter, one must continue on for another hour to campsites and water at small lakes on the trail above Cyclone Lake. Elevation gain, 4500 ft /7 hours to Point 5791.

July 22:  From camp on Pt 5791, we follow the obvious trail down and up over 3 minor humps, above and east of Cyclone Lake, past 2 small lakes (5300’)and then begin climbing the gentle east summit ridge of Snowking, on trail and/or snow, avoiding the Snowking Glacier to our right.  For the final 400’, the snow steepens to 30 degrees below the summit block, which can be attained directly or, if the moat is wide, to the southeast on a rocky ridge (easy 3rd class scramble on rubble).  We may explore the center and west summits if time permits, and may descend an adjoining ridge directly to Cyclone Lake for a round-trip return to camp.  Time from camp to summit is 5 hrs, 2800 ft elevation gain. Descent about 4 hours.

July 23:  We will pack out early and follow the good trail to the cars (est. 3.5 hrs).