Snow Lake
Early fall color appearing on shrubs
16 this month · 213 reports
Snoqualmie Region
The trail to Red Mountain (Commonwealth Basin) was reportedly open on August 12, though smoke haze from the 3 Queens Fire was visible and signs indicated a closure. The trail itself and the Commonwealth Creek crossing were reported as fine in August 12. Reports from July 31 and July 31 described the trail in good condition with minor obstacles that posed few problems. Snow-free conditions were noted in late July, July 31 and early July. The road to the trailhead is suitable for all vehicles, according to reports from July 31 and July 31. Bugs were not an issue for hikers in late July, July 31 and early July.
Generated from 19 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 1 month ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
No trip reports on this trail in 1 month, so everything below is at least that old.
The 3 Queens Fire was active as of August 12, with signs indicating the trail was closed due to the fire. Hikers should check official sources for the most up-to-date information on closures and fire activity.
While generally in good condition, one report from July 31 mentioned a sketchy and uncertain final descent that required flexibility. Another from July 31 noted a large blowdown requiring a short detour around mile 3, and a large boulder near the Kendall Katwalk requiring an easy scramble. The old double log bridge over the creek is no longer functional as of July 31, but the creek crossing is easy in dry conditions.
Parking lots at the Pacific Crest Trail North Trailhead can fill quickly, especially on weekends, so arriving early is recommended, according to a report from July 31.
The final 30 minutes of ascent to the top are described as a 'leap of faith' with no single right track and potential for gravel to slide. Flexibility and patience are advised, as routes can dead-end. This scree scramble may be something to consider if you have dogs with you, as one group opted to stop at Red Pond on July 12 because of it.
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Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
TRAIL CLOSED > DUE TO 3 QUEENS FIRE.Open when we started, signs up as we exited. Did not climb, went up to Red Pass. Watched clouds and smoke haze cover the area as we lunched.Trail and Commonwealth c...
The Pacific Crest Trail is one of the true treasures of Snoqualmie Pass, delivering a memorable mix of sweeping mountain views, sparkling alpine lakes, waterfalls, wildflowers, rugged peaks, and impre...
Third time up Red Mountain via the old Commonwealth Basin Trail, first time since 2021. The trail was in good shape, but the old double log that was cabled together to cross the creek is no longer a f...
Hiked up only as far as Red Pond as we had the dogs with us and didn’t feel like subjecting them to the scree scramble to the top. Beautiful day and pretty uncrowded once you left the PCT at the junct...
6/23/26 • Red MountainParking:We arrived around 5:30 a.m. and found several cars already in the lot, though there were still plenty of open spaces. By the time we returned, the lot was mostly full.Tra...
I was able to get to the peak of Red Mountain today. It was a perfect day for it, bugs aren't too bad yet and the scramble part was nice and dry. The air was really clear, so there was a really long v...
Scrambled to the top of Red Mountain. A hike to the bottom of the mountain from Commonwealth basin. In good shape. Scramble the last mile or so. Used helmets. There were some rocks that were kicked by...
I started at the I-90 PCT trailhead, took the Commonwealth Basin trail from the bottom (the avalanche sign, for the snowshoe route, I think), and ended up at the very end of Commonwealth Basin, which ...
It’s very doable but I went for sunset and bailed on the last couple hundred feet before summit. There were some slippery/snowy smooth rocks and steep moves I didn’t want to navigate in the dark alone...
Today I headed up towards Kendall Katwalk and had planned on using the Commonwealth Basin route. That turned out to be a bit of a mess right now. The PCT to Kendall Katwalk and Kendall Peak on the oth...