MOUNT BALDY
This is a great late spring hike to wake your hiking legs up for the season and see some beautiful wildflowers and views along the way. Although not terribly popular considering how close it is to Seattle, it’s wise to show up early to avoid the heat.
Quick Facts:
Distance: 7.3 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3300 ft
Location: Kachess Ridge Trailhead, near I-90 Exit 70, Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
Season: Late Spring-Fall
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Parking Pass: None
Check the weather: mountain-forecast, weather.gov
Check for recent trip reports: WTA, AllTrails
Notes: There are some very steep sections of this hike that are slippery due to many small stones acting like ball bearings so it’s wise to bring poles to help with balance along the way. There are no bathrooms at the trailhead.
Getting there:
Click here for the TH location on Google Maps
The directions linked above will give you accurate directions to the trailhead. The roads are generally in pretty good shape, with the biggest obstacle being medium sized rocks sticking up out of the road, but there are not many of these. Any car should be able to make to the trailhead. The last 0.6 mile stretch of road to the trailhead is extremely narrow, and navigating oncoming traffic is really difficult.
View of Mount Baldy from the ridge, June 2021
View of Mount Rainier from the trail, June 2021
Hike description:
Begin hiking at the signed trailhead and you will quickly come to an open area next to a creek – you’ll take an unmarked right here to pick up a trail that goes along the creek. If you reach the large sign labeled “Kachess Ridge Trail” you’ve gone too far and need to backtrack about 10 feet.
Briefly hike upstream along Silver Creek before passing through a horse gate and crossing a sturdy bridge. From there you’ll begin switchbacking uphill almost immediately at a reasonable but steady pace. You’ll gain 1100 feet in the next 1.1 miles through pretty but somewhat uninteresting forest. Power through until you reach a signed intersection, taking a left onto the Domerie Dome trail.
Glacier lilies and the view from the ridge, June 2021
Silver Creek, June 2021
Hike this trail for a mostly flat half mile, taking a short detour to get a nice view Kachess Beacon at a small outcropping. From here the trail starts a relentless uphill section that gains 1500 feet in 0.75 miles. I found this section really difficult – the trail is steeply sloped and made of dirt with many small pebbles that can act as slippery ball bearings under your feet. Thankfully you gain some great views as you make your way up, giving you lots of excuses to stop and catch your breath. Behind you, Mount Rainier will continue to rise up as you get higher, and you can begin to see a tiny bit of Mount Adams if it’s clear enough. In the Spring, this area will also have a wide variety of wildflowers blooming.
Finally, you’ll reached a signed intersection and take a right to continue hiking towards the summit of Baldy. This is where all of your hard work really pays off – suddenly the views to the north are grand, with Stuart and the Teanaway peaks in your face and sparkling Cle Elum Lake down below. As you continue along the rolling trail towards Baldy, the views near and far are glorious. The final steep jaunt up to the summit goes by quickly and you are rewarded with the biggest views yet of the entire length of Cle Elum Lake all the way to Mount Daniel.
View from the trail, June 2021