Mount Ellinor
Olympic Peninsula
Mount Ellinor conditions on March 23, 2026, indicate a highly variable snowpack and trail experience, requiring careful assessment and appropriate gear. As of March 22nd, mountaineering gear, including crampons, is still essential for navigating steep, hard snow sections of the winter route. However, significant meltwater has created running water in the gully, making glissading mostly impossible.
Reports from March 21st and February 28th strongly advise bringing microspikes and ice axes, with one report from February 15th detailing injuries due to icy conditions on the winter route, recommending the summer route for descent and appropriate gear for both. While the road to the lower trailhead is generally clear, the upper trailhead can be challenging with potholes and patches of snow/ice, especially for lower-clearance vehicles. Snow starts inconsistently on the trail, becoming more continuous around 3,800-4,400 feet. Snow depth is notably lower than average in recent reports, leading to unstable snow bridges and potential voids.
generated from 76 reports
Sources
Short version: Conditions are unusual for this point in the winter. Mountaineering gear is still needed to tackle sections of steep, hard snow, but the route is melted enough that glissading is imposs...
Bring your micro spikes and ice axe! (03/21/2026)
The road was snow free to the lower trailhead and not passable to the upper trailhead. Easy hiking through the woods. The avalanche chute has 3-4 feet of snow - much lower than is typical this time of...
Ascent of winter route as a party of 2, done as a day trip from Seattle. C2C from lower trailhead, began 9:45am, summit in 3-3.5h at a leisurely pace rewarded with stunning views. As a first timer on ...
Compacted snow on the drive up to lower trailhead starting pretty soon after the FS 24 turnoff. Tracks continue on to Upper and WA, but unknown conditions by me. Was able to make it in and out of Lowe...
What a beautiful day on Ellinor! I was the first up the summer trail, and I didn't quite make it to the top. (See last picture, which shows looking up, looking down, and where I was on the map just be...
I would like to add to my previous post that a woman and young man were injured going down the hard/icy chute on the winter route on 2/15 and waited 8.5 hours to be rescued by helicopter because of co...
We parked at the lower trailhead, but vehicles with chains were making it to the upper trailhead parking area. Due to reports of needing to hike through the boulders before getting on the hard snow u...
Conditions are largely the same as last week. Spring cascade concrete from the winter turnoff to the summit on both routes. There was a dusting of new snow, but just enough to add some sparkles.The up...
Road was nice and clear to the lower parking lot. Seems like 1 or 2 vehicles made it to the upper lot, but don't have any first hand information on exact conditions for upper.Snow starts on the trail...
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