Sky Mountain by Tye Peak straddles King and Chelan Counties atop the Old Cascade Tunnel. It also marks the west end of the rugged Skyline Ridge stretching over Skyline Lake. Despite its closeness to Stevens Pass Ski Resort, the obscure peak is off the beaten path for plenty of solitude.
See more trip photos here.
Sky Mountain at a Glance
Access: Stevens Pass Ski Resort
Round Trip: 5.2 miles
Elevation Range: 4040′-5485′
Gear: microspikes, snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance
Holiday Weekend at Stevens Pass
It’s Christmas weekend, so the road to Skyline Lake was quiet. Later I saw a few people by the lake before going to Heather Ridge. Past the water, I met another snowshoer, Joachim, who wanted to go somewhere higher. So I invited him along.
The crappy weather had weakened the view considerably higher on the ridge. So we couldn’t pinpoint the summit’s whereabouts until we were nearly on top. But the plenty ski tracks along the way gave us a general idea.
See more trip photos here.
Sky Mountain Summit Plus Outro
Views on the summit were spotty, but mainly to the west and the east. Tye Peak was only one joining ridge away to the north, but clouds had engulfed it. Later, as we went back through Heather Ridge, it cleared a bit to see some views.
It looked like nearly all foot traffic ended in the fresh powder by Skyline Lake. So snowshoes were super helpful in going from the water up to the top. But we saw ski tracks beyond that point.
See more trip photos here.