Roaring Ridge (Snoqualmie)
Washington, United States, North America

Roaring Ridge (Snoqualmie)

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 47.35194°N / 121.40541°W
Additional Information County: Kittitas
Activities Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 4988 ft / 1520 m
Sign the Climber's Log
Sign the Climber's Log!

Overview

Rainier and Meadow Mountain
Rainier and Meadow Mountain. No shortage of great views on Roaring Ridge.

Roaring Ridge, located southeast of Snoqualmie Pass, is a double summit peak. It is not an especially well known landmark but this peak is well worth the visit due to the large amount of views of the surrounding areas. It does have 460 feet of prominence so it does qualify as a summit.  The ridge features both a west summit and an east summit which both very close in height. Most people who head to the top of Roaring Ridge though only go for the eastern summit because it is home to a former lookout. Though the east summit does have partial views the views from the west summit are much better. The views from the gap between the two summits in many ways rivals or even exceeds the views from the two peaks. I personally would save this peak on a clear day when you only have a couple hours to visit the mountains. So if you head up to Roaring Ridge please take the time to visit both peaks. 

Looking at Lake Keechelus
Looking at Lake Keechelus



Getting There

From I-90. Get off on Exit 62 and go west to Stampede Pass. After one mile turn right onto 5480, which will have a sign to Lost Lake. Just before Lost Lake make a right onto an unsigned road. If you have a passenger car park here or if you have a Jeep or similar vehicle drive 3.5 miles to the end or near the end. The last 500 feet are rough but there is a pull out beforehand. 

Route

Map of the Route
Map of the Route


Depending on your vehicle this hike could either be a fairly long slog or a very short hike. The road that goes to the gap between the two summits is very rough in places and high clearance vehicles are necessary in order to get up high on the road. The last several hundred feet of the road is filled with tank traps so even if you have a Jeep you might want to car a little ways and take a short walk to the gap between the peak. Once there the west peak has a partial bootpath/light bushwhack combination to its high point while the east peak has a unmarked but overall decent trail to the old lookout site which is home to the former remains of two lookouts. 

West Peak Views


Mountains in the clouds
Snoqualmie Area from the west summit
Mount Stuart
Mount Stuart from the west summit

East Peak Views


Tinkham and Abiel
Tinkham and Abiel peaks from the east peak
Lookout Remnants
Lookout remants on the east peak


If you drive the road to the top you are looking at roughly 300 feet of elevation gain and under a half mile in order to reach both summits. If you did this then you should also plan on visiting both Loser Ridge and Meadow Mountain. However if you walked the entire road you then 7 miles roundtrip to your hike and roughly 2000 feet of total elevation gain.  

Red Tape

There is no red tape on Roaring Ridge.

When to Climb

Flowers on the west summit
Flowers on the west summit

If you are looking for a very easy hike summer is the time to go. This peak also make a good fall and winter destination provided the Roaring Creek Road is open.

Tinkham, Abiel and Silver Peak
Summertime views of Tinkham, Abiel and Silver Peak

Camping

One can camp on the gap between the two peaks if they like. And there is some camping areas down below by Lost Lake. 

External Links








Images

View Roaring Ridge (Snoqualmie) Image Gallery - 18 Images

Table of Contents
Geography